The Burlington Business Association (BBA) is hosting its annual Business Summit event on Thursday, February 11th from 7:30-11 am at Burton’s Area 13 facility.
The BBA’s Summit will include a keynote and local speakers who will inform and inspire the audience to imagine the next chapter in Burlington’s evolution. Burlington has laid the groundwork with Plan BTV, which details the vision Burlingtonians share for a dynamic, livable downtown and waterfront. The BBA’s 2016 summit aims to empower the citizens of our Queen City to get active and voice their support for the projects that echo the goals of PlanBTV. This event will serve as a platform for discussion and action; attendees will be asked to contribute to the dialogue through break out groups, follow up dialogues and advocacy.
The event will feature Keynote speaker, Charles Marohn, Founder and President of Strong Towns, whose mission is to support a model of development that allows America's cities, towns and neighborhoods to become financially strong and resilient. Marohn is a licensed engineer and member of the AICP as well as the author of Thoughts on Building Strong Towns (Volume 1) and A World Class Transportation System. He hosts the Strong Towns Podcast, writes regularly for Strong Towns’ website and speaks frequently for events throughout North America.
Local speakers include:
Kate McCarthy, Sustainable Communities Program Director at the Vermont Natural Resources Council, who will give a presentation about their Smart Growth for Cities. Smart Growth is about promoting development that is good for the economy, community and the environment.
Kelly Stoddard-Poor, AARP - Livable Communities
Stoddard-Poor will review the results of AARP’s Livable communities survey of Burlington. AARP’s Livable Communities project supports the efforts of neighborhoods, towns and cities to become great places for people of all ages.
Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) Charles Baker, Director of the CCRPC will present recent statistics on housing, development and the economy in Chittenden County. The CCRPC is collecting information as part of the Ecos Project, a process and a plan for managing sustainable growth in Chittenden County for a healthy, inclusive and prosperous future.