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PLAN-Boulder CountyThe Boulder County Peoples Advocate Feb. 1, 2006Boulder County public affairs news and analysis |
In this issue
Speaker to discuss
the Fight for America's Independent Businesses
Stacy Mitchell, author and senior researcher with the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, will speak at the PLAN-Boulder County (PBC) Annual Dinner on "The True Cost of Big Box Retailers and the Fight for America's Independent Businesses." The PBC annual dinner will be Sunday, Feb. 12, at the Spice of Life Events Center (5706 Arapahoe Ave) starting at 5 pm. This event is open to all, and costs $35 per person for a beef or vegetarian dinner.
Stacy Mitchell is author of "The Hometown Advantage: How to Defend Your Main Street Against Chain Stores and Why It Matters," which provides essential guidance for grassroots groups and elected officials who wish to understand the true costs of mass merchandise chain retailers, local policies that encourage such development to the detriment of local businesses, and the overall effects on quality of life in communities. This topic is particularly relevant because the Boulder City Council voted on September 20, 2005, to:
Transit Village Area Plan Hits Roadblock
The Boulder City Council meeting agenda for January 3 included a briefing on the status of the Transit Village Area Plan process. Planners intended to brief council members on the plan and seek their input on the two proposed land use and transportation concepts and on the overall assessment of the process. After the briefing discussion indicated that the process needs some course-correction.
Planning Board members Macon Cowles and Simon Mole reported to Council on the board's concerns about the process. Mole said the process was "seriously adrift" and challenged council members to take charge. Cowles asked for a delay of six weeks in the process to allow the public to better understand the issues, especially why a transportation project had grown into a 400-acre plus planning effort. Cowles and Mole were supported by council members Eldridge, Polk and Schultheiss, who stated concerns about the two concepts presented by staff and about the overall process.
Staff's two concepts were controversial in part because of the amount of additional housing, which would allow between 5,000 and 11,000 new residents in the Transit Village area, plus 2 million to 2.7 million square feet of office, industrial and retail space. Council members Eldridge and Polk both questioned whether the people of Boulder want that much additional growth in population and employment.
Under the current schedule the process will move to a Transit Village working group (3 council members, 3 planning board members, 2-3 staff members) for discussion that will lead to a series of public hearings before City Council, Planning Board and the Transportation Advisory Board. Council plans to conduct a hearing on Tuesday, February 21. Concerns voiced by the Planning Board and some council members, however, may result in a change of schedule, if not an entire rethinking of the concept behind the Transit Village area plan.
Transit Village Home Page
Colorado Daily: Area Plan Movement Slows
Daily Camera: Transit Village Area Plan Stirs Concerns
Changes Possible for Historic Preservation
Some major changes to Boulder's historic preservation ordinance are quietly proceeding through the approval process. Under options offered by City staff the ordinance that covers the designation of historic properties and historic districts could be amended to make changes including:
Consideration of the changes will start with the Landmarks Board meeting on Feb. 1, followed by the Planning Board on Feb. 23 and a Boulder City Council public hearing and vote on April 4. Boulder residents interested in historic preservation should begin now to let their views be known to board and council members.
Historic Preservation Program
Historic Boulder
Ageton: Consider Closing Some City Meetings to the Public
Boulder Council member Suzy Ageton suggested that City Council consider seeking a change in Boulder's charter to allow more public meetings to be held in private. In particular, Ageton said that requirements for the public to be allowed to attend meetings intended to discuss personnel, legal and real estate matters might be changed for the benefit of council members and City staff. The suggestion immediately raised expressions of concern from the Daily Camera editorial board and the Boulder County chapter of the ACLU. Boulder's open-meetings policy was adopted in 1917 as part of the city's original charter.
Daily Camera: Open Meetings Editorial and Correction
Colorado Municipal League: Recording Executive Sessions on page 7
Major Development Projects In the Pipeline
Although Boulder is not known as a hot bed for real estate development, at least seven major development projects are currently in process. Either approved or under review are the following developments:
Boulder's newest big-box retailer opened on January 12. Home Depot is the first tenant in 29th Street, the redevelopment of the former Crossroads shopping center. The 134,000 square foot store occupies a prominent and elevated spot at the northwest corner of 30th Street and Arapahoe Avenue.
We encourage all citizens to visit the Home Depot site to observe the style and impact of this first piece of 29th Street. The Home Depot presents a blank wall to 30th St, which some groups objected to during planning stages. On the south side, the store sits behind a large parking lot that, at present, has little landscaping to separate it from Arapahoe Avenue. Perhaps additional landscaping and development of pedestrian, bicycle, and bus connections will soften the streetscape and improve access by non-automobile modes.
Home Depot - Grand Openings
Rainforest Action Network: Home Depot to Stop Selling Old Growth Wood
Council Rejects Call-Up of Mortuary Redevelopment Plan
At its meeting on January 17 the Boulder City Council voted 6 to 2 to reject an attempt by Council member Crystal Gray to "call up" the redevelopment plan for the former Howe Mortuary site at 2121 11th Street in downtown Boulder. The plan to expand the historic building by about 16,000 square feet and add several adjacent new residences has been working its way through the approval process for about 18 months. The city's Landmarks Board supported the plan on a 4 to 1 vote.
Under the Boulder City Charter, approvals for landmark alteration certificates can be "called up" for review by the City Council. Responding to calls from some Mapleton Hill neighbors Gray sought to bring the project up for a public hearing before Council. Only council member Andy Schultheiss supported Gray's motion. Council members Ageton, Bohannan, McGrath, Polk, Ruzzin and Stoakes voted to let the Landmarks Board ruling stand. Councilman Tom Eldridge recused himself on the vote since he owns property across the street.
Council did unofficially encourage the Landmarks Board to hold another public hearing for interested neighbors once City staff does a final review of the project's architectural details.
See fourth item: "Reviving a Dead Building"
Boulder to Help Fund Waste Facility Shortfall
Plans for a Boulder County Household Hazardous Waste Facility have run into difficulties due to unforeseen construction cost overruns. At the request of the Boulder County Commission the Boulder City Council, on January 17, authorized the City to enter into an agreement to provide up to $400,000 to fund the city's share of a $1 million gap. County Commissioners offered to advance the city up to $400,000 on an interest-free, twenty-year basis.
On a motion by council member Crystal Gray the Council voted unanimously to accept the County's offer. Currently the funding formula for the facility is based on use. Some council members encouraged commissioners to consider changing the formula to one based on population, reflecting the likely changes in the sizes of Boulder and other Boulder County cities over the next twenty years.
Hazardous Waste: A Safe Environment Begins at Home
Household Hazardous Waste Facility Funding
PLAN-Boulder County is pleased with the response from Boulder County residents to the Peoples Advocate. We'll keep working to let you know how your city and county representatives are voting on important issues, and we'll continue to provide detailed information on the nuts and bolts of public process.
In order to spread the word we encourage those of you who are receiving this publication to pass it around. Please forward the Peoples Advocate to your friends and associates. Encourage any community organizations in which you are a member to distribute the Peoples Advocate to their membership.
If you like what you read, please sign up to receive the newsletter directly to ensure continuity and simplify our process by contacting PLAN-Boulder board member David Cook. And most importantly, let us know what you think about the publication and the issues we cover.
| The Boulder County Peoples Advocate is published monthly by PLAN-Boulder County and distributed free to persons interested in local public affairs issues. Eric Karnes, Editor
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