|
PLAN-Boulder CountyThe Boulder County Peoples Advocate Feb. 1, 2007Boulder County public affairs news and analysis |
In this issue
Eldridge Excused from Attending Meetings
Boulder City Councilman Tom Eldridge was excused by his colleagues from attending Council meetings, at least through May 15, 2007. Eldridge is recovering from surgery for brain cancer and is currently confined to a wheelchair. Before his illness Eldridge had one of Council's best attendance records.
On January 16 Council members voted unanimously (Eldridge and Mark Ruzzin absent) to approve a motion by Councilman Jack Stoakes excusing Eldridge from meetings for the next four months.
Boulder Airport Master Plan Approved
At their January 16 meeting members of Boulder City Council unanimously approved the proposed update of the master plan for Boulder Municipal Airport. Council members Tom Eldridge and Mark Ruzzin were absent.
The Federal Aviation Administration requires local governments to update their airport master plans every ten years in order to be eligible to receive federal funding. The approved plan for Boulder's airport does not foresee expansion but rather concentrates on maintenance, appearance and safety issues. The airport may construct some new T-hangars to accommodate owners of private planes who currently must park their aircraft outside due to a shortage of hangar space.
The Boulder Municipal Airport is one of the oldest in Colorado, founded in 1928 as Hayden Field. The airport is home to about 220 aircraft and operates on a self-sufficient basis, funded by building rents, hangar and tie-down fees and aviation fuel sales. About 200 people work at the airport.
Now that Council has approved the plan, which covers a twenty-year horizon, it will be submitted to the FAA for approval. Most funds for improvements at the airport come from federal and state sources plus airport-generated revenues. Tim Head, a retired U. S. Air Force officer with a specialty in airport management, was recently employed by the City of Boulder as airport manager.
Boulder City Council Meeting Minutes Jan. 16, 2007
Council Weakens Historic Preservation Code
The Boulder City Council, at its January 16 meeting, voted to weaken the City's historic preservation code. By a unanimous vote, with Councilmen Tom Eldridge and Mark Ruzzin absent, the council rejected recommendations from the Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board and the Environmental Advisory Board, approving changes that weaken requirements for windows and doors in historic buildings.
Under the current code property owners are required to rehabilitate windows and doors in historic structures instead of replacing them. The City staff recommended, and Council approved, allowing property owners to replace those features on the Òsecondary and tertiaryÓ elevations of buildings. The new code will also make it easier to owners of historic properties to install solar collectors.
The current City Council has voted several times recently to weaken historic preservation ordinances and to allow demolition of historic structures.
Boulder City Council Meeting Minutes Jan. 16, 2007
Balancing history, environment : County-News : Boulder Daily Camera
Commissioners Seek Changes to Federal Church Law
Boulder County Commissioners asked Colorado's U. S. congressional delegation to attempt to at least modify the federal Religious Land Use Act. The legislation, passed by a Republican-controlled Congress in 2000 at the behest of religious conservatives, attempts to override land use ordinances so that church construction cannot be regulated by local governments.
In Boulder County the issue arose when the Rocky Mountain Christian Church sought to expand its church complex on Niwot Road by about 132,000 square feet. The expansion conflicts with the county's land use plan and was strongly opposed by Niwot-area residents and County planning staff. Commissioners denied the application. The church subsequently filed suit in federal court seeking to use the Religious Land Use Act to overturn the decision.
Numerous other suits are pending across the country as some religious organizations seek to use the law to force local governments to allow church construction in conflict with land use policies. Many city and county governments have asked Congress to repeal the law since it is special-interest legislation.
Commissioners call law 'federal takeover' : County-News : Boulder Daily Camera
Army Reserve Center Redevelopment Planned
The vacant U. S. Army Reserve center in south Boulder may be replaced with 40 housing units of various types. The 4.7-acre site is located on Table Mesa Drive east of 46th Street. The developer, Peter Stainton, is currently going through the City of Boulder approval process, including obtaining a rezoning from the site's present low density designation to a medium density residential zone.
The site is attractive to developers since it fronts on a major thoroughfare and is adjacent to Tantra Park, shopping and the Table Mesa RTD park and ride station. Some nearby residents oppose the redevelopment and prefer that the City of Boulder acquire the property for an expansion of Tantra Park.
PLAN-Boulder County Holds 47th Annual Meeting
Over 200 people attended PLAN-Boulder County's 47th annual meeting on Sunday, January 28 at the Spice of Life Events Center on Arapahoe Avenue. The featured speaker for the meeting was Stephen H. Schneider, a former Boulder resident who is now a professor at Stanford University. Schneider presented a wide-ranging analysis of climate change and its potential effects.
PLAN-Boulder County presented three awards at the meeting. The prestigious Jim Crain Award for 2006 was presented to former Boulder Mayor Ruth Wright. The 2007 Jim Crain Award was presented to former Boulder County Commissioner Ron Stewart. The Jim Crain Award honors citizens who have worked to implement the successful open space programs of the City of Boulder and Boulder County.
The Gilbert White Award is a new PLAN-Boulder County honor, named in memory of the late Boulder citizen who was instrumental in many environmental programs. Al Bartlett was named the recipient of the first Gilbert White Award in recognition of his years of leadership in advancing science and recognizing natural and environmental hazards.
At the annual meeting members of PLAN-Boulder County unanimously elected a slate of officers and board members for 2007. Reelected as officers were Pat Shanks (chair), Susan Morris (vice chair), John Spitzer (treasurer) and Alan Boles (secretary). Returning board of directors members are Ray Bridge, Dick Harris, Dickey Lee Hullinghorst, Eric Karnes, Thom Krueger, Mary McQuiston, Morgan Rogers, Ariel Steele and Beth Van Dusen. New additions to the board are Carolyn Dulchinos and Suzanne Jones.
Across the country people are concerned about the lack of good local journalism in their communities. In many cases the problem revolves around out-of-town corporate ownership of newspapers, radio and television stations that puts higher priority on profit than quality. The concentration of so much of the nation's media under a few corporations also limits the diversity of views and often results in a pro-business slant on the news. Boulder, with both of its daily newspapers owned by the same firm, is no exception.
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
|