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PLAN-Boulder CountyThe Boulder County Peoples Advocate July, 2006Boulder County public affairs news and analysis |
In this issue
Tracking Boulder Council Member Voting Records
Since the middle of last year PLAN-Boulder County has been compiling voting records for each recorded vote by City Council members. During the 12 months between July of 2005 and June of this year we have researched 63 individual issues voted upon by Council. In our monthly reports we have discussed the various issues and how each council member voted. Now we present to our readers a list of each vote so that you can rate members of Council and help decide whether incumbents merit your support in 2007.
We've also been checking to see how often members are absent from Council meetings. Council members in Boulder don't get paid very much, but they presented themselves to the voters and asked for the job. So, it's important for us to see whether they take their responsibilities seriously. Here's the 12-month attendance report card for the nine citizens who serve on Boulder City Council:
ATTENDANCETom Eldridge's normally high attendance record was adversely affected last fall when he was absent for surgery and a period of recovery. Congratulations to Robin Bohannan for a perfect attendance record during the last 12 months. Overall, seven of the nine members had excellent attendance records of 95% or more.
Suzy Ageton 95.2% Robin Bohannan 100.0% Tom Eldridge 69.8% Crystal Gray 95.2% Shaun McGrath 98.4% Richard Polk 97.9% Mark Ruzzin 96.8% Andy Schultheiss 95.2% Jack Stoakes 81.0%
In order to gauge Council voting relative to PBC positions, we have examined 25 votes (less for Riggle and Polk because of partial terms) where we took clear positions and compiled voting statistics for individual Council persons. The summary shows that only Council members Gray, McGrath, and Schultheiss voted with PBC positions on environmental protection, providing multimodal transit to the maximum extent possible, conservation of open space, focusing limited growth for the maximum benefit of the community, preserving our urban growth boundary and the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan, and moving closer to becoming a truly sustainable city.
| Council member | ||||||||||
| Percent agreement with PBC's 25 green positions |
Colorado Daily - PLAN-Boulder's Green Standard
League of Conservation Voters Colorado Environmental Scorecard
Colorado Conservation Voters: Gov. Owens' Scorecard
Project Vote Smart - Colorado Ballot Measures
Boulder Adopts Climate Action Plan
The Boulder City Council adopted a Climate Action Plan to bring the city into compliance with the goals of the Kyoto international protocol on reduction of greenhouse gases. The United States, under the Bush administration, does not adhere to the agreement signed in Kyoto by most of the world's nations. Many American cities, however, have moved on their own to reduce the greenhouse gases that are blamed for accelerating climate change and creating air pollution.
The City of Boulder will use a variety of incentive programs to help local residents and businesses improve environmental conditions, including energy audits and utility rebates. Boulder's goal is to achieve 80% compliance with the Kyoto protocol goals. City staff estimated that implementing the Climate Action Plan would cost about $1 million per year but result in $63 million of cost savings for local residents and businesses.
Council members voted eight to one at their June 6 meeting to adopt the plan, with Jack Stoakes dissenting. Council members then unanimously instructed City staff to return with wording for a ballot issue to be submitted to Boulder voters to help pay for the plan, either at the 2006 or 2007 elections. Some council members, including Andy Schultheiss, suggested that the tax should be higher on residences in order to subsidize lower income persons and businesses.
The PLAN-Boulder County Board has written a letter thanking Council for passing both the Zero Waste Resolution and the Climate Action Plan, and for continuing to consider municipalization of the City's energy production utilities. These measures will pay enormous economic and environmental benefits in the future, and are consistent with Boulder's long held innovative spirit on the most important issues.
Boulder's Climate Action Plan
Green House Network
The Climate Group
Environmental Implications of Local Choices
Local Governments for Sustainability
Partners for Climate Protection
PEW Center
Politics Abhors a Vacuum: Regional, State, Municipal & Corporate Action on Climate Change
Union Depot to be Moved Intact
The historic Boulder Union Depot will be preserved and moved intact under a plan approved on June 6 by the City Council. On a motion by Crystal Gray council members voted unanimously, with Jack Stoakes absent, to purchase the depot from the Boulder Jaycees for $10. Over 30 years ago the Jaycees paid to save the building from demolition when Canyon Boulevard was constructed on the former Water Street and railroad right-of-ways.
The depot was moved to the Pow Wow Rodeo Grounds at 30th and Pearl streets. The City of Boulder subsequently sold the property to a developer who constructed Crossroads Commons, a shopping center with Whole Foods and Barnes & Noble as major tenants. The current Florida-based owner of the property, Regency Centers, plans to redevelop the center with an expanded Whole Foods and a relocated Barnes & Noble.
Regency Centers agreed to provide at least $379,000 to help pay for the relocation as long as the building was removed by March 31, 2007. In addition, the City staff suggested that about $156,000 in projected City construction taxes be rebated to Regency Centers to help pay for the move. City staff will develop a funding plan for renovating the depot as a possible centerpiece for the planned RTD commuter rail station east of 30th Street, between Pearl Street and Valmont Road.
On a second motion by Gray, council members voted six to two (with Stoakes absent) to agree to the Landmarks Preservation Board recommendation that the depot be moved intact to a temporary site instead of dismantling the building and storing it until RTD rail service to Boulder starts in 2014. Voting to keep open the dismantling option were council members Suzy Ageton and Andy Schultheiss. Voting to preserve the depot and move it intact were council members Robin Bohannan, Tom Eldridge, Gray, Richard Polk and Mark Ruzzin.
Boulder Jaycees
Boulder Council's Purchase of Depot
Council Passes Iraq Withdrawal Resolution
At a special meeting on June 3 the Boulder City Council approved a resolution calling upon the Bush administration to "begin an orderly and rapid" withdrawal of military forces from Iraq. Council considered the issue after the Boulder County Troops Home Coalition submitted a petition bearing the signatures of over 5,000 Boulder residents seeking withdrawal by the end of 2006. Dozens of residents spoke in favor of the petition at the special Saturday meeting.
Council member Robin Bohannan offered a motion to endorse the Troops Home Coalition proposal. Her motion was countered by a substitute motion from Mark Ruzzin, supporting the alternative of supporting withdrawal but without setting a schedule.
During debate on the Ruzzin motion council member Suzy Ageton offered an amendment asking that no temporary or permanent U.S. military bases be established in Iraq after the troops had been withdrawn. Her amendment was defeated on a three-to-three tie vote, with council members Bohannan and Gray joining Ageton in support and Shaun McGrath, Richard Polk and Ruzzin opposed. Council members Tom Eldridge, Andy Schultheiss and Jack Stoakes did not attend the meeting. Ageton then offered the same amendment with an addition of allowing bases to remain if requested by the "democratic government of Iraq." Ruzzin accepted that amendment as a friendly one and it was added to his motion.
Crystal Gray then offered an amendment restoring the citizens' recommendation of withdrawal by the end of 2006. Her motion was defeated on a four-to-two vote, with only Bohannan joining her in support. Opposing the withdrawal deadline were Ageton, McGrath, Polk and Ruzzin.
On the final vote the Ruzzin substitute to the Bohannan motion was approved on a vote of five-to-one, with Polk dissenting. Bohannan voted for the motion "reluctantly" since it was watered-down and offered no statement on a withdrawal deadline.
Cities for Peace
Boulder Council/Staff email hotline for June
Boulder County Troops Home Coalition
Planners Conduct More Transit Village Meetings
Boulder's city planners conducted another series of public meetings on May 18, 19 and 20, seeking comments from residents on the second attempt at preparing an area plan for the Transit Village and surroundings. An earlier effort was rejected by City Council after community complaints over the extended size of the area and a deficient process for citizen input.
The new plan covers a smaller area of about 160 acres, generally bounded by Foothills Parkway, 30th Street, Valmont Road and the southern side of Pearl Street. It focuses on the future RTD bus and rail stations north of Pearl Street at the BNSF railroad tracks but also takes into consideration redevelopment possibilities in the surrounding area.
The series of community meetings last year for the previous planning exercise were far better attended than those in May. During the recent meetings attendance was usually under sixty, with most of those being planners, architects, developers, property owners and their representatives. Few members of the general public attended. One reason for the sparse attendance may have been scheduling. Planners set the meetings during the dinner hour, all day on a workday and midday on Saturday, times not conducive to a great deal of public participation.
The City of Boulder retained the services of several planning consultants, including EDAW, a San Francisco-based firm with a Denver office. Planners will submit to the Boulder Planning Board and City Council three concepts for the area plan, based on the outcome of the three-day planning event. Final consideration by the two bodies is likely later this year.
Listen to Planning Board Response to Staff Proposal from Planning Charette
Tuesday, July 11, City Council is meeting at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers (1777 Broadway) and will consider options for the Boulder Transit Village Area Plan.
Historic Preservation Changes Considered
At their June 6 meeting members of the Boulder City Council began the process of considering changes to the City's historic preservation policies. First reading of an ordinance containing the changes was approved on a five to two vote, with councilmen Polk and Stoakes absent. Voting to proceed with consideration were council members Bohannan, Gray, McGrath, Ruzzin and Schultheiss. Voting against the ordinance on first reading were council members Ageton and Eldridge. Council member Ageton sought to have a public hearing on June 6 in addition to the one scheduled for July 11.
Some of the changes being considered include definitions, including whether third parties (such as Historic Boulder, Inc.) can initiate applications for historic designation of neighborhoods. Other changes involve the public process and whether buildings over fifty years old should be subject to City review before demolition permits are issued. Some of the changes designed to weaken Boulder's historic preservation standards are supported by real estate interests, especially landlords of rental properties in older neighborhoods.
Amending Public Process for Designation of Historic Districts
Historic Boulder
Boulder Planning Director Resigns
Peter Pollock, director of planning for the City of Boulder, announced his resignation, effective July 6. Peter has been a long-time employee of the City's planning department. He will remain in Boulder and be associated with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, an educational institution based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. According to its website the institute was founded in 1974 with the purpose of improving the quality of public debate and decisions in the areas of land policy and land-related taxation.
The City will conduct a nationwide search for Peter's replacement. Citizens should let their Council and City Manager Frank Bruno know that that it is a top priority to find a new Planning Director who will continue Boulder's national leadership with the type of municipal growth management that an environmentally rich and forward-thinking community such as Boulder cares about.
Contact the city manager
Contact City Council members
Boulder Planning Director Resigns
History of Boulder Planning
David C. Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
APA Commissioner: A Passion for Planning
AICP Press: Controlling Sprawl in Boulder
APA Planning Magazine: The Town That Said No to Sprawl
Council Gives Vote of Confidence to BTV-54
The Boulder City Council endorsed the results of Tony Perri's operation of the City's public access channel since he took over operations of channel 54 at the end of 2005. The Council, on a vote of seven to one, also authorized the appropriation of $10,000 to Perri to help pay for in-house production operations. Councilman Tom Eldridge cast the opposing vote. Jack Stoakes was absent during the vote at the June 6 meeting.
The motion by Councilman Mark Ruzzin also instructed City staff to rework the existing contract between the City of Boulder and Perri to acknowledge current conditions. City Attorney Ariel Calonne cautioned Council that Perri had failed to meet some of the conditions contained in the contract approved by Council in 2005. Perri estimated that he may need about $200,000 per year to operate the community access channel.
Boulder Community Television
Mediachannel.org: Why We Need Community Media
Longmont Named All-American City
The National Civic League named Longmont as one of ten "All-American Cities". The designation was based on Longmont's efforts on affordable housing, diversity and gang response and intervention. A committee of Longmont citizens worked diligently to obtain the designation, which will help in recognition of local efforts and in marketing Longmont.
City of Longmont
National Civic League
Wikipedia on All-American City
Wikipedia on Longmont
Across the country people are voicing concerns about the lack of good local journalism in their communities. In many cases the problem revolves around corporate ownership of newspapers, radio and television stations that puts a 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.
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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