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PLAN-Boulder CountyThe Boulder County Peoples Advocate Oct. 1, 2007Boulder County public affairs news and analysis |
In this issue
PLAN-Boulder County Makes Election Endorsements
The board of directors of PLAN-Boulder County met on September 28 and made the following endorsements of candidates and issues in the 2007 municipal and county elections in Boulder County:
City of BoulderSeven of the nine seats on the Boulder City Council are up for election this year. PLAN-Boulder County endorsed the following candidates, listed in alphabetical order:
Macon CowlesBoulder County
Crystal Gray
Lisa Morzel
Susan Osborne
Eugene Pearson
Susan Peterson
Ken WilsonRenewals of two existing sales tax levies are up for voter approval in November. PLAN-Boulder County endorsed both issue 1-A (open space) and 1-B (trails and transportation).
City of Louisville
PLAN-Boulder County endorsed the following candidates for the municipal elections in Louisville:
Mayor: Charles SiskPLAN-Boulder County also endorsed citizen ballot initiative 2-A, which would amend the status of the Louisville Urban Renewal Agency by giving its responsibilities to the Louisville City Council. If the initiative is approved the Urban Renewal Agency would become an advisory board to the City Council.
City Council Ward 1: Annie Hughes
City Council Ward 3: Matt JonesCity of Longmont
PLAN-Boulder County made no endorsements in the mayoral and council elections in Longmont but does support the City's proposed open space tax.
Volunteers Needed for Literature Collation and Distribution
Volunteers from PLAN-Boulder County, along with as many as six other environmental and community organizations, will participate in a Òlit dropÓ on the weekend of October 13 and 14. The volunteers will distribute literature for City Council candidates endorsed by the various organizations.
Volunteers are needed to help with collating materials next Friday, October 12th starting at 6pm at the Boulder Medical Pavilion (northwest corner of Broadway and Alpine), as well as, for walking precincts the 13th and 14th. We need walkers!! Anyone interested in participating in the campaign literature distribution can call Ruth Blackmore at 303/494-3009 or Morgan Rogers at 619/808-6079 or send an email.
Candidates Receive Other Endorsements
In addition to PLAN-Boulder County a number of other organizations endorse candidates for Boulder City Council, including civic, community, environmental, business, real estate, recreation and neighborhood groups. Several local newspapers also make recommendations to the electorate. As of October 1 the following organizations had endorsed candidates in the 2007 elections:
Boulder Mountain Bike AllianceA list of additional endorsements will be published in the Nov. 1 issue of the Peoples Advocate.Macon CowlesBoulder Outdoor Coalition
Angelique Espinoza
Crystal Gray
Adam Massey
Lisa Morzel
Susan Osborne
Ken WilsonAngelique EspinozaFriends Interested in Dogs and Open Space (FIDOS)
Adam Massey
Susan Osborne
Ken WilsonShawn Coleman
Angelique Espinoza
Adam Massey
Susan Osborne
Ken Wilson
Transit Village Area Plan Approved
After three years of discussion, debate and false starts, the area plan for the 160 acres surrounding the future RTD rail and bus stations was approved on September 18 by the Boulder City Council. RTD expects to begin express bus service to its property on Pearl Street east of 30th Street in several years, followed by commuter rail service in 2015.
City planners initially expanded the size of the study area far beyond the 160 acres but concerns from a wide spectrum of community organizations forced City Council to redirect staff's attention. Even so, the final plan has a greater concentration on private development opportunities than on public facilities. For example, the plaza initially planned as a gateway to Boulder at the railroad station was reduced in size to accommodate the concerns of nearby landowners. Similarly, the planned use of the historic Union Depot as the centerpiece of the rail station plaza was eliminated.
Concerns were also raised by the public that the plan was designed in a manner to allow much higher residential and commercial densities than permitted under existing zoning. The amount of affordable housing allowed in the area plan, once cited as a major goal by City Council, was also called into question.
Those public concerns were ignored or rejected by City staff and City Council when, on a motion by Mark Ruzzin, the Transit Village area plan and implementation plan was approved unanimously, with Councilmen Shaun McGrath and Jack Stoakes absent.
Council Delays Washington Village Approval
The plan to redevelop the closed Washington Elementary School property at Broadway and Cedar Street in north Boulder was dealt at least a temporary setback when the Boulder City Council voted to call up the project's site plan and use review. The Planning Board approved the project but some residents in the surrounding neighborhood objected, citing concerns over density and loss of open space.
Council members, at their September 18 meeting, voted unanimously (with Jack Stoakes absent) to review the project at a special meeting, likely to be held in October. Wonderland Hill Development has the property under contract from the Boulder Valley School District and a long delay may either move back the closing date (if the school board agrees) or terminate the project.
Library Master Plan Gets Council Approval
An update of the master plan for the Boulder Public Library system received unanimous support from City Council members at their September 4 meeting. The plan replaces a previous set of goals and objectives adopted in 1992.
The Boulder library system has been subjected to a series of deep budget cuts that have reduced hours and days for library patrons and eliminated library positions. While Council members spoke in glowing terms about the value of the library to Boulder they have not yet committed to restoring any or all of the cuts to library services. Council will vote on the City Manager's budget recommendations this fall.
Council Sends Charter Amendments to Voters
At the September 4 meeting members of City Council voted to submit three more proposed charter amendments to Boulder voters in the November election. A fourth amendment was approved for submittal in August.
The amendments that voters will consider include:
Councilman Ken Wilson offered a motion to allow such persons to serve on boards and commissions that did not have quasi-judicial powers. Bohannan offered an amendment to Wilson's motion that would allow non-citizens to serve on the Human Relations Commission, a body that has quasi-judicial powers and whose decisions cannot be appealed to City Council. Bohannan's motion was defeated on a 6 to 2 vote, with Crystal Gray joining Bohannan in support.
Wilson's motion received five voters but since the issue was being considered on an emergency second reading basis it required approval by a two-thirds majority of Council, or six voting in the affirmative. Only five favorable votes were cast (by Bohannan, Gray, Polk, Ruzzin and Wilson) so the proposed amendment will not be on the November ballot. Voting against the motion were Council members Ageton, McGrath and Stoakes.
Council Approves $10 Million Conservation Easement
The Boulder City Council, at its September 18 meeting, approved spending $10 million of open space funds to acquire a conservation easement on 464 acres in Jefferson County. The property that will be protected from future development is the Hogan ranch, located on the west side of Colorado Highway 93 between Boulder and Golden. The Hogan family settled on the property over 130 years ago and will, under terms of the agreement, continue to operate their ranch.
The $10 million cost of the conservation easement comes with several stipulations. The Hogan family will be able to build up to five houses on the land and will retain mineral, oil and gas rights. A five-acre tract along Highway 93 will be zoned for commercial uses and can be developed in the future. No public access to the ranch will be allowed, other than a future trail along the west side of the highway.
Hogan Ranch is surrounded by City of Boulder, Boulder County and Jefferson County open space lands. Supporters of the easement cited the number of animal and plant species present on the property and its location where prairie meets the mountain environment. The easement will also eliminate the possibility of development that could adversely affect the adjacent public open space.
Council members, on a motion by Crystal Gray, voted unanimously to approve the easement. Councilmen Shaun McGrath and Jack Stoakes were absent.
Council Makes Mid-Year Board Appointments
The Boulder City Council filled several vacancies on boards and commissions at its September 18 meeting. Five positions had become vacant during the year due to resignations. Council members voted for the following nominees:
Whittier House Gets Landmark Designation
An historic house at 1936 Mapleton Avenue in the Whittier neighborhood won landmark designation from the Boulder City Council. The house, at the corner of 20th Street and Mapleton Avenue, was built in the Queen Anne style in 1896. A developer recently acquired the house and intended to demolish the structure and replace it with a new building.
Studies by the Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board staff found that the house could be restored in an economic manner. On a motion by Crystal Gray the Council, at their September 18 meeting, voted unanimously (with Jack Stoakes absent) to approve the designation.
Gilbert White Monument Planned
The late Boulder community activist Gilbert F. White may be honored with a monument along Boulder Creek. White, a longtime supporter of PLAN-Boulder County, died in 2006 at the age of 95. He was the Gustafson Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Geography at the University of Colorado and a leading expert in floodplain management.
At the request of the Boulder City Council a citizens committee was created after White's death to design and implement a suitable memorial. The plan created by the committee calls for the erection of a flood level marker alongside Boulder Creek near the Broadway bridge showing various creek levels, ranging from bank-full elevations to a height equal to that of the Big Thompson flood.
The committee is now in the process of raising $100,000 to fund the monument, which was designed by Mary White, Gilbert White's daughter, and Christian Muller. Those interested in contributing to the monument fund may send checks, made out to the GFW Floodplain Marker, to The Community Foundation, 1123 Spruce Street, Boulder 80302.
Mobile Home Park May be Redeveloped
Boulder Housing Partners is planning to redevelop Boulder Mobile Manor, a 66-lot mobile home park in north Boulder. Plans call for trailers in the park to be replaced with about 80 units of permanently affordable single-family houses, duplex units and townhouses, mostly for rent.
Boulder Mobile Manor is located on Valmont Road east of Folsom Street. The development plans call for about 7,000 square feet of community center and retail space to be included with the new residential units.
The nationally-renown e-town radio show may move its offices, studios and broadcast facilities to a former church in downtown Boulder. The show currently operates out of the Boulder Theater. Under plans recently approved by the Boulder Planning Board e-town will acquire the vacant building at 1535 Spruce Street from Steve Tebo.
The building will be extensively renovated and its historic architecture preserved. The costs of the acquisition and renovation will be covered through a fund-raising campaign that e-town will initiate once the purchase contract is finalized. The actual programming for e-town will continue to occur at the Boulder Theatre.
Council Voting Records Available Online
PLAN-Boulder County has been tracking since 2005 all votes by members of the Boulder City Council. Often amendments and procedural motions are as important as final decisions on major issues and we wish the people of Boulder to know how their Council members vote on issues of importance to the community. Included in our tracking is how Council members voted on appointments to City boards and commissions.
The votes are recorded on a spreadsheet that can be found on our website, www.planboulder.org. PLAN-Boulder County encourages you to keep informed about how Boulder's City Council represents you and your views.
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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