[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: CAC re Item 6B: Real Estate Acquisition

[kohls at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Appelbaum, Matt

Colleagues,

The CAC minutes indicate that Item 6B on next Tuesday's council agenda is now to focus on real estate acquisition in general.  This agenda item was originally intended -- at my long-standing request -- to focus specifically on Longs Gardens.

Although a more general conversation of our process for acquiring real estate -- particularly in the context of the requirement that all council discussions be public -- could be quite useful, it does not in any way deal with the very real and timely need to discuss Longs Gardens in particular.

While it may well be inappropriate for council to discuss any particular negotiations that may have occurred, there are a number of key policy considerations that require council direction.  These likely include: should OS funds be used; where would the acquisition money come from; should the property be acquired or a conservation easement sought; should the entire property be essentially left as is, or should some portion of it be made available for other uses; should we consider using some portion of the property for affordable housing; should the community gardens be left as is, expanded, or moved somewhere else; what should happen (or be allowed to happen) to the existing structure(s); should any new structures be allowed on the property; how might the value of the property be determined; etc.

I don't see how any formal or informal conversations between staff and the property owners can be initiated or continued until council discusses the policy issues noted above.  That is why I requested that we discuss Longs Gardens, and why I think we still need to do so.  That has been the plan all along, until this morning's CAC meeting.  Thus, I request that the discussion of Longs Gardens be put back on the council agenda for next week (either in addition to or as a replacement of the broader conversation of real estate acquisitions) -- and if that is not done, then clearly any and all staff activity on this issue must completely stop.

--Matt