[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: Co-ops

[cmosupport at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Shoemaker, Andrew

Colleagues,

As I will be in an arbitration proceeding for a client this week, I will be unable to make the hearing on the 6th.  Accordingly, I am writing in with a few thoughts: I think that the co-op discussion continues to move in the right direction.  I would support on third reading some limitation of the number of residents based on square feet (for example, 200 sf/person), and I strongly support the limitation requiring that a house be a minimum of 2,000 sf in order to support a co-op.  I also would encourage Council to consider an amendment to the proposed ordinance to discourage investors from purchasing homes less than 2,000 sf and then expanding them to meet a 2,000 sf minimum threshold for a co-op.  This may be accomplished by denying a rental from housing a co-op for five years after a renovation if the renovation expanded the home size from less than to greater than 2,000 sf after the ordinance was passed.  Finally, while I would support annual quantity/volume limitations in neighborhoods, based on our prior hearings/discussions I think that ship has sailed and that we have determined to focus on setting minimum distances between co-ops.  I think that doing so is appropriate.  I would encourage more flexibility on co-op density (i.e., lower distances required between co-ops) in high density neighborhoods and on homes that front to heavy transit corridors (such as South Boulder Road/Table Mesa/Broadway) and requiring greater distances between co-ops elsewhere.  Best of luck tomorrow evening, and I look forward to seeing your work on third reading.

Andrew