[BoulderCouncilHotline] Re: Inappropriate staff action on OS-O without hearing

[Weaver, Sam]

Council Members and HOTLINE followers,

Further to the issue that Cindy raises, could staff please provide Council with a copy of the letter sent to the County regarding the OS-O land use designation at the old hospital site?  I am assuming such a letter exists due to claims made by the neighbors, who report that it was sent to the county on Dec. 11, 2017.  If no such letter exists, could staff clarify tonight the status regarding any discussions with the County to change the OS-O designation.

Many thanks,

Sam Weaver
Member of Boulder City Council
weavers at bouldercolorado.gov<mailto:weavers at bouldercolorado.gov>
Phone: 303-416-6130

From: Carlisle, Cynthia
Sent: Thursday, January 4, 2018 11:03 AM
To: CAC <CAC at bouldercolorado.gov>; HOTLINE <HOTLINE at bouldercolorado.gov>
Subject: FW: Inappropriate staff action on OS-O without hearing

Dear Council,

Just a heads up that I plan to raise this issue with its looming timeline-January 9th-at tonight's meeting under matters from mayor and council.  I hope you have time to take another look;  if we're going to change the culture of public engagement as we agreed when accepting the recommendations of the PPWG, we need to be responsive to these kinds of issues.  Like those cited in the background examples included in the appendix of the final report of the PPWG, this is a prime case.

Thank you
Cindy


From: Alan Delamere [mailto:wadelamere at comcast.net]
Sent: Thursday, December 28, 2017 7:53 PM
To: Council <council at bouldercolorado.gov<mailto:council at bouldercolorado.gov>>; Brautigam, Jane <BrautigamJ at bouldercolorado.gov<mailto:BrautigamJ at bouldercolorado.gov>>; Robertson, Jim <RobertsonJ at bouldercolorado.gov<mailto:RobertsonJ at bouldercolorado.gov>>
Cc: OSBT-Web <OSBT-Web at bouldercolorado.gov<mailto:OSBT-Web at bouldercolorado.gov>>; Russell Henriksen <russellhenriksen at hotmail.com<mailto:russellhenriksen at hotmail.com>>; Rebecca Trafton <rebeccatrafton at gmail.com<mailto:rebeccatrafton at gmail.com>>; rogerkoenig at yahoo.com<mailto:rogerkoenig at yahoo.com>; Randi Stroh <randistroh at earthlink.net<mailto:randistroh at earthlink.net>>; Betsey Jay <betseyjay1 at gmail.com<mailto:betseyjay1 at gmail.com>>; Wendy Baring-Gould <wbaringgould at comcast.net<mailto:wbaringgould at comcast.net>>; Kevin Lambert <kevin.lambert at gmail.com<mailto:kevin.lambert at gmail.com>>; Phil Delamere <phil at sunoneness.com<mailto:phil at sunoneness.com>>; Gwendooley at comcast.net<mailto:Gwendooley at comcast.net>; ruthwright1440 at gmail.com<mailto:ruthwright1440 at gmail.com>; Jim Crain <jimcr123 at hotmail.com<mailto:jimcr123 at hotmail.com>>
Subject: Inappropriate staff action on OS-O without hearing

Dear Members of The Boulder City Council,

We are very concerned by action being taken by staff to initiate removal of the 4 acre OS-O portion of the 311 Mapleton property. We have accumulated and presented considerable evidence to indicate that this parcel was originally intended to be included within the Dakota Ridge Open Space, but was never formally added as a result of the city's relationship with the hospital which owned the property at the time other acquisitions were taking place.

However, we feel that our evidence has never been properly reviewed and taken into account in deciding the future of this critical piece of our urban/ open space interface.

At this time, City planning staff has determined that the parcel is the result of a mapping error, and has changed its designation to "public". This change opens the way for the parcel to be included in the proposed commercial development planned on the contiguous 11+ acres.  In order to formalize this change, on December 11, 2017, staff sent Boulder County a request to review and approve this proposed change. We understand that County Commissioners will not call it up. Once the city receives comments from the Commissioners and the 30 day review period expires  (January 9th), the process will be complete  - absent City Council taking steps in the interim. Any subsequent change back to OS-O would require an intergovernmental approval process within the BVCP.

We request that the City withdraw its letter to the County initiating the removal process until our concerns are properly reviewed.

A quick summary of the issues:

1.  Staff suggested to OSBT that there was a mapping error in January 2017. In response, we wrote to the OSBT highlighted a number of discrepancies with the staff's reasoning.  At the study session on January 11th OSBT asked staff to clarify the identified discrepancies.

2. We sent City Planning Department a detailed letter addressing our concerns on May 2, 2017. (see attached)

3. In the staff report of May 5th OS staff stated that there was no mapping error.

4. Staff initiated a further study in the May/June time frame and "discovered " a potential mapping error. We disputed staff's finding at the July 11th OSBT meeting and followed it up with a more thoroughly researched letter on July 21st. They also told OSBT that the board has no jurisdiction in addressing the change to the BVCP land use map.

5.   We sent in another response containing our finding on the OS-O issue on December 4th to be included in the public input concerning the 3rd and most recent submission of the 311 Mapleton project.

6.  The staff report of December 5th still shows the staff conclusion of a mapping error with the intent to go to the County for correction.

7. We sent a detailed email to Jim Robertson on December 7th detailing why the referral to the County was inappropriate.  He responded on December 18th.  We have sent an answer to his email on December 27th.

8. Dec 11th staff sent a letter to the county advising them of the potential change.

Our input to OSBT and Planning staff has been largely ignored. Our letters were not included in the staff generated 311 Mapleton website until we protested. During the year we have consistent attended OSBT meetings and asked for a public hearing on the OS-O designation. For example, from the OSBT minutes of September 13th - Gwen Dooley, Boulder, requested the Open Space Board of Trustees (OSBT) hold a public hearing on 311 Mapleton. This Board has a higher duty than most boards to protect the land, and therefore is involved in this topic.

We now request that Council help us raise this issue to the level of public discourse which it deserves. As the public has an overwhelming interest in our Open Space program, it is essential that a public hearing take place before any more action is taken on 311 Mapleton and before city staff changes the OS-O designation. City Council action is required to stop the change that city staff has initiated.  As this change is nearly complete, we urge you to act so that this issue can finally receive the broad consideration which it deserves.

We thank you for your concern and consideration.

Sincerely,

Alan Delamere                      Russell Henriksen                 Rebecca Trafton
525 Mapleton Ave.                645 Concord Ave.                 2424 4th St.

Roger Koenig                      Randi Stroh                                Betsey Jay
909 Mapleton Ave.               835 Mapleton Ave                     429 B Mapleton Ave.

Wendy Baring-Gould                     Kevin Lambert                      Phil Delamere
536 Maxwell Ave.                             403 Mapleton Ave                2740 4th St

Attachments:
Final OS-O letter 5/2/17

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