[BoulderCouncilHotline] Re: Housing in Alpine-Balsam redevelopment: forward of comments from Dom Nozzi

[Carlisle, Cynthia]

Willem Kt Vanvliet,
In my consideration, you defeat your purpose when you call residents by names such as NIMBY. I don't expect name calling in civil discourse and won't listen to those who participate in it.
Cindy Carlisle

From: Willem Kt Vanvliet <willem at colorado.edu>
Sent: Monday, February 11, 2019 2:20 PM
To: Council <council at bouldercolorado.gov>
Subject: Housing in Alpine-Balsam redevelopment: forward of comments from Dom Nozzi

The Nextdoor website recently included diverse comments on the proposed Alpine-Balsam redevelopment, many of them based on NIMBYism and apparent mistrust of local government.  However, a few postings have been grounded in broader recognition of relevant issues.  FYI, I'm forwarding one of them, below.

Comments below from Dom Nozzi (Whittier neighborhood):

I have worked professionally and academically in town planning, urban design, and transportation for 40 years. As I understand it, the following things are desired by nearly all of us at Alpine-Balsam (and Boulder in general):


  1.  1. More affordable housing. 2. Less per capita car travel. 3. Lower car emissions. 4. Smaller and more diverse retail rather than Big Box retail. 5. Better public health. 6. Better public safety. 7. Lower taxes and a city govt that is in better economic health. 8. Less speeding car traffic. 9. More travel independence -- particularly for seniors and children and the disabled. 10. More walking, bicycling, and transit use. 11. Better, more frequent transit with higher ridership levels. 12. Less "spillover" parking into nearby neighborhoods. 13. Noise pollution should be minimized.



  1.  How do we make these 12 things happen? Based on an overwhelming amount of scientific research and case studies, we know the following tactics are, by far, the most effective ways to achieve the above objectives. 1. Unbundle the price of parking from the price of homes at Alpine-Balsam. Require parking cash-out for those working at Alpine-Balsam. 2. Keep the size of each housing unit relatively small. 3. Insist on relatively high housing density, in part by using buildings up to five stories high and keeping housing units small. 4. Use relatively narrow streets within Alpine-Balsam to keep motor vehicle traffic relatively slow, safe, and attentive. 5. Requiring parking (I understand that 0.8 spaces are proposed) severely undercuts affordable housing and several other objectives listed above. ZERO parking should be required at Alpine-Balsam. This will NOT result in zero parking provided. Development financiers will require that parking be provided -- particularly retailers. Much of the parking at Alpine-Balsam should be priced/metered and on-street. Off street parking must be either underground or in multi-story garages lined with retail and office. 6. Nearby neighborhood on-street parking should be either permit parking or metered parking. Nearby neighborhood streets should be traffic calmed. 7. Design of Broadway needs to be revised so that it is far easier and safer for pedestrians to cross to and from the Ideal Shopping Center. 8. Include or at least allow things at Alpine-Balsam that meet the daily needs of residents (small shops, offices, fitness, medical, cultural, governmental, etc.) 9. Use human-scaled dimensions at Alpine-Balsam. Street lights should be no taller than 10-14 feet. Building setbacks should be relatively modest. Surface parking should not be allowed off-street. Street and building signs should be very small. When mounted on poles, signs should be very short. 10. Design of buildings should be such that citizen surveillance and neighborly conviviality is promoted. 11. Promote or at least allow accessory dwelling units, co-ops, and relatively high occupancy limits.

Dom Nozzi<https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/pQvSCgJMWXCAMYWKtN2-1q?domain=nextdoor.com>

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