[BoulderCouncilHotline] Planning Board Action on East Boulder Subcommunity Plan

[King, Kathleen]

Good day Council Members and Hotline followers:

At CAC on May 9, Council directed staff to provide a summary of the May 5 Planning Board meeting concerning the East Boulder Subcommunity Plan. Council also requested staff provide feedback on the plan amendments proposed by the Planning Board.

On Thursday, May 5, Planning Board held a continuation of the public hearing to consider a motion to adopt the East Boulder Subcommunity Plan. Five of the seven planning board members were present. Planning Board held a question and answer session with city staff. Following question and answer, planning board members proposed a number of changes to the plan, straw-poll voting on each proposed change. Changes with a majority straw-poll vote were included in the final motion language.

On a motion by Mark McIntyre seconded by Laura Kaplan the Planning Board voted 5-0 (J.Boone and L.Smith absent) to adopt the East Boulder Subcommunity Plan, including the incorporated 55th and Arapahoe Station Area Plan with the following changes:


  1.  M16 Key Steps shall be edited as follows: (1) Conduct a level of noise study or a Part 150 study (2) Consider whether any changes to BRC section 9-3-10 Airport Influence Zone or other parts of the Boulder revised code are necessary to ensure compatible land use. "Changes to the Airport Influence Zone may include expansion of Zone Three and Zone Four, but not Zone One or Zone Two under section 9-3-10 of the BRC, as allowable by law."

Context of Amendment: Project M16 (p73-74) was added to the East Boulder Subcommunity Plan in recent weeks after discussion and collaboration with airport users and Boulder Municipal Airport staff. Airport users describe a concern for an increase in complaints about airport use after new residential and mixed use development in East Boulder takes place. Project M16 directs city staff to study noise impacts as part of a Part 150 study and consider whether to expand the existing Airport Influence Zone to the south. The Airport Influence Zone is described in B.R.C. section 9-3-10.

Planning Board described a concern that an expansion of the airport influence zones 1 and 2 would limit the development of new structures in East Boulder and therefore negatively impact the plan's housing goals and vision for mixed use neighborhoods. Zones 3 and 4 do permit residential structures. Planning Board also described an interest in studying this issue through an equity lens during the Part 150 study and future Airport Master Plan.

Staff Feedback: Absent completion of the Part 150 Study, it is premature to describe which zones should be considered for expansion.  The purpose of the study is to achieve compatibility of uses considering noise impacts.  Compatibility can be achieved through a variety of measures and may include creation of a new zone.  An alternative amendment, consistent with Planning Board intentions is "Changes to the Airport Influence Zone must consider the goals of the East Boulder Subcommunity Plan to establish the planned residential and mixed land uses identified in the Plan."

Key Issue for Council consideration: (1) Does Council see a need to amend language in project M16? (2) If so, what is Council's preferred language for such an amendment?


  1.  Project D15 Description shall be edited as follows: As the city continues to evaluate and guide change across the community, a comprehensive study of industrial uses, trends, "culture," and needs, in the City of Boulder would offer decisionmakers a tool to inform updates to the Use Standards of the Boulder Land Use Code (B.R.C. 9-6) and future updates to the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan.

Context of Amendment: Planning Board members described a desire for a future study of industrial lands to consider cultural features and patterns in industrial areas as part of this future study.

Staff Feedback: The proposed amendment is appropriate and can be added to the scope of project D15 (p85-86).



  1.  Project D15 key steps shall be edited as follows: (2) Develop scope and schedule for the project "using Valmont Park West as a pilot with the community's collaboration", (3) Identify funding to support the study.

Context of Amendment: Planning Board members described a desire to "pilot" the citywide study in the Park West neighborhood, with particular interest towards an inventory of cultural elements that make up the industrial area.

Staff Feedback: The proposed amendment changes the scope of the D15 project (p85-56), indicating we would do two separate studies, a pilot study of the Park West neighborhood and then a second study expanding the scope to a citywide study of industrially-zoned land. This direction is do-able, but may not be necessary. A "pilot" indicates that we would test the scope and outcomes of the study before rolling it out to the larger scale. Staff could provide the level of analysis requested under one project/scope of work.



  1.  Project D9 Description shall be edited as follows: Implementing the vision of the East Boulder land use plan will require code updates, zoning changes and possibly, the creation of new zones. The East Boulder Place Types Map and Place Type Performance Standards will be used as a guide to develop code recommendations to implement the plan and deliver design quality and placemaking described in the EBSP. "Form-based code will be considered as an implementation option."

Context of Amendment: Planning Board members held a robust discussion on the merits of form-based code.

Staff Feedback: The proposed amendment is consistent with the intent of the plan and project D9 (p83-84).


  1.  Project D9 Key Steps shall be revised as follows: (3) Propose revisions to Title 9 and the BVCP Zoning Map. (4) "Propose, model, and evaluate options to achieve job growth for the Destination Office Place Type in Flatiron Office Park that is consistent with the projected 5,000 jobs for that area embedded in the East Boulder Subcommunity Plan."

Context of Amendment: Some Planning Board members described a concern that land use and subsequent zoning changes in the Flatirons Business Park area of change, in particular, could significantly increase the number of jobs, affecting the future jobs to housing balance. Today, jobs in Flatirons Business Park make up approximately 24 percent of total jobs in the East Boulder Subcommunity. The indicated number of 5,000 jobs represents approximately 24 percent of the total jobs projected for the planning horizon of the plan in East Boulder.


Staff Feedback: Modeling impacts of zoning changes will be included in the scope of work for project D9 (p83-84). Tying outcomes or tools to be used to a specific number of jobs may not be appropriate to include in the subcommunity plan. In general, the city does not regulate numbers of jobs. Employment fluctuates over time and workspace design and dynamics post-COVID are changing. The city's policy on Jobs:Housing Balance (BVCP Policy 1.11) states

"Boulder is a major employment center, with more jobs than housing for people who work here. This has resulted in both positive and negative impacts, including economic prosperity, significant in-commuting and high demand on existing housing. The city will continue to be a major employment center and will seek opportunities to improve the balance of jobs and housing while maintaining a healthy economy. This will be accomplished by encouraging new housing and mixed-use neighborhoods in areas close to where people work, encouraging transit-oriented development in appropriate locations, preserving service commercial uses, converting commercial and industrial uses to residential uses in appropriate locations, improving regional transportation alternatives and mitigating the impacts of traffic congestion."

The policy does not describe capping job growth in particular areas of the city as a strategy to help achieve a greater balance. This would be a new direction for BVCP Policy 1.11. Staff recommends an alternative for consideration as part of the Key Steps outlined for Project D9: (4) Propose, model and evaluate options for code and zoning changes and the effects on the jobs housing balance as described in the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan in East Boulder and to mitigate or reduce the potential impacts of such changes.

Key Issue for Council consideration: (1) Does Council see a need to amend language in project D9? (2) If so, what is Council's preferred language for such an amendment?





  1.  Policy D8 shall be edited as follows: "Structures in East Boulder should respond to climatic and environmental factors." The city will support innovation in architecture and work with development teams to advance the potential of new materials and methods that will contribute to the citywide goals for climate resilience.

Context of Amendment: Planning Board members discussed the need for new structures in East Boulder to be responsive to changing climate and needs of local environment.


Staff Feedback: The proposed amendment is consistent with the intent of the plan and Policy D8 (p81).



  1.  Change Program H9 from a priority 2 to a priority 1.
Context of Amendment: Program H9 describes an expansion of the Community Benefit program. Planning Board members prefer to prioritize this program in the near term.

Staff Feedback: The proposed amendment is consistent with the intent of the plan. Prioritization of this program will require staff resourcing in the next five years.



  1.  Change Program B6 from a priority 2 to a priority 1.
Context of Amendment: Program B6 describes an update to the Community Benefit program. Planning Board members prefer to prioritize this program in the near term.

Staff Feedback: The proposed amendment is consistent with the intent of the plan. Prioritization of this program will require staff resourcing in the next five years.



  1.  Change Program R8 from a priority 2 to a priority 1.
Context of Amendment: Planning Board members prefer to prioritize this program in the near term.

Staff Feedback: Program R8 describes the establishment of an adaptive reuse incentive program. The proposed amendment is consistent with the intent of the plan. Prioritization of this program will require staff resourcing in the next five years.




  1.  The Program R8 Recommendation shall be edited as follows: Establish an Adaptive Reuse Incentive Program "and incentivize the deconstruction requirement".

Context of Amendment: Planning Board members described concern about deconstruction projects avoiding the city's deconstruction requirements and choosing to pay the associated fee.

Staff Feedback: The proposed amendment is consistent with the intent of the plan.




  1.  A new Policy H10 shall be added to the East Boulder Subcommunity Plan to read as follows:

  *   ID: H10
  *   Type: Project
  *   Recommendation: Homeownership Incentive Programs
  *   Description: Explore programs to incentivize homeownership for low, moderate, and middle-income households in East Boulder Subcommunity Plan.
  *   Key Steps: (1) Add project to the P&DS and HHS work plans (2) Community engagement process to weigh options and understand what tools would be most attractive to future potential homeowners and the development community (3) P&DS and HHS collaborate on a recommendation to the Housing Advisory Board, Planning Board and City Council
  *   Champions: COB: HHS P&DS; Community Vitality; Boulder Chamber
Priority: 2
  *   Reference: BVCP Policy 7.01 Local Solutions to Affordable Housing

Context of Amendment: Planning Board members described a desire for the creation of a program that would incentivize the development of for-sale units (as opposed to for-rent) in East Boulder.

Staff Feedback: This is consistent with ongoing programs and council priorities, including the current council workplan item to update the Inclusionary Housing program starting in the fall to encourage more homeownership opportunities for middle-income households. But, staff is unclear why this would apply to only the subcommunity plan area as this is a citywide concern. Additionally, this amendment implies there are no existing city programs to encourage for-sale homes while staff at HHS have been working on programs and incentives since 2016 to encourage middle-income homeownership.

At tonight's Council meeting, staff will present the Planning Board proposed amendments in two categories: substantive and clarifying. There will be key issues for council consideration concerning the substantive amendments.

Thank you,

East Boulder team



Kathleen King  AICP, PLA
City Principal Planner

[City of Boulder Planning+Sustainability]
kingk at bouldercolorado.gov<mailto:kingk at bouldercolorado.gov>
Department of Planning
1739 Broadway | PO Box 791 | Boulder, CO 80306
Bouldercolorado.gov<https://www.bouldercolorado.gov/>


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