3 - Minutes, 7/16/03CITY Or BOULDER, COLORADO
BOARDS AND CONIMISSIONS MEETING SUNINIARY rOR1VI
NAMG OF BOARD/COMMISSION: Boulder Urban Renewal Authority
DATE OF MEETING: July 16, 2003
NAME/TELEPHONE OF PERSON PREPARING SUMMARY: Mane Zuzack, 303-441-4278
NAM~S OF MEMBERS, STAFF AND INVITED GUESTS PRESENT:
Commissioners Present Phtl Shull, Rick Epstem, Susan Connelly, Ir1 Barron, Michael Lecccse, Jerry Lee,
Francoise Pomsatte, Terry Rodngue, Richard Wobbekmd
Staff Members Present Brad Power, Mane Zuzack, BURA, Joseph de Raismes, Cdy Attomey Office; Louise
Grauer, Plamm~g Department
Report of the Executive Director
• Update on 28"'/30`~' Street Area Plan
Louise Grauer, Plannmg Department, distrtbuted an outhne of the pubhc process for the pro~ect She stated
that the 28~h/30~h Street Area Plan urban design consultant, David Tryba, recently held a senes of mterviews
about the area with BiJRA Board and Plannmg Board members, stafF, property and busmess ownets, crvic
groups and the public This mput will be summanzed and then used to create an opportunrties and constramts
map, which will be reviewed and refined at an open house in September She said that at the mterviews, there
were many questrons about the type, market potential, and resident profile for the additional housmg bemg
constdered in the plan process A housmg focus gtoup will be formed to help answer these queshons
Commissioner Epstein suggested that more m-depth, factual information also will be needed on retatl and
housmg in the mixed use context He also pomted out that plannmg for the central section of 28~h Street, from
Arapahoe to Pearl, had been put on hold until there was more clanty regardmg Crossroads redevelopment, and
now rt may make sense to plan rt as part of the area plan process
• Recognition of Retiring City Attorney/ BURA General Counsel Joseph de Raismes
The BLJRA Commissioners and staff thanked Mr de Raismes for his 24 years of servtce to BURA as General
Counsel
• Update on Crossroads Mall Redevelopment
Brad Power reported that Westcor is hkely to submrt a Concept Plan m the next few days Westcor
representahves will make two presentahons about the redevelopment plan in the next two days one at the
Chamber of Commerce, the other for Plan Boulder The Commissioners agreed that David Sholl, Westcor
Semor Vice President of Development, had been candid and recephve to their ideas m the~r mdiv~dual
meetmgs wrth him m late June
New Business
. 2004 BURA Funding Discussion
Power provided a bnef update on the recent work of the Economic Vitaltty Actton Group (EVAG) and thc
C~ty Manager's draft economic vitality pol~cy The first draft of the pohcy places the redevelopment funct~on
under the purvie~v of 1 proposed econom~c vitality advisory board. Power believes urban renewal and
redevelopment are difficult to carry out as a s~del~ght, it needs to be a focus He asked if thc BURA Bo1rd is
mterested m proposmg a contmued role for BURA (or similar redevelopment enhty) by offenng one year of
admmistratrve fimdmg from the BURA Revolvmg Loan Fund Thereafter, Bi JRA would seek to becomc
financially self-sufficient through an urban renewal project
Commissioner Epstein asked whether the Board should let EVAG finish their work beFore considenng
providing a "badge loan" for BURA BURA's continued existence should not depend on finding a project to
fund itself, BURA should continue because the Ctty recognizes that urban renewal is important At this point,
he does not sense there is political will behind BURR Commtsstoner Wobbekmd said that the EVAG
process will not conclude with specific recommendations regarding funding or staffing Commtsstoner
Rodngue agreed that a specific fimdmg recommendation from BURA will not affect EVAG's final work
product. EVAG supports urban renewal and the BURR function, but rt rs the Ctty Manager's challenge to
figure out how to fund economic tasks Commtsstoner Epstein stated that a proposal regarding BURR should
be part of the Ctty Manager's larger vision for economic vrtahty Commissioner Wobbekmd said he believes
the Ctty Manager wants to keep the urban renewal tool and BURA Board, but he hasn't not yet addressed how
to staff them Commtsstoner Barron suggested that BURA could simply let the City Manager know that the
Revolving Loan Fund inay be available to help fund staffing
Commissioner Shull stated that even with funds to staff itself for a couple years, BURA must have marching
orders from City Council to do urban renewal/ redevelopment work Commissioner Connelly agreed that
BURA should only continue if rt gets the support rt needs from Council Even with staff cuts, high-pnonty
work, like redevelopment, could get done by the Ctty staff that remains Commissioner Pomsatte said that
BURA should approach Ctty Council again for support for doing specific redevelopment projects Council is
too busy to mrtiate projects for BURA Commtsstoner Wobbekmd said m the firture, BURA may go to the
economic coordinator rather than to Council for work direction Hts preference rs to watt to hear from the
Crty Manager, and it is premature for the BURA to address funding. Commissioners Rodngue and Barron
agreed. Commissioner Barron said first BURA has to convince Ctty Council and the Ctty Manager of the
value of BURA as part of the City's economic vrtahty plan, and then convince them of specific redevelopment
work that should be done Commissioner Epstein suggested discussing BURA with the City Manager at the
August meeting and tabling any consideration of a fimdmg recommendation, although the Revolving Loan
Fund option could be conveyed to the Crty Manager
Commissioner Shull said that he is leery of spending money on staff and consultants if there is no support
from Council for urban renewal or redevelopment projects Commissioner Pomsatte pointed out that rt rs
sometimes the citizens who oppose redevelopment, for example, at the Table Mesa Shopping Center
Commissioner Epstein believed that rt would not be fnutful for BURA to return to Council to request specific
direction or general support. Commissioner Connelly agreed and said that at this point, it's the City
Manager's decision as to how BURA fits into the larger economic plan.
Motion: Commissioner Epstein moved that the City Manager be invited to the August 20 BURA
meeting to discuss the future of BURR and that the issue of the Revolving Loan Fund be tabled.
Commissiouer Leccese seconded.
Vote: Aye, 9-0
The meeting adjourned at 9:45 p.m.
Time of Future Meetings, Committees or Special Hearings: August 20, 2003 Regular Meeting