Memorandum: BURA's Transition and Role. ,~~~'
~~s~~~~~
~~
CITY
OF
BOULD~R
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
MEMORANDUM
November,25, 2003
TO: BURA Board of Commissioners
FR01VI: Frank Bruno, City Manager
SUBJECT: ~URA's Transition and Role
T am very pleased to mform you that the City.Council unanimously adopted the
Economic Vitahty Policy on Qctober 21 The policy was adopted without revisions,
which is a testament to the sigruficant and challengmg work that the $conoiruc VitaliCy
Action Group (EVAG) completed over the sutnmer. A copy of the policy is attached to
this memorandum for your review and informahon Now, it is on to organizmg the efYort
io implement the policy
When i visited with the board at your meeting m August, I indicated there would be a
new focus for the city's redevelopment work program as well as for the BURA Board.
The current BURA Board and staff role will conclude at the end of this year. However,
redevelopment achvities will achieve mcreased exposure and emphasis bq becoming an
mtegral part of the new vitality pohcy. Your service to shape our redevelopment efforts
will continue
I am cuirently working to fill the new staff position that will be charg~d with
coordmat~ng redevelopment projects, ahd a woik program for new redeyelogment
mitiatives wzll soon follow. Your participation m developmg the work program will be a
leay aspect of how we embark on implementing the policy in the early part of 2Q04 I'm
lookmg forward to receiving a stam~ary of comments from your December 3 meetzng
zegardmg potenhal redevelp~ment work program options,
The EVAG acknowleflged the importance of retaming the redevelopment tools that are
provided by the Colorado Urban Renewal Law Therefore, the group that will advise on
iedev8lopment piojects will contmue be drawn from members of the commumty who are
appomTed by the mayor ta serve in that role. I am m the process of developmg a list of
persons who I w111 mvite to serve on the impendmg Economic Vrtallty Advisory Board
(E'VAB) Youi role will be as a subcommittee of the EVAB and will focus specifically
on redevelopment issues The size of the redevelopment subcommittee may be ad~usted
from BURtA's mne seats ta sevcn or five members over time fo effectively mesh with the
EVAB.
PO Box 791 • BbuldOt, Colo~Ado R0306-0791 •(309) A41-3090 • Pex (303) q41-447R • www ci bouldei co ~is
P~ m[ed on l00% Post Conwmer W.tstc Pape~ ~~
This is an exciting time for our commumry and I'm lookmg forward to connnuing our
work togethe~. I hope you are begimm~g to cast a hopeful glance to the future BURA
played a vital role m our commumty for twenry-five years, and the leadershig and
ciuzens of Boulder are grateful for the often difficult work bompleted by yo~t and your
predecessors. It Is now t~me to turn the page to a new begmmng and, hopefully, ~ new
era of economic vitality m Boulder.
CITY OF BOULDER
ECONOMIC VITALITY POLICY
October 21, 2003
POLICY STATEMENT
It is the Policy of the City of Boulder to encourage economic vitality and the contnbut~ons
economic health makes to the overall quality of l~fe of rts c~Uzens The City of Boulder welcomes
and is supportive of busmess and economic development Toward this end, the City of Boulder will
utiLze a vanety of tools and strategies that will result m mcreased sales and use tax revenue,
retenhon and expansion of busmess mvestmant and opportumties m Boulder and lead to an
improvement m the qualrty of l~fe and prospenty of the commuruty The statement of prmciples,
goals and strategies that follows imtiates thts effort, Success m this regard will be tracked through a
senes of economtc and commumty tndicators that will be developed
INTRODUCTION: WHY BOULDER NEEDS AN ECONOMIC VITALITY POLICY
The Boulder economy has declmed dramatically smce the year 2000 As measured in the context of
sales and use tax collections-tax revenue to the City of Boulder has fallen by approximately 20%
over the past three years Thts change did not occur overn~ght-but reflects a long-term structural
shitt that has resulted m the Crty of Boulder no longer en~oymg the role of regional retail and
business center. While some portion of this declme can be attributed to the ongomg national and
mternahonal recession, a significant part of the problem relates to Boulder's loss of compet~trve
position
New retail competition from neighbormg communities that has largely been unanswered from
Boulder conttnues to dram resources that had formerly funded commuruty services such as open
space, affordable housmg and transit In addrtion, corporate srte selection decisions have emptied
buildmgs m Boulder, and filled others m BroomField, Lou~sville and Lafayette This means that as
these busmesses expand and purchase equipment they are no longer providmg ~obs or paymg sales,
use and property tax to the Crty of Bou]der In addihon, the~r relocated employees are shoppmg and
eaung m Boulder less often, thus further erodmg the Crty's ability to fund services
In deaLng wdh such challenges communrties can choose simply to reduce expenditures or reallocate
resources if there is a likelihood that the economy wtll rebound m the short-term In contrast, if the
downturn is related to more permanent changes then an aggressive strategy to reverse those changes
is demanded
In Boulder's case, a turnmg of the shtp ts very much m order While hononng past poltctes and all
the ach~evements that have made the commundy a wonderful place to lrve, work and start a
busmess, a new focus ~s requued Boulder wtll now pursue a more dehberate pohcy of fostermg
economic vitalrty defined by flexibildy, creativity and compromise m the best sense of the word
Crty policies must conttnue to reflect Boulder values and promote the quahties that make it a I~vable
community, but also must illustrate a more aggressive approach to busmess development and
customei service A new spmt of cooperahon must also be fostered and mamtamed between the
various City Boards and Commiss~ons, Crty Counc~l and the Commumty
The Crty of Boulder w~l] work to develop a strong and sustamable economic base consistent with
improvmg the qual~ty of life and prospenty of the community Although responsibil~ty for the local
economy does not reside solely wrth City govemment, the City will play a key role m advancmg the
prospects of achievmg success m this regard through a comprehensive, long-term economic vitality
effort This pohcy and strategy that Follows should be rev~ewed m the context of current needs and
economic condrtions every 2 years and shall be the responsibihty of the City Manager to mamtam
It should be noted that rt is cntrcal that this effort be flwd and responsrve yet ongomg
STATEMENT OF GUIDING PRINCIPLES IN PROMOTING ECONOMIC VITALITY
Economic vitality m Boulder must be achieved through a paRnership among the public, private, and
non-profit sectors The City's role m this is to provide efficient processes and procedures required
for sue development, mvest m mumcipal mfrastructure, and consider other mihauves on a case-by-
case basis This effort is supported duectly and mdirectly through the resources of vanous entdies
~denhfied below The Crty will seek open commumcarion with these orgamzations and will ~om
with them when appropnate to foster a posd~ve chmate m which to do busmess
The City of Boulder understands that the commumty's economic well-bemg and overall vitality is
central to busmesses dec~sion-makmg The pnvate sector most often crtes qual~ty of life factors to
explam srte selechon and this ~s most apparent when the ecoqomy is good and competrtion
relauvely stable This typically mcludes the state of our natural env~ronment as well as elements
not always under the control of the City such as the qual~ty of both primary and secondary schools,
and the skills of our workforce Addihonally, the consistent quahty and value of murucipal services
are ~mportant factors that are considered In economically challengmg ttmes however, factors such
as development review hme and pro~ect approval, mfrastructure qualrty and costs, and housing costs
become even more important The City's economic vitality effort must conststently address these
pomts
The Ciry must first focus on those factors that are withm its control We will contmue to mvest m
our utility systems as well as our transit, road, and altemative transportation systems to ensure
reliability and consistency of service Additionally, mumcipal mvestment m parks, trails, and open
space and cultural programmmg will conhnue to be important contributors to the commumty's
quality of life and public satisfact~on Although a new, aggressive economic posture is now
required, the City will not pursue economic growth at the expense of the quality of life m Boulder
Economic Vitality also depends on the availabiltty of housmg for a vanety of mcome levels It is
also contmgent upon the mamtenance of a fair local taxation system, and attention to the
development of state-of-the-art mfrastructure FuRher, the City of Boulder understands the central
role that the Federal Labs and the Umversity of Colorado play m our economy. The City will take
an act~ve role m efforts to preserve the State and Federal fundmg for these entrties and will pursue
mutually beneficial partnerships that can further strengthen the Communtty's econom~c base
In general terms, and as stated m the Boulder Valley Comprehensrve Plan, the goals of the City of
Boulder relahve to tl~e local economy are to encourage and support economic opportunrties which
provide primary ~obs and self-sustammg wages that match the skills of our populat~on, enhance
retail and commun~ty shoppmg opporturutres, mcrease prrvate mvestment withm the commumty,
and improve the quality of hfe for Boulder restdents
THESE PRINCIPLES WILL BE PURSUED IN PART THROUGH THE FOLLOWING
ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS POLICIES, INCLUDING:
• An emphasis on comprehensive, effective muntcipal services, mfrastructure, as well as
hmely and pred~ctable review processes and procedures as the Crty's pnmary contribuhon to
the commumty's economic vitahty effort
• Development of a focused econom~c vrtal~ty program to encourage busmess retention,
expansion and entrepreneunal actrvihes as well as the creahon and mamtenance of a posmve
chmate for reta~l and pnmary busmess The program needs to reflect that Boulder is `bpen
for busmess," engaged, and committed to efficiency and timelmess
• Inclus~on of elements m the City's economic vitahty program that enhance the commumty's
role m the global and domestic marketplace
• Support foi a vanety of tounsm programs and serv~ces mcludmg the Crty's role m the
Sustamable Tourism Master Plan
Support and encouragement of the further development of arts and cultural programs that
can serve as attractors for new busmess mvestment as well as enhancmg quahty of life
• Support for the conUnued development and vitaldy of local non-profit mshtutions
ACTIONS AND STRATEGIES THAT WILL BE USED TO IMPLEMENT THE
AFOREMENTIONED POLICIES WILL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
PHASE I - INITIAL ACTIONS:
The City Manager will create an Economic Vdahty Advisory Board drawmg as needed from
the commumty's busmess, educarional and non-profit sectors to adv~se the Ctty Manager
and C~ty Cotmcil on a long-term basis A subset of the Board will be appomted by the
Mayor and serve to advise and work on urban redevelopment pro~ects The terms and
number of appomtee's will vaty dependmg upon the prionties at hand
2 The City Manager will hire an expenenced Economic Vrtality Coordmator to serve as a
haison between the City, busmesses, and other governmental agenc~es
3 The City Manager will also hire an Urban Redevelopment Specialist who ~s skilled and
knowledgeable as to the umque challenges and tools requ~red for successful redevelopment
pro~ects
4 The C~ty Manager will work with the E.conomtc Vitahty Coordmator and Urban
Redevelopment Specialist to set a multi-year work program and identify measures of
success, economic and commumty mdicators and accountabilrty for economic vitality and
redevelopment efforts
5 The Crty Manager and City Counc~l will review the Economic Vitality and Redevelopment
Work Program and achievements every 2 years and ad~ust as necessary to meet changmg
economic needs
PHASE II - STRATEGIES AND TOOLS:
6 The City will work with Westcor and other parties to brmg the redevelopment of the
Crossroads Mall to fruihon
7 The City will assist m the retent~on and expansion of existrng busmesses as well as the
targeted recruitment of addrtional busmesses that make sense for Boulder
8 The City will provide assistance to busmess and mdustry with regards to City process and
procedures, mcludmg periodic land use code and process simphficarion consistent with
regulatory requ~rements and wrth an emphasis on excellence m customer care
9 The City will contmue to mamtam and enhance utility and technological mfrastructure and
strive to prov~de consistently reliable and efficient service, at the best value poss~ble
10 The Crty wtll work with the Uruversity of Colorado, the Federal Labs and other government
agencies located m and ad~acent to Boulder to conUnue to develop a fiber optic network, as
well as other resources that may be available m the future, prov~dmg both internal and
extemal hnkages to other firms, research mshtuhons, and support services
11 The City will work closely with the Unroersity of Colorado and the Labs m general to find
ways to strengthen and tmprove the local economy as well as addressmg the vartous
challenges that these entrties face m remammg vrtal and effechve
12 The C~ty will stnve to mamtain a municipal tax and fee structure wh~ch is both reasonable
and equrtable m companson to similar commumties m the region
13 The Crty will contmue to encourage and support the development of housmg for a vanety of
mcome levels and lifestyle needs.
14 The C~ty w~ll develop partnerships with other public and private ent~t~es to encourage
entrepreneur~al actrvity and busmess mcubat~on mcludmg the Boulder Chamber of
Commerce, Boulder Econom~c Council, Unrvers~ty of Colorado, CTEK, Small Busmess
Development Center, Workforce Investment Center, and Federal and State agencies
15 The Cdy w~ll afford new and existmg busmesses and mdustnes the opportumty to seek
specific ass~stance pursuant to C~ty Counc~l-adopted ordmances and other programs enabled
by state and federal legislation
16 The City will evaluate all programs and pol~cies that are suggested for City Council
consideratio~ to determme if there are umntended economic or other impacts on the
commumty
17 The Ciry will work to promote the Downtown and Umversiry Hill distncts through the
Downtown and Umversity H~ll Management Division (DUHMD), as well as the Boulder
Valley Regional Center (BVRC) and other shoppmg areas m the Boulder commumty,
provtdmg quality services related to programmmg, parkmg, mamtenance, and alternative
transportation modes
18 The C~ry will parttcipate m a Cl~ent Care outreach effort to proact~vely meet with area
busmesses to assist wrth theu current needs and idenrify problems or opportun~ues before
crises arise The Client Care program is a team approach that mcludes the Boulder Chamber
of Commerce, Boulder Economic Council, Downtown Boulder Busmess Improvement
Distnct, the Umversity of Colorado and as well as members of the Economic Vrtalrty Achon
Board (EVAB)
19 The City will cons~der wrthout hmitahon, the use of tools such as a Busmess Use Tax
Rebate to promote corporate remvestment m the commumty.
20 The C~ty wtll support the further analysis and eventual creation of a conference center ~f the
economics prove attractive The purpose of tYus center is to mcrease the opportumty for
more conferences, meetmgs, banquets, cultural and wmmuruty events The City will work
closely wdh the Convenhon & Visitors Bureau, the Umversity of Colorado, hotels and other
local groups to mcrease tourist visds and overmght stays m the commumty
21. In concert with local entities the City will support and expand arts, cultural, athletic events
and othe~ programs that mcrease ewnomlc flows to the C~ty
COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN ECONOMIC VITALITY
The efforts of the Ctty and the private sector to enhance the economic prosperity of the community
are d~rectly and ~ndirectly supported by several organizations and entities Thts includes the
Uruversrty of Colorado, Downtown Boulder Inc , Boulder Chamber of Commerce, Boulder
Convention and Visitors Bureau, CTEK, the Boulder Valley School District, and other groups
Though each has an mdependent focus, their work contnbutes to the overall quality of life en~oyed
withm the commumty
This effort requtres the support and cooperat~on of the entihes referenced below, as well as local
banks, financial mshtutions, commumty groups and existmg busmess and mdustry
Boulder Chamber of Commerce
A dynamic orgamzatton composed of more than 2,000 busmesses that help to shape the economy,
promote commu~uty awareness, and set the pace for the future of Boulder County and beyond
www boulderchambcr com
Boulder Economic Council
This group of nearly two dozen busmess leaders ~s ~ommitted to the long-term sustamabil~ty of our
area's econom~c vitality and qual~ty of hfe Their prionties he m the areas of work force
recruitment and retenUon, technology and transportation
www boulde~~hamber com/chambeilbec asp
Boulder Independent Business Alliance
Boulder Independent Busmess All~ance (Biba) ts a grassroots collaborative alliance of over 125
locally owned and mdependent busmesses m Boulder County Biba promotes locally owned
mdependent busmesses m order to preserve Boulder's unique character and economic viabihty
www boulder-~ba or~
Business Improvement District/Downtown Boulder Inc.
Founded m 2000 by the City of Boulder and actrve property owners, the Downtown Boulder
Busmess Improvement Dtstrict (BID, DBI) coordmates markehng and operations programmmg to
strengthen the busmess distr~ct The Busmess Improvement Distnct is governed by a board
representmg downtown busmesses Its ma~or achvrties mclude marketmg mamtenance and special
events as well as providmg downtown busmesses a voice tn City government The BID works
collaborahvely with Downtown Boulder Inc , a local non-profit orgamzation that serves as an
advocacy group for downtown
www boulderdowntown com
Colorado Enterprise Fund (CEF):
The Colorado Enterprise Fund is a non-profit commumty development financial institut~on founded
m 1976 CEF helps people start or expand thetr small busmesses They make loans to bustnesses
that can't get financmg from tradihonal sources, and also provtde management assistance to help
entrepreneurs improve thetr busmess skills and knowledge
www coloradoenternnse ore
CTEK
A communtty-based busmess catalyst helpmg entrepreneurs with mnovative technologtes to
develop and grow profitable, sustamable busmesses CTEK boasts the largest group of volunteer
mentors and advisors m the consulttng world
www ctek or~
Boulder Convent~on and Visitor's Bureau (CVB)
The Boulder CVB offers mformahon about the city for visitors as well as orgaruzed groups lookmg
for conference and/or convenhon sites The website contams mformation about lodgmg, restaurants,
special events, meehng and convention facihties, area attrachons, kids' happenmgs, and much
more
www bouldercoloradousa com
University of Colorado
A ma~or comprehensive research umvers~ty w~th its flagship campus located m Boulder, servmg
over 28,000 students In addition to teachmg, the Umvers~ty has a strong research and technology
program that helps generate additional econom~c opporturuties for the community
www colorado edu
Frant Range Community College (Boulder Campus)
Along wrth the status of bemg the largest community college m Colorado, FRCC is a
comprehensrve, two-year, state-supported mstituUOn that has long been served to educate students
and tram employees
www frontran *e~, edu/
Boulder Valley School District
The Boulder Valley School Distnct serves the C~ty of Boulder and ] 0
surroundmg communit~es m Boulder County and parts of Broomfield and
Gilpm Counhes Approximately 27,000 students attend the 54
neighborhood and choice schools m the distnct The pubhc school
system also is 1 ma~or employer in Boulder Valley, with nearly 4,200
full- and part-time employee The district has a reputation for high
student achtevement and many educahonal ophons for parents
www bvsd k12 co us
State of Colorado '
The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OED&IT) works wtth
companies startmg, expandmg or relocahng m Colorado OED&IT offers a wide range of services
to assist new and existmg busmesses of every size Their mission ~s to foster a posihve busmess
chmate that encourages quality econom~c development through financtal and technical assistance
for local and regional achvdies throughout the State of Colorado
www state co us/oed/mdex cfm
Boulder County
Through Workforce Boulder County, Pro~ect Self-Sufficiency, the County Housmg Authonty and
other programs, Boulder County provides safety net, ~ob placement and tramtng servtces for low
mcome Boulder County residents
www co Uoulder co us
Small Busmess Development Center (SBDC)
A ~omt venture between the Boulder Chamber of Commerce and the U S Small Busmess
Admmistrarion, SBDC provides entrepreneurs wrth access to a wide array of resources to help them
start, grow and thnve The SBDC focuses on three areas of support for the small business trammg
(short- and long-term), counsehng, and access to valuable resources
www bouldeichamber com/chamber/sbde asn
Colorado International Trade Office (CITO)
A divis~on of the Governors Office of Economic Development and International Trade, CITO
provides research and analysis of foreign markets, educat~on on operational aspects of fore~gn trade,
trade shows and trade missions and r~sk management mformation
www statc co us/oed/ito
World Trade Center-Denver
The World Trade Center provides educat~onal semtnars, market research serv~ces, networkmg
opportunrties, and the WTC Denver Internahonal Trade Ltbrary
www wtcdn com
U.S. Export Assistance Center
Located m Denver, this one-stop shop is ready to provide small or medium-sized busmess with
local export ass~stance In addrtion, USEAC provtdes personal~zed assistance by professionals from
the U S Small Busmess Admmistration, the U S Department of Commerce, the U S Export-Import
Bank and other publ~c and pnvate orgamzahons
www sba s;uv,'ort/export/useac
University Hill Alliance
Unrtes the retail, resident~al and commerc~al and professional mterests of the Umversity Hill area,
for the purpose of furthermg the growth, development and economic well bemg of Umvers~ty Hill
busmesses and not-for-profits
www thehillboulder com
The Community Foundation
The Community Foundation servmg Boulder County is' one of about 600 commumty foundahons
across the country and worldwide dedicated to ~mprovmg the quality of life m a panc~ular region
The Commumty Foundation servmg Boulder County, establtshed tn 1991, is a foundation made by
the community to serve the communrty.
www commfound or~
Arts and Cultural Groups
The more than 30 art gallenes, 4 local museums, 32 movie and stage theaters, and many festivals,
will contmue to play a vital role m the long-term economic sustamab~hty of the Boulder
commumty
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
The Colorado Department of Local Affairs' mission is to help build the capacdy m local
communihes to deal wrth these responsibilities They do this in two ways Financial Assistance
and Technical Assistance The Department of Local Affaus (DoLA) is commrtted to adaptmg to
the changes communtties are experienctng statewide With mcreasmg concerns about managmg
growth pressures, the department has adapted rts programs and serv~ces to assist commumt~es m
addressmg growth Through its work with commumties, the Department strrves to help improve
physical condrt~ons of communrttes, help improve leadersh~p and governmg capacrt~es of
communihes, help ~mprove opportumtres for ehgible mdrviduals m commumt~es, and improve its
mternal management The Department offers a wide range of services to communihes and local
governments to help build the~r capacity These services mclude specialized trammg, techmcal and
financial assistance and emergency management In addiUon to rts central office located m Denver,
the department has offices and staff throughout the state that provide hands-on services and
assistance to commumties on the local level These mdividuals are knowledgeable about state
programs that support communrty development and serve as a hnk between the commumty, the
department and the Governor's office
www dola state co us