7A - Year 2000 Major Update to BVCPCITY OF BOULDER
PLANNING BOARD AGENDA ITEM
MEETING DATE: January 25, 2001
(Agenda Item Preparation Date: January 11, 2001)
AGENDA TITLE:
Discussion of the Year 2000 Major Update to the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan
including proposed changes to the land use map relating to open space, public lands, and the
planning area boundary.
REQUESTING DEPARTMENT:
Planning Department
Peter Pollock, Planning Director
Bev Johnson, Environmenta] Planner
OVERVIEW:
The purpose of the meeting on January 25 is to discuss proposed changes to the land use map
relating to open space, public lands, and the planning area boundary.
PURPOSE:
Staff is proposing several changes to the Open Space, Non-Urban Parks, and Urban and Other
Parks land use designations, and changes to the planning area boundary. The following is a
discussion of these changes. The proposal is based on input from city Open Space staff and the
Open Space Boazd of Trustees (OSBT}. In November 200Q the OSBT reviewed the final draft
below and unanimously recommended approval of it.
DISCUSSION:
The following is a description of the proposed changes to the BVCP land use map relating to
open space, pazks, and other public lands:
s:lplanipb-items\memos\bj0125bvcp.mem.wpd AGENDA ITEM #APaee #1
A. C6ange t6e Open Space land use desiguation.
3taff is proposing changes to the cunent Open S~ace land use designation to better
represent the intended use of lands that are designated for open space purposes. The
Open Snace designation was originally applied to public and private lands throughout the
Boulder Valley in 1978 to provide guidance in the overall development of the Open
Space program and to indicate the overall planning concepts which have been adopted by
the City and County through the BVCP. Over the years, the Open Space program has
grown and new rural preservation policies for Area III have been adopted which provide
additional tools for meeting open space and other environmental preservation goals. The
Open Snace land use designation no longer represents acquisition goals of the program
but highlights accomplishments of the city and other agencies, and the general use of the
land.
Staff is proposing that the current Onen S~ace designation be divided into three
subcategories to differentiate between public and private property and to further denote
intended use of specific lands. The following are the proposed changes to the land use
designation definitions. The map in Attachment B shows the proposed changes:
Ooen S ace
Open Space designations on the BVCP Map include the following three categories of
lands:
1. Land already acquired by the City; or ~ Boulder
County for open space purposes;
2. Privately owned land with conservation easements or other development
restrictions; and
3. Other public and prdvate land designated prior to I981 which the city and
county would like to preserve through various preservation methods including
intergovernmental agreements, dedications, or acquisitions.
Open Space designations are not intended to limit acquisition, but to be indicative of the
broad goals of the program. Other property which meets Open Space purposes and
functions should be considered and may be acquired. Open Space designations indicate
that the long-term use of the land is planned to serve one or more open space functions.
However, Open Space designations may not reflect the current use of the land while in
private ownership.
B. Apply a new Open Space - Acauired designation to several city-owned properties.
Staff is proposing that an Open S ace-Acc~uired land use designation be applied to several
properties now under Open Space Department management. The proposed changes include
applying an Open Space-Acquired designation to: 1) new city acquisitions; 2) a few
previously acquired properties without an Open Snace designation; and 3) two areas
previously designated as Non-Urban Park. The following is a list of the specific
recommended changes.
s:\plan\pb-i[ems\memos\bj0125bvcp.mem.wpd AGENDA ITEM # Paee #2
New acauisitions since the last maior BVCP undate:
Lousberg (1996) Rothman I (1998)
Clough (1996) Moore Family (1998)
St. Walburga (1996) Duckworth/Lynch (1999)
DePoorter (1996) Manchester (1999)
FoothillsBusinessPark(1997) Hedgerow Farms (1999)
Gallagher (1997) Sombrero Marsh (1999)
IBM (1997) Rothman II (1999)
Eason (1997) 100 Arapahoe (1999)
Marshall (1997) MacFarlan (1999)
Henrikson (1997) Dexter (2000)
BLIP II (1998) Stanger (2000)
Cito (1998) Roseview (2000)
Straty-Cline (1998) Fancher (2000)
Acquisitions made prior to the last major BVCP update (correctionsl:
Shanahan #2 (1975)
Celestial Seasonings (1982)
Eddy(1992)
Mary Clyncke (1993)
Other citypronerties with new Open Snace desienations:
Mountain Parks (the historic Mountain Parks area will be identified and labeled on
the BVCP land use map)
Sawhill Ponds
C. Create a new Environmental Preservation designation.
The Open Space designation has been useful in Areas I and II in signaling environmental
resource concerns on private lands. However, there is concern that applying a new Open
Sroace designation to private properties within areas I and II would falsely imply that the city
intends to acquire the properties. Staff is proposing a new Environmental Preservation land
use designation for a few private properties in Areas I and II to indicate the city's intent to
preserve environmentally sensitive land through methods other than open space acquisition.
This proposal was previously included in the packet of staff recommended land use map
changes which Planning Board reviewed at their joint study session with City Council. The
following is the proposed definition for the new land use designation:
Environmental Preservation
The En vironmentalPreservation designation includes private lands in Areas I and II with
environmental values which the City and County would like to preserve through a variety
of preservation methods (including intergovernmental agreements, dedications,
development restrictions, rezonings, acquisitions, and density transfers).
s:\plan\pb-items\memos\bj0125bvcp.mem.wpd AGENDA ITEM # Paee #3
D. Eliminate the Non-Urban Parks designation aud expand the de~nition of the Urban
and Other Parks designation.
The Non-Urban Parks land use designation is currently applied to a few large pazcels in the
BVCP planning area which were not previously under city or county open space
management. The parcels that are designated as Non-Urban Parks include Boulder
Reservoir, Sawhill Ponds, Mountain Parks, and Eldorado Canyon State Park. Staff is
proposing that the designation for Mountain Parks and Sawhill Ponds be changed to Open
Snace-Ac ua ired to reflect the recent transfer of these pxoperties to Open Space and Mountain
Parks Department management. Staff is also proposing that the remaining two parcels
(Boulder Reservoir and Eldorado Canyon State Park) be designated as Urban and Other
Parks and the Non-Urban Parks designation be eliminated. The following are the proposed
changes to the designations:
1T _ TT~RS
) f )
) f )
f f ) )
f '
) • )
Urban and Other Parks
> , •
. ,
, •
afthc~crnmnunitY:
, ,
> , >
. ,
s:\plan\pb-items\memos\bj0125bvcp.mem.wpd AGENDA ITEM # Paee #4
Urban and Other Parks includes public lands used for a variety of active and passive
recreational purposes. Urban parks provided by the City include pocket parks,
neighborhood parks, commuaity parks and city parks as defined in the Parks and
Recreation Master Plan. The specific characteristics of each park depend on the type
ofpark,size,topographyandneighborhoodpreferences. Neighborhoodparkstypically
provide a children's playground, picnic facilities, benches, walkways, landscaped areas
and multi-use open grass areas. Other park uses may include recreational facilities
such as basketball or tennis courts, community gardens, and natural areas. There are
three community park sites (Harlow Platts, East Boulder and Foothills) which are fully
or partia-ly developed. Land for two large multi-use city parks has been acquired at
the Valmont Park site, where development witl begin in 2001, and the Area III -
Planning Reserve site which is to be held to meet future recreational needs. The
Boulder Reservoir is a regional park which provides opportunities for ~shing,
swimming, boating, picnicking, etc. Public recreational facilities, including recreation
centers, a golf course, swimming pools, ball~elds, a sports complex, etc. are also
included in this category.
E. Change several city-owned properties to a Public or Urban and Other Parks land use
desigaations.
Severa] city-owned properties have had designations consistent with the sunounding land
uses. Staff is proposing to change the designations on these properties to better reflect the
long-term intended use of the sites. See Attachment A for list of the proposed changes.
F. Expand the BVCP planning area boundary to incorporate new Open Space
acquisitions.
The BVCP is jointly adopted by the City and the County and guides land use and
development in the Boulder Valleyplanning area. The BVCP planning azea is defined as the
area within the Boulder Valley in which the City and the County will share responsibility for
planning land use and development through their intergovernmental agreement. The Planning
Area is specifically delineated on the BVCP land use map and is roughly defined as the area
bounded by the mountain backdrop on the west, Davidson Mesa and the Dry Creek and Coal
Creek drainage on the east and southeast, the south county line on the south, Gunbarrel Hill
on the northeast, lands north and west of the Boulder Reservoir and land west of Left Hand
V alley Reservoir on the north.
The City owns and manages numerous acres ofland outside the immediaCe planning area and
throughout Boulder County (e.g. City of Boulder watershed, Fourth of 7uly campground).
In addition, the Open Space Deparhnent has acquired lands beyond the planning area. The
intent of the planning azea is to reflect the city's interest in comprehensive land use planning
for areas within and around the city.
s:\plan\pb-items\memos\bj0125bvcp.mem.wpd AGENDA ITEM # Paee #5
Staff proposes to expand the planning azea to include some of the Open Space acquisitions
over the last few years which are contiguous to and fall into the general Planning Area
definition. Staff is also proposing to redraw the planning area boundary along the south
county line to remain consistent with the above definition. This change would remove one
city-owned open space properiy from the planning area. Please see the map in Attachment
B for the proposed new planning azea boundary.
Approved By:
~ ~
Peter Pollock, Planning Director
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A:
List of City-Owned Properties Proposed for a Land
Use Designation Change.
Attachment B
Map of Proposed Open Space Land Use Designation
Changes and Other Changes in Area III
s:\plan\pb-items\memos\bj0125bvcp.mem.wpd AGENDA ITEM # Page #6
Attachment A:
Proposed Properties for a New Public or Urban and Other Parks
Land Use Designation
Descri tion Location Current Land Pro osed
p P
Use Land Use
City-owned properties proposed for a new Public land use designation
Central Fire Station 2441 13'" St. (Portland PI.) Mixed Density Public
Residentla~
Fire Station #4 4100 Darley Low Density Public
Residential
Fire Station #5 19'" St. and Viofet Ave. Low Density Public
(North Boulder) Residential
Fire Station #6 5145 N. 63" St. Performance Public
Industrial
Fire Station #7 1380 55'" St. Medium Density Public
Resldential
Carnegie Library Pine St. Hfgh Density Public
Residential
Police Main Station 1805 33ftl Light Industrial Public
Iris Center (Parks and Rec 3198 Broadway Low Density Public
Administration) Residenrial
Transportation tree farm Foothills and Baseline Very Low Density Public
Residential
Utility water reservoir Linden Park Low Densliy Public
Residential
Properties proposed for a new Urban and Other Parks Iand use deslgnation
Eldorado Canyon State Park Area III/ Urban and
Non-Urban Park Other Parks
New regional park in the Planning Area III Urban and
Reserve Other Parks/
Open Space
Boulder Reservoir Area III-Annexedl Urban and
Non-Urban Park Other Parks
Valmont Park Performance Urban and
Industrial Other Parks
Barker Park 1518 Spruce RegionalBusiness Urban and
Other Parks
s:\plan\pb-items\memos\bj0125bvcp.mem.wpd AGENDA ITEM # Paee #7
Fitzpatrick Park 18'" St. Low Density Urban and
Residential Other Parks
Smith Park GilbeA Low Densiry Urban and
Residential Other Parks
Utiliry right-of-way used as a park 1650 Alpine Low Density Urban and
Residential Other Parks
Elmer's Park (utility floodway used Iris (belween Folsom and 28'" St.) Medium Densily Urban and
as a park) Residential Other Parks
Transportation right-of-way used as 22n° St. belween Bluff and Mesa Low Density Urban and
a park Residenfial Other Parks
s:\plan\pb-items\memos\bj0125bvcp.mem.wpd AGENDA ITEM # Paee #8
~
.
_ ~
BVCP Year 2000 Update - Proposed OS Designation Changes and Other Changes in Area !
~ Cunent B.V.C.P. Area 111 8 Planning Area Boundary
~
y
~ J= a Proposed B.V.C.P. Area Iil 8 Planning Area Boundary
Open Spaee - Owned (Includes City 8. County Land)
~
~
v
d/r ~~~~~
'~' ~~~: ~
~ Open Space - Conservation Easement ~
N
~ - Environmental Preservalion y
Map produc~d by 1M1~ Ciry of 6onWar Other Public and Private Land Designated as Open Space 1 0 1 2 I y
~
Pl~~ai~fg G~p~rim~at WS L~6,1212407
0 Change to Urban and Other Parks
TM~~~~°~+~Y+~+e~+^~~•~+~+r~+^~^'~"~"'r.TM~"~ '
~~.+~~.w.~d:4~.4~rr...s..~~r~~M.ww.rr.~r.r~~
~
~
~ 1~1
~
z
y
~
~