6E - Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan changesCITY OF BOULDER
PLANNING BOARD AGENDA ITEM
MEETING DATE: July 19, 2001
(Agenda item preparation Date: July I 1, 2001)
AGENDA TITLE:
Public hearing and consideration ofthe foilowing changes to the Boulder Valley
Comprehensive Plan as part of the five year update:
a. additional changes to the policy on jobs:population balance
b. introduction to the implementation section
REQUESTING DEPARTMENT:
Planning Department
Peter Pollock, Planning Director
Ruth McHeyser, Director of Long Range Planning
Susan Richstone, Senior Planner
Jean Gatza, Planner I
OVERVIEW:
The Planning Board is being requested to approve additional wording changes to the new
policy on jobs:population balance approved by the Planning Board on June 28 and to approve
the introductory text to the implementation section.
BACKGROUND
On June 28, the Planning Board approved additional changes to several policies based on the
changes approved by the County Commissioners on June 7. At the June 28 meeting, the Planning
Board expressed support for the intent of the policy on jobs:population balance; however, the Board
felt that the proposed wording needed some changes to provide more clarity for the public. The
County Commissioners reviewed the wording change approved by the Planning Board and suggested
a few additional changes (see Attachment A). On July 17, the City Council will be considering the
proposed policy changes approved by the Planning Board on June 28 and the Commissioners'
suggestad change.
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In addition, at the June 28 meeting, the Planning Board approved most of the text changes for the
update. The introduction to the implementation section of the plan is additional new text that the
Board is being asked to approve (see Attachment B). The City Council will be considering approval
of this text on July 17.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the additional changes to the policy on jobs:population balance and
the text for the introduction to the implementation section of the plan.
Approved By:
!/~n~~/ C
Peter Pollock, Planning Director
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A: Proposed change to }obs:population balance policy
Attachment B: Proposed text for introduction Yo the implementation section
of the plan
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ATTACHMENT A
New jobs:population balance policy as approved by Planning Board on June 28, 2001 with
chauges suggested by the Board of County Commissioners
JOBS:POPULATION BALANCE. In recent years, employment in the city has grown
significantly more than housing. This has resulted in increased in-commuting, a greater daytime
population and a general increase in traffic congestion and housing prices. In the year 2000, the
ratio of the number of jobs to the population in the Boulder Valley was estimated at .92:1
(107,074 jobs: 114,580 population). If current trends continue, the ratio is projected to become
1.21:1 by the year 2020.
The generally accepted planning standard for a balanced jobs-to-population ratio is .65 to 1. The
city and county agree that the current ratio within the Boulder Valley exceeds ~ an
appropriate ratio and the planning standard, and that a worsening of that ratio beyond 1:1 will
lead to greater ragionat traffic congestion, affordable housing shortfalls, and other negative
impacts on the community as a whole. The city will therefore embark on a project to reduce the
projected ratio and address the associated impacts. This will be accomplished through a public
process that will establish an appropriate and acceptable jobs-to-population ratio and identify a
combination of actions that will reduce the amount of commercial growth, create more affordable
housing, and mitigate the impacts of traffic congestion.
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ATTACHMENT B
Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan Implementation
A plan has little value unless actions are taken to implement it. Many plans, policies and
programs are already in place in the city and county that implement the Comprehensive Plan.
This section outlines existing implementation tools and also includes an action plan for the
Comprehensive Plan.
The Comprehensive Plan policies provide overarching direction for planning, development and
programs in the Boulder Valley. Existing implementation tools that translate the plan into action
include:
Subcommunity and area plans These plans provide direction for specific geographic
areas. They provide a link between the broad policy direction of the Comprehensive Plan
and more detailed zoning, regulatory and capita] improvement programming decisions.
Existing plans are described in the "Subcommunity and Area Plans" section of the
Comprehensive Plan.
Master Plans The city's departmental master plans are developed to be consistent with
the Comprehensive Plan. They establish detailed policies, priorities, service standards,
facility and system needs and capital budgeting far the delivery of specific services. These
programs are described in the "Master Plan and Program Summaries section."
The Ca~tal Improvements Pro~. The CIP is an essential implementation tool for
carrying out the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan's policies of orderly and efficient
provision of urban facilities and services. Through master planning and annual budgeting
the CIP directs resources to provide an adequate range of urban services and direct the
location and timing of growth.
Development Review. Land use regulations and zoning district regulations are developed
consistent with the goals and policies of the Comprehensive Plan. All new development
or redevelopment proj ects must conform to these regulations.
Action Plan
The Action Plan is intended to be an additional tool that translates the Comprehensive Plan policies
and land use map into actions and helps to make the plan dynamia lt focuses on actions that are not
currently included in other plans or programs. The action plan estabiishes the timing and priorities
for future actions and a way to measure Comprehensive Plan accomplishments.
The action plan includes new initiatives, projects, plans, processes, and regulatory changes
needed to implement the plan. Not every policy will have an action item in the action plan. Only
those with new initiatives will be included on the table. Ongoing programs or projects are not
included.
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The action plan should be revisited at each annual update to the Comprehensive Plan. It is adopted
by the city and is intended to be a realistic implementation tool and, therefore, will need to be
flexible and responsive to city goals and resources. The county will be sent a referral and invited to
name those actions, projects or other activities contained in the plan in which they wish to
participate. The county may also propose new or additional collaborative actions to the city for its
consideration during the action plan review as part of the annual update.
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