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Agenda_2019_7_9_Meeting M ayor Suzanne Jones Council M e mbe rs Aaron Brockett Cindy Carlisle Lisa Morzel Mirabai Nagle Sam Weaver Bob Yates Mary Young Council Chambers 1777 Broadway Boulder, CO 80302 July 9, 2019 6:00 PM City M anage r Jane Brautigam City Attorne y Thomas A. Carr City Cle rk Lynnette Beck ST UDY SESSION BOULDER CIT Y COUNCIL S T UD Y S E S S IO N I T E M S (1) Update 2030 Climate P lan 90 min (2) Citywide R etail Study: Final R eport and Next Steps 90 min 3:00 Hours City Council doc uments, inc luding meeting agendas, study session agendas, meeting ac tion summaries and information packets c an be ac cessed at https://bouldercolorado.gov/city- council/council-documents. (Scroll down to the second brown box and c lic k "I nformation Packet") This meeting c an be viewed at www.bouldercolorado.gov/city-council. Meetings are aired live on Munic ipal Channel 8 and the c ity's website and are re-c ablecast at 6 p.m. W ednesdays and 11 a.m. Fridays in the two weeks following a regular council meeting. Boulder 8 TV (Comc ast channels 8 and 880) is now providing closed captioning for all live meetings that are aired on the c hannels. The closed captioning service operates in the same manner as similar servic es offered by broadcast channels, allowing viewers to turn the c losed c aptioning on or off with the television remote c ontrol. C losed c aptioning also is available on the live HD stream on Boulder Channel8.com. To ac tivate the captioning service for the live stream, the "C C " button (which is loc ated at the bottom of the video play er) will be illuminated and available whenever the channel is providing c aptioning services. The council c hambers is equipped with a T-Coil assisted listening loop and portable assisted listening devices. I ndividuals with hearing or speec h loss may c ontac t us using Relay C olorado at 711 or 1- 800-659-3656. Anyone requiring spec ial pac ket preparation such as Braille, large print, or tape recorded versions may c ontac t the City C lerk's Office at 303-441-4222, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Please request spec ial pac ket preparation no later than 48 hours prior to the meeting. City Council Study Session Page 1 of 260 I f you need S panish interpretation or other language-related assistance for this meeting, please call (303) 441-1905 at least three business day s prior to the meeting. Si usted necesita interpretacion o cualquier otra ay uda con relac ion al idioma para esta junta, por favor comuniquese al (303) 441- 1905 por lo menos 3 negoc ios dias antes de la junta. Send electronic presentations to email address: C ityC lerkStaff@boulder colorado.gov no later than 2 p.m. the day of the meeting. City Council Study Session Page 2 of 260 C OVE R S H E E T ME E T I N G D AT E July 9, 2019 AG E N D A I T E M Update 2030 C limate Plan P RI MARY STAF F C O N TAC T Brett KenC airn, 303-441-3272 AT TAC H ME N T S: Description Memo & Attachments City Council Study Session Page 3 of 260 STUDY SESSION MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor and Members of City Council FROM: Jane S. Brautigam, City Manager Steve Catanach, Director of Climate Initiatives Brett KenCairn, Senior Climate and Resilience Policy Manager Carolyn Elam, Energy Manager Yael Gichon, Senior Energy Project Manager Jonathan Koehn, Senior Climate Policy Manager Kara F. Mertz, Sustainability Manager Jamie Harkins, Sustainability Coordinator Matt Lehrman, Energy Policy Analyst Meghan Wilson, Communications Manager Alexis Bullen, Communications Specialist Emily Sandoval, Communications Specialist DATE: July 9, 2019 SUBJECT: Climate Mobilization Action Plan EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Staff proposes the launch of a comprehensive community and stakeholder process to formulate the next generation of the City of Boulder’s climate action strategy. Staff is referring to this planning initiative as the 2030 Climate Mobilization Action Plan (CMAP). Since council’s 2016 approval of the city’s Climate Commitment, several significant changes have occurred, including accelerating impacts from a changing climate, advances in state-level climate policy, new understandings about the most effective roles for cities in climate action, and recent UN analysis indicating that societies have approximately 10 years to implement system-scale change to avert climate catastrophe. Staff proposes that the development of the 2030 CMAP will serve as the previously planned update to the Climate Commitment. Staff has already identified several strategy update needs and would expect others to be identified through the community CMAP effort. These include: • Climate changes are already occurring and will continue, necessitating that both equity and resilience become core design considerations integrated into all proposed strategies and actions. • A focus just on community-level emissions is insufficient; increased emphasis must be placed on the life cycle costs and the impacts of resource management that fall outside the city boundaries. City Council Study Session Page 4 of 260 • Emissions reductions alone will not be enough to stabilize climate; carbon capture and sequestration must be addressed. • Voluntary and behavioral change programs will not achieve the scale of change that is needed; strategies must be focused on systemic change. Building on the 2016 Climate Commitment, staff proposes the model below in Figure 1 to guide CMAP development. Figure 1: CMAP Focus Areas Staff proposes that this extensive, community-based strategy update process be initiated immediately following this Study Session and run through early 2020. This process will include community engagement through a variety of techniques, which are likely to include entities bringing subject matter expertise, topic-specific working groups, community presentation and feedback sessions, and extensive review by a broad and diverse consortium of stakeholders. The results of the process would be compiled during the first quarter of 2020 and synthesized into a 2030 CMAP. This plan would be presented to Council in spring 2020. It would then serve as both the short-term action plan and a framework for a 10- year action strategy. This 2030 Climate Mobilization Action Plan (CMAP) strategy will update current objectives and goals and will provide a framework for rapid reassessment and adaptation throughout the life of the plan, as conditions continue to change. Today, staff is seeking council feedback on key aspects of the proposed strategy development process, including climate action goals, the proposed areas of focus, partners and stakeholders and analysis of the 2019 state legislative session’s impact on the city’s climate programs. Given the importance of this topic in the community and the high expectations for substantive community engagement, staff will share with council via an Information Packet in mid-September: • a final community engagement plan; • identification of additional partnerships; • recommendations for council and advisory board involvement; and • pilot project development details. City Council Study Session Page 5 of 260 This memo explains the evolution of the city’s climate action work, including where we have been and what we have learned, the early implications of new state policy and the changing role of local governments based on the urgency of the climate crisis. These findings come together to detail the proposed process for developing the next evolution of the city’s climate work, the 2030 CMAP. QUESTIONS FOR COUNCIL Climate Action Goals 1. Based on the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, the limitations of existing emission inventory protocols and other recent changes in context, should the city expand, accelerate and/or identify new climate action goals? If so, does council have specific recommendations? Strategy Development Process 2. Does council agree with the climate action focus areas staff has proposed? Are there any other focus areas staff should prioritize? 3. In addition to the list of organizations and stakeholders staff has provided, are there others council would recommend staff engage with as part of this process? 4. Does council support proceeding with Letters of Intent and Partnership Agreements between the city and key organizations involved in this process? 5. Does council see areas where it wants additional analysis of the impacts of state legislative changes or other factors on the city’s current climate action strategies and tactics? BACKGROUND The context within which Boulder and other communities consider how to address climate change is rapidly changing. Three factors with significant implications for Boulder’s climate action approach and priorities are described below. 1. Accelerating Climate Change and Associated Impacts The recently released IPCC “Special Report: Global Warming of 1.5° C” (October 2018) and the Fourth US National Climate Assessment (November 2018) underscored several sobering findings. • Existing public and private sector commitments are insufficient to stabilize climate1. • Energy-related emissions reduction alone2 will be insufficient to achieve climate stabilization. • Carbon recapture is now essential to avoid runaway warming. • Other warming factors must also be addressed including agriculture, materials use and other extra-jurisdictional boundary sources. • Carbon pricing is essential and must be implemented at a global scale. • Resilience to climate change must be enhanced, particularly in ecological systems, and will need to be a growing priority for public resource investment. • Equity impacts will either reduce or magnify depending on the transition strategies deployed. 1 Climate stabilization requires that greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations are stabilized in the atmosphere at a level where ecosystems can adapt naturally to climate change, food production is not threatened, and economic development can proceed in a sustainable fashion. 2 Additional analysis on the scope of action necessary to avoid a “Hothouse Earth” scenario can be found in an excellent synthesis of recent scientific assessments by the Stockholm Resilience Center . City Council Study Session Page 6 of 260 Based on these findings, many cities and other entities that have made significant commitments to climate action are now fundamentally reassessing the adequacy and focus of their climate action goals, strategies and tactics.3 2. The Changing Role of City-Based Climate Action The launch of a new round of climate action planning provides an opportunity to examine what has been learned over the past 15 years of climate action and evaluate how these lessons could change some of the foundational assumptions upon which previous strategies have been built. The beginnings: a city-scale approach to climate action The entry of cities into global climate action was largely driven by the failure of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol negotiations to create an effective worldwide commitment to achieving substantive emissions reduction. As it became clear that leading nations like the U.S. would not participate, cities like Boulder stepped forward and passed resolutions4 stating their commitment to achieve the Kyoto Protocol’s greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target (12% below 1990 levels by 2012). This approach set an important precedent that has, since the early 2000s, shaped how most cities have defined and sought to achieve their climate action goals. Cities effectively adopted a nation-state model of climate action in which the focus of action and measurement of success were based on achieving emission reduction targets confined to political boundaries—in this case municipal boundaries. The underlying assumption of this approach was that as leading cities demonstrated that they could successfully achieve emissions reduction within their boundaries, they would inspire other cities to adopt and achieve similar goals. It was assumed that this would, in turn, put pressure on larger public jurisdictions--states and the federal government--to adopt and achieve similar goals. Now, over 10 years into this movement, this city- centric approach faces several significant challenges. Limited adoption of comprehensive climate action strategies While there has been a growing list of cities signing on to climate action proclamations or 100% renewable energy goals, the number of cities with actual plans to achieve these goals is relatively small. After nearly two decades of city-focused efforts in climate action, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) reports that less than 8% (43) of the nearly 600 global cities in the CDP rating system had ambitious targets, formal plans and were showing substantive action toward those plans. Only 14 cities had carbon neutral goals, and only five had 100% renewable energy goals. Despite Boulder’s significant progress in emissions reduction through conservation, energy efficiency and local renewable energy (see Attachment A, Progress and Lessons Learned from Existing Programs and Policies), the pace of actual emissions reduction at city levels must rapidly accelerate to address the even more urgent targets set by the recent IPCC report. Limited scope of municipal control For those cities attempting to implement ambitious climate action goals, many soon discover the limits of their ability to control crucial factors such as the source and carbon intensity of their energy. A recent 3 Vancouver BC’s recently released “Climate Emergency Response” is an example of a number of climate emergency declarations or action plan updating processes being launched by leading cities. 4 Boulder passed Resolution 906 in 2002 committing Boulder to achieve the Kyoto Protocol’s emissions reduction targets. City Council Study Session Page 7 of 260 NPR report on difficulties the City of Atlanta is encountering in achieving deep emissions reduction highlights the challenges Boulder became aware of over a decade ago. Atlanta has now realized that it is impossible to meet its climate objectives when the carbon intensity of its electricity sources is controlled by Georgia Power, the incumbent investor-owned utility. This problem is compounded by the fact that emissions reduction alone is insufficient to address the climate emergency. This dilemma will likely face most of the growing list of cities signing on to ambitious climate goals for which they do not yet have clear plans to achieve. The limits of municipal boundary-focused climate strategies were summarized in a recent scientific assessment of city climate action strategies, which found: “These results suggest that many U.S. cities’ climate action plans lack the cohesiveness to make them fully successful. Consequently, unless they reevaluate their climate action plans, many U.S. cities might struggle to achieve the broader greenhouse gas reduction strategies needed to significantly contribute to global climate change mitigation.”5 Given these limitations and barriers facing cities as catalysts for deep emissions reduction, Boulder has been on the forefront of work to expand the role of cities in developing policy change at scales sufficient to encompass the driving factors in emissions reduction. The significant climate policy advances made at the state level in Colorado during the 2019 legislative session are an important indication of what is possible and necessary to achieve rapid, systems-level change. 3. Advances in State Climate Policy and Associated Implications Given limited federal climate action leadership, many states and regions have taken substantive efforts to address climate change. A wide range of policies have been adopted at the state and regional levels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, develop renewable energy resources, support alternatively fueled vehicles and promote more energy-efficient buildings and appliances, among other things. Although the climate crisis ultimately requires effective national and international response, the actions taken by states and regions play a vital role in developing and testing innovative solutions, delivering near-term emission reductions, and laying the groundwork for broader action. At the same time, in the fight against climate change, cities and counties have become important co-leaders because of their role as laboratories, incubators and implementers of climate solutions. Successful climate action will require collective and coordinated actions across multiple sectors and levels of government to develop and carry out solutions that are best suited to our challenges and opportunities. Through the city’s actions, and through the actions of our coalitions such as Colorado Communities for Climate Action (CC4CA), Boulder has been working to identify specific local and statewide policies that have significant impacts on our climate efforts. At the conclusion of the 2019 Colorado legislative session, more than a dozen new climate and energy bills were signed into law, arguably making the session the most impactful yet in Colorado’s efforts to address the climate crisis. The bills cover an array of issues from regulating emissions from the major sectors; the oversight of electric generating companies; how companies must factor climate change into their decision making; and new regulations on how oil and gas drilling is governed in the state. While the design and implementation of the specific 5 From “Sustainable Cities and Society” Journal, Vol 41. August 2018. Pages 711-727 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221067071830595X City Council Study Session Page 8 of 260 rules are vital for successful policies, staff’s initial analysis shows that Boulder’s efforts will be significantly supported and impacted by the recent passage of a number of key bills. These state-level developments and other change factors also indicate the need for new roles and new approaches for municipalities engaging in climate action. ANALYSIS What We’ve Learned, Progress & What’s Changed Based on the most recent inventory, the community has reduced GHG emissions by 16%, ahead of its 2020 interim goal of a 15% reduction. Achieving this reduction is largely attributable to two key factors: • Mitigating load growth associated with population and GDP increases through building codes and incentive-based efficiency programs • Reduced grid emissions due to state-level utility renewable energy standards and deployment of local solar. Achieving the current Climate Commitment of an 80% GHG reduction by 2050 will require major actions on multiple fronts. Based on staff’s current models and forecasts, 100% emission-free electricity will achieve more than two-thirds of the GHG savings needed. The remaining third will require substantive reductions in both mobility emissions and natural gas use. To hit the 2030 goal, these sectors will need to reduce emissions by nearly 3% annually. While the pathway to achieving the Climate Commitment goals is considered technically feasible, each incremental reduction will be increasingly difficult with costs and business models unknown. Achieving the deep transformations to our energy systems, ecosystems and materials economy requires major investment and technological advances. Reflection on the city’s current suite of strategies and tactics highlights their success in driving the GHG reductions that have been realized to date, but also identifies their limitations in addressing the deeper reductions that will be needed in the coming years. The areas of current focus include rebates, mandated efficiency and waste reduction via ordinances, rebate programs, building codes, education and behavior change, zero waste and consumption, electric vehicles, advanced mobility, solar energy, and policy work. Some limitations and conclusions include: • Rebate program amounts are generally insufficient to motivate someone to undertake a project that they were not otherwise considering and often do not serve the community equitably. • Ordinance-mandated programs in waste reduction and efficiency must balance the amount of savings or diversion that can be achieved against creating undue financial burden for residents or businesses. • Building codes face logistical barriers for substantial reuse and recycling during building remodels; financial incentives to comply have been absent; and enforcement is difficult. • For behavior change and education programs, over time behaviors tend to revert to what is easier or more convenient. Systemic change – a new context in which the low emissions, low impact choice is the only choice, or at least the easiest and simplest choice, is the only way to ensure persistence of change. • Recycling and composting programs alone do not address the global impacts of a consumption- based society, and the significant growth in recycling presents its own global challenges. Cities have key leverage points to drive systemic change in material flows; and this must be the foundation of future climate strategies related to waste and consumption for Boulder. City Council Study Session Page 9 of 260 • While great progress has been made on advanced mobility, including transportation electrification, these efforts will require more regional collaboration and advanced strategies to impact the scale of change needed. This CMAP process will be aligned with the efforts in the Transportation Master Plan as outlined to council at its June 18th meeting. A more complete description of progress and lessons learned in some of the strategy areas mentioned above as well as a complete list of the energy workplan, progress, and areas of focus can be found in Attachment A, Progress and Lessons Learned from Existing Programs and Policies. These learnings will inform the CMAP effort design and implementation, the next generation of strategies to achieve the city’s climate goals. Implications of the IPCC Report for Local Climate Action The city currently uses the ICLEI “Global Protocol for Community-Scale Emissions (GPC).” This is one of the most widely accepted and utilized protocols for measuring and tracking city-scale emissions. It classifies emissions in three categories: • Scope 1: Direct emissions from owned or controlled sources • Scope 2: Indirect emissions from generation of purchased power • Scope 3: Indirect emissions other than Scope 2 that occur in the value chain (e.g. materials extraction, manufacturing, cultivation) The GPC currently excludes Scope 3 emissions other than those related to waste disposal. The reason for this is to prevent double counting of value chain emissions when summing community emissions inventories. The challenge with this community centric lens, however, is that it does not properly allocate the emissions impact of material and resource consumption to the communities where that consumption is occurring. Without complete geographic coverage of emissions inventories, many of these supply chain impacts are not being counted anywhere. While some communities have attempted to do separate accounting for these scope 3 emissions, there is not currently a commonly accepted methodology for doing so. ICLEI reports that it is working on a consumption-based inventory protocol to complement the current GPC, but it is not yet available. Based on the most recent IPCC report, there is a growing discussion among leading cities about how to respond to the accelerated sense of urgency combined with the magnitude of reductions needed. This is causing many cities to begin considering looking beyond their community boundaries in developing emission reduction strategies. In Boulder and elsewhere, achieving the 1.5° C temperature goal will require: • Accelerating existing GHG reduction goals to the goal of achieving net zero emissions • Developing carbon sequestration/negative carbon strategies • Focusing beyond community boundaries in setting goals and tracking progress to achieve systems level change. Equity and Resilience prioritization There is global recognition that the climate is changing and will continue to change. It is now just a question of how much, when and whether catastrophic impacts such as those associated with a species- level extinction threshold can be avoided. Boulder has already experienced a range of climate related impacts including temperature and weather extremes, species impacts, and air quality concerns. The cost of having to adapt to climate change will be significant. These include both community-scale City Council Study Session Page 10 of 260 infrastructure costs and impacts (sewer, water, roads) and household impacts (increased need for air conditioning, damages caused by extreme climate events, air quality impacts of wildfire, etc.). Climate change will likely also impact macro-level factors such as food prices, economic stability, and the possible increases in risks like contagious diseases. Many in our community are at a disproportionately greater risk to the effects of climate change. Seniors, children and people with lower incomes are particularly impacted by the cost of recovering from events, declining air quality and rising energy and food costs. As a community, we need to ensure that all our buildings and systems remain resilient as the climate continues to change; that every community member prospers, remains healthy and can enjoy a good quality of life; and that our economy remains strong. Equity and resilience must be the foundation of any program and strategy that moves forward. State Policy Actions The 2019 Legislative Session resulted in state climate policy that will not only make considerable advances in Colorado’s climate-related efforts but enhance local jurisdictions’ ability to achieve their specific Climate Commitment targets. During the legislative session, more than a dozen bills were signed into law that focus on emissions reduction, energy efficiency and electric transportation. Simultaneously, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is focused on a comprehensive regulatory update to rules related to the acquisition of utility-scale power plants, community solar gardens and other resources that may accelerate emissions reduction in the electricity sector, the benefits of which will compound as the transportation and buildings sectors transition to electricity as the primary source of fuel. Additional PUC work has been undertaken to change rates for all customers as well as on community resilience projects. Other state agencies like the Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) and the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment are engaged with their own directives that will directly support local efforts, such as a zero-emissions vehicle standard. Below is a summary of the legislative and regulatory progress made in 2019, and the relationship to the city’s local climate-related goals and targets. A full list and details of each of the bills can be found in Attachment B, Legislative and Regulatory Analysis. Legislative Action In review of Boulder’s Climate and Resilience objectives, there are three key conclusions that emerge relative to this legislation: 1. The 2019 session produced an extensive slate of legislation that will not only help Boulder achieve its local Climate Commitment targets but reflects the successful influence of Boulder’s two decades of work on statewide policy related to climate and energy. Most notably, HB-1261 codifies Boulder’s emissions reduction goals adopted in 2016 as statewide requirements. Several pieces of additional legislation, such as SB-096 and HB-1260, impose energy code and greenhouse gas accounting requirements statewide that Boulder has been enforcing since as early as 2001. Other pieces of legislation, such as HB-1159 and HB-1198, will support Boulder’s on-going commitment to reducing emissions in the transportation sector. Still others, such as HB-1314, ensure that this comprehensive shift in Colorado’s energy economy will include and support all communities, including those affected by the loss of coal jobs and tax revenue. 2. Based on today’s forecasts, if the GHG emissions reduction targets established through legislation are achieved, the percentage of electricity sector emissions achieved through a future Boulder municipal electric utility and those of Xcel Energy will be on a similar trajectory over time. City Council Study Session Page 11 of 260 One of the primary drivers of municipalization has been the ability to “decarbonize” our electri city supply. Boulder’s Climate Commitment targets a 2030 date for 100% renewable electricity. Assuming the retail rate impact component of the legislation can be met (no more than 1.5% increase in retail electricity rates), the 2019 legislation puts both a municipal electric utility and Xcel Energy on a similar trajectory. The city’s recent 2018 request for indicative pricing indicated that by 2030 Boulder could achieve a higher (roughly 90% by 2024 and 100% by 2030) percentage of renewable energy, sooner and a lower cost than that anticipated by Xcel Energy (80%). 3. The 2019 Legislation may enhance the ability to deploy and connect distributed generation in Boulder. Distribution system planning and community solar garden legislation supports the Climate Commitment’s targets related to emissions reduction and local generation as well as community resilience objectives, with the following caveats: The distribution grid is the backbone of a reliable electric system and with proper planning will lead to a more flexible, reliable, resilient, cost-effective and clean electricity grid. The Public Utilities Commission Sunset Bill (SB19-236) requires that investor-owned utilities file distribution system plans that, among other things, includes plans for future investments and deployment of distributed renewable electricity generation, energy storage systems, microgrids, energy efficiency measures, demand-response measures and other “non-wires alternatives.” Because the plan requirements allow the utilities to retain control of the planning process, opportunities to install additional distributed generation in certain locations may be restricted while in other locations it may be enhanced. It is too early to tell how the system planning will unlock potential for additional distributed energy resources, and how they can be more fully integrated into the system, allowing utilities and communities to both take advantage of the benefits distributed energy resources can provide. From staff’s assessment, the 2019 legislative session has put in motion the potential for significant and meaningful progress toward Boulder’s Climate Commitment targets. However, effective implementation and compliance will be determined in the policy and rulemaking process that is coming next. To ensure that the full intention of the legislation is achieved, Boulder and other leaders in climate action advocacy will need to actively participate in the rule-making proceedings. Regulatory Action Separate from, but related to the legislative activity, the PUC is currently focused on three topics of interest to Boulder’s Climate Commitment objectives6: 1. Rulemaking related to electric resource planning 2. Rate Cases and Rate Proposals 3. Community Resilience Projects A detailed explanation and analysis of these topic can be found in Attachment B, Legislative and Regulatory Analysis. The results of the rulemaking and rate cases will play an important role not only in reducing utility-scale carbon emissions, but in efforts to integrate local renewables and battery storage for resilience purposes as well as to electrify transportation. 6 These are current PUC actions separate from those created by SB 19-036 (see Attachment B, Legislative and Regulatory Analysis for details). City Council Study Session Page 12 of 260 Implications of State Policy Changes and Recent Science on Goals Through its Climate Commitment, the city currently has goals to reduce GHG emissions 50% by 2030 and 80% by 2050 from a 2005 baseline. To understand the implications of the recent state policy actions and the IPCC report, staff analyzed several scenarios based on updated inventories for the 2005 baseline year. For the 2005 baseline year, grid emissions represented more than half of the community’s GHG impact. For this reason, reducing grid emissions has been a priority focus. At the time the city set its goals, Xcel Energy was not on a trajectory to enable the community to achieve its 2030 or 2050 goals. To address this, staff and the community pursued two strategies – policy change to compel Xcel towards a renewable grid supply and a local electric utility to alleviate the community’s dependence on Xcel’s grid mix. A local electric utility would also enable development of locally designed products and services to meet community distributed generation, resilience and equity objectives – which staff now knows to be essential components of climate mitigation work. Because of the recent successes with state policy, the grid emission impact under a non-municipalization scenario has changed substantially from the original Xcel business as usual case. To understand the implications of this policy change, staff analyzed a scenario in which the 2030 grid mix was 80% renewable, rather than the 100% renewable mix that would be achieved through a local electric utility. For the analysis, staff assumed continued and successful implementation of existing efficiency programs, such as the Building Performance Ordinance (BPO), as well as continued trends in terms of community growth and development. Based on the updated models, a 100% carbon-free grid mix would result in the city achieving the 2030 50% GHG reduction goal. If, however, the grid mix is only 80% renewable, reductions must occur elsewhere if the 2030 goal is to be met. Staff estimates that this could be achieved if electric vehicle adoption rates were increased to 15%, residential natural gas use were reduced by 20% and commercial natural gas use were reduced by 8%. Because of the implications of the IPPC report, staff also analyzed whether much more aggressive transportation and building electrification goals would enable the community to accelerate its 80% GHG reduction goal to 2030. The parameters selected were 40% residential electrification, 15% commercial electrification, and 50% reduction across all transportation (roughly require a 30% electric vehicle adoption rated combined with a 32% reduction in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and more stringent federal CAFE standards in place). If these parameters were met, the community could only achieve an accelerated 80% GHG reduction if the grid mix were 100% carbon free. With an 80% renewable grid, the GHG reduction would be 65%; the additional 15% savings would need to be realized through other sources such as sequestration. As detailed implementation plans (including early retirement of existing coal plants and resulting rate impacts) are created to fulfill legislative requirements, staff will be able to complete a more thorough analysis on the impacts of these regulations and how they impact the city’s goals and how these goals best align with achieving deep emissions reduction at a regional and state level. Role of cities in systems-scale change As noted earlier, the past two decades of municipal climate action has been largely based on a model of change that has assumed cities demonstrating significant emissions reduction within their own boundaries will inspire similar actions by other cities and ultimately higher levels of government. While this approach has engendered substantial city-scale innovation among many leading cities, the pace of city City Council Study Session Page 13 of 260 adoption globally is inadequate to prompt the large-scale change now required to achieve climate stabilization. This is causing a growing group of cities to reconsider how cities can have the greatest impact in accelerating the systemic change now necessary. These discussions in groups like the Urban Sustainability Director’s Network (207 North American Cities) and the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance (CNCA) are beginning to distill a number of essential features of next generation city-based action designed to accelerate systems scale change. These include: 1. Policy Change – Cities in many cases do not control major drivers of emissions and climate change. To influence these drivers—utility/grid control, product design & specification, regional/national carbon policy/pricing—they will have to engage with other cities and entities to shape new policy. 2. Expanded boundaries for action and impact assessment— Many of the major climate change drivers are controlled or managed at scales larger than cities—energy generation, grid management/utility regulation, fuel standards; product design and specification, carbon valuation/pricing, transportation policy and large-scale infrastructure investments etc. To influence these major drivers, cities will need to coordinate advocacy at higher levels—Regional, State, and National. The substantial role CC4CA played in the last legislative session is an example of the importance of this action area. Additionally, the city is undertaking a regional “materials flow analysis” that will identify the materials flowing into and out of our community to identify leverage points for city action to influence a movement toward a more sustainable use and reuse of resources and materials—a circular materials economy. 3. Cross-sector partnerships – Cities do not control or have enough resources to direct or manage the enormous changes in infrastructure that must be made to transition to a low emissions economy. The electrification of 20,000 single family households in Boulder alone (heating/cooling, transportation) is projected to cost over $1 billion. Action at this scale will require new types of partnerships with a range of public, private, academic, and non-governmental entities. 4. Accelerated innovation/adaptation cycles – The rate of change now taking place, both in the pace and impacts of climate change and in technology, social perspectives and policy, require new models of rapid development, implementation and modification of climate action strategies. 5. Financial system & market change – One of the most influential drivers of change has been in investment policies and financial markets. Cities are increasingly recognizing their potential influence on critical emissions drivers by leveraging their significant financial and market presence to influence market behavior. 6. Centering equity and resilience in all action strategies – First-generation climate action planning has been built on emissions reduction as the primary objective and metric for evaluation. With the recognition that large-scale climate change is now inevitable, resilience to climate disruption must now also be an integral consideration in all investments. Similarly, there is a growing recognition that disregard for social inequity has enabled the unsustainable design of political, energy and financial systems. Boulder is a part of a growing consortium of cities that are actively working to integrate climate mitigation, climate adaptation, and equity as equal design criteria in the next generation climate action strategies. 7. Grounding actions in local benefits – Faced with budget trade-offs between climate action investments and other pressing local priorities, a growing number of cities are recognizing that community support for significant municipal investments in emissions reduction strategies will depend on designing these strategies to deliver other tangible, local quality-of-life benefits while they simultaneously contribute to overall emissions reduction. City Council Study Session Page 14 of 260 The remainder of this memo provides an overview of a proposed approach through which the city will work with a broad consortium of parties. These include residents, leading innovators in critical action areas, stakeholder groups with interest or concern about both climate change and climate action, and other public and private sector partners committed to accelerating effective climate stabilization efforts. Proposed Climate Mobilization Action Plan Development Approach Areas of Action and Design Principles Boulder’s Climate Commitment, adopted in 2016, features three broad categories of climate actions— energy, ecosystems and resources. Based on feedback received during community outreach about the draft plan, the final version of Boulder’s Climate Commitment also incorporated a fourth section outlining a process to address equity and “just transition7” considerations in the city’s climate action efforts. Recognizing that climate change is now underway at a rate much greater than originally thought and will have increasing impacts on the city, a fifth area of action—resilience—is proposed as part of an integrated framework of focus areas in the 2030 Climate Mobilization Action Planning process. Of these five action areas, resilience and equity are viewed as qualities or design principles that need to be incorporated across all climate related actions. Figure 2, below, displays this framework graphically. Figure 2: CMAP Focus Areas Systemic change will be key to success in these focus areas: 1. Energy Systems: conservation, efficiency, 100% renewable energy, 100 MW of distributed generation (including storage) electrified buildings and transportation 2. Ecosystems: ecosystem protection & regeneration, soil-based sequestration, carbon capture 3. Circular Systems Economy: waste minimization, materials design and utilization, resource management The proposed process for updating the city’s climate action plan described below has the following objectives: • Align with best science -- Align Boulder’s climate action strategy with the findings of the most recent IPCC report. 7 Just Transition is a framework developed by the trade union movement to encompass a range of social interventions needed to secure workers' jobs and livelihoods when economies are shifting to sustainable production, primarily avoiding climate change and protecting biodiversity . For more information please see the Just Transition Collaborative’s website. City Council Study Session Page 15 of 260 • Focus on high-impact actions - Integrate lessons learned in Boulder and elsewhere over the past five years regarding the most important roles for cities to catalyze rapid scale-up of climate stabilizing actions. • Focus on tangible & equitable community benefits – Ensure that actions are designed to deliver valued local community benefits that are equitably shared across the entire community. • Align city resources – Enhance alignment within the city organization around the priorities and resource allocations across the proposed action areas. • Leverage additional action & resources – Design a process that expands the network of allied organizations with deep investments in the implementation and success of the city’s climate action plan. • Broaden community ownership & engagement – Partner with a diversity of outside organizations and individuals to facilitate widespread community ownership and engagement in the community climate action plan. • Ensure strategies are replicable and scalable – Focus on developing strategies that can have the greatest potential impact beyond Boulder and are readily replicable. Engagement Strategy: Evolving community engagement approaches The city has a long history of community-based collaboration in the development of its climate action plans. The original Climate Action Plan for the city was developed by the community itself. In 2008 and 2009, city staff established nine community working groups to update the climate action plan. Similar efforts employed more recently around the municipalization effort have produced significant and valuable guidance that has informed city analyses and strategies. Staff recognizes that community ownership and engagement of the CMAP process and resulting strategy is vital to success and is developing an engagement plan that will be shared with council in a future Information Packet. This section describes the city’s preliminary thinking about engagement strategies and framework. Evolving Engagement Context: What versus how The changing context of what is needed to achieve rapid, large-scale systemic change are significantly different than they were a decade ago. In 2009 and 2010, much of the focus was on assessing the emissions context and identifying a range of potential actions to be taken in each area. Early state programs were in place and the focus was on expanding and piloting a range of actions and seeing what level of impact they could generate. Ten years later, we know much of what must be done. Now, the pressing questions surround how to create the regulatory and market structures to support widespread adoption. This means that many of the key actors in implementation will likely be entities other than the city: businesses, non-profits, community members and the state and federal government. Figure 3 depicts how the city’s focus of action has evolved over the past ten years and the possible focus of actions ten years from now. These changes will shape how the city co-designs and develops a collaborative process that will shape shaping the development of the next ten years of action. City Council Study Session Page 16 of 260 Figure 3: Evolution of Climate Action Focus Engagement Strategy: Partnerships Based on this evolution, the proposed engagement strategy includes, in addition to community-member participation, significant involvement of partner organizations across a broad spectrum of public, private (for-profit and nonprofit) and academic sectors. Working with the city’s Engagement Team, Climate Initiatives staff have already begun reaching out to a diverse array of entities with expertise across the three action focus areas (energy systems, ecosystems and circular materials economy) and the two design principles (equity and resilience). To formalize the alignment around shared climate goals and intentions to achieve them, the city is developing a formal Letter of Intent (LOI) that it is asking all organizational partners to execute with the city as part of their commitment to the process. A list of the initial partners the city is considering, and a draft template of the Letter of Intent is included in Attachment C, Partners for Climate Mobilization and Draft LOI. In each area, a lead partner or partners will be identified to take responsibility for coordinating the action plan development in collaboration with other supporting groups. This approach is intended to demonstrate the importance of shared leadership and shared responsibility for implementation. A representative of the city’s engagement team will work with each group to design associated community engagement processes as part of the development of an action plan in each area. CMAP Development: Timeframe The proposed process is designed to be completed in approximately nine months, with an official starting point upon City Council endorsement at the Study Session on July 9, and completion at a final presentation to council in spring 2020. It is designed as four sequential phases. An overview graphic of the process is shown below in Figure 4. City Council Study Session Page 17 of 260 Figure 4: Process Schematic for 2030 Climate Mobilization Phase I: Internal alignment, process design finalization, and core partner recruitment. Key outputs: • Internal alignment, resourcing and a communication plan for coordination of the 2030 Mobilization Process • Selection and orientation of lead partners in each of the five focus areas • Memo and presentation for City Council on the 2030 process (July 9) Phase II: Aligning and preparing the lead partners in the five focus areas, formal campaign announcement. Key outputs: • All partners recruited, oriented, and agreements completed • Process plans developed for all five focus areas • Schedule developed for community engagement efforts Phase III: Action plan development, collaboration between focus areas, community engagement The primary work of action plan development takes place in Phase III. Each focus area team is working both independently and intersecting with the other teams at critical development points to ensure integration of the approaches and proposals being developed. Each team will also be responsible for some form of community engagement during their work. The city will kick off the process in September/October with a community-wide event introducing the process and partners and the opportunities for engagement during this phase. Towards the end of the year, as the focus groups are preparing their draft strategies, a second interactive community-wide event will take place to enable the community to hear about the work of the five teams and provide feedback. This phase will then close out over the end of the year and the month of January as the teams finalize their City Council Study Session Page 18 of 260 recommended action plans and submit them to the city for integration into a proposed action plan. This action plan will form the basis of the memo and presentation staff makes to City Council at the end of Phase IV. Phase IV: Synthesis and drafting of final CMAP During this final phase, staff will synthesize the work of the five groups into a final draft action plan proposal and develop the accompanying memo that will prepare council for a Study Session in spring 2020. A final community event and associated outreach will take place during this period to share the outcomes with the community ahead of the council session. Outcomes The specific measurable outcomes staff intends to accomplish through this work include: • Content in support of two memos—an interim Information Packet to council describing the final process design (~early fall 2019), and the end of Q1 2020 Study Session. • Five action plans, one for each of the five focus areas—energy, ecosystems, circular materials economy, resilience, and equity/just transition that will inform an integrated CMAP. • Significant engagement, investment, leadership and implementation from a broad range of community institutions, businesses, organizations and residents. • A synthesized CMAP for presentation to council at the end of Q1 2020 that will serve as the already planned update to the current city climate action plan. Next Steps Staff will continue analysis on the impact of legislation and regulation on the city’s goals and strategies and report back with findings as they arise. If Council endorses the launch of a new round of externally facing climate action planning and the development of a CMAP at the July 9 Study Session, staff will proceed with the following steps: 1. Partnership recruitment: In addition to the list of prospective partners listed (Attachment C, Partners for Climate Mobilization and Draft LOI), the city will continue to explore potential partnerships that can bring substantive value to development and implementation of a community- wide climate mobilization. Each partner will be asked to sign a formal agreement to participate in the effort which both outlines shared values and intentions and provides more specificity around the roles and actions of each partner. Staff welcomes Council input on other groups to be considered. 2. Finalize community and stakeholder engagement plan: Climate Initiatives staff will work closely with the city’s Community Engagement team to design and begin implementing the process for co- development of the city’s next climate action strategy. This process will take place over the remainder of the summer with an intended launch date in mid-to-late September. 3. Public Kick-off: Working with the committed partners, the city will organize a public kick-off process in mid-to-late September that will familiarize the community with the consortium of organizations and entities joining together to work on the plan and an outline of the opportunities for active engagement in the various focus areas—energy, ecosystems/sequestration, circular materials economy, resilience and equity/just transition. 4. City Council check-in schedule: Staff will prepare an Information Packet memo for Council when the public engagement process has been finalized. We anticipate this update to Council will be ready by mid-September. Council will also be invited to attend the opening kick-off event and other public engagement activities taking place throughout the remainder of the year. Staff will spend the first part of Q1 2020 compiling the results of the various working groups and developing a memo and draft City Council Study Session Page 19 of 260 Climate Mobilization Action Plan for Council’s review. We anticipate scheduling this review toward the end of Q1 of 2020. ATTACHMENTS Attachment A: Progress and Lessons Learned from Existing Programs and Policies Attachment B: Legislative and Regulatory Analysis Attachment C: Partners for Climate Mobilization and Draft LOI City Council Study Session Page 20 of 260 Progress and Lessons Learned from Existing Programs and Policies This attachment contains three sections: a summary of key lessons learned in energy and zero waste related climate action programs over the past decade; a summary of energy related programs and initiatives now underway; and a compendium of climate related metrics and targets. Lessons Learned The information below provides additional context on some of the strategies currently in place and their limitations. This is not all encompassing of the work under Climate Initiatives but rather highlights from strategies staff believes will evolve under the new proposed 2030 CMAP. Rebate Programs The city, Boulder County, Xcel Energy and others, have invested more than $3.2 million in rebate programs aimed at helping residents and businesses buy down the cost of efficiency and renewable energy investments. To date, nearly 19 million kWh per year have been saved. In addition, the city has invested over $650,000 in rebates for zero waste bins, bags, and educational materials. The success of these programs has been critical in keeping energy consumption and solid waste from growing as the population and GDP have risen. However, looking towards the future needs, these rebate programs have limitations. Considered voluntary programs, rebate programs are intended to influence a resident or business to elect a better technology choice when they are already considering a replacement, repair or improvement project; or when upgrading their waste management systems. However, available rebate amounts are generally insufficient to motivate someone to undertake a project that they were not otherwise considering. Further, participation in these programs tends to be limited to more affluent residents and businesses - those with the financial fortitude to front the required investment. This leaves a significant portion of the community underserved by these programs. Mandated Efficiency and Waste Reduction Via Ordinances SmartRegs for rental properties and the Building Performance Ordinance (BPO) both mandate minimum performance standards for existing building stock. SmartRegs tackles the more than 20,000 rental units within the city while BPO addresses larger commercial buildings. At the time of the compliance deadline (December 31, 2018), SmartRegs had led to improved efficiency in more than 7000 rental units. Now that the SmartRegs compliance deadline has passed, future savings under this program will be limited. For BPO, 2021 is the compliance deadline for the first set of mandatory efficiency improvements, so BPO is expected to continue to contribute GHG reduction over the next decade. On the zero waste front, communitywide diversion has increased from 39% to 57% since the Universal Zero Waste requirements went into effect. One challenge with the designs of these ordinance-mandated programs is that they must balance the amount of savings or diversion that can be achieved, against creating undue financial burden for residents or businesses. In the absence of robust mechanisms to address the financial burden of achieving deeper savings or greater diversion, these tactics tend to be limited to lower-cost, short-payback upgrades; and do not address the supply side of the waste equation. Building Codes The City of Boulder’s Energy Conservation Code (COBECC) is among the most stringent nationally and is core to managing the city’s building stock. The community continues its progress towards the goal of net zero building codes by 2031. Already more than half of the new homes constructed have achieved a Attachment A- Progress and Lessons Learned from Existing Programs and Policies City Council Study Session Page 21 of 260 net-zero impact. All-electric building technology continues to mature, bringing the cost of net-zero new construction down to the point where it is competitive with conventional construction. While new construction can cost-effectively be addressed, renovation remains a challenge. Older buildings often lack the electrical infrastructure needed to convert from gas to electric. The design of the homes (layout, insulation, ducting) may necessitate much higher equipment investment to be able to deliver the same level of comfort for occupants as compared to their legacy gas systems. The financial burden of converting an existing building from gas to electric can be substantial, raising significant equity concerns. It also fails to share this cost burden with the future owners who would benefit from these improvements—effectively placing the entire obligation for future benefits on the current owner. Furthermore, even though construction and demolition waste reuse and recycling requirements have been in place for decades, logistical barriers remain for substantial reuse and recycling during building remodels; the financial incentives to comply have been absent; and enforcement has been difficult. Education and Behavior Change Core to all efficiency and GHG reduction programs, including Boulder’s, is education and feedback to raise awareness around personal choices and reinforce positive behavior change. Behavior change can be reinforced through incentives or disincentives, for example: being able to travel for free in the toll lane when choosing to carpool; having a lower energy bill by turning down your thermostat; or bundling unlimited recycling and compost collection charges in with trash. However, a key challenge for behavior- change strategies is ensuring persistence of the change. Over time, behaviors tend to revert to what is easier or more convenient. Systemic change, to the point where the good choice is the only choice, or at least the easiest and simplest choice, is the only way to ensure persistence of change. Zero Waste and Consumption Boulder’s Zero Waste Ordinance has already achieved a 57% landfill diversion rate through education, mandatory composting and recycling services, and growth of a local reuse and recycling industry. Over the past few years, the landscape and knowledge around material consumption and waste has changed dramatically. The U.N. now estimates that extracting and processing raw materials for consumption now contributes as much as half of global greenhouse gas emissions. Most of these consumption emissions are not currently captured in cities’ emissions inventory protocols; however, material use is concentrated in cities. In fact, cities represent only 3% of global surface area, but consume 75% of global resources. It is critical for cities to play a role in shifting raw material use from a linear economy that cannot support a growing population to a circular one that keeps materials in use as long as possible. Recycling programs alone do not address the global impacts of a consumption-based society, and the significant growth in recycling presents its own global challenges. As countries such as China and India continue to reject paper and plastics from the U.S. for recycling, the urgency behind this transition is accelerating. Cities have key leverage points to drive systemic change in material flows; and this must be the foundation of future climate strategies related to waste and consumption for Boulder. The tables below are excerpted from the May 2, 2019 Information Packet (IP) to council. Much more detail was shared in the IP but the information below highlights energy programs, achievements, and the focus moving forward. In addition to the tables below, the Climate Commitment Goals and Programmatic Metrics can be found in Attachment C of the May 2, 2019 IP. Attachment A- Progress and Lessons Learned from Existing Programs and Policies City Council Study Session Page 22 of 260 CURRENT ENERGY WORKPLAN VOLUNTARY PROGRAMS Program Achievements Focus for 2018-2020 EnergySmart and Partners for a Clean Environment (PACE): Rebates and one-on-one advising services to homes and businesses 1.3,000 Businesses advised 2.1,100 efficiency upgrades 3.16 million kWh/year saved (~ to taking 2400 cars off the road) Evolve program offerings to encourage building electrification, energy storage, and deep energy retrofits. Solar Programs: In addition to EnergySmart solar rebates and installing solar on city owned facilities, there are many other efforts spurring local solar development 1.SolSmart Gold designation from the Department of Energy 2.Created the Boulder Solar Tool to assess sites’ solar potential 3.$741,299 awarded through the Solar Grants program since 2008 4.Contracts in place for 2.75MW of solar on city facilitates. New Solar Strategies: Strategies to encourage the installation of local solar electric systems. Includes rebates and incentives, development of solar gardens, innovative financing and ownership models, and changes to policy and local codes. Focus is on the development of local solar gardens and expanding the bulk purchasing model to the commercial sector. Transportation Programs: City efforts to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) through alternate modes of mobility (i.e. biking, walking, transit, and ride share) and to electrify vehicles 1.14% reduction in VMT per resident since 2005 2.48 Public EV Charging Stations 3.Two electric HOP buses purchased 1.Transportation Master Plan efforts to reduce VMT[1] 2.Strategies to encourage the electrification of vehicles. Includes charging infrastructure, transit electrification, rebates and incentives, and changes to policy and local codes. City Owned Facilities and Fleet: Efforts to reduce the GHG emissions from city owned buildings, water/wastewater facilities, and fleet 1.34% GHG emissions reduction since 2008 2.~2 MW solar installed 3.7 plug-in electric vehicles in fleet with 2 more planned for 2018 1.Develop internal policies and update the Facilities Asset Management (FAM) master plan and Fleet Purchasing Policies to 2.Design Alpine Balsam site to exemplify the city’s climate and energy goals Track and Measure Progress: •City’s Annual GHG Inventory •Update and maintain relevant webpages and the Climate 1.Reduced GHG emissions by ~13% since 2005 Baseline 2.Developed a projection tool that models our current and planned 1.Reorganize city’s website content on climate and energy programs 2.Develop a central database for key energy Attachment A- Progress and Lessons Learned from Existing Programs and Policies City Council Study Session Page 23 of 260 Commitment projection tool programs out to 2050 in terms of energy and emissions savings and sustainability data metrics. Develop a process for keeping this up to date and ensure that it links with other tools (e.g. the city’s dashboard and/or climate commitment projection tool). LOCAL POLICY Program Achievements Focus for 2018-2020 SmartRegs: Requirements that all rental housing meet basic energy efficiency standards 1.82% Compliant 2.1.7 million kWh/yr saved 3.3,300 mT CO2 avoided per year 1.Achieve 100% compliance for current regulations 2.Consider options for future requirements Building Performance Ordinance (BPO): An ordinance requiring rating and reporting and energy efficiency in commercial and industrial buildings 1.100% compliance in the first 2 years 2.Driving increased participation in commercial Energy Smart 1.Achieve 100% compliance for all regulations as more buildings and requirements are phased in 2.Evaluate the energy savings and market transformation caused by this program Energy Codes: Energy and sustainability requirements for new construction and major building renovations. Current energy code is the 2017 City of Boulder Energy Conservation Code (COBECC) 1.Committed to net zero energy codes by 2031 and created a supporting long-term strategy 2.Created the 2017 COBECC, which increased energy performance and ensured that new buildings support rooftop solar and EV charging 1.Develop 2020 COBECC: Increase prescriptive efficiency requirements, move towards performance- based codes for new buildings and major renovations, and encourage building electrification. 2.Continue to update and evolve long-term strategy to respond to new technologies and innovations. Marijuana Energy Requirements: Continued tracking and enforcement of the requirements for marijuana businesses to offset 100% of 1.Replaced original offset option (third party RECs or Xcel’s Windsource program) with the 1.Streamline the process for collecting and verifying energy data for each licensee, and Attachment A- Progress and Lessons Learned from Existing Programs and Policies City Council Study Session Page 24 of 260 their electricity consumption with renewable energy Energy Impact Offset Fund (EIOF). 2.Established processes for exemptions, invoicing, and payments, and communication protocols. for creating invoices for the EIOF. 2.Engage stakeholders from the marijuana industry to assess how the program is working, and how the city can help them reduce their fossil fuel energy use. Explore Alternatives to the Climate Action Plan (CAP) Tax: Investigating changes to the current CAP Tax that would provide sustainable long-term funding and discourage the use of natural gas and petroleum, as we to transition to clean renewable electricity. Just beginning in 2018 1.Understand regulatory and legal constraints for local taxes and fees 2.Evaluate options and engage the community on: a.A new pricing structure for the current electricity CAP Tax (2019 ballot) b.Options for natural gas CAP Tax (2019 ballot) c.Options for a transportation CAP Tax (2021 ballot) PILOTS Program Achievements Focus for 2018-2020 Boulder Energy Challenge: An incubator fund to support the development and commercialization of innovative emissions-reducing technologies and strategies in Boulder 1.10 projects funded 2.~$550,000 of grants awarded 3.Millions leveraged in outside investment 1.Manage newly funded projects 2.Explore how to spin this off into a regional program managed by a private/nonprofit partner. Building Electrification: Strategies and programs to support the conversion of residential natural gas equipment like water heaters and furnaces to efficient electric models 1.Initiated a collaborative effort with 20 U.S. cities and heat pump manufacturers 2.Awarded ~$300,000 in grant funding to work with Boulder receiving ~$50,000 of dedicated funding for 2018 pilots 1.Launch a residential heat pump campaign through Energy Smart 2.Provide info to the community about the health, safety and climate impacts of natural gas 3.Educate local contractors and Attachment A- Progress and Lessons Learned from Existing Programs and Policies City Council Study Session Page 25 of 260 EnergySmart advisors about heat pump technology 4.With NREL, complete a neighborhood-scale assessment of building electrification Energy Resilience Pilots: A grant funded effort to develop projects that increase facility and community resilience through infrastructure. Sites include Boulder Housing Partners (BHP) and the Via Mobility operation center. Resilient energy infrastructure (solar + storage + generation) installed at BHP and Via. 1.With partners, monitor performance and ensure success at BHP and Via. 2.With NREL, evaluate optimal deployments of solar and storage on a neighborhood level. 3.Support the development of an energy resilience and renewable energy development strategy for CU Boulder. Energy Impact Offset Fund (EIOF): A local fund in partnership with Boulder County to provide an offset option for the marijuana energy requirements. The city expects to collect ~$500,000 per year, which will be used to develop local renewable energy projects. 1.Formalized an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Boulder County to invoice, collect payments, and manage the fund. 2.Developed guiding principles for the fund, with input from the Environmental Advisory Board and the city’s Energy Services working group. 1.Develop local renewable energy projects with the funds collected 2.Evaluate future pricing structures for the fund. 3.Expand this fund to other uses such as compliance with other energy ordinances, or voluntary carbon offsets. POLICY REFORM Program Achievements Focus for 2018-2020 State and Federal Legislation: Providing input on proposed bills and advocating for changes that will support Boulder’s climate and energy goals. A key partnership coalition in these efforts is the Colorado Communities for Climate Action (CC4CA): A coalition of 15 local governments, working collaboratively for state and federal climate-protection 1.Boulder helped form CC4CA. 2.Supporting 13 bills and opposing one, CC4CA: 3.Helped win support for four bills which were enacted, extending local authority to fund Regional Transportation Authorities; extending a law requiring regulated electric utilities to meet 1.Support actions to implement the 2025 GHG reduction goals identified in the Colorado Climate Plan as well as more aggressive goals necessary to hold global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Attachment A- Progress and Lessons Learned from Existing Programs and Policies City Council Study Session Page 26 of 260 actions to complement our local efforts. demand reduction targets; requiring those utilities to disclose the sources and costs of the utilities' electricity; and extending low-income energy assistance programs. 4.Opposed a bill which was defeated, that would have eliminated current tax incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles. 2.Increase consumer energy choice and innovation. 3.Support improvement to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission’s oversight of drilling and preservation of local control to adopt regulations, moratoriums, or other limits as necessary. Public Utilities Commission (PUC) Reform: The city advocates for wind, solar, efficiency, electric vehicles, battery storage, emissions reduction at power plants and grid modernization. 1.Advocated positions and supported settlement agreements that increased renewables and reduced emissions. 2.The city was instrumental in designing data privacy and access rules that resulted in the annual publication of Community Energy Reports, providing communities with crucial info for program design and GHG inventories. Planned interventions in rate cases, demand side management programs, electric resource plan, resource acquisition investigatory docket (and potential rulemakings that may results from this proceeding) and renewable energy product and residential rate design working groups. PARTNERSHIPS Program Achievements Focus for 2018-2020 National and International Peer City Organizations: Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) and Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance (CNCA) 1.The city has partnered with peer cities to access hundreds of thousands of dollars of grant funding and in- kind support. 1.Hosting the 2018 Annual CNCA Meting 2.Implementing USDN and CNCA grant funded project efforts on Building Electrification and Energy Codes Local and Regional: Many other coalitions and strategic partnerships at the local and regional levels (CU Boulder, Boulder Valley School District, Front Range Sustainability Alliance, etc.). 1.Development of Green Teams program through CU Boulder (fosters peer-to-peer energy efficiency education in student-heavy neighborhoods) 1.Continue to share best practices and find opportunities for collaboration with local and regional partners 2.Explore new partnership opportunities with CU- Boulder on specific Attachment A- Progress and Lessons Learned from Existing Programs and Policies City Council Study Session Page 27 of 260 • Just Transition Collaborative (JTC): This partnership builds deeper representation of underserved communities and advance equity in climate and energy decisions, communication and planning in the City of Boulder. • Boulder.Earth: Partnership with C3 Boulder, Impact Hub Academy and 350 Boulder County. A website by the community, for the community, works to foster climate action in Boulder. The site features a sustainability calendar, a rotating list of actions for impact, a directory of organizations and storytelling from across Boulder and beyond. 2. Assisted JTC in securing organization funding and hiring staff. 3. Successful launch of the Boulder.Earth website, including a well- attended launch event and development of a Stewardship Council of partner community members to help manage the site. projects and programs aimed at technology transfer and resilience 3. JTC: Conduct research to guide equitable policy in areas of transportation, household energy, and green jobs. Coordinate a JTC policy working group with diverse community representation. Design a project to pilot an inclusive renewable energy and energy efficiency workforce development program. 4. Increase community participation and engagement through Boulder.Earth. Develop and add new content, functionality and community involvement to the site. [1] Create multiple mobility options (i.e. biking, walking, transit, and ride share) and increase transportation efficiency with digital technology, parking management systems land use planning etc. Attachment A- Progress and Lessons Learned from Existing Programs and Policies City Council Study Session Page 28 of 260 Climate Commitment Goals and Programmatic Metrics Climate Commitment Targets – Newly Tracked Metrics Highlighted in Green Section Goal Key Metric Baseline Value (2005) 2050 Goal 2030 Goal 2020 Goal Current Status Buildings Residential Per Capita Emissions MTCO2e / person 3.16 0.5 1.5 2.25 2.26 Reduction in Total Building Emissions % below 2005 levels 1,288,647 MTCO2e 75% 30% 69% 15% Reduction in Residential Electricity16 % below 2005 levels 244,648,42 1 kWh -2% 3% 1% 3% Reduction in Residential Natural Gas % below 2005 levels 2,078,322 dTh 85% 40% 15% 6% Reduction in Commercial and Industrial Electricity17 % below 2005 levels 946,243,99 9 kWh 6% -6% -20% -12% Reduction in Commercial and Industrial Natural Gas18 % below 2005 levels 3,925,523 dTh 35% 15% 6% 2% Commercial Energy Use Intensity19 kBtu/sq ft/yr 108 60 85 100 104 Transportat ion Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)20 Millions of Miles 2.46 1.59 1.95 2.32 2.49 Vehicle Energy Efficiency MPGe21 22 88 61 40 22 16 Increase in electricity use is expected due to increased electric vehicle adoption and the transition from natural gas to electricity (which occurs primarily in later years) 17 From 2005 to 2015, there has been a significant increase in electricity in the Commercial and Industrial sector. This is at least partially due to the addition of a number of high energy intensity buildings, such as marijuana grow facilities and data centers. Increase in electricity use is expected due to increased electric vehicle adoption and the transition from natural gas to electricity (which occurs primarily in later years) 18 Natural gas variation is likely due to industrial processes that vary greatly from year to year. Further, natural gas savings will not be fully realized until 2030 when the Building Performance Ordinance requirements are implemented. 19 Applies to buildings covered by BPO only 20 This figure represents average daily VMT for the Boulder Valley, including all vehicle travel and trips made within the developed area. 21 Miles per gallon gasoline equivalent is a measure of the average distance traveled per unit of energy consumed. Attachment A- Progress and Lessons Learned from Existing Programs and Policies City Council Study Session Page 29 of 260 Section Goal Key Metric Baseline Value (2005) 2050 Goal 2030 Goal 2020 Goal Current Status % Complete Neighborhoods % of Census Blocks 26% In Developme nt 80% In Developm ent 26% Plug-in Electric Vehicles % of vehicles registere d in Boulder 0% 28% In Developm ent 5% 1.45% Electric and Alternative Fuel22 Vehicles % of vehicles registere d in Boulder 2% 75% 45% 15% 10% Boulder Residents with access to home charging % In Developm ent In Developme nt In Developm ent In Developm ent In Developm ent New vehicles purchased registered to City of Boulder that are plug-in electric % In Developm ent In Developme nt In Developm ent In Developm ent 3.24% Total # BEV & PHEV Vehicles # In Developm ent In Developme nt In Developm ent In Developm ent 1,417 Number of City Operated Charging Plugs # In Developm ent In Developme nt In Developm ent In Developm ent 48 Number of Non- City Owned Charging Plugs # In Developm ent In Developme nt In Developm ent In Developm ent 158 % public chargers connected to solar % In Developm ent In Developme nt In Developm ent In Developm ent 2% Attachment A- Progress and Lessons Learned from Existing Programs and Policies City Council Study Session Page 30 of 260 Legislative and Regulatory Analysis PART 1: Legislative Action The table below summarizes the most significant pieces of legislation relevant to climate, GHG emission reduction and renewable energy, including implications for the Climate Commitment. Legislation Summary Climate Commitment Implications Climate/ Utility Policy HB-1261- Climate Action Plan to reduce Pollution Sets statewide goals to reduce GHG emissions across all sectors (compared to 2005 baseline): •26% reduction by 2025 •50% reduction by 2030 •90% reduction by 2050 •Establishes statewide, cross-sector GHG emissions reduction goals aligned with Climate Commitment targets for buildings, electricity and transportation. SB-236 – PUC Reauthorization Directs the Public Utilities Commission to: •Require investor-owned utilities to reduce CO2 emissions by 80% from 2005 levels by 2050 and “seeks to achieve” 100% clean energy by 2050. •Develop rules for investor-owned utilities to develop distribution system plans. •Explore performance-based regulation. •Evaluate the cost of carbon in resource planning. •Approve a plan from Xcel to reduce GHG emissions 80% by the 2005 level by 2030. •Establishes a maximum retail rate impact of 1.5%. •Xcel CO2 emissions reduction requirements now aligned with Climate Commitment targets. •Distribution system plans may enhance ability to add distributed energy resources such as generation, storage, microgrids and non-wires alternatives •Unclear if Xcel and other utilities can achieve CO2 emissions reduction within maximum retail rate impact requirements. •Legislation does not guarantee achievement of local generation goals or enable communities to participate in grid planning (e.g. undergrounding). SB 19-096 - Collect Long-Term Climate Change Data •Requires the Air Quality Control Commission to collect and report on GHG emissions data. •The report must include a forecast of future emissions. •The AQCC must also propose a draft rule to address emissions by July 2020. •Creates a new state-wide emissions forecast and sector-specific inventory. While the city does its own annual inventories, having state-wide data will ensure better accuracy, and allows for better regional measurements and collaboration. Attachment B- Legislative and Regulatory Analysis City Council Study Session Page 31 of 260 •This bill may augment city reporting by reducing staff workload related to data collection. SB 19-181- Protect Public Welfare Oil and Gas Operations •Clarifies, reinforces and establishes local government regulatory authority over the surface impact of oil and gas development. •This bill ensures the city can exercise meaningful regulatory authority over oil and gas development in city limits. •Oil and gas development in city limits would limit the ability to achieve Climate Commitment emissions reduction targets. HB 19-1272- Housing Authority Property in Colorado New Energy Improvement District •Enables commercial property-assessed clean energy programs for multi- family residential properties. •New financing mechanisms for conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy projects are an essential component for achieving Climate Commitment emissions reduction and local generation targets. HB 19-1314- Just Transition from Coal-Based Electrical Energy Economy •Creates the just transition office in the Department of Labor to develop support necessary for coal workers and communities affected by the reduction of coal use in Colorado. •The city cannot achieve Climate Commitment targets if Colorado electricity generators continue to burn coal. This bill ensures that, as coal generation is reduced, affected workers and communities can continue to be successful in the state economy. An emerging priority of Boulder’s climate work relates to equity. HB-1003- Community Solar Gardens Modernization Act Amends community solar garden legislation to: •Increase the maximum project size from 2 MW to 5 MW. •Remove the requirement that subscribers reside in the county or neighboring county of the community solar garden. •Increases availability of solar garden capacity to Boulder residents and businesses. •Likely improves economics, making solar garden subscriptions more attractive to different types of customers. Energy Efficiency HB 19-1231- New Appliance Energy and Water Updates and adopts water and energy efficiency standards for lamps, air compressors, portable air conditioners and other appliances. Improved efficiency standards may reduce electricity consumption over time, which in turn results in less total renewable Attachment B- Legislative and Regulatory Analysis City Council Study Session Page 32 of 260 Efficiency Standards electricity required to achieve the 100% target. HB 19-1260- Building Energy Codes Requires communities to adopt one of the three most recent versions of the international energy code. •Boulder first achieved this requirement in 2001, with updates in 2007, 2008, 2013 and 2017. •Broader adoption across the state will contribute to emissions reductions goals in line with HB-1261. Electric Vehicles SB 19-077- Public Utility Implementation of Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program •Requires utilities to propose an electric vehicle infrastructure plan to the PUC. •Enables utilities to earn a return on investment for public charging stations as well as accelerated cost recovery on those investments. •This bill may accelerate the deployment of electric vehicle charging stations, particularly in underserved communities where competitive charging station companies may not invest. •The result is the increased potential to develop comprehensive, statewide EV charging infrastructure, increasing confidence for Boulder drivers interested in purchasing an EV. SB 19-239- Addressing Impacts of Changes Related to Commercial Vehicles •Requires CDOT to convene stakeholder workshops to: •Examine the economic, environmental and transportation system impacts of the adoption of new and emerging technologies. •Identify potential means of increasing positive impacts and mitigating negative impacts of the transition to new and emerging technologies. •Present policy recommendations to CDOT by November 2019. •The policy recommendations presented to CDOT will support ongoing city transportation initiatives, including the Advanced Mobility Working Group and the Curbside Management Working Group. •This cross-departmental city working groups are currently working to develop policy recommendations and pilot projects related to new and emerging transportation technologies in line with Climate Commissions targets. HB 19-1159- Modifications to the Income Tax Credits for •Extends the availability of tax credits for electric vehicles to 2023. •Federal and state tax credits for electric vehicles have repeatedly been shown to be an effective component of electric vehicle adoption. Attachment B- Legislative and Regulatory Analysis City Council Study Session Page 33 of 260 Innovative Motor Vehicles •The extension of this tax credit will ensure Colorado continues to be a leader in EV adoption, an essential tool in meeting transportation related GHG emissions reduction targets. HB 19-1198- Powers and Duties of the Electric Vehicle Grant Fund •Modifies the electric vehicle grant fund to enable the funding of charging stations by the Colorado Energy Office. •This bill ensures continued funding of EV charging stations across Colorado, an essential component to accelerating EV adoption. HB 19-1298- Electric Motor Vehicle Charging Station Parking •Enables private charging station operators to designate parking spaces specific to EV charging and prohibits use of parking space by non-EVs as well as EVs that are not charging. •This bill brings the rest of the state into alignment with city ordinance adopted in 2014. Waste reduction SB 19-192- Landfill tip fees •Raises the landfill tip fee for Front Range communities to create an enterprise fund that will provide grants to public entities, nonprofit groups, and for-profit businesses can to further waste diversion. •May provide future funding for innovative circular materials economy/waste diversion efforts by the city. PART 2: Regulatory Action Separate from but related to the legislative activity, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is currently focused on three topics of interest to Boulder’s Climate Commitment objectives1: 1.Rulemaking related to electric resource planning In proceeding 19R-0096E, the PUC is reviewing rules related to electric resource planning (power plant acquisition), renewable energy standard compliance, net energy metering (treatment of rooftop and on-site solar projects), community solar gardens, interconnection standards for renewable projects and qualifying facilities (Boulder’s hydroelectric plants). This proceeding was initiated in part due to legislation passed in 2018, in anticipation of legislation that ultimately passed in 2019 as well as changes to the market for renewables observed over time. The city filed comments and proposed changes to the rules that, if adopted, would accelerate adoption of utility-scale renewables and improve access to local renewables. The PUC conducted a hearing on proposed rule changes in late April and early May. Final rule changes are expected later in 2019. 1 These are current PUC actions separate from those created by SB 19-036 (see above for details). Attachment B- Legislative and Regulatory Analysis City Council Study Session Page 34 of 260 2.Rate Cases and Rate Proposals In proceeding 19AL-0268E, Xcel Energy proposes to increase rates in part to account for historic and anticipated investments in the distribution system. These investments, including the statewide deployment of smart meters and other grid modernization efforts, may enhance grid resilience and improve the ability to integrate additional renewables. In this case, the rate design will not change but simply the amount collected. In a proceeding later this year, Xcel Energy will again propose to change rates. This rate case will focus on rate design (or, how the revenue requirement will be recovered from customers), including a proposal for time-of-use and demand charges for residential customers. Depending on design, time-of-use and demand charges may encourage or inhibit conservation, distributed generation and battery storage, each of which are essential components of emissions reduction and resilience. Xcel Energy is currently testing time-of- use and demand charge rates on a voluntary subset of residential customers. Preliminary results indicate success at reducing peak demand and electricity consumption but also result in increases to monthly bills. Any proposal to mandate these rates must take into account the results of the pilots and will be litigated at the PUC. Separate from the two rate cases, in proceeding 19AL-0290E Xcel Energy proposed to modify commercial rates to improve the economics for DC fast charging infrastructure. This infrastructure will be a key part of Boulder’s strategy to accelerate EV adoption, as it meets the needs of community members without access to home charging as well as in-commuters, visitors and the electrification of transportation network companies such as taxis, Lyft and Uber. The updated rate, if adopted, may also benefit transit electrification through a reduction in fuel costs. 3.Community Resilience Projects In proceeding 19A-0225E, Xcel Energy proposes to install 15 megawatts of company-owned energy storage systems to enhance the safety and security of community resilience centers and infrastructure. Community resilience centers may include first responder facilities, wastewater treatment facilities, evacuation and shelter areas, communications and traffic safety infrastructure. The Xcel-owned energy storage systems could be paired with existing on-site generation, including solar, natural gas or diesel generators. If the proposal is approved, Xcel will conduct a request for proposals in fall 2019. Taken together, the results of the rulemaking and rate cases will play an important role not only in reducing utility-scale CO2 emissions, but in efforts to integrate local renewables and battery storage for resilience purposes as well as to electrify transportation. Attachment B- Legislative and Regulatory Analysis City Council Study Session Page 35 of 260 Partners for Climate Mobilization Prospective Partner Focus Area Letter of Intent Signed Public Sector Boulder County All Y National Renewable Energy Lab Energy, Resilience USDA – Ag Research Service Ecosystems-Sequestration Natural Resource Conservation Service Ecosystems-Sequestration CO State Energy Office Energy Academic/Research CU All Environmental Design School Energy, Resilience Y Naropa University Resilience, Equity Y Nonprofit and Non-Governmental Organizations Just Transition Coalition Equity Y Southwest Energy Efficiency Project Energy Y Rocky Mountain Institute Energy, Resilience Y Mad Agriculture Ecosystems-Sequestration Y Eco-Cycle Circular Materials, Ecosystems Boulder Chamber Equity, Energy, Resilience Via Mobility Energy, Resilience BVSD Energy Clean Energy Action Energy 350.org Energy, Resilience, Resources Business Resilient Analytics Resilience Y Mitsubishi Electric Energy Y Shell New Energies Energy, Resilience, Ecosystems Metabolic Circular Materials Economy Attachment C- Partners for Climate Mobilization and Draft LOI City Council Study Session Page 36 of 260 Below is a template for the Letter of Intent that the city is discussing with partners, some of the content will change to address individual nuances with each partnership. Letter of Intent to Collaborate in the Development of a Boulder Valley Climate Mobilization Action Plan (CMAP) I. BACKGROUND Climate change represents one of the most urgent and significant threats ever faced by human societies. Despite decades of discussion, debate and action, this threat is a reality that is already having significant and growing impacts. Recent reports from the most respected national and international scientific authorities indicate the urgency of much broader and more systemic action to address this threat. These reports find that: • Climate change is taking place faster than originally projected; • The window of time within which actions can be taken to avert large scale impacts has shrunk to less than two decades; • It is still possible to change course and avoid catastrophic impacts. This will require enormous marshalling of resources and transformational behavior change, but the cost of failure is much, much higher; and • Existing public and private sector commitments and related actions are insufficient to stabilize climate. Without unprecedented acceleration and expansion of effort, all societies will experience enormous financial, environmental and social impacts. The core objective of this initiative is to jointly develop and implement a multi-sector transformation/emissions reduction strategy that can be rapidly replicated in cities in the region and around the world. Recognizing the importance of initiating action at a scale and scope sufficient to meet this challenge, the City and (COLLABORATORNAME) enter into this statement of intention to collaborate in developing a Boulder Valley Climate Mobilization Action Plan (CMAP). II. PURPOSE The purpose of this Letter of Intent is to formalize the party’s intention to develop a joint working agreement coordinating climate action efforts that will: • Describe the Parties’ mutual intention to jointly create a ten-year action plan (2030 Action Plan) that demonstrates a viable path to emissions reduction sufficient to achieve climate stabilization and resilience goals aligned with the objective to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius or less of additional warming; • Develop multi-sector partnership opportunities that are replicable in Colorado, the US, and globally; • Create a platform upon which partners can provide unique, innovative, clean energy infrastructure and program management expertise in the Boulder community; • Describe mechanisms for resource sharing that magnifies the positive impact of each partner’s respective contributions. Attachment C- Partners for Climate Mobilization and Draft LOI City Council Study Session Page 37 of 260 III. THE PARTIES’ ROLES IN MOVING TOWARD DEEP EMISSIONS REDUCTION Each Party will bring unique and essential capabilities necessary to develop and implement a rapid transition from the fossil fuels that are responsible for the vast majority of emissions in the city. The City and the [COLLABORATOR] recognize that it is imperative to have local government initiating and supporting climate actions from the “inside” in order for local businesses, nonprofits, environmental organizations and residents from the “outside” to effectively collaborate and coordinate the partnerships required to be successful. The agreement will describe the specific roles of each party. IV. THE PARTIES INTENTIONS FOR FUTURE ACTION As the Parties explore mechanisms to rapidly implement climate stabilizing actions, their overarching intentions are to: • Build a community-wide collaboration of public and private sector participants to develop and rapidly implement a deep emissions reduction strategy; • Develop a ten-year action plan (2030 Action Plan) by the end of Q1 2020 that demonstrates a viable path to emissions reduction sufficient to achieve climate stabilization and resilience goals aligned with the objective to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius or less of additional warming; • Improve the safety, reliability, affordability, equity, and environmental sustainability of the community’s energy system; • Create innovative public-private collaborations that maximize the effectiveness of each Party’s capabilities in rapidly transitioning to a renewable energy system; • Stimulate innovation and new economic opportunities that enhance the equitable development of all social segments of the community; • Achieve this transition faster, and with less financial risk to the city, than via traditional mechanisms; and • Design implementation actions that provide community benefit and can achieve reasonable rates of return for businesses making substantial investments into this transition. PARTNER, CITY OF BOULDER, a Colorado home rule city By: __________________________ By: __________________________ Jane S. Brautigam, City Manager ATTEST: ______________________________ City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: ______________________________ City Attorney Attachment C- Partners for Climate Mobilization and Draft LOI City Council Study Session Page 38 of 260 C OVE R S H E E T ME E T I N G D AT E July 9, 2019 C itywide Retail Study: Final Report and Next Steps P RI MARY STAF F C O N TAC T Sarah Wiebenson, 303-413-7335 AT TAC H ME N T S: Description Memo City Council Study Session Page 39 of 260 1 STUDY SESSION MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor and Members of City Council FROM: Jane Brautigam, City Manager Yvette Bowden, Director, Community Vitality and Parks and Recreation Departments Julia Richman, Director of Innovation and Technology Kara Skinner, Assistant Director, Finance Department Jim Robertson, Comprehensive Planning Manager, Planning and Development Services Sarah Wiebenson, Citywide Retail Study Project Manager, Community Vitality Jennifer Pinsonneault, Business Liaison, Community Vitality Ryan Hanschen, Engagement Specialist, City Manager’s Office DATE: July 9, 2019 SUBJECT: Study Session for July 9, 2019 - Citywide Retail Study: Final Report and Next Steps EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Citywide Retail Study was initiated in 2018 to pursue the retail-related goals of the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP) and to expand upon the recommendations of the Downtown Retail/Vibrancy Study completed in 2018. The retail-related goals of the BVCP were to: • Support a vibrant retail base; and • Maintain affordable commercial. As detailed in a report to City Council on May 21, 2019, the study was informed by an extensive community engagement effort. Several months were spent developing and implementing a comprehensive community engagement plan, with questionnaires targeted at shoppers (including residents, workers and students) and retailers (both current business operators and those who had closed their Boulder locations within the past two years), yielding over 1,000 unique responses. The city also engaged a consultant team selected through a competitive process to support the study with additional analysis. The report is organized into five sections, based on the key inquiries of the study: 1. Current Retail Environment City Council Study Session Page 40 of 260 2 2. Performance Relative to Benchmark Communities 3. Performance Relative to Core Values 4. Small Business Sustainability 5. Framework for the Citywide Retail Strategy The report concludes with next steps toward developing the Citywide Retail Strategy, which will be refined through council input and direction at the July 9, 2019 study session. Figure A. Cityside Retail Study Phases Questions for Council The following questions are intended to ensure that the topic areas and next steps for the Citywide Retail Strategy continue to reflect the council goals and objectives that prompted the initiative. 1. Does council wish to add or remove any topic areas from the proposed strategy framework? 2. Of the proposed topic areas, are there any that council consider a particular priority? 3. Does council agree with the list of next steps identified by staff for pursuing the Citywide Retail Strategy? ATTACHMENTS - City of Boulder Citywide Retail Study Final Report (July 2019) - Appendix A: Shopper Survey Responses - Consultant Analysis (June 2019) - Appendix B: Shopper Survey Responses – Retail Wish List (April 2019) - Appendix C: Shopper Survey Responses - Unmet Retail and Service Needs (April 2019) - Appendix D: Boulder Compared to Neighboring Communities (June 2019) - Appendix E: Boulder Compared to Peer Communities (June 2019) - Appendix F: District Accessibility Assessment (June 2019) - Appendix G: Shopper Survey Responses – Satisfaction Near Home (April 2019) - Appendix H: Retailer Survey Responses – Consultant Analysis (April 2019) Survey Design Data Collection Data Analysis Recommendations Strategy Development City Council Study Session Page 41 of 260 3 - Appendix I: Retailer Survey Responses – Boulder Drawbacks (April 2019) - Appendix J: SBDC Exit Interviews – Summary (May 2019) City Council Study Session Page 42 of 260 4 Citywide Retail Study Final Report City of Boulder July 2019 City Council Study Session Page 43 of 260 5 BACKGROUND The city of Boulder is located 35 miles northwest of Denver, with a population just over 100,000 residents. The city is approximately 25 square miles in size, surrounded by nearly 65 square miles of city-owned open space. Boulder is home to the University of Colorado at Boulder and its 44,000 students, faculty and staff. The city enjoys a vibrant local economy with businesses in a diverse mix of industries and a high concentration of aerospace, bioscience, “clean tech,” information technology, natural and organic foods, and active living/recreation companies. Boulder is also home to 17 federal laboratories including the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In response to the city’s retail-related comprehensive plan goals, slowing growth in retail sales tax revenues and the completion of a Downtown Retail/Vibrancy Study, the City Council authorized a total of $150,000 to fund a Citywide Retail Study and Strategy. Currently, at the conclusion of the Citywide Retail Study, approximately $50,000 of the allocated funding remains to support the development of the Citywide Retail Strategy. Through the study, the city intended to gain a deeper understanding of the current Boulder retail environment; global retail industry trends and local demographic shifts impacting retail performance; and potential local policy approaches to support a vibrant retail base. The Citywide Retail Study was led by the Community Vitality Department and supported by members of the city’s Community Engagement division, Comprehensive Planning division, Finance Department and Innovation and Technology Department. Council received the following updates and provided the following input on the project over the past year: • July 10, 2018 – Study session on the proposed scope of work for the study. Council requested that the proposed scope: - Align with community values in the BVCP; - Include data collection to understand shopper behavior; - Examine retail district accessibility by public transit and its location relative to affordable housing in Boulder; - Keep an eye toward place-making, promoting community activities in retail nodes across the city, and supporting 15-minute neighborhoods; - Include recommendations relative to shopping access for workers in Boulder; and - Continue to monitor retail industry trends, such as Supreme Court sales tax decisions and shifts to online retailing. • August 9, 2018 – Information Packet (IP) outlining a final scope of work that reflected input from council at the July 10, 2018 study session and identifying City Council Study Session Page 44 of 260 6 which project components would be completed by staff and which would be supported by a retail consulting firm, selected through a competitive process. • February 1, 2019 – Heads Up providing an update on the retail consultant selection process and identifying community partners that would support the data collection phase, namely local nonprofits such as the Emergency Family Assistance Association (EFAA), Boulder Housing Partners (BHP), the Boulder Chamber of Commerce, and the Boulder Small Business Development Center, as well as Boulder County, the University of Colorado, and local businesses and property owners. The update also provided a link to a newly created project page on the city’s website where members of the public could go for periodic updates. • February 4, 2019 – Council members were provided with the opportunity to meet one-on-one with the retail consultants during the firm’s Boulder site visit; to confirm their objectives for the study with the consultants; and to provide input on the proposed study process. • March 8, 2019 – Heads Up detailing the community engagement plan for the data collection phase. • May 21, 2019 – Mid-project update to City Council at a regular meeting. Council received detailed information on the Citywide Retail Study community engagement efforts and outcomes, as well as preliminary findings and early themes from the questionnaire responses. Council provided the following input: - Would like actionable recommendations for council consideration; - Overall numbers indicate Boulder’s retail environment is doing well; - Sales and use tax revenues fund more than 1/3 of the city’s spending, and retail sales comprise more than 75% of total sales and use tax; - Curious that high residential density within ¾ mile of the Hill Commercial Area is not translating to sustained economic vitality; - Existing vacant commercial areas offer opportunity for affordable commercial uses that community members indicate they are patronizing outside Boulder. The following report is organized into five sections, with findings supported by an extensive community engagement effort as well as analysis conducted by a national retail consultant and data from the city’s Finance Department. The sections as are follows: 1. Current retail environment. An overview of Boulder’s retail base; its sales tax revenue performance trends; its performance by retail industry category and by geographic area; and a comparison of this performance to shopper perceptions gathered in a survey of Boulder workers and residents in March-April 2019. 2. Performance relative to benchmark cities. A comparison of Boulder’s retail environment with both neighboring communities and peer communities nationwide; including a look at their retail real estate market characteristics and retail performance. City Council Study Session Page 45 of 260 7 3. Performance relative to Boulder core values. An assessment of Boulder’s retail environment relative to community values such as “welcoming and inclusive,” “sustainability” and “sense of place,” looking at the accessibility of retail districts, their connectivity to lower income areas of the city, and the types of characteristics shopper survey respondents said they valued in a retail district. 4. Small business sustainability. An examination of factors retailer survey respondents and retail exit interviewees named as fundamental to their decision to locate in Boulder, and to their sustained vitality; and 5. Framework for the Citywide Retail Strategy. Consolidation of the various topic areas for further exploration into two primary areas of inquiry. The report concludes with staff’s recommendation for immediate next steps to pursue the Citywide Retail Strategy, the result of which will be actionable recommendations for council consideration. During the July 9, 2019 study session, staff will present the suggested topic areas and next steps for feedback and direction from council. I. CURRENT RETAIL ENVIRONMENT A primary objective of the project has been to pursue the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP) goal of a “vibrant retail base.” The study therefore included an examination of Boulder’s current retail base, to understand how Boulder retail is performing both citywide and by geographic area within the city. In this section, data from the city’s Finance Department is compared with anecdotal information collected from Boulder residents and workers in the shopper survey. It should be noted that the 900 or so responses to the shopper survey do not reflect a representative sample of the current Boulder population. An analysis of the shopper responses by the retail consultant is provided in Appendix A: Shopper Survey Responses – Consultant Analysis, which provides supplemental context to statistical data contained in this section of the report. Defining “retail” as businesses that remit sales taxes to the city, there were 2,700 retailers operating in Boulder in 2018 1. The built retail environment of Boulder is comprised of approximately 6.6 million square feet of commercial space, amounting to approximately 60.3 square feet per capita, exceeding the U.S. national average of 23.4 square feet per capita. In total, retail activity in Boulder generated $2.96 billion in sales, amounting to $106.6 million in retail sales tax revenues in 2018. Sales tax revenues comprise approximately 30 percent of the city’s total revenue. The retail sales tax revenue trend over the past 10 years has generally been upward, as shown in Figure B below. 1 It should be noted that not all of these businesses are traditional, ground-floor storefront operations. City Council Study Session Page 46 of 260 8 Figure B. Boulder Retail Sales Tax Revenue Performance, 2008-2018 Source: City of Boulder Finance Department Focusing on the more recent time period of 2015-2018, the upward trend continues. Despite flattening in 2017 and concerns in 2018 that retail sales tax revenues were flattening, the overall trend is modestly upward, although still less than inflation. Figure C. Boulder Retail Sales Tax Revenue Performance, 2015-2018 Source: City of Boulder Finance Department Although the projected overall economic outcome remains positive, performance of the Boulder retail environment appears somewhat different when you examine retail sales tax revenue by industry category and geographic area. For example, data from the city’s Finance Department indicates that food store sales are not keeping pace with other top performing retail industry categories. Additionally, Citywide Retail Study shopper survey responses indicate that shoppers may be shifting toward purchasing certain types of goods online or outside Boulder and, with a few exceptions, retail sales in most geographic areas of the city are relatively flat. The most significant positive trends appear in non-Boulder based retail activity such as “Out of State” (+9.83%) and “All Other Colorado” (+6.98%) between 2017 and 2018. These dynamics are addressed in more detail at the end of this section of the report. Boulder Retail Performance by Industry Category According to the city’s Finance Department, Boulder sales tax revenues are generated across 14 industry categories shown in Figure D below, in descending order by magnitude of sales tax generation. 0 20,000,000 40,000,000 60,000,000 80,000,000 100,000,000 120,000,000 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 95,000,000 100,000,000 105,000,000 110,000,000 2015 2016 2017 2018 City Council Study Session Page 47 of 260 9 Figure D. Percentage of Boulder Sales Tax Revenue by Industry Category (December 2018) Source: City of Boulder Finance Department The three highest-grossing sales tax generating industries (excluding “All Other”) were general retail ($25.1 million), eating places ($18.1 million) and food stores ($16.5 million), generating nearly 55% of total retail sales tax revenues in 2018. While sales tax revenue from general retail has grown from $21.9 million in 2015 to $25.1 million in 2018, and revenues from eating places has risen from $16.5 million in 2015 to $18.1 million in 2018, the revenues from food stores briefly increased from $16.7 million in 2015 to $17.0 million in 2015, before dropping to $16.5 million in 2018. This discrepancy among the three highest grossing retail sales tax revenue generating uses is shown in Figure E below. Figure E. Highest Grossing Sales Tax Revenue Industry Categories Performance, 2015-2018 Source: City of Boulder Finance Department 0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 Medical Marijuana Construction Sales / Use Tax Consumer Electronics Computer Related Business Sector Rec Marijuana Home Furnishings Apparel Stores Building Material - Retail Automotive Trade Transportation/Utilities All Other Food Stores Eating Places General Retail 15,000,000 17,000,000 19,000,000 21,000,000 23,000,000 25,000,000 2015 2016 2017 2018 General Retail Eating Places Food Stores City Council Study Session Page 48 of 260 10 The March 2019 Revenue Report continues to reflect this discrepancy, with year to date (YTD) food store sales declining from $4.0 million in March 2018 to $3.8 million in March 2019. Neither the general retail nor eating places categories saw a decline during the same period. A cause for decreased food store sales is not immediately apparent from Boulder resident responses to the shopper survey. As shown in Figure F below, Boulder residents reported doing most of their food shopping in Boulder, as well as meeting most of their needs for pharmacy and personal care items. The general merchandise figure likely represents a lower percentage of activity in the shopper survey responses because the category is broken into several additional sub-categories, such as books/music/hobby/toys and recreation/sporting goods that are not broken out in the city’s revenue reports. Figure F. Reported Percent of Local Purchasing by Boulder Residents Source: 2019 Boulder Citywide Retail Study Shopper Survey Interestingly, Boulder residents report shopping more frequently in Boulder for all retail categories except for apparel. This aligns with open-ended survey comments requesting more stores that sell apparel to children, seniors, plus sizes and “big & tall” customers. The city’s revenue report shows a decline in apparel sales over the past four years, albeit recovering slightly in 2018. 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 In Boulder Outside Boulder Online City Council Study Session Page 49 of 260 11 Figure G. Annual Apparel Sales Tax Revenue, 2015-2018 Source: City of Boulder Finance Department The March 2019 Revenue Report shows that YTD sales tax revenue for apparel stores continues to trend downward: YTD apparel sales tax revenues were $918,211 in March 2018, compared to $816,339 in March 2019. The types of apparel respondents would like to see more of is indicated in Appendix B: Shopper Survey Responses – Retail Wish List. Survey respondents listed a wide array of apparel merchandisers that they would like to find in Boulder, including those that offer children’s clothes, professional clothes, plus sizes and items for “big and tall” customers. Citywide Retail Strategy Topic Area: Staff recommends that the strategy include further exploration of the types of retail that shopper survey respondents found lacking in Boulder, both to capture a greater amount of resident spending on these goods and also to create a retail environment that is more welcoming and inclusive. The shopper survey responses shown in Figure G above do not include dining preferences. These were broken out as a separate question to get a finer grained understanding of the types of food establishments patronized by Boulder residents and workers. Figure H below shows this breakdown of reported dining behavior by Boulder residents. The same is shown for Boulder workers in Figure J. Figure H. Boulder Resident Dining Preferences Source: 2019 Boulder Citywide Retail Study Shopper Survey 4,200,000 4,300,000 4,400,000 4,500,000 4,600,000 4,700,000 4,800,000 2015 2016 2017 2018 0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0 70.0 80.0 Café/Coffee Shop Fast Casual Family Style Bars/Taverns Fine Dining Food Truck Fast Food In Boulder Outside Boulder N/A City Council Study Session Page 50 of 260 12 Boulder resident responses showed a strong preference for dining in Boulder, with a significant number (40% or greater) of respondents indicating that they do not patronize fast food or food truck establishments. Worker responses to the shopper survey paint a different picture. Figure I below indicates that Boulder workers do not prefer to shop in Boulder for any retail category listed in the survey. Figure I. Reported Percent of Local Purchasing by Boulder Workers Source: 2019 Boulder Citywide Retail Study Shopper Survey Worker respondents indicated they would shop more for garden/home improvement and groceries in Boulder than for any other types of goods, while indicating a significant preference for purchasing goods across all categories outside of Boulder. Looking at dining behavior, Boulder worker respondents indicated they were more likely to patronize coffee shops and fine dining in Boulder, while showing a significant preference for family style restaurants and, to a lesser extent, fast casual restaurants, bars, food trucks and fast food outside of Boulder. 0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0 70.0 In Boulder Outside Boulder Online City Council Study Session Page 51 of 260 13 Figure J. Boulder Worker Dining Preferences Source: 2019 Boulder Citywide Retail Study Shopper Survey Similar to the Boulder resident respondents, more than 30% of Boulder worker respondents reported they did not patronize either food trucks or fast food establishments. Changing purchasing behavior may help explain a decline in food store sales. As shown in Figure K below, when both residents and workers were asked if their purchasing behaviors had changed in the past two years, a majority of both reported that their purchases outside Boulder had remained largely the same. A majority of both residents and workers reported increasing their online purchasing, with higher income respondents reporting bigger increases. Regarding shopping in Boulder, however, a majority of resident respondents reported no change in behavior, while a majority of Boulder worker respondents reported decreasing their purchasing in Boulder. Figure K. Reported Change in Purchasing Behavior, Residents v. Workers Source: 2019 Boulder Citywide Retail Study Shopper Survey Citywide Retail Strategy Topic Area: Boulder’s aging population and the anticipated expansion in households with fixed income considerations increases the importance of maximizing Boulder’s capture of non-resident spending. Staff therefore recommends that the strategy include an assessment of the accessibility of Boulder’s employment centers to the types of retail businesses that workers indicate they are most likely to patronize in Boulder. 0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0 70.0 Café/Coffee Shop Fine Dining Fast Casual Bars/Taverns Family Style Food Truck Fast Food In Boulder Outside Boulder N/A 0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 In Boulder Outside Boulder Online Residents Increased About the Same Decreased 0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 In Boulder Outside Boulder Online Workers Increased About the Same Decreased City Council Study Session Page 52 of 260 14 The shopper survey also looked at whether Boulder residents and workers were able to meet their needs locally for certain types of services. The survey asked what types of service businesses respondents were most likely to patronize in Boulder, with the highest performing service categories being fitness and childcare as shown in Figure L below. Figure L. Shopper Survey – Boulder Service Share Among Resident Respondents Source: 2019 Boulder Citywide Retail Study Shopper Survey Open-ended comments to a question asking respondents to list any unmet needs for goods or services yielded only a small number (27) of requests for services, as provided in Appendix C: Shopper Survey Responses – Unmet Needs. The most frequent requests were for specific medical services (6), followed by requests for auto-related services (5). Given this small number overall, staff does not feel that there is reason to explore unmet local service needs as a priority in the Citywide Retail Strategy. Boulder Retail Performance by Geographic Area In addition to examining shopper needs and behaviors by industry category, the study looked at Boulder retail by geographic area. The city’s revenue report categorizes Boulder sales and use tax revenues as originating in 17 different areas, as shown in Figure M below in descending order by percent of total city sales tax revenue. 66% 78% 78% 79% 84% 88% 91% Non-Auto Repairs Medical, Dental Auto Repair Hair Care Banking Childcare Fitness City Council Study Session Page 53 of 260 15 Figure M. Percentage of Boulder Sales Tax Revenue by Sales Area (December 2018) Source: City of Boulder Finance Department Excluding the sales tax sources that are not geographically distinct (e.g. “Out of State” and “All Other Boulder”), the three highest-grossing sales tax generating areas in 2018 were the Boulder Valley Regional Center or “BVRC” ($25.2 million), downtown 2 ($14.2 million) and the Twenty Ninth Street shopping center ($8.7 million), generating nearly 45% of total retail sales tax revenues in 2018. Figure N shows that the performance of two of the city’s top four retail sales tax generating areas (i.e. greater than $5 million in annual sales tax revenues) have remained relatively flat from 2015 to 2018 (i.e. increases/decreases of less than 2% for BVRC and N. 28th Street). Over that same time period, downtown sales tax revenues rose by 5.5% and Twenty Ninth Street sales tax revenues declined by 6.3%. 2 In this section, all references to “Downtown” are consolidated figures from the city’s Revenue Report representing the following sales areas: Downtown, Downtown Extension, East Downtown and Pearl Street Mall. 0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 Airport The Meadows University of Colorado UHGID "The Hill" N. Broadway Basemar Gunbarrel Table Mesa Public Utilities All Other Boulder N. 28th Street Colorado All Other Boulder Industrial 29th Street Downtown Out of State BVRC-Bldr Valley Regional Ctr City Council Study Session Page 54 of 260 16 Figure N. Sales Tax Revenues for Top Four Sales Tax Generating Areas, 2015-2018 Source: City of Boulder Finance Department A comparison of March 2018 to March 2019 YTD sales tax revenues show the BVRC experienced a 5.13% increase, while downtown experienced a 1.94% decrease and N. 28th Street experienced a 3.27% increase. The downward trend at Twenty Ninth Street seen between 2015 and 2018 was reinforced with a 4.87% decrease in YTD sales tax revenues between March 2018 and March 2019. Citywide Retail Strategy Topic Area: Staff suggests continuing to monitor the downward trend at Twenty Ninth Street as part of the strategy. Looking at the six remaining geographically distinct areas (i.e. those that generate less than $5 million in annual sales tax revenues), their performance over the past four years is more varied, perhaps reacting to tenant turnover or reflecting a greater volatility from their smaller size. For example, the 15.6% decline at the Basemar shopping center and 4.9% decline at The Meadows shopping center could be the result of one or two store closures (e.g. the closure of the Whole Foods at Basemar). 0 5,000,000 10,000,000 15,000,000 20,000,000 25,000,000 30,000,000 BVRC Downtown 29th Street N. 28th Street 2015 2016 2017 2018 City Council Study Session Page 55 of 260 17 Figure O. Sales Tax Revenues for Lower Sales Tax Generating Areas, 2015-2018 Source: City of Boulder Finance Department Areas that showed a significant increase in sales tax revenues from 2015-2018 as shown in Figure O above include Table Mesa (+12.7%) and The Hill (+23.4%)3. During this time period, the Table Mesa shopping center was renovated, including the introduction of new large-scale tenants, and The Hill received additional attention as part of the City Council’s Hill Reinvestment Strategy initiative. Comparing the March 2018 and March 2019 YTD sales tax revenues for each of the six areas, there is similar volatility to the year-over-year figures. North Broadway increased by 24.1%, while more moderate increases were seen in The Hill (8.2%) and Table Mesa (10.6%), while the Meadows stayed relatively flat (0.5%). Only Gunbarrel saw decreased sales tax revenues during the same time period (-8.7%). It is worth noting that some of the largest increases in sales tax revenues between 2015 and 2018 are from sales tax sources that are not geographically distinct. As shown in Figure P below, the evolution of online retail, including compliance with required collections and remittances for local online sales from businesses with a physical nexus to Boulder – and increased voluntary collections and remittances – have increased Boulder’s out of state sales tax revenues from $11.2 million in 2015 to $16.1 million in 2018. 3 Although total sales tax revenues in the Hill have climbed, overall figures are low relative to the square footage of retail uses within the area. For example, 2018 sales tax revenues in Gunbarrel, which has 141,000 sq. ft. of retail, are on par with those in the Hill/CU area, which has 221,000 sq. ft. of retail. 0 500,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 2,000,000 2,500,000 3,000,000 3,500,000 Table Mesa Gunbarrel Commercial Basemar N. Broadway UHGID "The Hill" The Meadows 2015 2016 2017 2018 City Council Study Session Page 56 of 260 18 Figure P. Sales Tax Revenues for Out of State, 2015-2018 Source: City of Boulder Finance Department These increases help offset the relatively flat or moderately declining revenues of the four highest grossing sales tax areas within the city, and should therefore be an important consideration when examining the city’s retail sales tax base. Citywide Retail Strategy Topic Area: While the shopper survey responses indicate that online purchasing behavior is increasing, staff anticipates that the rate of online sales growth may slow as a result of evolving policies related to the taxation of online sales. It is recommended that this evolution continue to be monitored as part of the strategy. II. PERFORMANCE RELATIVE TO BENCHMARK COMMUNITIES Another factor studied for its possible impact on Boulder-based retail sales is the increasing number of regional retail options available to Boulder residents and workers. The study examined Boulder’s retail performance relative to benchmark communities identified by staff in consultation with the retail consultant. These included both neighboring Front Range municipalities that serve Boulder residents and worker customers, as well as national peer communities with similarities to Boulder in terms of a high student population percentage, relatively high median household incomes, and median home values and a location within commuting distance to a major metropolitan area. Comparison with Neighboring Communities Once considered the county’s regional shopping hub, Boulder still has a larger population, larger square footage retail inventory, and higher total annual retail sales than any of its neighboring communities as highlighted in Figure Q below. Figure Q. Boulder Retail Real Estate Comparison with Neighboring Communities Population Land Area (sq. miles) Retail Inventory (sq.ft.) Total Annual Retail Sales (millions) Annual Retail Sales per Capita Boulder 109,427 24.2 6.6 million $2,957 $27,024 City Council Study Session Page 57 of 260 19 Broomfield 71,202 27.1 5.1 million $1,041 $14,627 Lafayette 30,298 8.85 1.8 million $239 $7,736 Longmont 96,754 21.8 5.9 million $1,341 $13,858 Louisville 21,208 8.52 1.5 million $349 $16,458 Superior 13,444 3.95 0.8 million $389 $28,942 Sources: Costar (Q4 2018), ESRI Business Analyst. Boulder’s retail square footage inventory per capita as shown below in Figure R falls in the middle of its neighbors at 60.3 square feet per person, compared to 71.6 square feet in Broomfield at the high end, and 55.8 square feet in Superior at the low end. All of these figures exceed the national average of 24 square feet per capita, as reported in the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2019 Report, suggesting the region enjoys an ample retail supply. Figure R. Comparison of Neighboring Community Retail Square Footage Per Capita Sources: Costar (Q4 2018), ESRI Business Analyst. As part of the study, the city’s retail consultant was asked to provide additional analysis on Boulder’s retail performance relative to its neighboring communities. The full narrative of the analysis is provided in Appendix D: Boulder Comparison to Neighboring Communities. It includes an exploration of the following: • Comparison of retail real estate market. Boulder’s performance relative to its neighbors in terms of retail rental rates, vacant space inventory, vacancy rates, retail space under construction and absorption of new retail construction within the past 12 months. Figure S. Comparison of Neighboring Community Retail Real Estate Market Market Rent (NNN/sq.ft./yr) Vacant Inventory (sq.ft.) Vacancy Rate Currently Under Construction (sq.ft.) 12 Month Net Absorption (% inventory) Boulder $25.37 400,000 6.4 24,500 -2.1% Broomfield $27.80 105,000 2.0 123,000 4.1% Lafayette $22.63 43,100 2.4 7,500 0.1% Longmont $17.08 170,000 2.9 20,000 1.9% Louisville $25.19 232,000 15.4 0 -2.9% Superior $27.33 11,600 1.5 22,000 7.8% Sources: Costar (Q4 2018). Based on the consultant’s analysis, Boulder’s rents are largely in line with its neighbors, as is the amount of retail under construction. Boulder’s vacancy rate of 6.4%, however, is 0 20 40 60 80 Broomfield Louisville Longmont Boulder Lafayette Superior City Council Study Session Page 58 of 260 20 higher than most of its neighbors (with the exception of Louisville, which has large-scale vacancies with the closure of Hobby Lobby and the construction of more than 100,000 sq. ft. of new commercial space that has not yet been leased). Notably, the CoStar vacancy data includes the 150,000 sq. ft. Macy’s store in the Twenty Ninth Street area, which is not yet actually vacant. If you take out the Macy’s square footage from these calculations, Boulder’s vacancy rate would drop to 3.9% and its retail inventory absorption would increase by 2% to close to zero. Citywide Retail Strategy Topic Area: Although Boulder’s retail performance overall is generally positive relative to its neighboring communities, staff recommends that the strategy include careful consideration of any increases to Boulder’s retail inventory in light of current and anticipated vacancy and absorption rates. • Comparison of pull factors. Each city has a so-called “pull factor” to indicate the extent to which a city’s retail sales exceed the spending power of its residents. A city with a pull factor higher than 1.0 enjoys the benefit of – and may be more reliant on – greater spending by non-residents and visitors than its own households. Each pull factor is based on the city’s retail sales compared to its annual household spending. These vary widely among Boulder and its neighboring communities, with Boulder at the top for both total annual retail sales and annual household spending. Boulder’s overall pull factor is 1.5, higher than any of the neighboring communities as shown in Figure T below. Figure T. Comparison of Neighboring Community Pull Factor Variables Overall Pull Factor Total Annual Retail Sales (millions) Annual Household Spending Potential Boulder 1.5 $2,957 $1,941 Broomfield 0.8 $1,041 $1,384 Lafayette 0.4 $239 $540 Longmont 0.9 $1,341 $1,521 Louisville 0.8 $349 $459 Superior 1.2 $389 $317 Sources: ESRI Business Analyst and consultant (2017 estimated, includes vehicle sales and service) In looking at the pull factors across individual retail industry categories as shown in Figure U below, a more detailed picture emerges of Boulder’s specific market strengths. Figure U. Comparison of Neighboring Community Pull Factors Across Retail Industry Categories Electronics Grocery Sporting Goods Restaurant Home Furnishings Department Store Apparel Boulder 3.3 2.7 2.0 1.6 1.5 0.6 1.7 Broomfield 2.1 0.8 0.8 0.8 1.2 1.3 2.6 Lafayette 0.5 0.2 0.4 0.7 0.2 0.9 0.3 Longmont 1.1 1.2 0.7 1.1 0.8 1.0 0.6 City Council Study Session Page 59 of 260 21 Louisville 2.1 1.4 1.3 0.9 0.6 0.6 1.0 Superior 0.7 2.0 0.3 0.5 0.0 1.3 0.2 Sources: ESRI Business Analyst and consultant. Boulder’s pull factor in electronics/appliances, grocery, sporting goods, apparel, food away from home (restaurants/cafes) and home furnishings are all relatively strong. The exception is in the department store category, possibly because Boulder’s department store offerings as defined by CoStar are limited to Macy’s and Target. In addition to department stores, Boulder’s pull factor in apparel does not exceed the pull factor of all its neighbors. This finding reinforces an earlier recommended topic area for further exploration: that the strategy should explore opportunities to capture more local spending on apparel (and attempt to reverse the decline in apparel sales tax revenues) by providing a greater diversity of apparel options. • Comparison of sales tax revenue growth rates. Whether the sales tax revenue growth in each community is keeping pace with population growth. Figure V. Comparison of Sales Tax Revenue Growth Rate (%) and Growth Rate (%) per Capita, 2014-2018 Sources: CO Dept. of Finance, municipal budget documents (2018 figures for Lafayette were not available). While Boulder is similar to its neighbors in terms of its sales tax revenue growth rate not keeping pace with its per capita growth rate (i.e. 21% growth rate versus 18.6% growth rate per capita from 2014-2019), this is something to watch as the discrepancy reinforces the importance of non-resident and visitor spending. Citywide Retail Strategy Topic Area: Staff recommends exploring further the discrepancy between sales tax revenue growth rate and the sales tax growth rate per capita as an important indicator of the importance of non- resident spending to Boulder’s retail sales tax revenue performance. • Cost of doing business. How Boulder compares in terms of its costs to open and operate a retail business. 0 10 20 30 40 Louisville Longmont Boulder Broomfield Superior Sales Tax Growth 2014-2019 Sales Tax Revenue per Capita Growth, 2014-2019 City Council Study Session Page 60 of 260 22 In the Retail Real Estate Market section above, cost factors such as rents and vacancy rates were compared and contrasted. The consultant’s scope included looking at other factors affecting Boulder’s competitiveness with neighboring communities as a place to operate a retail business. The full narrative of this inquiry is provided in Appendix D: Boulder Compared to Neighboring Communities. The consultant concluded that Boulder was relatively similar to its neighbors in terms of its electric rates (e.g. all were $0.0916/kWh), property tax rates (varied) and sales tax rates (i.e. ranged between 8.35% and 8.85%), as shown in Figure W below. Figure W. Comparison of Sales Tax Rates (%) Source: Consultant The biggest variations, as determined by the consultant, were in Boulder’s plan review and permitting costs, and the complexity of its parking requirements. For the plan review and permitting costs, the consultant considered two scenarios: first, planning and utility fees for the construction of a 10,000 sq. ft. infill multi-tenant retail building; second, building permit fees for a $500,000 tenant improvement to an existing building. Under the 10,000 sq. Ft. infill construction scenario, costs included: change of use, temporary certificates of occupancy, impact fees, linkage fees (only applicable in Boulder), final architecture review (only a separate fee in Boulder and Lafayette), final landscape review (only a separate fee in Boulder), final site plan review (only a separate fee in Boulder), combined engineering (only applicable in Boulder), concept plan review and comment, rezoning, site review, use review (only applicable in Boulder and Superior, only a separate fee in Boulder). Under the $500,000 tenant improvement scenario, costs included: permit fee, energy code compliance fee (only applicable in Boulder), plan check, electrical (only a separate fee in Boulder, Lafayette and Superior), mechanical (only a separate fee in Boulder), plumbing (only a separate fee in Boulder), fire (n/a in Boulder, only separate fee in Lafayette), demolition, signs (only separate fee in Boulder and Longmont) and use tax. The consultant concluded that Boulder’s fees were higher than its neighboring communities by a “substantial margin,” although an exact figure is not provided by the consultant for comparison. The analysis also indicates that Boulder charges separate fees more commonly than its neighbors, who, they found, integrate the cost of architectural, landscape, engineering and site plan review into plan review fees. Overall, the consultant 8 8.2 8.4 8.6 8.8 9 Boulder Louisville Longmont Lafayette Superior Broomfield City Council Study Session Page 61 of 260 23 concludes that the higher cost puts Boulder at a competitive disadvantage with its neighbors from a retail attraction perspective. Citywide Retail Strategy Topic Area: Staff recommends exploring further how Boulder’s commercial permitting fee structure compares to neighboring communities, with the goal of identifying potential streamlining opportunities (if needed) to improve Boulder’s competitiveness among prospective retail tenants. The consultant found that Boulder’s parking requirements were among the lowest regionally, equal to Superior for general retail and equal to Louisville for food service. The parking requirement comparisons are shown in Figure X below. Figure X. Comparison of Parking Requirements General Retail Food Service Boulder Varies by district; typ. 2.5-3.3 per 1,000 sq. ft. Varies by district; typ. 4.0 per 1,000 sq. ft. or 1.0 per 3 seats Broomfield 5.0 per 1,000 sq. ft. 6.67 per 1,000 sq. ft. Lafayette 5.0 per 1,000 sq. ft. Greater of 6.67 per 1,000 sq. ft. or 1.0 per table Longmont 4.0 per 1,000 sq. ft. 12.0 per 1,000 sq. ft. or 10.0 per 1,000 sq. ft. for drive-through Louisville 6.7 per 1,000 sq. ft. 1.0 per 3 seats Superior 3.3 per 1,000 sq. ft.; 2.0 for furniture/appliance Greater of 1 per 3 seats or 5.0 per 1,000 sq. ft.; greater for fast food. Source: Consultant The consultant expressed concern that Boulder’s parking requirements appear to be the most complex, varying by zoning district and allowing reductions for shared parking and bike parking. The concern stemmed from a perception of burdensome complexity, especially for small business operators and/or those unable to afford retail specialist assistance in navigating zoning and permitting requirements. In the consultant’s opinion, because of the “essentially suburban form” (low density, auto-reliant development patterns) of the city, lower parking requirements may also make Boulder less attractive to retailers concerned with parking availability for their customers and employees. Citywide Retail Strategy Topic Area: Staff has not independently assessed whether Boulder’s parking code is any more or less complex than neighboring communities. It is recommended that the strategy include further exploration of whether prospective tenants find Boulder parking requirements difficult to understand, possibly informing future outreach and education efforts. City Council Study Session Page 62 of 260 24 Comparison with Peer Communities In addition to examining Boulder’s retail performance relative to neighboring communities, the study compared Boulder to communities nationwide with similar market dynamics. The communities selected for the study included a combination of the following primary characteristics: • Large student population, highly educated resident population; • Higher home values and household incomes than neighboring communities; and, • Within commuting distance of a major metropolitan area. Despite overall similarities, it should be noted that each of the selected peer communities shown in Figure Y below, does vary from Boulder’s demographics in different, and perhaps, significant ways. The consultant’s detailed comparison of Boulder to its peer communities nationwide is provided in Appendix E: Boulder Compared to Peer Communities. This report highlights five total peer communities: four selected by the consultant which, in their analysis, provide the closest similarities to Boulder; as well as Palo Alto, which is occasionally cited in public conversations as similar to Boulder, although the consultant’s analysis finds it has much higher median home values and median household income than Boulder. Figure Y. Comparison of Peer Community Selection Criteria Population Student Population Population/ Sq.Mi. Median Home Values Median HH Income Nearest Metro Area Boulder 109,000 31% 4,403 $574k $58k Denver Ann Arbor, MI 123,000 37% 4,425 $270k $57k Detroit Iowa City, IA 77,000 44% 3,008 $205k $50k Cedar Rapids Lawrence, KS 97,000 29% 2,815 $203k $50k Kansas City Palo Alto, CA 70,000 25% 2,917 $1,784k $154k San Jose Santa Cruz, CA 65,000 33% 5,098 $859k $69k San Jose Source: Consultant In comparing the retail market of the peer communities in Figure Z below, Boulder appears to be in line with its peers in terms of rental rates and retail inventory. With the inclusion of the Macy’s 150,000 sq. ft. vacancy, Boulder is at the higher end for vacancy rates and inventory absorption. As mentioned earlier in this section, if (as is currently the case) the Macy’s space is not vacant, Boulder’s vacancy rate (3.9%) and absorption rate (-0.1%) would fall in the middle of the rates of its peers. Figure Z. Comparison of Peer Community Retail Real Estate Market Market Rent (NNN/sq.ft./yr) Retail sq.ft. Per Capita Vacancy Rate Currently Under Construction (sq.ft.) 12 Month Net Absorption (% inventory) Boulder $25.37 60.3 6.4% 24,500 -2.1% Ann Arbor, MI $21.39 64.9 3.0% 23,000 -1.2% Iowa City, IA $14.12 53.0 1.7% 0 0.7% Lawrence, KS $14.46 64.1 4.2% 0 -0.8% Palo Alto, CA $61.88 56.0 1.5% 0 0.2% Santa Cruz, CA $22.93 52.3 2.7% 0 -1.2% Source: Costar 2018, Consultant. City Council Study Session Page 63 of 260 25 One notable figure is the lack of retail construction in four out of the five peer communities according to CoStar data, possibly indicating a national shift toward retail contraction. In comparing overall pull factors with its peer communities, Boulder’s is at the higher end, as shown in Figure AA below. Of those examined, only Palo Alto had a pull factor lower than 1.0 (indicating “leakage” of Palo Alto residents’ spending power). Figure AA. Comparison of Peer Community Overall Pull Factors Source: Consultant. As was done in the Comparison with Neighboring Communities analysis above, the consultant examined whether the peer communities’ sales tax revenue growth is keeping pace with its population growth. Of the communities examined in the table above, the consultant was able to obtain these figures for Lawrence, KS and Santa Cruz, CA. The comparison is shown in Figure BB below. Figure BB. Comparison of Peer Community Sales Tax Revenue Growth Rate (%) and Sales Tax Revenue Growth Rate (%) per Capita, 2014-2018 Source: Consultant. As with its neighboring communities, Boulder’s peer communities’ population growth is also not keeping pace with its growth in sales tax revenue, indicating a common reliance with Boulder on non-resident spending. 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 Santa Cruz Boulder Lawrence Iowa City Ann Arbor Palo Alto 0 5 10 15 20 25 Boulder Lawrence Santa Cruz Sales Tax Revenue Growth Per Capita City Council Study Session Page 64 of 260 26 Overall, Boulder’s performance relative to its peer communities nationwide appears to be favorable. The apparent slowdown in retail construction among several of Boulder’s peer communities, and Boulder’s lower 12-month absorption rates in comparison, reinforce the earlier finding that the strategy should explore whether there is a need to carefully consider the construction of any new retail space, even perhaps favoring redeveloping or repurposing some of these spaces to meet other community needs if there is already sufficient retail serving residents and workers in that area. III. PERFORMANCE RELATIVE TO CORE VALUES At the July 10, 2018 study session with City Council, staff was directed to incorporate relevant core values of the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan into the design of the study. These included: • A welcoming, inclusive and diverse community; • Sustainability as a unifying framework to meet environmental, economic and social goals; • Our unique identity and sense of place; • A vibrant economy based on Boulder’s quality of life and economic strengths. The study approached these objectives within the following framework: 1. Welcoming and Inclusive. An assessment of Boulder shopper satisfaction with the current retail environment by age and income. Included opportunities to provide open-ended responses to questions about what goods and services are missing, and what additional types of retail would serve their needs. 2. Accessible. An assessment of whether all Boulder residents have retail areas within ¾ mile of their homes; which retail areas are accessible by transit routes from affordable housing locations, if at all; which residential areas do not have access to a grocery store within ¾ mile. 3. Sense of Place. Boulder resident and worker prioritization of the shopping area characteristics that contribute to creating a sense of place. Welcoming and Inclusive Assessment The shopper survey asked respondents to rate their overall satisfaction with Boulder retail and to rate their satisfaction specifically by availability, price and selection. The responses were examined to determine if there were differences among Boulder residents and Boulder workers, as well as whether resident responses varied by age, income or geographic area of their residence. A summary of the response analysis by the consultant is provided in Appendix A: Shopper Survey Responses – Consultant Analysis. Among all responses to the question “Overall, how satisfied are you with the availability of goods and services in Boulder that meet your basic needs?” 68% were somewhat or very satisfied, 16% were somewhat dissatisfied, and 4% were very dissatisfied. Asking more specifically about satisfaction with price, selection and availability yielded more varied answers. City Council Study Session Page 65 of 260 27 Overall satisfaction with the availability of basic goods and services was higher among Boulder residents than non-resident workers as shown in Figure BB.1 below. Nearly three-fourths (73%) of residents and 77% of residents that also work in the city reported they were very or somewhat satisfied with the availability of basic goods and services in Boulder compared to 61% of Boulder workers who live in another community. Figure BB.1 Overall Satisfaction with Goods and Services by Respondent Type 25% 36% 33% 36% 41% 40% 16% 8% 9% 20% 12% 14% 0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100% Non-resident Workers Resident Workers Boulder Residents Overall Satisfaction with Basic Goods and Services Very Satisfied Somewhat Satisfied Neutral Somewhat Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Source: 2019 Boulder Citywide Retail Shopper Survey As shown in Figure CC below, a majority of residents reported being somewhat or very satisfied with selection (59.9%) and availability (55.3%), while indicating they were more evenly divided on price (45.0% somewhat or very satisfied, 36% somewhat or very dissatisfied). Figure CC. Boulder Resident Shopper Satisfaction with Goods and Services Near Their Homes Very Satisfied Somewhat Satisfied Neutral Somewhat Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Selection 22.5% 37.4% 10 .0 % 23.3% 6.8% Price 12.4% 32.6% 19.0 % 23.8% 12.2% Availability 21.5% 33.8% 15.0 % 21.4% 8.3% Source: 2019 Boulder Citywide Retail Study Shopper Survey This variation was even more pronounced among respondents’ satisfaction with prices near their work in Boulder. Although a majority of respondents were somewhat or very satisfied with selection (54.0%) and availability (50.5%) of goods and services near work, those who were somewhat or very satisfied with price was only 37.3%. Figure DD. Boulder Shopper Satisfaction with Goods and Services Near Their Work Very Satisfied Somewhat Satisfied Neutral Somewhat Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Selection 21.1% 32.9% 15.0 % 24.2% 6.9% City Council Study Session Page 66 of 260 28 Price 11.7% 25.6% 19.4% 30 .5% 12.7% Availability 20 .3% 30 .2% 17.2% 25.2% 7.1% Source: 2019 Boulder Citywide Retail Study Shopper Survey Boulder resident respondent satisfaction with the availability of basic goods and services varied by age, as did their satisfaction with the selection, price and availability of basic goods near their home. As shown in Figures DD.1 and DD.2 below, younger residents were generally more satisfied than older residents with the selection and availability of basic goods and services near home. Figure DD.1 Resident Satisfaction with Selection by Respondent Age 0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100% 75+ 65-74 55-64 45-54 35-44 25-34 Satisfaction w/Selection of basic goods near home Boulder residents by age Very Satisfied Somewhat Satisfied Neutral Somewhat Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Source: 2019 Boulder Citywide Retail Shopper Survey City Council Study Session Page 67 of 260 29 Figure DD.2 Resident Satisfaction with Availability by Respondent Age 0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100% 75+ 65-74 55-64 45-54 35-44 25-34 Satisfaction w/Availability of basic needs near home Boulder residents by age Very Satisfied Somewhat Satisfied Neutral Somewhat Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Source: 2019 Boulder Citywide Retail Shopper Survey As shown in Figure DD.3 below, all Boulder resident respondent age groups were less satisfied with the price. A similar pattern was seen in responses of non-resident workers. Figure DD.3 Resident Satisfaction with Price by Respondent Age 0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100% 75+ 65-74 55-64 45-54 35-44 25-34 Satisfaction with Price of basic goods near home Boulder residents by age Very Satisfied Somewhat Satisfied Neutral Somewhat Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Source: 2019 Boulder Citywide Retail Shopper Survey Satisfaction with selection and availability of basic goods near work also varied by age among non-resident Boulder worker respondents, with younger workers somewhat more satisfied than older workers as shown in Figures DD.4 and DD.5 below. City Council Study Session Page 68 of 260 30 Figure DD.4 Worker Satisfaction with Selection by Respondent Age 0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100% 55-64 45-54 35-44 25-34 Satisfaction w/Selection of basic goods near work -Nonresident workers by age Very Satisfied Somewhat Satisfied Neutral Somewhat Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Source: 2019 Boulder Citywide Retail Shopper Survey Figure DD.5 Worker Satisfaction with Availability by Respondent Age 0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100% 55-64 45-54 35-44 25-34 Satisfaction w/Availability of basic needs near work -Nonresident workers by age Very Satisfied Somewhat Satisfied Neutral Somewhat Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Source: 2019 Boulder Citywide Retail Shopper Survey As with Boulder residents, the workers were less satisfied with the price of basic goods near their work in Boulder, as shown in Figure DD.6 below. City Council Study Session Page 69 of 260 31 Figure DD.6 Worker Satisfaction with Price by Respondent Age 0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100% 55-64 45-54 35-44 25-34 Satisfaction with Price of basic goods near work -Nonresident workers by age Very Satisfied Somewhat Satisfied Neutral Somewhat Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Source: 2019 Boulder Citywide Retail Shopper Survey While there were no clear recommendations for topic areas to explore further in the Citywide Retail Strategy from the responses by income levels, staff felt it was worth noting the following to keep in mind while developing the strategy: • Residents with annual household incomes over $250,000 were least satisfied with the selection of basic goods and services available near their home (46% were very or somewhat satisfied, and 44% were very or somewhat dissatisfied). • Residents with annual household incomes under $25,000 were more satisfied with the selection and availability of basic goods near their home and least satisfied with the price (67% were very or somewhat satisfied with the selection and 56% were very or somewhat satisfied with the availability, while 40% were very or somewhat dissatisfied with the price). The survey included an opportunity for respondents to provide open-ended comments on what types of goods and services they felt were missing in Boulder. The consultant categorized the responses in Figure EE below to get an order of magnitude for the frequency of mentions in specific categories. City Council Study Session Page 70 of 260 32 Figure EE. Frequency of Shopper Survey Requests for Additional Retail by Category Source: Consultant. The top categories of apparel and affordable goods are reinforced by some of the other categories mentioned. For example, the responses that are categorized as desire for additional apparel are also reflected in the requests for “maternity, baby, kid store” and “department store.” Similarly, the responses that are categorized as desire for additional affordable goods are reinforced by the requests for Walmart, Costco and “Thrift, second- hand.” Lastly, toward the goal of pursuing a more welcoming and inclusive retail environment, the 17 Spanish-language responses to the open-ended questions are translated and provided in full in Figure FF below. In keeping with the overall survey responses, these responses also frequently mention a desire for more affordable goods. City Council Study Session Page 71 of 260 33 Figure FF. Spanish Language Responses to Open-Ended Shopper Satisfaction Questions In general, how satisfied are you with the selection, price and availability of basic goods and services near your place of work in Boulder? Boulder is a very expensive place to buy groceries. I prefer to go to Longmont or Lafayette to another King Soopers or Walmart to do my shopping What good or basic service you could not find in Boulder? Spanish services of many types. Almost everything is in English. The services of the health department. Low cost food. Stores like Walmart Soda - buying at Costco (out of Boulder) because of Boulder's sugar tax; Affordable rent Walmart, Costco/Sam's Walmart has many cheap things that Boulder does not have. Like affordable houses to live in. Walmart, Costco, Sam's Authentic Mexican products, there might be 1 or 2 locations, but there is a HUGE lack of products (especially fruits & veggies) Places where they sell wholesale, such as toilet paper, food, snacks. Dental services for my children that accept my health insurance and that are not dental aid. What kind of stores, restaurants or services would you like Boulder to have (or have more)? More butcher shops, tortilla stores Walmart For the home, a little more economical Stores with lower prices and good quality Ross Walmart, Ross Clothing stores, Walmart Walmart - for lower prices; Ross - lower prices, furniture, clothing, decorations, lower price groceries Walmart, Buffalo Wild Wings, Food Trucks with Mexican Food Walmart, Sam's Club Sam's/Costco, Chick-fil-a, Mexican Stores (tortilla, groceries) Discount stores so we can shop in Boulder More Latin food restaurants, not so expensive home stores, more availability of low-cost furniture for the house. Citywide Retail Strategy Topic Area: Based on the frequency of shopper survey comments related to affordable goods and the lower satisfaction levels with the price of retail goods in Boulder, staff suggests exploring opportunities for increasing the availability of affordable goods. City Council Study Session Page 72 of 260 34 Accessibility Assessment In addition to looking at the types of goods desired by Boulder residents and workers of all ages and income levels, the study also looked at whether residents and workers had convenient access to basic goods and services by transit or within ¾ mile of their home and place of employment. The assessment started by establishing the location of Boulder’s retail activity; whether these areas provided residents and workers with access to food stores and dining options; the accessibility of retail by transit, and by transit from concentrations of affordable housing in particular; and how survey respondents indicated they most frequently accessed their retail needs, both from home and from work. Of the 6.6 million sq. Ft. of retail in Boulder, 5.9 million sq. ft. is concentrated within 10 retail nodes shown in Figure GG below. These align with, but do not exactly follow the retail areas of the city’s revenue report discussed in the Boulder Retail Performance by Geographic Area section above. The reason for this discrepancy is that the study is looking at trade area (a ¾ mile radius from the center of a retail node) rather than specifically at revenue generated by businesses within a certain area. Note that the “North Broadway” node is the area that includes the Ideal Market grocery store, while “North Broadway Annex” node is more commonly known as “NoBo” – the area extending north of Iris Avenue. Figure GG. Retail Inventory Square Footage by Retail Node Source: U.S. Census (2015), ESRI (2018) As shown in Figure GG above, a significant portion of Boulder’s retail inventory is located within the BVRC, Twenty Ninth Street and Pearl Street shopping areas. This is in keeping with the sales tax revenue generation reflected in the city’s revenue reports. Focusing on accessibility to retail, the study examined further who each retail node is 0 500,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 2,000,000 2,500,000 3,000,000 City Council Study Session Page 73 of 260 35 serving. Figure HH below provides the square footage per worker and square footage per resident within a ¾ mile of each retail node. Figure HH. Retail Inventory Per Sq. Ft. by Worker and Resident Population (3/4 mile radius) Source: U.S. Census (2015), ESRI (2018) The consultant’s analysis examined the supply in each node of the types of retail residents and workers said were among those they were most likely to patronize in Boulder: food & drug stores and cafés/restaurants. The consultant’s full narrative related to retail accessibility is provided in Appendix F: District Accessibility Assessment. Figure II below provides the grocery and drugstore inventory per capita in each retail node, in descending order by overall retail inventory. Figure II. Grocery and Drugstore Inventory Relative to Resident Population by Retail Node Drugstore Sq. Ft. Grocery Sq. Ft. Est. Population (3/4 mi. radius) Grocery &Drugstore Inventory per Capita BVRC/29th Street 15,000 234,000 11,614 21.4 North 28th Street 30,000 77,000 11,210 9.5 Pearl Street 8,000 39,000 18,407 2.6 Table Mesa 4,000 95,000 11,467 8.6 The Meadows 18,000 48,000 9,866 6.7 The Hill/CU 8,700 25,000 14,746 2.3 Basemar 0 25,000 12,751 2.0 North Broadway 8,000 14,000 12,629 1.7 Gunbarrel 0 55,000 3,283 16.8 North Broadway Annex 0 13,000 8,026 1.6 Source: Boulder County Assessor, Costar and consultant. The inventory per capita suggests that residents within ¾ mile of BVRC/Twenty Ninth Street and Gunbarrel are well-served by drugstore and grocery retailers, while residents in North Broadway and the North Broadway annex are among the least well-served. This finding, however, is more nuanced when you review the open-ended responses to the shopper survey. Respondents indicated a need for access to natural foods in Gunbarrel, while other comments mourned the loss of Whole Foods in the Basemar area 0 50 100 150 200 250 Sq. Ft./Resident Sq.ft./Worker City Council Study Session Page 74 of 260 36 (the Sprouts grocery included in the Basemar inventory is on the opposite side of Foothills from the old Whole Foods location – a physical barrier that might prevent some Basemar area residents from feeling like they have grocery access). Comments about The Hill indicate a need for more affordable groceries than are available at the one grocer in that area. A full list of grocery- and drugstore-related comments from the shopper survey are provided in Appendix G: Shopper Survey Responses – Satisfaction Near Home. The consultant’s analysis examined population density relative to the location of the retail nodes. The consultant calculates that three-quarters of Boulder’s residents live within the ¾ mile radius of the 10 retail nodes. Of the areas without convenient, walkable access to retail, there is one area with a population density greater than 300 residents per gross acre: the Vista Village mobile home community east of Foothills and north of Valmont. Citywide Retail Strategy Topic Area: Staff recommends further exploration of ways to enhance grocery access east of Foothills and North of Valmont in the Citywide Retail Strategy. The study also examined Boulder worker access to restaurants (a category in which workers indicated dedicating a significant percentage of their spending in Boulder, if not the majority). The consultant’s analysis looked at restaurants and restaurant/bar combination concepts. As shown in Figure JJ below, employees in the Pearl Street node and North Broadway node (whose ¾-mile node radius overlaps with the Pearl Street node) are the most well-served per capita, while employees in the BVRC/Twenty Ninth Street and Basemar areas have access to less square footage of dining per capita. Figure JJ. Restaurant Inventory Relative to Worker Population by Retail Node Restaurant (sq. ft.) Bar & Restaurant/Bar Combo (sq.ft.) Est. Worker Population Restaurant/Bar Inventory Per Capita BVRC/29th Street 184,700 25,800 17,520 3.5 North 28th Street 69,100 34,100 6,577 11.8 Pearl Street 288,700 37,300 20,226 15.4 Table Mesa 26,500 0 2,943 9.0 The Meadows 9,500 0 1,939 4.9 The Hill/CU 234,300 37,300 21,891 11.8 Basemar 33,700 7,000 11,473 3.5 North Broadway 215,400 32,800 17,485 13.4 Gunbarrel 26,800 30,000 5,718 8.5 North Broadway Annex 13,000 4,000 2,348 5.5 Source: Boulder County Assessor, Costar and consultant. Note: The North Broadway ¾-mile node overlaps with the Pearl Street node and therefore has access to a greater square footage of restaurant uses than just those within the Ideal Market shopping center. As with residential access to groceries, it is worth noting the areas of worker density concentrated outside the 10 retail nodes. As shown in Appendix F: District Accessibility Assessment, large concentrations of jobs in the eastern portion of the city do not have convenient, walkable access to retail nodes. This is repeated also in the southwest part of Boulder, home to several of Boulder’s federal labs employers, and in the industrial areas in southeast Gunbarrel. City Council Study Session Page 75 of 260 37 Citywide Retail Strategy Topic Area: Staff recommends that the strategy keep an eye toward opportunities to increase worker access to dining options in the eastern portion of the city, as well as in the proximity of the federal labs in south Boulder. Council also asked staff to examine to what degree Boulder’s retail nodes are accessible by public transit, and, in particular, how accessible they are by transit from lower income areas of the city. Figure KK below shows the relationship between transit access and concentrations of affordable housing and retail activity. City Council Study Session Page 76 of 260 38 Figure KK. Accessibility of Retail Districts by Transit from Concentrations of Affordable Housing Source: City of Boulder GIS The transit routes (shown in blue) indicate strong transit accessibility in areas with high concentrations of retail activity. Of all the areas with high concentrations of affordable housing (shown in orange), only one is not directly served by public transit: the Palo Park neighborhood, located north of Diagonal Highway between 28th Street and Foothills Parkway. This area does, however, fall within the standard distance of pedestrian City Council Study Session Page 77 of 260 39 accessibility (i.e. ¾-mile, or a 15-minute walk) of the retail located at the corner of 28th Street and Iris. Staff therefore does not recommend any specific exploration of retail access in this area. Lastly, the shopper survey asked Boulder residents and workers to describe how they accessed their shopping needs in Boulder, both near their homes and near their work. Near their homes, Boulder resident respondents indicated they were somewhat or very likely to walk or use a wheelchair (57.5%) or drive their personal vehicle (77.5%). Near their work, respondents indicated similar behaviors. Most were most likely to walk or use a wheelchair (65.7%) or use their personal vehicle (69.5%). Residents accessing retail near home were more likely to use a bike near home (47.1%) than near work (23.8%). The responses to the transportation access questions of the shopper survey are provided in Figures KK.1 and KK.2 below. Figure KK.1. Shopper Survey Retail Access - Near Home Very Likely Somewhat Likely May or May Not Somewhat Unlikely Very Unlikely Walk/wheelchair 35.2% 22.3% 14.1% 9.1% 19.3% Bike 24.5% 22.6% 16.0% 11.1% 25.8% Bus 10.4% 14.9% 16.2% 19.5% 39.1% Uber, Lyft, etc. 2.5% 8.3% 13.7% 17.0% 58.5% Carpool 4.5% 14.3% 15.4% 13.1% 52.7% Personal vehicle 55.7% 21.8% 10.0% 4.8% 7.7% Source: 2019 Boulder Citywide Retail Study Shopper Survey Figure KK.2. Shopper Survey Retail Access - Near Work Very Likely Somewhat Likely May or May Not Somewhat Unlikely Very Unlikely Walk/wheelchair 46.0% 19.7% 10.7% 6.3% 17.3% Bike 18.7% 15.1% 13.7% 12.7% 39.8% Bus 11.7% 14.0% 10.9% 13.9% 49.5% Uber, Lyft, etc. 1.2% 6.6% 10.6% 13.1% 68.6% Carpool 9.6% 15.3% 13.3% 14.8% 46.9% Personal vehicle 51.9% 17.6% 10.8% 7.0% 12.6% Source: 2019 Boulder Citywide Retail Study Shopper Survey Sense of Place As part of the assessment of whether Boulder’s retail districts reflect the city’s core values, council asked staff to ask shoppers what they valued in a retail district in terms of creating a sense of place. The shopper survey included a set of questions that invited respondents to rank the importance of retail district amenities and place-making investments. Shopper survey respondents ranked the “selection of goods and services” and “clean and safe” of almost equal importance. Figure LL below shows how respondents ranked the priorities. City Council Study Session Page 78 of 260 40 Figure LL. Shopper Survey Respondent Ranking of Place-making Characteristics Source: 2019 Boulder Citywide Retail Study Shopper Survey Citywide Retail Strategy Topic Area: Based on the survey responses, staff recommends that the strategy keep an eye toward whether each retail node contains an attractive selection of goods and services, and whether their design and maintenance meet shoppers’ desire for cleanliness and safety. IV. SMALL BUSINESS SUSTAINABILITY In support of the two retail-related goals of the BVCP (i.e. to maintain commercial affordability and to support a vibrant retail base), the study explored the current costs of doing business in Boulder, and what are the key factors impacting the viability of operating a retail business in Boulder. This information is collected in the Performance Relative to Benchmark Cities section earlier in the report. The study also approached this inquiry through collecting additional data: first, with a questionnaire targeted at current Boulder retail operators; and second, in-person interviews with recently closed Boulder retail operators. Retailer Survey Responses Despite considerable outreach efforts through multiple emails and in-person store visits as reported in the May 21, 2019 update to council, the study yielded only 61 total retail survey responses (this amount has been updated from 57 since the May 21, 2019 report). The feedback below should therefore not be considered a representative sample of Boulder’s 5,300 retail operators; however, the responses offer a rare opportunity to hear directly from this segment of Boulder’s business community. As discussed in the consultant’s analysis of retailer survey responses in Appendix H: Retailer Survey Responses – Consultant Analysis, respondents generally positively rated Boulder as a place to do business as shown in Figure MM below and did not plan to make any changes in location within the next two years. 46% 68% 71% 83% 96% 97% Public Gathering/Event Spaces Landscaping/Beauty Walk/Bike/Bus Access Parking Availability Cleanliness & Safety Selection of Goods/Services What do Residents Value in a Local Shopping Area City Council Study Session Page 79 of 260 41 Figure MM. Overall Retailer Satisfaction with Boulder As Place to Do Business Source: 2019 Boulder Citywide Retail Study Retailer Survey Notably, service business operators cited higher levels of satisfaction (none indicated “Poor” or “Fair”), while 28% of restaurants and 29% of retailers expressed Boulder was a “Poor” or “Fair” place to do business. The small sample size, however, makes it difficult to confidently draw any conclusions from this discrepancy. Citywide Retail Strategy Topic Area: Staff suggests exploring further what might be the source of the higher levels of dissatisfaction among retailers and restaurant operators, compared to operators of service businesses, and whether city regulations and services are supporting the sustained vitality of both equally. Comments on the benefits of locating in Boulder centered on its natural beauty, as well as the affluence and diversity (i.e. mix of residents, workers, students and tourists) of its customers. Comments reflecting these themes included: • “It is beautiful; has great restaurants and generally nice, smart people.” • “Lots of diversity and young people, who tend to have money and want to buy things. It’s an overall happy place!” • “High income, well-traveled and well-educated population, community support and awareness to support small business.” • “We have a strong and loyal community customer base, as well as a lot of tourists who visit the area and enjoy shopping locally.” • “Educated customers, pretty environment, good influx of people.” Comments on the drawbacks pointed to affordability concerns, parking and high costs of doing business (including regulatory hurdles) as drawbacks to locating in Boulder. Comments reflecting these themes included: • “The cost of living is high so many of our employees cannot afford to live in Boulder and have to commute from towns outside of Boulder. This often makes it 10%12% 28% 43% 7% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% Poor Fair Good Very good Excellent City Council Study Session Page 80 of 260 42 difficult to find and keep employees. The city is often hard to work with and puts onerous standards in place that are hard or expensive to meet.” • “It is expensive, and given the nature of retail, it’s getting harder and harder to find people who both live in town and want to work. The cost of living is [so] high that a lot of people end up commuting far which causes a strain on availability.” • “Rent is too expensive to make a profit and pay your employees. Can’t find good help. Employees have to live outside Boulder.” • “Parking – most of our employees do not live in Boulder or in an easily bus-able area. The lack of parking makes recruiting a challenge. For those of us who do not have a parking pass, the cost is a challenge.” • “High property taxes, feeling as though the City Council has no idea the challenges we face as small business owners in terms of additional taxes, red tape, etc.” • “The cost of doing business as a result of the exceptionally high rent and high property taxes are forcing all the mom and pop stores out. In addition, the ridiculous minimum wage for tipped employees only adds to the financial constraints a Boulder restaurant feels.” Citywide Retail Strategy Topic Area: Based on the analysis in the Performance Relative to Benchmark Cities section of the report above, Boulder’s rents citywide do not appear to be significantly higher than neighboring and peer communities. Staff therefore recommends exploring further the potential cumulative cost of doing business in Boulder, looking at triple net (NNN) pass-throughs in particular, that may be impacting retailers’ perception of high rents and taxes. Another notable perception is that a majority (62%) of retail survey respondents feel it is getting “somewhat more difficult” or “much more difficult” to do business in Boulder, as shown in Figure NN below. City Council Study Session Page 81 of 260 43 Figure NN. Retailer Perception of Whether Becoming More Difficult or Easier to Do Business Source: 2019 Boulder Citywide Retail Study Retailer Survey When asked to rank potential factors making it more difficult, respondents ranked fees/taxes, rents and employee attraction/retention as the top three most significant as shown in Figure OO below. Figure OO. Retailer Perception of Greatest Challenges Source: 2019 Boulder Citywide Retail Study Retailer Survey Citywide Retail Strategy Topic Area: Staff suggests exploring further the factors playing a role in employee attraction/retention. Open-ended survey responses cited affordable housing and parking issues as key factors, as summarized in Appendix I: Retailer Survey Responses – Boulder Drawbacks. In developing the strategy, the city would gain a better understanding of what, if any, city policies can help with this issue. 31%31% 28% 5% 0% 5% Much more difficult Somewhat more difficult About the same Somewhat easier Much easier Not sure 20% 20% 39% 39% 39% 30% 30% 34% 26% 44% 25% 26% 8% 16% 21% 43% 46% 46% 57% 48% Lack of Available Space Online Competition Utilities Costs Competition from Nearby Communities City Policies & Regulations Employee Parking Availability Customer Parking Availability Finding & Keeping Employees High/Increasing Rent Local Fees & Taxes Some impact Significant impact City Council Study Session Page 82 of 260 44 The consultant points out in their narrative that both online sales and a lack of available space are ranked low as factors making it more difficult to do business in Boulder, although they are empirically real challenges. As far as online competition, the consultant suggests the “pace of change may be just slow enough to keep concern at a simmer.” As far as a lack of available space, Boulder’s overall vacancy rate (with the inclusion of the Macy’s 150,000 sq. ft.) is higher than most of its neighboring communities (as discussed in the Performance Relative to Benchmark Cities section above), however, it is worth noting the location of current vacancies may not be in the areas most desired by the mostly small and local retailer survey respondents. Figure PP below identifies which retail nodes in Boulder have the highest vacancy rates. Figure PP. Location of Retail Vacancies by Retail Node Retail Inventory (sq. ft.) # of Properties Vacant Inventory (sq. ft.) Vacancy Rate Basemar 165,000 18 23,000 14.1 BVRC/29th Street 2,560,000 134 231,000 9.0 North 28th Street 1,146,000 70 76,000 6.6 The Hill/CU 221,000 26 12,800 5.8 Table Mesa 345,000 13 14,000 4.2 Gunbarrel 141,000 12 6,000 3.9 North Broadway 153,000 13 6,000 3.6 Pearl Street 1,027,000 116 28,000 2.7 North Broadway Annex 8,6000 12 1,000 1.6 The Meadows 251,000 4 0 0 Source: Costar, consultant. Citywide Retail Strategy Topic Area: Staff suggests exploring further in the strategy whether the city can or should play a role in assisting tenants with considering retail areas not normally targeted by small and independent retailers, but which might offer more affordable leasing rates and/or meet shopper demand for a greater variety of goods near to their home and work locations. As discussed in prior sections of the report, Boulder enjoys the benefits of – and its relatively strong retail performance is reliant on – spending from non-resident shoppers such as Boulder workers, residents of nearby communities, and tourists. When asked to rank the importance of various customer types in the retailer survey, 95% of respondents ranked Boulder residents as 95% “somewhat important” or “very important,” compared to 90% for residents of nearby communities and 82% for both tourists and Boulder City Council Study Session Page 83 of 260 45 workers. Only 57% of the respondents ranked university students at the same level of importance. The full list of rankings is provided in Figure QQ below. Figure QQ. Retailer Ranking of Importance of Customer Segments Source: 2019 Boulder Citywide Retail Study Retailer Survey These rankings reinforce the open-ended comments from retailers citing the desirability of Boulder as a place to do business because of the variety of customers they can attract. Retailer Exit Interviews In addition to business licensing data and retailer survey responses, the study also engaged retail operators that had closed their Boulder locations within the past two years. Not surprisingly, their responses mirrored many of the concerns of retailers who continue to operate in Boulder. The challenge to this component of the study was finding businesses that wished to speak with the city about their experience. As reported in the May 21, 2019 council update, several businesses no longer had working emails or phone numbers. After considerable research and outreach to meet the goal of 20 interviews, the Boulder Small Business Development Center (SBDC) eventually conducted a total of 22 interviews. These were performed in-person and in a confidential manner. An overview of the aggregated findings is provided in Appendix J: SBDC Exit Interviews – Summary. Some notable themes include: • Businesses located in Boulder because they loved the city and the customer base they thought they could attract. The reality did not necessarily live up to expectations: Pearl Street operators, for example, reported many customers that were “just looking,” University Hill operators reported lower than anticipated business from students and CU staff, and Gunbarrel operators reported paying Boulder prices for rent, but did not get the foot traffic they expected. • Those that re-opened in a new location primarily relocated to Denver, Golden, Lafayette and Longmont. 23% 26% 23% 38% 26% 15% 31% 31% 59% 44% 64% 80% Festival/event-goers University students Visitors/tourists People who work in Boulder Residents of nearby communities Boulder residents Somewhat important Very important City Council Study Session Page 84 of 260 46 • Ten out of the 22 respondents indicated they would locate in Boulder again if they could. Key themes from the exit interviews mirrored challenges cited in the current Boulder retailer survey responses, i.e. high rents, difficulties with staffing, parking and city regulatory processes. The SBDC asked respondents to suggest any steps the city could take to be more supportive of current retail operators. The responses included: • Help with licensing. Finding the right department is hard to navigate if you haven’t opened a business in Boulder before. • A zoning advocate to help with information exchange. • Creating opportunities for pop-up shops and shared spaces for more energy and interest. • Provide resource lists to businesses to help understand the support channels the city has to offer. • Help small businesses to purchase commercial property. The retailer exit interview findings reinforced the finding that the strategy should explore supporting small businesses and maintaining the city’s competitive advantage as a retail location by looking for opportunities to streamline and help navigate city permitting processes and ways to reduce the cost of doing business. In light of the comments above, staff would also add consideration for expanding opportunities for affordable commercial spaces. V. CITYWIDE RETAIL STRATEGY FRAMEWORK The wide-ranging nature of the study yielded a variety of avenues for further exploration in the Citywide Retail Strategy, with an eye toward meeting the BVCP’s goals of supporting commercial affordability and maintaining a vibrant retail base. The multiple topic areas suggested for further exploration throughout the report are consolidated below into two primary areas of inquiry. Leverage Existing Retail Inventory to Address Unmet Needs Given Boulder’s negative absorption rates and high vacancies in certain areas of the city (and the likelihood of potential additional vacancy), there may be little need to pursue the construction of significant additional retail space. The findings do support, however, an exploration of how Boulder’s existing retail space can be reconfigured and better utilized to meet the needs of its residents and workers. Staff recommends taking a comprehensive look at the location and size of existing retail vacancies, and whether these can offer opportunities to attract the types of stores that respond to shopper survey respondents’ unmet needs, or if the city can play a role in helping owners to reconfigure these spaces to attract these types of retail tenants. This would include seeking affordable goods and apparel and food store options that are more inclusive. The former would improve Boulder’s ability to serve the retail needs of City Council Study Session Page 85 of 260 47 its lower income residents and offer an alternative to spending their retail dollars in neighboring communities. The latter would improve the ability of Boulder to provide retail goods that are more welcoming and inclusive and help offset the downward trend in food store and apparel sales tax revenues. This would also include looking at the types of retail needed to meet the needs of residents and workers in areas of the city that are not as well-served. For example, expanding food store access in the Vista Village neighborhood and expanding café/dining options near employment centers in the eastern and southern areas of the city. This effort would include an eye toward providing the types of retail (and the retail experience) that will capture more worker and non-resident spending. As seen in the study, this becomes more important as Boulder’s population ages and its number of fixed income households increases. The high pull factor of much of Boulder’s retail across multiple industry categories indicates that this non-resident spending is essential to maintaining current levels of retail sales tax revenues. The strategy should also continue to monitor the evolving impacts of online sales and sales tax regulations on city sales tax revenues. Supporting the goal of enhancing the vibrancy of the city’s retail base, the strategy should reflect survey respondents desire for retail districts to prioritize “selection” and “clean and safe” as top priorities. Identify Impactful Enhancements to Support Small Businesses The topic areas not covered in the first area of inquiry for the strategy generally fall under a second primary area of inquiry: how to support the sustained viability of small businesses. This second area will look at ways to respond to the retailer survey respondents’ feeling that it is getting more difficult to do business in Boulder. To remain competitive with its neighbors as a desirable place to locate retail businesses, the strategy will need to examine possible differences in the city’s approach to permitting, its regulatory fee structure and commercial parking requirements. It will include a look at why retailers and restaurant operators expressed higher levels of dissatisfaction with doing business in Boulder than service businesses. This could include examining the process to establish a retail business in Boulder to identify opportunities to streamline this process, make it more transparent, or respond to more specific input (to be determined) with what other improvements would increase levels of satisfaction. The strategy will look at issues of housing affordability and parking for employees as key challenges for retailers’ ability to attract and retain good employees. This might include exploring programs to increase affordable parking access for workers, emphasizing the optimization of existing infrastructure and/or partnerships. Lastly, the strategy will explore the perception that Boulder is a more expensive place to do business, despite rents and taxes that are in line with neighboring communities. This City Council Study Session Page 86 of 260 48 could include an assessment of pass-through costs and other cumulative expenses that increase the cost of doing business. VI. NEXT STEPS The next steps toward pursuing the Citywide Retail Strategy are: 1. Based on feedback from City Council at the July 9, 2019 study session, staff will update the primary areas of inquiry and framework for the strategy and post these to the Citywide Retail Study/Strategy page. 2. The interdepartmental staff team supporting the initiative will discuss staffing and budgeting resources needed to complete the strategy between August- December 2019. 3. Staff will develop a community engagement plan for pursuing the strategy and begin public outreach. 4. Council will receive a mid-project update in a Heads Up, Information Packet or study session. 5. Staff will develop a list of actionable tasks to achieve the goals of the strategy for council review and consideration by the end of the year. City Council Study Session Page 87 of 260 Appendix A: Local Perceptions and Behavior Central to our work has been obtaining a better understanding of the degree to which the City is meeting inclusivity goals with respect to serving all citizens' retail needs, attracting and retaining independent businesses, and understanding how Boulder compares with peer and neighboring communities. Many important aspects of Boulder's current retail situation cannot be gleaned from available governmental or commercial data providers. To complement these secondary resources and to fill in key information gaps, we conducted four original surveys in the Boulder market: 1.Shopper Survey of Boulder residents, and workers employed in Boulder, 2.One-on-one Stakeholder Interviews, 3.Retailer Survey of shops, restaurants, service providers and other sellers and service providers located in the City, and 4.Former Retailer (or Exit Su_rvey) of retailers and service providers formerly but which are no longer operating within the City. In the case of all surveys, the survey design was the consultant team's responsibility. Staff assisted with the survey design. The City was then responsible to develop a plan to implement the survey. Staff developed a plan with the goal of obtaining as broad a sample as possible, executed that plan, and provided the consultants with results as summarized by the survey software, and the underlying raw data. The consultant team was then responsible to interpret the data, and to report the interpreted survey results. They results as summarized by the survey software is attached as Exhibit "C", and an open ended question summary is attached as Exhibit "D". Respondents sampled in the shopper and retailer surveys provided answers to questionnaires designed to explore their behaviors and attitudes relative to shopping for or selling goods and services in the City as the case might be. Some initial findings were presented to Council by staff on May 21, 2019. The more detailed description of objectives, delivery methods, sample details, and key findings for each survey presented in the sections below will give a more in­ depth and nuanced picture of what was and was not learned. The Exit Survey was conducted by the Boulder Small Business Development Center which compiled and summarized results which were then provided to the City and the consultant team. Respondents answered questions designed to reveal their experience operating businesses in Boulder as well as to elicit the reasons behind their businesses' closure or relocation. The consultant team conducted the stakeholder interviews independently. Appendix A: Local Perceptions and Behaviors City Council Study Session Page 88 of 260 ShopperSurvey4ObjectivesTheShopperSurveywasprimarilydesignedtoaddressthequestionofbowwellBoulder’sretail,diningandserviceofferingsmeettheneedsofBoulderresidentsandworkers.Questionsprobedshoppers’currentshopping/spendingbehaviorsacrossarangeofretail,dining/drinking,andservicecategories.Inadditiontoexploringshoppingbehaviors,thesurveywasdesignedtocaptureattitudesandperceptionsrelatedtothepatronage(orlackthereof)ofBoulderestablishments.MethodShopperSurveyresponsesweregatheredfromparticipantsviaonlinequestionnairesafterpostcardnotices,insertsinutilitybills,andotheroutreachmethods.Thequestionnaireincludedbothopen-endedandmultiple-choicequestionsdesignedtoexploretheabovetopicsandtook approximatelyfifteenminutesto complete.Participantswerekeptanonymousbutwereinvitedtoleavecontactinformationforpotentialqualitativefollow-upresearch(ie.focusgroups).Attentionwasmadetogatheringresponsesfromabroadsocio-economicspectruminBoulder.TheCitymadeparticularallowancestogatherinformationfromdifficulttoreachandunder-representedgroupsincludingasubsetofquestionnairesadministeredinpersonandatspecialevents.Thefollowingchartshowswhererespondentsheardaboutthesurvey:$35toRowLabels$0to35K100K$100K+CardiHome7.90%13.80%1350%email660%8.50%1290%ctywec6.50%10.50%Facebook11.80%10.60%6.20%Newsletter9.20%8.90%7.10%ens]atwork2.60%5.30%8.60%Mecia3.90%890%4.60%Cardcity6.60%4.90%5.50%Nextdoor5.30%4.50%4.00%Staff/Cry0.00%5.30%4.30%‘rend3.90%4.10%3.70%cuBoudeToday1.30%3.70%2.50%NotethatthereferenceforaPfindingsrthissectior,unlessot”erwsenoted,isthe2019BoulderRetailShopperSurvey,asanalyzedbyLelandConsultingGroupandGreensfelderRealEstateStrategy.There wereanumberofshortfallsintheCity’sdatacollectioneffortstowhichwearedrawingattentionbecauseifaretailstrategyorpolicyisbasedonthedataset,itisimportanttounderstandthedata’slimitations.Toexamplesare(a)90%ofrespondentswereBoulder-headquarteredbusinesses,solittledatafromnon-localfirmstryingtooperateintown,and(b)thereweredisproportionatelyfewrespondentsthatwerelowincomeorstudents.Additionalsamplingcouldresolvetheseandothersamplingissues.83Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 89 of 260 twitter1.30%2.00%3.70%CardStore5.30%1.60%2,80%Chamber0.00% 0.00%4.00%EFAA10.50%0.00% 0.00%family0.00%1.20%0.60%meeting/event2.60%0.40%0.60%Nbhdmtg/assoc0.00%0.80%0.60%SocialMedia0.00%1.20%0.30%seniore-mail2.60%0.40%0.00%Coworker0.00%0.40%0.60%YOAB1.30%0.80%0.00%CVB0.00% 0.40%0.60%DSP0.00%0.40%0.60%Lowerincomerespondentsweremore responsivetoCityWeb,Facebook,and theEFAAevent,andlesslikelytohavebeenbroughtinbythehomepostcardorbye-mails.•AfairamountofrespondentswereCityandCountyemployeeswhichmayskewresultsdueto,amongotherthings,incomelevels.•LimitationsontheseinitialfindingsarenotedintheintroductiontothisStudy.ASpanishtranslationversionwasavailable.OutreachthroughBoulderemployershelpedtosuppementthesampleofpeopleemployedinBoulderbutresidingoutsidetheCity.SampleCharacteristicsTheshoppersurveygeneratedasampleof 916totalcompletedquestionnaires,includingasetof628Boulderresidentsoverlappingwithasetof602Boulder-basedworkers.387respondentswerebothBoulderresidentsandBoulderemployees,asshowninthediagrambelow.Sample,byResidence&WorkplaceWorkinLye,nBoulderSc(602)L,voAND1628)WorkInBoulder(387)Oneofthestatedpurposesofthisstudyistoevaluateifretailisservingallgroups.Forthisreasonthesurvey wasdesignedsothatanunderstandingofneeds,satisfaction,and habitscouldbeevaluatedacrossallincomegroupsinBoulder.TheCity’simplementationplan84Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 90 of 260 intendedtoreachallgroups,withaparticularfocusonreachingunderrepresentedgroupsincludinglowincomerespondentsanduniversitystudents.Thefollowingchartshowstheresponserateforeachofthesegroupsrelativetoeachgroup’srepresentationinthe generalpopulation.Achartshowingtheresponseratebyincomegroupwithreferencetothesamegroup’srepresentationinthegeneral populationfollows.(Notethatninthischartislowerthanthe916totalresponsesbecause56respondentsdeclinedtogive incomeinformation.)BoulderResidentsbyHouseholdlncorre-__________________________________________________ci’-I27%IC.,’4?U14%I•>‘‘[l...11%IIFl24),1%ActualPcI(ESRI)21%—‘%n=ÔC),lO%Of916respondents,only29full-timestudentsand84residentswithincomesunder$35,000ultimatelyparticipatedinthesample,despiteextraoutreacheffortstoboostparticipationamongthosegroups.Botharesignificantunder-representationsascomparedwiththeoverallpopulationineachgroup.Thelowparticipationrateofuniversitystudentsresultedinasamplethatunder-representsyoungerandexacerbatestheunderrepresentationoflower-incomeshoppers.Ofthe29studentswhodidparticipate,theirprofilewasatypicalofactualCU-Boulderenrollees,especiallyintermsofage.Theuniversity’sstudentbodyincludesabout15%overtheageof24,whereasoursamplehadnearlythreetimesthatshare.ToavoiddrawingpotentiallyerroneousconclusionsaboutBoulderstudentsingeneral,wechosenottoshow85Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 91 of 260 subtotalbreakoutsforthatsegment.However,sinceallbutsevenofthestudentrespondentswerealsoBoulderresidentsorworkers,theyare includedinthosesamplegroups.SamplePercentversus PopulationPercent,byStudentStatus andIncomesampleactual44%ResidentswIncome<ResidentswIncome<535K550KSource:LelandConsultingGroup,GreensfelderRealEstateStrategy31%Theconsu[tantrecommendedextendingthesurveyperiodinordertoobtainaresponsedistribution morecloselyresemblingBoulder’sincome distributionandstudentpopulation,however,staffinstructedtheconsultantteamtoanalyzesurveydatawithoutobtainingadditionalresponses.Thefollowingchartsshowresponseratesbyageandincome:Sample, BoulderResidentsbyAge(withheld)12age55+249under35123:435 to54244Sample,BoulderResidentsbyIncome(withhelAsdiscussedingreaterdetailbelow,incomeandageprovedtohavearelativelyweakrelationshiptooverall retailsatisfactionlevelsandkeybehavioralmeasuresofshoppinginBoulderversusinnearbycities.33%25%4%UniversityStudents$0 to35K83\IssstolOOK.186Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 92 of 260 Followingareheatmapsshowingwheresurveyrespondentsliveandwork(darkercolorsindicategreaterconcentrations):V.,.ResidentsWorkersSource:CityofBoulder,LelandConsultingGroup,GreensielderRealEstateStrategyFindingsFindingsforeachmainquestionnairesectionareshownbelow,eitherforthesampleoverallorcross-tabulatedbydemographicorgeographicfactors,dependingonrelevancetothesurveygoals.CurrentSatisfactionWebeganbydirectlyaskingaquestionaddressingoneofthechiefconcernsoftheCitytobeaddressedbythiseffort:HowsatisfiedareyouwiththeavailabilityofgoodsandservicesinBoulderthatmeetyourbasicneeds?Withfivepossibleresponsesrangingfromverysatisfiedtoverydissatisfied,theresultsfromBoulderresidentsaresummarizedbelow,byrespondenthomeZIPcodes(aZIPcodemapfollows).!A1,I,.,rL87Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 93 of 260 OverallSatisfactionwithBasicRetail,byBoulderHomeZIPSomewhatsatisfiedVerysatisfied80305(Tab!e.:1esa)50%80302(Dovsntow.RI)45%80304(NW)32%8030;\E)44%80303(SE)32%ZipcodeReferenceMap•Asshownabove,regardlessofhomelocation,respondentsweregenerallysatisfiedwithBoulder’sbasicretailoffering—with71%to75%ofresidentsatleastsomewhatsatisfiedacrossallZIPcodes.•NorthwestBoulderhadthehighestpercentageofverysatisfiedresidents.ResidentslivinginnortheastBoulder,includingGunbarrel,werelesslikelytoindicatetheywereverysatisfied.AlogicalhypothesisrelatedtoresidentdemographicsandtheiraccesstoretailisthatlowerincomeresidentswillbelesssatisfiedwithBoulder’sretailofferingandmighthavemoretroublefindingthe basictheyneedatBoulderstores.Thechartabove,however,suggeststhatresidentincomeisnotstronglycorrelatedwiththeabilitytofindbasicgoods.lntermsofsatisfactionwithBoulder’sretailoffering,thepictureisabitmorenuanced.Incomewassimilarlyshowntohavelittleimpactonresidents’overallsatisfactionwithbasicretailinBoulder,asshownbelow.Consistentincome-relateddifferencesdid,however,emergewhenwelookedatmoredetailedaspectsofresidentsatisfaction.Ineachofthefollowingthreecharts,longerbarsrepresenthigherlevelsofsatisfaction.88Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 94 of 260 SatisfactionwithBasicRetailAVAILABILITYinBoulder,byHouseholdIncomeScmev:’a:satisfiedVerysatsfed5250K÷21%114%Si50-250K40%il3%5100-150K37%2%residents)$75-lOOK33%550-75K30%fl35-50K31%°/25-35K17%13%50-25K41%______0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%Insubsequentquestions,respondentswereaskedtothinkaboutthebasicretailofferingneartheirhomeandforopinionsspecificallywithrespecttoPRICE,AVAILABILITYandSELECTION.WhenprobedfurtheraboutthebasicretailPRICESneartheirBoulderhomes,wedoseeanexpecteddipinsatisfactionforowerincomerespondents.ThesamedipisseenforsatisfactionwithbasicretailAVAILABILITYnear home.Bothfindingsare circledinthechartsthatfollow.Satisfactionwith BasicRetailPRICESinBoulder,byHouseholdIncomeSomewhatsatisfiedIVerysatisfied!$250K+29%_____________________£150-250K39%36%JSl00-150K30%___________________(among$75-lOOK30%30%Boulder550-75<28%resdents)23jJZ50-25Ko32%0%10%23%30%40%50%60%70%80%89Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 95 of 260 SatisfactionwithBasic Retail SELECTIONinBoulder,byHouseholdIncomeSomewhatsatisfied•“Verysatisfied$250K+27%19%5150-250K44%5100-150K42%23%(among575-lOOK36%22%Boulderresidents)550-75K41%::50-25K46%20%0%10%20% 30% 40%50%60%70%80%Lookingatsatisfaction ratingsbrokenoutbySELECTION,AVAILABILITYandPRICEcriteria,butthistimecomparingresidentratingsofretailnearhomewithworkersratingsofretailnearwork,wefindgenerallyhighersatisfactionwithretailnearhomethanretailnearwork,asshownbelow:90Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 96 of 260 Satisfaction,ShoppingforBasics60%NearmyHOMEBoulde55%NeamyWOR<inBoider50%44%0J37%0(0-ca)B0C‘I)ci0)0-WithSelectionVli:b.AvaiiabiFtyWithPrceTheimbalanceinsatisfactionwithavailabilityisexplainedbylookingatsomeofBoulder’slargestemploymentconcentrations:•AsobservedduringourfieldworkandconfirmedbytherecentDowntownstudy’sretaUinventory,Downtownemployeeshaveagoodselectionofrestaurants,barsandspecialtyshopsdowntown,butlittleinthewayofdailynecessities.•Similarly,CUemployeeshavefewretailoptionsoncampusoutsideoftheUniversityMemorialCenterwhichcatersprimarilytostudents,especiallyforbasicneeds,andlikelyhavetoleavecampusatsomeinconvenience.•NortheastBoulder’semploymentconcentrationsarewell-separatedfromthe28thStreetretailcluster,andmostarenotconvenienttotheneighborhood/communityretailcenterinGunbarrel.Foramorefine-tunedanalysisof retailsatisfactionbygeographiclocation,wealsolookedatsu’veyresponsestothosesamequestionsbyrespondents’homeandworklocationsbyassigningrespondentstotheirnearestretailnodearea(asdefinedinPartI).TounderstandtheirspecifichomeandworKgeography,weaskrespondentstogiveusthecross-streetsnearesttotheirresidenceorworkplace(orboth,inthecaseofrespondentswhobothliveandworkinBoulder).Theseopen-endedresponseswereconvertedintomappointsbytheCity’sGISstaff.91Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 97 of 260 Oftheparticipantswithvalidresponses(someleftthequestionblankandsomegaveanswersthatcouldnotbegeo-coded),wehadasampleof517Boulderresidents,including395withinretailnodeareasard122outsideoraretailnodebutstillinBoulder.FromthepoolofBoulderworkers,wehadausablesampleof510,including417insidenodeareasand93outsideanynode.Becausethemoredetailedsatisfactionquestions(specifictoprice,availabilityandselection)wereshowntoyieldmoreresponsediscriminationintheanalysis,wechosetofocusonthoseratherthan“overall”satisfaction.Resultsaredetailedinthetablebelowforworkersandresidentswholiveorworkwithinoneofthetennodeareas.Thequestionwasworded“Areyougenerallysatisfiedwiththeselection,priceandavailabilityofbasicgoodsandservicesnearyourhomeinBoulder?”(or“nearyourworkinBoulder”),withpromptstoanswerspecificallywithregardstoavailability,price,andselection,inturn.Thepercentagesshownarethesumofthosesayingtheywere“somewhatsatisfied”or“verysatisfied.”SatisfactionwithBasicRetailNearHomeandWork(Percent.SonievI,attoVerySatisfied)BotildetResidents(basicretailneatmyhome)BoulderWorke,s(basicretailnearmyworkA.’aiiahIlyPhceSelectionnAuaaoityPuceSeector-Base’a’43%45%t6i%1943%26%48%..61%____53%Gunbarre36%36%45%II54%39%46%54%.-49%fl554%38%46%N28trSt657fl—46%r67%7939%33%47%NRoad:aiAnnex49%43%.54%3522%33%44%NotEoJ-.ay52%41%rEio2753%33%47%iSPearlS53%28%56%250%32%57%135TibleMesi51%1.48%SB%7744SlY44%TheHill42%37%47%1939%%%‘i.DarkergreencellsIndicateahigherpercentageofrespondentssatisfied.Notethatresidentsatisfactionwiththeavailabilityandselectionofretailbasics(again,addingsomewhatandverysatisfied)isabove50%formorethanhalfofthenodeareas.Infact,onlyamajorityresidentslivingnearTheHillandGunbarrelwerelessthansatisfiedonperceivedselection(althoughbasedonasmallsamplesizeof11).Aminorityofresidentsofeverynodeandalsoforthoseworkingnearallbutonenode(theretail/restaurant-heavyBVRC-29thStreetarea)weresatisfiedwithprice.Tomakethenodedifferenceseasiertovisualize,weshowthesameresultsgraphicallyinthescatterplotsbelow,firstforresidents,thenworkers(focusingonjusttheAvailabilityandPricequestions,sinceavailabilityandselectionresponsesweregenerallyhighlycorrelated).92Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 98 of 260 SatisfactionwithBasicRetailNearMyHomeNe,rih3roadway•Mt:,jtluw.•N28thStBVRC.29thSt20Q•13,,sc’rnj’-n-J‘U•T,As..•Pejri5:NBrodowdyA:nttx•it.0I•(b’biictsatstcdw;thPRICEShownnearerthetopoftheolot,residentslivingnearNorthBroadway,Meadows,BVRC-29thStreet,andN.28thSt-eethadthehighestsatisfactionwithbasicretailselection.Althoughnonodehadamajorityofresidentswhoweresatisfiedwithprice,thenodessiowntowardstherightofthechartscored thebest:Meadows, TableMesa,N.28thSt.andBasemar.ResidentslivingneartheHilland Gunbarrelscoredlowonsatisfactionwithbothselectionandprice,whilePearlStreetearnedthelowestresidentscoresforprice(notsurprisinggivenitsemphasisonfinediningandvisitor-friendlyboutiques).93Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 99 of 260 SatisfactionwithBasicRetailNearMyWork.HVR(.29thSt20UL1J-JUJvs5•PealStIlieHillUa,N28thStIBasetsatMenJewsCunbarrelNortliRiii_JwsyNBro.itlw;iyArinr,x-Tah1eMesasattstipclwithPRJCFNotetheconsiderabledifferenceinworker’sratingsfortheirnearbynode,relativetotheresident’sratingsjustshown.TheBoulderValleyRetailCenter-29thStreetretailclusterhasthemostworkerssatisfiedwithselection,byfar,andistheonlynodeforwhichmore thanhalfofworkers aresatisfiedbasedonprice.Thatarea’smixofmid-priceddiningandshops(higherthan mostonitsmixofnationalchains)isapparentlyagoodfitwiththebasicneedsofthatarea’sworkforce--manyofwhom alsoworkinretailandearntowards thelowerendofthepayscale.ThechangeinratingsforPearlStreetandTheHillisalsoofinterest.Whileresidentslivingnearthosenodeshadsatisfactionratingsnear thebottomforpriceandselection(likelybecauseoftherelativelackofeverydayshoppingoptionslikegrocerystoresanddrugstores),thoseworkinginthosenodeshadhighersatisfactionwithselectionthan workersnearothernodes.PricesatisfactionwithPearlStreetandTheHillwassimilaracrossresidentsandworkersinanabsolutesense,butfortheworkergroupthoseareaswereatleastnolongeratthebottomofthepack.94Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 100 of 260 TheMeadowsandN.28thStreetscoredimpressivelytowardstheupper-rightintheresident-basedratings,butfelltothemiddleofthepackforworkers.ThescoresfortheMeadowsarelikelyrelatedtothefactthatthereareonlyfourrestaurantsinthatentirenodearea.ForN.28thStreet,whererestaurantsareactuallyplentiful,thefall-offinworkersvs.residentsmayhavemoretoduetothefactthatitsdiningandretailoptionsarequitestrungoutalong28thStreetinamuchlesspedestrian-friendlyenvironmentthat,say,PearlStreetortheHill.What’sackng?WhenaskedifresidentshadtroublefindingbasicgoodsinBoulderoverthepastyear,respondentswerefairlyevenlysplit,withjustunderhalfsaying“yes,”afindingthatgenerallyheldtrueacrossallincomecategories,asshowninthefollowingchart.“Isometimescan’tfindthebasicsIneedinBoulder”NotSureYES$250K+8%42%(amongBouderresidents)5150-250K12%40%SiOO-1SOK20%48%$75-lOOK21%42%S50-75K12%S35-50K21%525-35K17%46%S0-25K14%0%‘0%23%30%40%50%60%70%80%Responsestothesamequestion,separatedbyrespondentage(forBoulderresidents)showsthatyoungerresidents,especiallyyoungadultsaged25to34,weresignificantlylesslikelytoreportdifficultyinfindingneededbasicsintown.Onetheoryaboutthisfindingmayhavetodowiththeincreasinglistofnecessitiesaccumulatedbyhouseholdsastheyageintoparentalandthenseniorcitizenlifestages.95Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 101 of 260 Residents:Arethereanybasicgoodsandyouneedbutcan’tfindinBoulder?53%52%FindingsamongBoulderworkers,shownbelow,followanearly identicalpattern,withonedifferencebeingthatthe youngestworkers(under25)nowalsohavelittledifficultyfindingnecessities.Onetheoryaboutthisfindingisthatworkersthisagehavefewernecessitiestopurchase).BoulderWorkers:Arethereanybasicgoodsandservicesyouneed butcan’tfindinBoulder?Thefollowingproductsandstorecategorieswerementionedinanopen-endedfollow-upquestionaskingrespondentstolistwhatbasicstheyfoundlackinginBoulder.Thefollowingtableshowsthemostcommoncategoriesmentioned:Boulderservices52%24&u”der25:c3435to4445to555to6465&overResooncientAge49%53%24&under25to343Sta4L45to5455to6465&overResooncentAge96Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 102 of 260 • Apparel,includingmen’sandwomen’sclothingandshoes,toppedthelist,citedby132totalrespondents—faraboveanyothercategory.•Mentionsofaffordability,expense,“reasonablypriced,”andsimilarphraseswereincludedinover100responses,withmanyparticioantsmakingitclearthat,inmanycases,neededproductsaretechnicallyavailableinBoulder,butjustnotatreasonableprices.•Furniture/furnishings,restaurants(mainlyfast/affordable),andsportinggoodswerethenextmostcommoncategories.•Thelistissortedbynumberofresponses.Notethatincategorizingopen-endedresponses,wesoughttogroupike-with-like,but sometimeserredonthesideofpreservingrespondentspecificity.Forinstance,becausesomanypeoplechosetospecifywantingaWalmartorCostcobyname,weoptedtokeepthoseasseparateresponsecategories(ratherthantogrouptogetherwithmoregeneralcallsforaffordability)S.Whiletheresultsaretalliedandsortedforeaseofunderstanding,thequestionwasqualitativeinnature--intendedtohelpfleshoutresidentandworkerdesiresalludedtoinaffordable(inadditionto category)furnishing,decor,furniture‘ood serVce,restau’antsportingWaHartotherCostco(orotherwarehouse)hardware,materials,gardenpersonalcare,beauty,pharmacy,medsupplyspecificfooditems(non-ethnic)grocery,foodforhomematernity,baby,kidstorehomesupplies,housewaresdepartmentstore(general,orspecificother)electronics,appliancesspecificethnicfood(s)carwash,gas,automotivenon-autorepair,svcbulk,outletmed,dentist:hrt,2nd-bandOtherspeciicdscountstore(DolarStore,etcjRadioShack-typeelectroric/partsstoreloca(inaddition)RespondentsMentioning1321074031313030282727212525211816161613987S5other,morequantitativequestionsaboutpriceandselection.IfapersonmentionedwantingaWalmart, butthenalsomadeamoregeneralcommentaboutwantingmoreaffordablestores,wetalliedtheminbothcategories.apoa’el,shoes97Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 103 of 260 Shopping/SpendingBehavior—traditionalRetailToaddressconcernsaboutretailspendingpotentialleavingtheCity,weaskedaseriesofquestionsaboutbehaviorpatternsacrossseveralretail,restaurantandservicecategories,assummarized below.Foreachretailcategory,respondentswereaskedwhethertheyusuallyshoppedinBoulder,outsideBoulder,oronline.Respondentswereallowedtoindicatemorethanone“usual,”sopercentagesacrossoptionsmaytotaltomorethan1OQ%.6Wheredoyouusuallyshopfor...(Boulderresidents)100%92%87%85%nBenbe,0’75%80,065%67%58%60%49% 49%31%20%0%giocerieshealth,homeautoparts,books,sportinggeneral electronicsclothingturn,iuie,pharrn.centerstireshobbygoodsmdsefurnishings6Becausesomanyrespondentschosetogivemultipleresponsestoour“wheredoyou usuallyshop”question,webelieveitisreasonabletoassumethataggregatedresultsacrossrespondentsreflecttherelativefrequencyofshoppingatthevariousstoretypes.98Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 104 of 260 Wheredoyouusuallyshopfor...(Boulderresidents)80%70%70%OutsdoBooccc60%50%039%zIQ%36/s28%-o30%23%2o/23%18%20%0%groceriesheaitn,homeautopans,nooks,sportingyenerafefectronicsc‘olningfurniture,pharrn,centerstireshobbygoodsmdse.furnishingspersonal•Notsurprisingly,Boulderresidentstendedtostayclosetohomewhenshoppingfordailyneedssuchasgroceryand drugstoregoods,andhomecenter/hardwaresupplies.•DespiteanApplestoreandmanyapparelboutiqueswithintheCitylimits,BoulderresidentsweremuchmorelikelytostrayoutsidetheCityforbothcommodityandspecialtygoodsincludingelectronics,clothing,andhomefurnishings(showninchartsaboveandbelow).•Brokenoutbyrespondenthouseholdincomelevelinthefollowingchart,weseethatthepropensityto shopinBoulderholdsisrelativelysteadyforeachstore-typecategoryacrossincomegroups.99Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 105 of 260 IusuallyshopINBOULDERfor...(amon9BoulderResidents)100%90%80%70%60%50%20%10%grocerieshealth,pharrn.personalhomecentersautopans,tieshooks,hobbySO1tflggnoclsgeneralmdseeccIui‘ICSdothngfumeure,ftirn:sh,InqsAsexpected,onlineshoppingamongBoulderresidentsismostprevalentforcommoditiessuchasbooks/hobbies,electronics,andsportinggoods, butisalsoseenforseveralspecialtyretailcategories:•Apparel, moreoftenthoughtofasaspecialtyretailcategory,sawsimilaron-lineshoppingpatternasmanyofthecommoditycategories.Thisapparelfindingisconsistentwithonlineretailersremovingbarrierstopurchasing specialtygoodsthroughalternativeretailchannelsthroughfreereturnsandapplicationoftechnologysuchas“magicmirrors.”0%I$#41’Y‘;\c;N0“C,,r,o,$1’Hr,,jseholdIncome•Onenotableexceptionisinauto parts(dottedlineabove),forwhichresidentsareconsiderablymorelikelytoleaveBoulder.lowerincome100Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 106 of 260 •Thefindingforbook/hobby/music/toystoresisironicgiven Boulder’sextremelystrongpullfactorforthatcategory.Thissuggeststwopossibilitiesthatmayboth beinplay:1)high-volumeCUstudenttextbookstoresareprobablyamajorpartofthe“pull”,and2)otherbook,hobby,toy and musicstoresinBouldermayrelyheavilyonout-of-townvisitors whoseekoutthosestoresforspecialtyshopping.Wheredoyouusuallyshopfor...(Boulderresidents)electron,rscotn“gfJ’,s.1.sbrotsflout,0ono3LI/051%60%50%OrIrs40%30%22%20%Ci2o6%0%goceres41%50%13%1070homeautoparts.ce’rterstespharm.personal31%books.sportinggeneralobbygoocsmdseRegardlessofincome,Boulderresidentsweremorelikelytosaythattheirpropensitytoshoponlinehadincreased(versusdecreased)overthepastyear,butincreaseswerehigherforhigherincomegroups.61%48%40%29%47%80%70%61%Myonlineshoppinghas...(Boulderresidents)Decreasedstayeothesanelrcreased24%JI::._1•.•—50-25K525-35K535-50K550-75K$75-lOOK5100-150K 5150-250K$250K+44%50%40%20%10%0%101Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 107 of 260 •Thoseearninginthetopincometiers($150Kandup)weremorethantwiceaslikelyasthelowestincomeresidentstoreportarecentincreaseinonlineshopping.•Fromaninclusivityperspective,thisfindingmaycorrelatewithavailabilityofdiscretionaryincome(lessforlow-incomeresidents),withaccesstotechnology,orwithboth,however,thesewerequestionsthatwere nottestedinthesurvey.•Thoseinthelowerincomegroupswerealsomuchmorelikelytoscorethequestionas“notapplicable,”suggestingthatonlineshoppingwasnotyetapartoftheirbehavior.ReportedChangeinBoulderSboppngHabitsTogetasenseofchangesinbehaviorover time,weaskedrespondentstoreportonwhethertheirshoppinginBoulderhadchangedoverthepasttwoyears.Theresults wereremarkablyconsistentacrossthevarioussegmentsbasedonresidenceandworkplace,withn’orepeoplereportingdecreasesinBoulderspendingthanincreases.HowHasYourSpendingInBoulderChangedOverthePastTwo Years?AllBouldervorkers41%50%9%R,Dr-resicen:Boudci48%11%woersResidetswlOaso58°’v;o’knBoulde’/00Residents whodo,’tI8%wo<nBoJ!derALBo’jloerresidents38%54%8%1Decrr’asedAoouttuesaneHceasedThegroupleastlikelytoreportadecreaseinBoulderspendingwerethosewhobothliveandworkinBoulder.Eveninthatgroup,respondentsreportingdecreasedspendingoutnumberedincreasedspendersbymorethanthree-to-one.PeoplewhoworkinBoulderbutliveelsewherereportedthesteepestdeclineInfact,thatgroupwastheonlyoneforwhich“decreased”outnumbered“stayedaboutthesame.”102Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 108 of 260 WethenaskedquestionstobetterunderstandwhetherthosedecreasedwereduemoretoonlineshoppingortoshoppingoutsideBoulder.Again,theanswerswerequitesimilaracrosssegments.HowHasYourSpendingOUTSIDEBoulderChangedOverthePastTwoYears?(excl.online)AllBoulderworkersL.n%J56%Non-reskentBoulder13%51%35%Residentswhoalso13%59%29%worknBoulderResidentswhodon’t11%37%workinBoulderArBo.deesdets12%56%32%DecreasecAboutthesameIncreasedRegardlessofwhererespondentsliveorwork,thosereportinganincreaseinout-of-townspendingoutnumberedthosereportingadeclineinnon-Boulderspending(excludingonlinepurchases),withincreasesaccountingforaroundone-thirdofrespondentsacrossallgroups.Aswiththepreviousquestion,thosereportingnochangeinspendingbehaviorwerethelargestgroupacrosstheboard.103Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 109 of 260 HowHasYourSpendingONLINEChangedOverthePastTwoYears?ABoulderwnkers6%42%52%Non-residentBoulder6%43%51%worKesResde-tswhoalso70/-/00/0v-jorkinBoulderRes,dentsvsrodo-’t,•5/044/o50kwoikinBoIderAF3culderresdents6%42%-52%‘DecreasedAboutthesameIncreasedReportedfrequencyofonlineshoppingoverthepasttwoyears,wereessentiallyunaffectedbyplaceofresidenceandworkplace,withjust overhalfofrespondentsreportingincreasedonlinespendingandveryfewreportingdecreases.Thischartexcludesthoseselecting‘doesnotapply”,butthataccountedforlessthanfivepercentofresponses.LookingatthesamesetofquestionsacrossincomegroupsshowednoconsistentpatternlinkingincomeandtrendsinshoppinginoroutsideBoulder(although,asreportedpreviously,increasesinonlineshoppingdidappeartobemoreprevalentamonghigher incomerespondents).GiventhatthepreviousthreechartsallshowhigherreporteddecreasesratherthanincreasesinspendinginBoulderinrecentyears(amongbothresidentsandworkers),areasonableinferencethatmightbedrawn,inlightoftheearlierfindingsof generallypositivesalesperFormance,isthatthevisitorspendingsegmentmaybeincreasinglyimportantinsupportingretailsalesandtaxrevenueflows.Shopping/SpendingBehavior—Food&BeverageInadditiontoretailstorecategories,wealsoaskedaseriesofquestionsaboutresidents’andworkers’patronagebehaviorandattitudesrelativetorestaurants,bars,andcafes.104Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 110 of 260 Boulder’sShareofDining/DrinkingVisitsBoulderResidentsNon-ResidentBoulderWorkers81%69°/71%71%72%67%51%52%39%40%41%31%FamilyFastFoodFineDiningFoodTrucksFastCasualBars/TavernsCafes/CoffeeRestaurants•BoulderresidentsarerelativelyconsistentacrossestablishmenttypesinwhatpercentoftheirpatronagegoestobusinessesinBoulder,rangingfrom67%forfamilyrestaurantsto81%forcafes/coffeeshops.•ForBoulderworkers(focusingonnon-Boulderresidents),thehighestpatronagesharesforBoulderestablishmentsareforfinedining, fastcasualrestaurants,andcafé/coffeeshop,allofwhichreceivedaboutone-halfofrespondents’“usual”visits.Shopping/SpendingBehavior—ServiceCategoriesTherewasconcernamonganumberofCityleadersthatservicesarenotreadily availabletoBoulderresidents.Residentswereaskedwheretheyusuallygo7topatronizeavariety ofdifferenttypesofservicebusinesses:Aswithshoppinganddiningcategories,respondentswereallowedtoindicateboth“inBoulder”and“outsideBoulder”ifbothwerepartoftheirusualpatronagebehavior.105Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 111 of 260 WheredoBoulderResidentsgoforbasicseivices?AutoNon-AutoMedical,RepairBankingChildcareFitnessHairCareRepairs DentalriBoulder(countofrespondents)49154092459471385552Outside1361011243124200160nO35 235271446311212BoulderShare(amongcategoryusers)78%84%88%91%79%66% 18%Peirzentwholeveruse6%4%84%23%10%18%2%Percentwhoevci use94% 96%16%77% 90%82%98%Boulder’sShareofBoulderResidents’ServiceSpendingFitness91%Chi)dcare88%Banking84%HairCare79%AutoRepair78%Medical,Dental78%Non-AutoRepairs66%•ResidentsgavefitnesscentersandchildcarethehighestaverageshareoflocalBoulderpatronage.Forbothcategories,establishmentsinBoulderaccountedforaboutnineoutoftenresidentvisits.•Banking,haircare,autorepairandmedical/dentalserviceswereclosebehindwithanestimatedBoulderresidentshareinthe80%rangeacrossthoseservicecategories.•Theservicecategorywiththelowestlocalpatronagewashousehold/non-automotiverepairs, wherejust 2/3ofusualvisitstookplaceinBoulder.•Theredoesnotseemtobeapaucityofavailableservicesinanycategory.Nopatternwasexhibitedinrespondents’open-endedrepliessingling-outaparticularservicecategoryaslackingintheCity.106Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 112 of 260 Among Boulderworkers,patronagebehaviorforbasicservicesisstronglydependentonwhethertheworkeralsoresidesinBoulder,asshownbelow. Acrossallcategories,BoulderworkerswhoresideinBoulderstayedintownfor81%ofserviceneeds,whilenon-residentBoulderworkerspatronizedBoulderserviceestablishmentsaboutone-thirdofthetime.Thisresident/non-residentdiscrepancywasgreatestforChildcare,wherejust14%ofnonresidentBoulderworkerbusinesswenttoBoulderestablishments,versus90%ifthatworkerlivedinBoulder.Boulder’smedical/dentalandbankingservicesdidamuchbetterjobofattractingnon-residentusers--probablybecauseofthewiderangeofoptionsavailableintownforthoseservicetypes.WheredoBoulderWorkersGoforBasicServices?Al:ServcesAverace81%Medical,Dental77/0on-esidentvo4ersNor>AutoRepairs66%residentworkers1—airCare80%tress91%Childcare90%86%AtcRepair4:tr:1&Q,78%BoulderSareofPat’onageWhatShoppersValueBasedontheJuly8,2018commentsfromCityCouncil,weaskedrespondentsto ratetheimportanceofvariousstoreattributeswhenshoppingforconvenienceitems(likegroceries),andagainwhenshoppingforspecialtygoods(likeclothing):107Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 113 of 260 WhatBoulder ResidentsValueWhenShopping,Conveniencevs.SpecialtyGoodsConvenience GoodsSpecia]tyGoods060/89%01084%o0-76/C-70%66%U)L10/0?%59%59%cLo/o0S37%0tfl0)C(UCU)0e0-Sales/PromosParkingEaseUnique,Hard- Expert ServiceWalk/BikeLowPricesTopQualityto-FindItemsEase•Qualityandconsistentlowpricingemergedasthe mostvaluedattributesforconveniencegoods(84%and89%)respectively.•Forspecialtygoods,Boulderresidentsvaluedunique/hard-to-finditems andeaseofparkingasthemostvaluedattributes.When askedasimilarsetofquestionstogaugewhatwasimportanttorespondentinalocalshoppingareaingeneral(asopposedtoaparticularstoretype).Whenasked to “pleaseranktheimportanceofthefollowinglocalshoppingareacharacteristics”(seechartthatfollowsforlistofattributes),Boulderresidents indicatedtheyvalued selectionofstoresandsafety/cleanlinessthehighest,followedbyparkingavailability.Non-automotiveaccessandattractivesettingswerealsoimportant tomorethan2/3ofrespondents,butratedlowerthansafety/cleanliness andparking.108Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 114 of 260 WhatdoResidentsValueinaLocalShoppingAreaSelectionofGoods/Services97%Cleanliness&Safety96%Parking Availability83%Walk/Bike/BusAccess71%Landscaping/Beauty68%PublicGathering/EventSpaces46%SomewhatorVeryImportantStakeholderInterviewResultsAspartofdetermining thedegreetowhichtheCityismeetinginclusivitygoalswithrespecttoservingallcitizens’retailneeds,attractingandretainingindependentbusinesses,andunderstandinghowBouldercompareswithpeerandneighboringcommunities,theconsultantteamconducted stakeholderinterviewsduringitsvisittoBoulderonFebruary3-6,2019.Thefollowingactivitieswereprioritizedforthisvisit:•AsurveyofexistingretailinBoulderandsurroundingcommunities.• MeetingswithstafftodiscusstheinitialphaseoftheCitywideRetailStudy,withaparticularfocustheupcomingsurveys.• Meetingswith22stakeholders,almostallofwhomwereidentifiedbystaffandincludedCouncilmembers,communitypartners,retailersandentrepreneurs,andcommercialownersandbrokers.•Inadditiontosurveyingattitudesintheseone-on-onesessions,patternsofresponseswereintendedtoinformsurveydesign.Stakeholderfeedbackwasinvaluable,and,asexpected,themesemerged.Inadditiontoprovidinginvaluableinsight,whatwaslearnedhelpedinrefining surveydesignandplanning.Inordertoobtainabroadersampletosupportorrefutethesethemes,theconsultantteamdevelopedaseriesofneutralstatementstowhichretailersurveyrespondentswouldbeaskedtoanswer‘yes”or“no.”Therewouldbeanopportunitylaterforrespondentstoelaborateinopen-endedquestions.Unfortunately,theseriesofstatementsrecommendedbythe109Appendix A: Local Perceptions and BehaviorsCity Council Study Session Page 115 of 260 What Kinds of Stores Do You Wish There Were More Of? More big box stores - like Walmart - would be convenient. I understand the ethical issues with Walmart and other stores, but it's necessary to shop there for many salary levels. Lower price point fast casual and casual restaurants. More big box retail stores (Nordstrom, Wallmart). Larger / better stocked Best Buy, HomeGoods, Macys). Tesla. Not sure It appears the Boulder retail scene caters to boutique establishments that cater to professionals without children. It seems the retail vibe in Boulder is against corporate and "big box" establishments. It is ironic that when people are successful in keeping affordable corporate retail out of the city, they then go home and order their needs off of Amazon.com. I may be wrong, but that behavior seems a bit hypocritical to me. More modern/European clothing. More modern/European footwear. More Chinese. clothing, shoes, ethnic foods of a wide variety, affordable food/lunch More mid-level clothing. The outdoor wear market is saturated with high price stores. I'd like to see more restaurants and more plant/landscaping options Super Target, Walmart supercenter. Better restaurants. I go to Denver for IKEA, but I don't want there to be an IKEA in Boulder. Bulk good stores More locally-owned affordable restaurants. More affordable, not high-end clothing and furniture/homeware stores Mexican restaurants (authentic) and stores that sell Mexican products like Avanza, Liborios,Walmart Superstore, more fast food places like Carls Jr., Sonic, Chick fil a. more vegan restaurants or restaurants the offered more variety. more store that offered the ability to refill beauty, household items easily. retail stores that offered vegan clothes and shoes. I would love to see bigger variety of affordable restaurants, not the ones located on Pearl Street when only the richest can dine. We need more variety of French, Italian, American cuisine more affordable for lower income households. Affordable clothing and shoes. shoe repair? I'm sure it exists, but I haven't found it yet! More fast/causal that ARE affordable restaurants would be nice More fast casual would be nice. Lossing Applebee's, OLive Garden, Old Chicago, and other likewise resturants was not great. more gas stations, better dentists, more affordable retail stores for work clothing More normal people kind of stores instead of high end boutiques. I also wish Boulder had fewer chain restaurants. Clothing stores in South Boulder. Sushi restaurant in South Boulder. Earlier answer to question covers this... Clothing. Everything in Boulder falls into one of two categories - incredibly boring and basic, or very expensive. Low selection. Also, more eclectic stores, like Aria or Paper Doll used to be. I used to do tons of gift shopping at those stores, but they are gone, now. Rents are too high and it has driven out most local business, so there's nothing unique here anymore - so boring. If you want me to shop, I need something that doesn't put me to sleep. Also, there are no kid's shoe stores left in Boulder. Literally have to leave the city to get those. Men's clothes are also super-boring unless it is sport-specific. RV supply (the one we have stinks), contractors for home repairs, discount stores, storage that is affordable Fast food, gas and food markets, specialty shops Clothing, gifts, used items, kitchen gear, food trucks, restaurants, kid stuff - trampoline parks, etc. Teen-ager stuff, rental halls for big parties. The variety of good available in Boulder stores has decreased. This is what drives me to order on line. I rather shop locally. However if goods not present, I have no choice. This is true of food, clothing, and other goods. General merchandise, unique non-chain stores Clothing stores. A Costco. Discount stores like TJ Maxx, Sierra Trading Post, high quality shoes, venues for local musicians, gift/jewelry stores with local art, affordable clothing (Old Navy, Price is my biggest issue. I tend to only be able to shop at Target, Safeway, Trader Joe's and Home Depot where prices are the same in or out of Boulder. I miss no longer having stores like Marshall's or TJ Maxx. More general shopping besides Target. Mid cost restaurants. Art gallery's. Art supplies. General clothing. Appendix B: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Wish List City Council Study Session Page 116 of 260 Well, the question shouldn't be asked this way. Sure, if I wanted to spend 1 hour, round trip, driving from my one extreme end of Boulder to the other extreme opposite end of the city, I might be able to find some of these things. But since the round trip travel takes 1 hour, and then factor 30 minutes for the actual shopping and purchase, that's 1.5 hours for a very simple, trivial errand that shouldn't have taken much longer than 30 minutes...if the retail was nearby. So I will answer your question this way: The basic goods and services that I'm unable to find within an ecologically sustainable walking, biking, or short distance drive from me include: *Pet food and supply store *Bookstore *Auto parts store *Beauty salon for my wife *Barber shop for me *Office supplies store *Musical instrument supply store for the kids who are in school music programs *Not-over-priced restaurants *A convenience quick grocery store, like a Stop and Go, for that quick quart of milk *Florist *Hardware store In South boulder it would be nice to have more fast casual restaurants and bars, maybe a music venue or a gathering space like the Rayback in North Boulder - It feels like we always have to head north Local shops, breweries, less of the chain stores (Gap, Loft for instance). More art and theatre. More restaurants that aren't chains. There are lots but a lot of them are moving out of boulder. Chick filet, togis sandwitches, dollar store, Shake shack, in and out burger, appliances, a real deli, Department stores, stores like, Ross, Old Navy... affordable stores to buy good quality regular things. More ethnic food restaurants and markets. Design stores for home improvement Hobby stores Toy store Antique stores Costco There is a dearth of men's clothes, in particular, tall sizes. But in general since the Army Navy store left on Pearl St Eddie Bauer is the only men's clothes I can buy in boulder. The vast majority of my favorite restaurants are gone. Some remain. What's replaced them is a lot of overpriced "fine dining" with high prices and lesser quality food and experience. Or banks. In general Boulder has become a shell of what it once was and having Google and other similar Silicon valley businesses take over is hastening it's demise. It's a dam shame Boulder has lost most of what makes it a great place. Except the surrounding natural environment, although overcrowding is showing some wear and has made it hard to do anything fun. Good luck finding a place to camp nearby anymore. Then there is the quality of person who has moved to the area. The most self centered, rude and socially vacuous people I've come across in all my worldly travels. I apologize for my bluntness, but it's what I've experienced and so have many of my friends who've either grown up here or have lived here for a few decades. Crate and Barrel Nordstrom Women's clothing stores. Late night, 24 hour, more hobby / gadget / DIY stores, breakfast, soul food Clothing. Casual restaurants. General merchandise mens clothing and accessaries Non-chain restaurants Clothing stores with stylish, well made reasonably priced clothes Large Walmart-type, sports equipment. As in Superior. Boulder has completely and sadly obliterated anything FUN from Pearl st. including bars and clubs that cater to students and young professionals - there's virtually nowhere to go dance now that Boulder House is gone! This is frustrating because as these local bar/club places are pushed our they are replaced with banks (heavy eyeroll) or something that is too expensive pretentious and no fun. Shame on city council for taking it in the butt for the developers that roll in to every vacant lot and instantly construct a 3-story building that consists of commercial and high-end residential. Boring shit!!! women's shoes Costco Soma Yumm Cafe Chick fil a Drive thru Starbucks DSW Crate and Barrel Pottery Barn Low cost grocery stores that sell real food, not organic and not junk food. Think of a typical large meat market in a large city with cheap meat and lots of interesting cuts. Need way way more cheap ethic places. Enough of the organic crap and other nonsense - need food that families can afford that is not junk. Polish delis, Italian Pork stores, etc. Better/more international food (middle eastern, Indian, Thai, etc) - it seems all the best ones are in Louisville. More places to take kids (I go to Longmont for bowling) and the one mini golf place in Boulder is terrible. We need a sporting goods store to replace the closed sports authority. I'd also love to see more retail, restaurants and bars in north boulder along Broadway. CSA distribution points Reasonably priced grocery stores like the Walmart that left. It's crazy to push for affordable housing when you have to leave town for affordable goods and services (price tax). Appendix B: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Wish List City Council Study Session Page 117 of 260 Good quality second-hand stores Hardware, restaurants and grocery options in North Boulder More local affordable options. Lots of expensive chains. More used goods. sporting goods outdoor recreational items chain restaurants Walmart Independent music shops I wish downtown Boulder had more convenience stores. Affordable - for the customer AND the retailer - not just the chain stores you can find anywhere. So many unique places have left because they could not pay Boulder's high rents. General clothing store. Auto parts store. food trucks (like Portland, Oregon) Independent stores with a variety of homewares and clothing that are more modern and hip but not crazy expensive. A great children's store would be nice. More affordable coffee shops and small casual restaurants. More casual restaurants (we have plenty of fast casual and fine dining but not enough in between) I wish Boulder had more boutique stores that carried hand-made and locally made items. Pearl St used to have many of these stores, but over the past few years, it seems like national brands have taken over (Athleta, Prana, Patagonia, etc). I wish we had the types of stores that the City of Boulder seems to hate and discourage -- i.e., the 'big box' stores. For example, I'd like to see a Costco and a Walmart (which we had but lost), and maybe a Penney's. For restaurants I'd like to see a Cheesecake Factory (which we also had but lost), and more fast food places -- e.g., Arby's, Culver's, Jack-in-the-Box, Wendy's etc. medical supply store good bakery :) Easier access (parking is terrible), more reasonable costs for healthy options for families. All around sporting goods. Drive through coffee or food. Less banks Kids items/services Greater variety of ethnic restaurants and groceries. Especially Asian groceries More fast/quick service/affordable restaurants downtown More neighborhood business/cafes Computer and electronics parts and supplies. Boulder focuses too much on trendy stores and restaurants. When you go outside of Boulder, you see so many other types of stores and restaurants that may be part of a chain but they have what average people want/need. Furniture (e.g. Crate & Barrel, IKEA, etc) Clothing/shoes (Nordstroms, Anne Taylor) More middle income department stores, more family restaurants I would really like to have more diversity in restraints. There is a lot of American farm to table, but not a lot of great authentic affordable ethnic cuisine. Brasserie Ten Ten Dushanbe Tea House type places. I also wish Boulder had even just a single Starbucks drive through. More clothing options. If Macy's disappears, I will end up leaving Boulder for all clothing purchases. Department stores. Whatever stores that come, I would recommend more parking near them. I've stopped shopping in Boulder, especially the downtown, due to lack of convenient parking. Costco, Sams, Super Target (The current Target needs a major makeover), Super Walmart (why did Walmart pull out of Boulder 2 years ago?), better quality surf & turf restaurants (AAA rated). If the retail space wasn't so expensive, better restaurants would come & STAY. General merchandise, more variety in shoe stores, less high end shopping on the Mall No more chain stores Independent stores not affiliated with large corporations. More pubs and rooftop dining. Larger farmers market with longer hours. I miss Robb's music and the Wild Bird Center! Doesn't seem to be any Mexican restaurants. There aren't any reasonably priced large furniture stores. More upscale restaurants Better meat and fish market Artisanal Breads More ethnic food Larger Farmers market Furniture stores and a Costco! You could put the Costco in the Diagonal Plaza Shopping Center to revitalize that dying center! Also...the old fashion department stores like Macy's, Mervins etc. I wish Pearl Street were more diverse and offered more cultural space for film, art, etc. It seems heavily focused on expensive and impractical goods, luxury chains, offices and banks. There are few places to eat in that area that are affordable or convenient. It comes across as an appalling display of wealth and inequality. Tj max X. The Marshall's doesn't cut it. Appendix B: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Wish List City Council Study Session Page 118 of 260 Italian bakeries, pub style bars like the Hungry Toad and the now defunct Conor O'Neil's instead of these trendy loud open kitchen type places. Auto parts store, Book Store, Sushi restaurant all needed on South end of town. A half decent Motorcycle shop with street motorcycle clothing instead of recreational clothing. More machine shops and fabricating places. Moderate price clothing Tinker/hacker space Ceramic/art Nordstrom's. Ulta. New-Mexico quality Mexican restaurants. Non-alcoholic "bars." Western wear (like the late, lamented "Barbed Wire Cowboy." Reasonably priced Clothes for teens Affordable ones that are operated by local business owners. moderately priced department store car repair shops More restaurants, especially fast casual and nicer places, but not chains. More unique stores (anything locally owned). I couldn't ask Boulder to change for my tastes. Fast food without exorbitant taxes on drinks It's not the KIND of stores I wish we had. It's the LOCATION. We need to fill up the empty spaces in BaseMar. More affordable/non-pretentious restaurants, more late night food options Affordable clothing. It's either thrift shops or expensive sporting goods like North Face e or Fjalraven. Cheap big box retail. Fewer banks! More movie theatres. Top golf, better breweries that are dog friendly. Microcenter. A high end department store, Costco, Ikea, Chick Filet, Long John Silver, Outback Steakhouse, Sundance, roller skating rink or bowling alley, Dave and Busters, TJ Maxx, Costco Anything unique, privately-owned, one-of a kind. If Pearl Street becomes mostly chain-store type businesses like most of America, I'll lake my business where both the prices and taxs are lower. Personal services: hair, nail & facial salons. Independent clothing stores. High-end shoe stores. Comic book and gaming stores. More affordable food options. How about sporting goods? ....not high end gear... Fish market. Butcher. Bakery. Flowers. The concept of walkable neighborhoods is cute, but density of people can only make that happen, or the butcher makes no money...and closes. Big fat REYNOLDS sign appears in the window as y'all walk by. More casual dining, like Tom's Tavern used to be. Now we go to the 47th Parkway Diner. A few more department stores not catering to small bodies and outdoor gear. I wish Boulder had a foreign movie theatre, like the Art Cinema,which was once on the Pearl Street Mall. Boulderites are hypocrites; they don't want chains in Boulder but then buy from Amazon - the biggest monopoly in the States. Retail-affordable retail such as a j c penny's, clothing not as cheap as target, but not as expensive as Macy's. A decent Chinese restaurant would be welcome in this city. And why oh why is gas always at least .10 more a gallon as soon as you enter city limits? A decent mall. Affordable prices at the existing stores. More mom and pop stores - like we used to have before rents got so high only chain stores can afford to operate here. Pearl Street Mall used to be that way, before it turned into the useless, overpriced, chain and specialty shops we have now. What a waste!!!! Crossroads Mall was great. 29th Street sucks and there is not 1 store in there that I shop at for ANY reason and I don't see that Motorcycle/ATV gear Lower cost furniture Hardwood supplies Sporting goods Better Asian restaurants More bakeries Great deli club store Shoe stores, home renovation supplies ie tile, plumbing fixtures and furniture stores, garden supply and garden nurseries. More Food Truck access weekly with a variety of foods not just the few at local pubs or rayback collective. Less expensive retailers Lower priced restaurants Ethnic cuisine restaurants Dancing clubs High quality art supply store Furniture Sports equipment Athletic shoes (not for running) Something more than a few restaurants and (multiple!) grocery stores in South Boulder. Something like J D Saunders. Appliance and furniture stores. Wouldn't matter. I avoid shipping in Boulder. Traffic sucks. Taxes are too high. And parking is a pain in the a$$. Appendix B: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Wish List City Council Study Session Page 119 of 260 I just wish businesses could last around here. Especially in the Pearl Street area, where I feel like there is a ton of empty storefront (and more empty storefront at night then there used to be). It was a bummer when we started seeing things like the Boulder Cafe, the Cup, Old Chicago, Absinthe/whatever it was last called, the Walrus, and other businesses closing up shop and being replaced by massive developments. Food trucks Nail salons Dry cleaners Wine bar Cheaper restaurants and supermarkets More local stores on Pearl St As our family has a person with a disability, I wish it was easier to get to stores, restaurants and services within Boulder without having to bike. We're good...just less banks and bank cafes on Pearl St. So more local places....I think a good authentic relating community center would be good now that the Integral Center and Boulder Impact Hubs are gone. Good coffee shops that stay open past 6, which have food (like Collectivo in Wisconsin) not everyone wants to go to bars! Casual dining on Pearl st open past 6pm!!! A high end department store. I don't shop on Pearl Street because many of the boutiques don't allow returns. more fast casual restaurants in East Boulder. I address East Boulder because this is where I work. I try to avoid driving into the Boulder if at all possible because of traffic and parking anywhere in Boulder. Can't get much done on an hour lunch. Affordable restaurants downtown More low cost shopping opportunities. For example, Pearl Street is now full of only high-end outdoor gear and has lost its window shopping/vibe (Goldmines thrift store is gone for example) Wells Fargo in North Boulder:) Casual or family style restaurants Fast casual restaurants Wal-Mart, Costco, big box stores (on outskirts of town). Much of my distaste for shopping in Boulder is the difficulty of traveling through the city FABRIC STORES!! At the moment, we only have one or two, with inadequate selection. Also: lumber and wood. I've really struggled since Sutherlands went away. (I have "issues" with Home Depot, mostly how they treat their Small Mom & Pop cheaper restaurants/lunch spots Cheaper more family friendly restaurants like Red Robin. Boulder has a good selection of these; however what keeps me from going to them is a lack of good parking and too much traffic. Locally-owned, non-chain (including no locally owned chains) Art supplies, independent film, independent bookstores, dance and athletic wear. Reasonably priced clothing. We need a grocery store in BaseMar shopping Center. Large general merchandise (Costco) General sporting goods Everything!! Nicer Chinese food restaurant, more affordable, quality home furnishings stores, shoe repair places (we miss Perry's who moved to Nederland), also miss Turley's restaurant - good quality food with a large variety for a family, and open all day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. fashionable/affordable clothing I think you have most everything, but everything in Boulder is more expensive. I don't think Boulder needs "more" of anything, but it's so hard to get around sometime via car, it makes it less desirable to go into the main part of Boulder to shop. Interesting and affordable clothing (new and used), books (new and used), and shoes on Pearl Street. Not so commercial art galleries. More ethnic restaurants (I miss Ras Cassas). No more bank cafes. More options for lower income community members More retail that is walkable from neighborhoods A good sports equipment store The handyman I hired recently to do an appliance installation and minor repairs at my home traveled an hour from his home to reach me in Gunbarrel. Reasonably priced restaurants even for a simple breakfast. Affordable clothing stores, affordable grocery stores that still carried good products Costco Restaurants open later than 9 pm. I wish Boulder had more reasonably priced casual dining spots. Appendix B: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Wish List City Council Study Session Page 120 of 260 Local specialty stores (artisan and crafters) and galleries. More diversity in ethnic food, though food trucks are starting to fill that gap. Other than that I can find almost anything I need in Boulder and almost all of that within walking or biking distance (and love that!). Shoe repair stores Local toy stores - we love Grandrabbits, but more options would be great Local general arts & crafts stores - there are few specialized ones (jewelry making, yarn...) but the only truly general is a chain Corner groceries, record shops, bookstores, thrift stores, food halls. More bars for lower-income folks, too - a lot of them cater towards high-income folks and some of my friends and neighbors tell me this makes them feel alienated and go out less. Fewer bank branches and street-level offices, for sure. Good food close to high-density housing I can't think of any more. Services, support and merchandise for the homeless, the poor and the marginalized. I would love a children's shoe store!!!! There is not one good place to buy children's shoes in Boulder. Macy's is leaving Boulder. Will need to go outside Boulder for another Macy's. ; Drive thrus! Clothing retailers (something besides Macy's and small speciality shops), a big box store like Walmart or Costco it's not always easy to get out of town for these things with kids. Medium priced places I could afford and not pay to park more electronic stores More internal medicine doctors more plumbers and electricians More handymen more vegetarian restaurants Establishments serving the LBBTQ population Ethnic food restaurants Independent women's clothing stores with clothes for everyday that aren't too pricey and aren't only for tiny women. A greater variety of clothing and shoe stores. Greater range of physician specialties. Ethnic restaurants, and more reasonably priced everything. I'm pretty satisfied as-is. More big box but unique or trendy stores like Zara Hard to say as much purchasing is now online. But am not a fan of big stores, like to get in and out. Sprouts, McGucken's... Mid priced, non pretentious, family oriented, every day needs Annoying that my car dealer had to move to Broomfield Mid-priced furniture, food halls, casual burger-beer-cocktail places, Old Navy, kids activities, ski shops (more than the 2 we have), general sporting goods (soccer, basketball, etc) Large sporting goods store. This would provide not only the sporting goods, but also shoes and casual clothing at a cheaper price than the Boulder boutique sports stores. Organic, GF restaurants In South Boulder: Heath food store, better hardware store, upscale restaurants *Fast casual healthy food options *Healthy lunch options downtown *Mid-price range women's fashions *Mens fashions *Childrens stores Disco & an independent movie theater I'd would like to see more family owned businesses. Family / casual affordable restaurants that aren't chains; more affordable "ethnic" groceries and restaurants; affordable children's clothing and shoes; reasonable price lunch / casual restaurants Cute niche stores that are being put out of business on Pearl St. I understand that new fun stores can't afford it. I just don't know what can be done. I was bummed that the beer/game store on Broadway near Pearl didn't even get to open their doors. (The place that was moving into the old Oliverde, which I frequented. I was also sad that it went out of business.) More variety and range of affordability across services. Walmart, Costco fast casual salad - like a Mad Greens in downtown Boulder. Matzo ball soup Bowling Locally owned family restaurants walkable grocery stores and coffee shops. I do a lot of online shopping, but am glad Boulder has Jo-Anns, Michael's, Target, McGukin's - and a swim suit store! Sports equipment, sports equipment, especially golf Costco, Appendix B: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Wish List City Council Study Session Page 121 of 260 I can usually find, somewhere in Boulder, the goods and services I'm looking for. Living in Longmont, though, I tend to do my personal transactions around there. It is often just easier to get around and park. Working in Boulder, we do almost all of our business purchasing in Boulder as well as for needs during the business day. Since Tuesday Morning, Ross, and Savers closed, I shop outside of Boulder. Why are you chasing businesses away? Price sensitive; not as pretentious Housewares; furniture; furnishings High end department store; quality clothing stores, shoe stores. more independent restaurants Seamstress, shoe repair, more casual (not chain) restaurants, better/more interesting clothing stores, it would be nice to have more "third spaces", special food stores etc Costco, golf, bowling,, village center mixed use with affordable work force housing (to activate public spaces and keep the retail alive) small neighborhood grocery stores. Basic pharmacy. All household services are from outside boulder Local services, auto repair, construction materials Boulder is just more expensive. Dental is cheaper for better services outside of Boulder. Hobby shops. Practical clothing stores. Foreign auto parts. Chain restaurants like Chili's, Olive Garden, Ford Dealership. Casual dining Shoe repair More neighborhood retail Less expensive markets Walmart or Costco. French bakery's and fast Seafood restaurant Do not like the idea that Dots on the hill and Santiago's in the hill might close Quilt shops, clothing stores, recreation stores, You need to have an enclosed shopping center, it is good in bad weather to take the grandkids to for the indoor free play areas. More "local" in all areas., including: sales, services, art, music,etc. that meets neighborhood needs, e.g.: NOT Google. NOT ZAYO NOT Amazon NOT big Law Offices more casual bars on The Hill (for adults, not students), Dick's sporting good or Sports Authority I miss having Sports Authority, and a general store like Sears or Penney's. Having only Target in Boulder is limiting. I wish I had a falafel place in my neighborhood and a nice tavern. Otherwise the restaurant scene is pretty well covered if I venture farther away from my neighborhood. Friendly causal restaurants at moderate prices. Luxury goods, furniture, small shops like Cherry Creek North I know I'm in the minority, but I miss Walmart I wish we had a SuperTarget and Dick's Sporting Goods or repair people advertise online and they are often from outside Boulder; I wish we had more retail locally available, especially in my neighborhood; I often purchase things online to avoid the traffic in Boulder Clothing stores (ie Kohls, etc), more fast food choices, appliances, Higher quality clothing & shoes Higher quality furniture & home goods More diverse / modern art galleries High quality sushi good bakeries, dance studios, and knitting classes Fewer chains. More long-time establishments. Men's clothing like LL Bean and Orvis; Italian-style pizza/sandwich/deli places like east coast cities have with pickles, olives, and cheeses; year-round farmer's market with simple farm-style fare and handmade goods; Mom & Pop bakeries full of home-baked cookies, cakes, pies; more greenhouses and garden stores that sell local plants, flowers, and inexpensive pottery directly; places where tea/coffee don't cost an arm and a leg; more outdoor patios and less parking lots. Affordable, family owned casual restaurants; similar to Rincon del Sol, Harpo's, Juanita's, etc. Unique, locally owned stores like the ones that used to be around Pearl st. Clothing, footwear I miss the eclectic shops on Pearl that are quickly disappearing... like the old army surplus. Having a bank replace the old boulder cafe is a bit sad. Sad Old Chicago left, but really happy it was replace with local art. Happy with the outdoors shops and super glad Neptune did not go under. One gripe... It's hard to find moderately priced furniture that is a step above World Market but not really high end. Fast food with drive Thru Affordable casual Affordable anything Boulder has always lacked in many services due to the fact it is a college town and offers services for that population. In an ideal world, it would be nice not to drive to the Denver area for variety. Appendix B: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Wish List City Council Study Session Page 122 of 260 a good department store, especially if Macy's is no longer in Boulder Walmart, Chick Fil A, more fast casual restaurants Boulder is not a great place to get tacos. A lot about Boulder would have to change to change that fact, and I wish it would. Also, Pearl St has too many soulless chain stores, although I guess I shouldn't bother complaining because I'm too poor ever to shop there or generally even eat there, at least right on the mall. Boulder largely had what I need, however it is not always convenient to where I live and work forcing me to get in a car to reach the business. Clothes. A drug store on Pearl thoughtful, reasonably priced retail Greek restaurant would be nice. More restaurants in general, especially South Boulder. I miss Sports Authority. We need somewhere to buy sporting goods (not just ski gear and clothing!). I work downtown and it would be nice to have somewhere that sells office supplies close by. clothing stores for older women. furniture stores. Wish Boulder had what Louisville/Superior just welcomed, ie., Ethan Allen & Stickley. More fast casual on pearl. More affordable options for dinner, like local chains. Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn or furniture store. Talbots. Outlet stores. I mostly shop in Silverthorne as I go to the mts a lot. Movie theaters Specific brands of moderately-priced clothing, like UNI QLO of Japan or The GAP stanley market like places. another/larger rayback PARKING I wish there was a hospital closer. I really struggled when I needed an ER, and it seemed like my insurance (Anthem Blue) only covered facilities in Longmont, Broomfield, etc I miss boulder army store. Something lower end than REI. You can get a $350 down jacket at 30 stores, but you cant find a $150 down jacket. I recently bought a high end watch for my wife. To my suprise I went to flatirons mall instead of boulder. Boulder feels complicated. furniture, art supplies, clothing, shoes Ethiopian food Lower end retail stores More casual and affordable places to eat on Pearl Street. I wish Boulder had a public, year-round, swimming pool option. Gap, Banana Republic and Anne Taylor Eco-friendly nail salons and hair salons More pharmacy's, I use CVS and the only one in Boulder is in Target. Not a huge pain, but slightly. Casual, non-chain, within walking distance, i.e. in/near BaseMar. Affordable clothing stores that are not part of a larger store such as Macy's or Target. Year round farmers market, with indoor and outdoor facilities, with lots of produce and goods, mainly food/drinks (and not junk art and crafts), with free parking during the market hours. Also, not overpriced produce (usually they are overpriced in the current Boulder farmers' market). Also, I would like to see the small business back everywhere in town. Perhaps the city of Boulder could somehow regulate the commercial rental prices. Mens clothing I'd hate to lose the only department store we have (Macy's), so I wish we had more choices in that category. Would like more restaurants with bars (not fast food, though) in Central and East Boulder. I wish for more & closer grocery stores like King Soopers, which has reasonable prices. I might shop more here if parking weren't always a complication: I usually take "back ways" to get to places so it's easier to find parking. Coming into parking lots from 28th street and, in another area, Arapahoe Ave. is especially frustrating. I tend to shop at the more expensive Safeway because it's closer to my route in to work and parking is far better & easier to navigate than the King Soopers at 30th @ Arapahoe. Dillard's, a store like JCPenny"s which is much better than Kohl's'-- restaurants like Applebee's, Outback's, Carrabb's and nice restaurants like they have in Cherry Creek. Discount - Like Nordstrom Rack, Home Goods, Marshalls Cheaper gas prices COSTCO, IKEA Barbershops trained on cutting different hair types. Medium priced clothing stores Appliance/hardware stores Appendix B: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Wish List City Council Study Session Page 123 of 260 Natural grocery stores in all neighborhoods. (Not just Safeway.) Department Stores (e.g. Kohl's) Costco The city's lack of foresight pushed Costco to Superior. For us residents in South Boulder, it is much easier to go South than North into the city. We have the Table Mesa mall - great King Soopers but we seem to be losing the "ordinary" stores -Tuesday Morning, probably Play it Again Sports soon and getting restaurants. Less expensive Furniture, general sports, shoes, general clothing for men/women/children, home goods of quality but less expensive than pottery barn. Hair Care store is closing so where will I get that now? Medium priced restaurants Again, for me, it's a neighborhood and walkability issue. I would love to have more restaurants and coffee shops in the Keewaydin neighborhood. Again, near the PDQ might be a good area for this, especially with CU South Clothing, Lowes The Good Earth. Turleys. Sams. Costco. Grand rabbits. Zolos. Orchard pavilion Chinese. Brewing market. Grilled fish steaks sandwiches. I really try to keep my shopping to Boulder. Would be sad to loose Macy's - but I use Marshall's quite often anyway Women's clothing and accessories for 50 . Lots of businesses cater to students. general sports retailer I wish there was a tax incentive for locally owned businesses so that we could continue to have affordable, wonderful, and unique places to support. It's so upsetting to see locally owned businesses closing and national chains thriving. Minority-owned More stores with actual affordable products. I realize Boulder doesn't allow WalMart supercenters, but there needs to be something more affordable and versatile than King Soopers or Target. It seems like the town mainly caters to those who are more well to do, but doesn't take into account that at least half of the retail and food service employees are also trying to live in Boulder. There are still lots of middle-class people living in Boulder who do not make six figures and cannot afford a lot of the staggering prices, especially when two forms of tax get added to them for drinks. Locally owned, one of a kind restaurants, coffee shops. Also more women's clothing stores that are not all athletic wear. Locally owned restaurants. Women's clothing that is not athletic clothing. Que 's coffee. walmart More male focused clothing stores, LESS office space, there is so much it feels like i live in a co-working space sometimes. Outside of that, Boulder does pretty good in meeting our expectations in dining and shopping. I wish there was a bit more variety of retail stores and restaurants in Boulder. The bar scene has also been crippled over the past 9 months and there's a reason why regular restaurants can't survive in the city for that long. To me, the city definitely caters to a higher income level. which I understand, but there are plenty of people living in Boulder falling below the average HHI in the city. Affordable clothing and home goods , furniture etc downtown More department stores. More mid range price options. More low income options. Walmart, fairly priced electricians, plumbers Family restaurants, Department Stores Zara! moderately priced restaurants, department store type stores (losing Macy's, replaced by office?!) Food halls Affordable high quality furnature Discount shoe stores I wish Boulder had more drinking establishments. Boulder has really lost something by being so niggardly with their liquor licenses. Affordable restaurants Sporting goods store for soccer stuff, athletic clothing, sports specific shoes, swimwear Affordable retail and fast food restaurants aimed at the middle class and working poor. More good breakfast places in South Boulder would be great. Organic plant based restaurants both casual and fine dining. Don't know Low to medium cost clothing and shoe stores. Appendix B: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Wish List City Council Study Session Page 124 of 260 I don't know Keep adding more locally owned restaurants and stores. Don't add more housing. We need to keep boulder as a hub where people don't go elsewhere to shop and dine. Bargain-priced basics, options for clothing, such as a kid's pair of snow boots that aren't $100. More food trucks, food halls and fast causal eateries of that nature. Fast casual restaurants Diners, economical furniture (NOT WALMART), hardware stores Ross American furniture warehouse Food malls Affordable family restaurants Vegetarian restaurants Specialty pharmacy (there are 2 in Denver and none in Boulder) More small, non-chain restaurants, coffee shops, and bakeries. Affordable retailers. Regular clothing stores (not high end), gift & book shops, casual restaurants, shoe and clothing repair We need more affordable retail, places where regular people shop. Regular casual restaurants. I used to be able to at least window show on Pearl street. not it is entirely either super high end retail, high performance outdoor gear or banks.I can't afford to eat there either. There is nothing there for me. A large furniture store, quality artist supplies (like Meinengers), department store (esp if Macy's closes), more food trucks Affordable clothing for adults and kids (Gap, Old Navy, Lands End, Banana Republic). The current Macy's is a dump. Affordable family friendly restaurants like Boulder used to have; many restaurants coming in are high-end and most aren't casual and family-friendly for sit-down dinners. We feel Boulder, particularly the downtown area, is now designed for and caters to tourists and travelers and not Boulder families. Boulder is losing it's down-to-earth normal feeling and has become this crazy-busy tourist destination; it's depressing for the locals! Walmart, Costco, Costco Gas, shoe repair / tailoring, In N Out burger, Donut Shops. sustainable/humane butchers; University of Colorado health system facilities I wish that South Boulder had something like a Target or a general store or convenience store of some kind. I miss my kiddos being able to walk to the Whole Foods on Baseline to buy themselves candy. It made them feel super independent. none Furniture Shoes Lawn and garden Mexican food Nicer sport bars Mexican food and food carts. electronic components fine woods for woodworking classic auto mechanics high end art supplies authentic Irish pub like Connor's Toms Tavern Boulder Cafe (not another bank) upscale chinese restaurant authentic French restaurant (personne parle Francais a Brasserie Ten Ten) Ugly 29th Street mall is a damn shame and huge missed opportunity for a stellar promenade with exceptional views. Never go there except for Apple Store; because stores are all boring, same-old, national chain stores. Bleh. Same could be said for redeveloped west end of Pearl St. -- most are national chain stores that one can find in every other city. We patronize the local, interesting places like Peace, Love and Chocolate, Art Parts, etc. Those are fun, interesting places offering something unique. Mostly an issue of available parking or free parking I would love to see more small (less franchise/chain) stores. I would love more lowkey or funky bars like the noname bar and darkhorse for the mid-older crowd. Something like Cherry Creek North WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF BASEMAR SHOPPING CENTER good grocery store, general merchandise, personal care, hair salon, hardware store, bookstore. Better, general merchandise stores like Target and more varied department stores like Dillard's. We have an abundance of restaurants. Better ethnic food, more diversity of restaurants, more affordable restaurants. Actually more affordable everything or have what's here be higher quality. More breakfast and lunch type of restaurants, gas stations,rv campgrounds men's clothing Lower-priced but still high quality. The mix of businesses is adequate, but the pricing is too high to warrant shopping in Boulder. It's a result of our attractive location and probably cannot be mitigated or successfully legislated/reformed. So, the wealthy can shop here, others will shop elsewhere. Appendix B: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Wish List City Council Study Session Page 125 of 260 Affordable goods. Mexican food automotive repair TJ Maxx, More thrift shops, a Mall with general retail, furniture stores, affordable shopping in general. It looks like there is an underserved demographic where decent affordable food and drinks are concerned. Most restaurants are over priced and not appealing to common people. On the other hand those appealing places are mobbed and you have to wait in line. As far as retail goes, we are doomed. 29th Street is void of any practical merchandise. Online purchasing is king. What is now missing will not be relocated to the first floor of an apartment complex so the conversation is moot, really. What we would like is what we had, and lost. Or squandered. What we had was better for the community than what we have erected in it's place. Ironically, there is more life up on North Broadway or on East Arapahoe than elsewhere and these places are also doomed to improvements that will wipe them out along with the communities located there. So more of that which is clearly working, and less of what replacers it. Interestingly, the west side of North Broadway has third world charm while the east side is half vacant and not as lively as the west side of the street. But another Salt Restaurant will really help I bet. Dollar store Costco Casual Italian restaurants Irish pub Portuguese restaurant More/better ramen noodle shops More clothing that's not boutique pricing Reasonably priced naturopathic doctors and services which accept insurance More organic foods, less Sysco and fast food *Fast-casual in Gunbarrel *Mid-range (expense) women's clothing Ross, In N Out, Different types of food for cheaper: Korean, Japanese, Philipino, Burmese, Ramen, Pan-Asian, Tex-Mex, Thai, etc. Larger variety. More affordable. Less niche stores. A few gas stations on Boulder fringes (119-Gunbarrel) for example. Better parking. I would probably shop more in Boulder if the sugar tax was repealed. More affordable places for lunch like Lindsey's. We used to have Woody Creek which fit this category. At least one large chain pharmacy downtown -ex. Walgreen's. More affordable clothing/shoe stores - ex. DSW shoe warehouse, Kohl's more affordable clothing stores (boutiques on Pearl street are too expensive for basic clothes), bigger & more updated all-purpose stores like Target Boulder clearly got it wrong in regards of retail stores and services. While we all want the perfect community with no big box stores this strategy isn't working. Most every Boulderite I know shops at Costco, drives 50 miles to Ikea, and has guilty pleasures with fast food restaurants outside the city limits. Boulder residents and workers are their spending money (= tax dollars) outside the city. They are not choosing to spend more on goods, services at an overpriced "local" store, they are getting online or in their cars and spending their money at big box stores outside the city limits. While the city of Boulder gets to hold onto their utopian image, they are loosing peoples interest and tax dollars. Fast food restaurants, Costco. Maternity stores. Mid-price restaurants. Drive through car washes. I wish we could retain our family-owned business. Pearl Street is not that great for shopping anymore unless you are loaded. I wish North Boulder retail could be given a leg up, because in spite of all the growth out there, it seems like restaurants can't make it. And the Diagonal Plaza - what the heck is going on there? Discount clothing like Kohls and discount grocery like Walmart - sad that Walmart market closed. Gosh, there are enough banks. I wish there were more ethnic fast casual restaurants. Lower priced department stores, such as a Khols. Less expensive sporting goods. When my kids were younger I couldn't find inexpensive boots or snow pants in Boulder. I still can't find things for them. Savers helped out a lot when they were here. Kohl's Dillards Sporting Goods More affordable stores, restaurants and services Variety stores such as macy's Or kohl's. Sporting goods Fast casual and family style restaurants; child care; banks Better selection of high-end womens clothing liek what Nordstrom offers at Cherry Creek or Park Meadows or Flatirons More fast casual / lower priced restaurants (not fast food.) Stores with reasonably priced products without rude, entitled workers/customers. Anything but more BANKS! can't think of any that Boulder needs more of. Appendix B: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Wish List City Council Study Session Page 126 of 260 Jewish food walmart, costco, k-mart I wish we had a Cosco. Not because I would shop there personally, because so many Boulder residents do, we lose a boatload of tax money to Louisville. High end fashion High end home furnishings Discount stores, TJ, Ross, Tuesday Non boutique stores of any kind. I don't want more stores, just more parking at the stores we do have. There are places I no longer shop because of the parking problem. Local non chain Home furnishings Women's clothing (especially more work oriented rather than outdoor clothing) General store with basic goods. More family restaurants like Outback More public golf courses, outdoor swimming pools, less swim team use at the rec centers, a WalMart, more parking, less bike lanes and pedestrian cross walks, i'm constantly amazed by the variety of what we have here. costs are high, but it's part of boulder's fabric at this point More thrift stores Gun stores that sell the same things they're allowed to sell in the rest of the state. Lower prices lower priced restaurants downtown Calm, quiet, low to moderately priced places. Discount. Warehouse stores. Walmart. Ones where you can save some $. Costco WalMart speciality clothing stores that are not athleisure or athletic, record stores, more fine dining or experimental restaurants. affordable senior care, furniture, gardening, authentic international, ethnic cuisine Sporting Goods stores Organic supermarket reasonably priced. For a time sprouts used to be a great store but their prices on organic food had increased. I avoid Whole Foods now after the amazon takeover. The experience isn't what it used to be there. I can no longer accept paying high prices to such a large profit company that isn't striving for more organic food choices. Stores like vitamin cottage and alfalfa's need support. They are local and implementing solid values when it comes to health and he environment. I don't like the Safeway on Baseline, I think it should be replaced with a local grocery. There needs to be a grocery store on baseline and broadway, what once was Whole Foods. We need more local, practical stores in pearl street. Things need to be reasonably priced there. We need more take out options for dinner that are healthy, organic, and priced under $20 for two people. Often when I make a big purchase, I will buy outside of boulder because of the sales tax. The tax in Boulder on food seems unnecessary especially if Denver taxes much less. The sugar tax is.a pain. Get rid of it. I wish Boulder had more of a variety or retail clothing and home good stores. I go to Flatirons Crossing Mall for stores like Gap, Old Navy and J Crew Businesses owned by POC lack of music as in jazz clubs like we use to have, remember the Blue Note? Lack of comedy venues Where is our outside amphitheater? How is it that Arvada has something like the Arvada Center and all Boulder has is a lame anti-acoustic band shell with horrible wood benches on pea gravel? Infested with homeless vagrants shooting up in the bushes? And what's with all the same-o same-o "fests" using the same tents, bands, stalls, and corrupt promoters like Tim Newberg, who really hoodwinked the City of Boulder? Reasonably priced casual clothing for women & children plus recreational/sports apparel. Big box retailers such as Costco, Dick's Sporting Goods, etc. Unique ones. Small businesses with personality. Companies that run sustainably and keep money here locally. I think Boulder has a great selection of retail stores, restaurants and services. I think we are signicantly reducing the quality of Boulder if we continue adding more. Walmart, Costco, good butcher. I support locally owned businesses and want more of them. We need more women's retail stores and Food Truck options. Look at what Portland has for food trucks. Value retailers Appendix B: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Wish List City Council Study Session Page 127 of 260 Ikea Grocery store in North Boulder (walking or biking distance) More restaurants like Olive Garden, Chili's,and Outback More diverse retail. More affordable family dining that isn't fast food. A better golf course Casual/family style restaurants Reasonably priced, quality men's clothing. Low cost basic clothing like the gap or something Clothing boutiques Food coop, more bulk options that isn't Costco. More dog friendly venues like Rayback. More public places for music jams (folk, acoustic, hand percussion, etc) that aren't bars, but can hang out in. More repair services in hardware stores. More fast food drive-thru options (in n out?) Nice restaurants with reasonably priced food & wine. New restaurants like Corrida and 316 steak house are very expensive More clothing choices for men & women. Pearl street mall is mostly banks and nick knacks and retailers are fleeing the 29th street mall. Sad More affordable options Restaurants where you can easily hear your friends when talking. Fast food drive-thrus such as Sonic. Nightlife and clubs. A gay club always more bookstores! music related. mid-range shoes and clothing, like Kohls or Dillards. butcher. French pastry (I miss Le Francais). repair for shoes, small appliances, etc. Chic filet, Arby's car washes ,more food truck parks,more mom and pop type of businesses with the city promoting mom and pops Chick-fil-A for one; something to compete with Target....much hated walmart....sams. Something. Less chains, more unique and imaginative restaurants and shop. For such a healthy and active population, we sure do have a lot of mediocre "bar food." It's boring and gross. I would like to see more fresh, healthy places pop up. We have too many unoriginal chains (regional and national), sub-par sub shops (this obviously exlcudes Snarf's), and boring, repetive "taverns." I miss the Sport Authority shops (one in the Diagonal Plaza and one in the 29th St mall) that used to be in Boulder. I think it's difficult to get athletic wear in town now without going to the much more upscale stores. Sometimes I need a new pair of gym shorts and they don't have to be from Prana or Patagonia. a king soopers closer to north boulder area would be nice, a LGBT bar would be nice too Bring back Old Chicago! More LGBT bars would be nice, the queer "pop up bar" isn't even monthly. Authentic European pastry and bread shop and cafe Affordable family restaurants Dollar store Affordable clothing stores Thrift stores more vegan restaurants Whole Foods in baseline! More casual health food options Sporting goods for sports other than hiking, biking, skiing, etc Incentive for places like Target, Joann, 24 Hour Fitness to expand and improve their existing properties. independent stores small cafes and shops sporting goods furniture art Jewelry stores, art galleries, home furnishing stores, IKEA On Pearl, more unique shops & restaurants. Frozen yogurt. Dog friendly restaurants. Better Italian food. Jewish Thrift, consignment at reasonable price Eco friendly rehab stores Child friendly coffee shops Casual clothing, work clothing Chain stores Costco (mostly for more affordable and quality produce and meats) We do a lot of online shopping now otherwise Murdox and Jax bulk shopping, better parking reasonable children's clothing, furniture stores, children's entertainment venues, breakfast tacos Walmart Co-op grocery store Other small local groceries Electronics supply like JB Saunders Hunting and fishing vegan and vegetarian restaurants Cheaper restaurants. Everything on Pearl is very fancy and expensive. I can get a nicer meal for cheaper in Denver or Golden. Appendix B: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Wish List City Council Study Session Page 128 of 260 Normal stores for people with limited income department stores (Kohl's, Penney's) chain restaurants (and I realize they just don't survive in Boulder, but I don't understand why) More seafood and small Italian options bars, cafes, taverns... but *IN* neighbourhoods, not in soulless shopping complexes surrounded by a sea of more variety, less pricey EVERYTHING Its the parking that keeps me from shopping in Boulder Ross and Walmart Normal stores like Kohls, Specialty child oriented stores like LEGO store, American Girl, Grocery stores, convenience stores, coffee shops, gift shops (types of places that would be visited for a quick errand over the lunch period/break during work) Simple restaurants (like Olive Garden) that have good food at reasonable prices in a quiet environment. Clothing, shoe Kids clothing and toys, shoe store. Mid-range clothing I'm very happy with Boulder's options. Hardwood retailer 1. Food courts 2. More ethnic food. 3. More fastfood and fast casual options in the outskirts of boulder (ex: Gunbarrel) Art supplies, Greek restaurants, bigger big-box stores. We have FAR too many pizza, burger, burrito restaurants. Need more healthy fast food. Restaurants close too early, particularly on weeknights. Parking near downtown stinks. Parking is far too expensive. There's very little to do here for fun or exercise, other than hiking the same trails repeatedly. A big music venue with lots of parking and no nieghbors (because of noise ordinances) would be a great addition, as would a revival/art house movie theater. Remember when we used to have one of those? More affordable restaurants: a step above chipotle but below Salt. More types of food. More locally owned, affordable shops, gyms, stores Study spaces open late-not just for students Ones that I could afford and your taxes are to high Decor and furniture. Electronics parts/hobby shop. 3D printing services more rooftop restaurants to enjoy the views More affordable family restaurants, more college friendly shops and services Affordable. Also, people want to shop and dine near home, and even the people that work in Boulder can't afford to live there. Wood like a lumber yard. Metal like the old steelyards. Welding gasses. A hardware store that isn't also a camping store or an evil chain. Affordable restaurants that aren't chains. Maybe those exist on/near pearl but I also wish there were fewer cars on the roads these days because going to pearl or 29th is cumbersome at best. Costco. Cabelas/Sportsmans Warehouse. Parking! local bakeries affordable choices! Less expensive restaurants Sporting goods, Kohl's, more restaurants in North Boulder/Broadway area. Electronic parts store Would take rec center classes if offered in late afternoon or evening; can't take classes in midday (need to avoid exposure to sun). Reasonably price haircuts for someone who has unusual hair. I need to cut it myself now. Difficult to find help with yard care from someone who is local. The person who mows my lawn lives outside Boulder. Tree care is done by local company even though they are very expensive. Very hard for older residents or someone disabled can find affordable, reliable and honest yard care or snow removal. Need more in-home care for seniors who are challenged physically. Would be nice to have service to help organize and reduce clutter. I have heard other seniors talk about need more help with daily living activities, both inside and outside their homes. It makes living in Boulder a challenge. Wouldn't want a Walmart but would like a COSTCO. Have to go there for vision care because of my insurance. Their staff is competent and their customer care is excellent. Even though they are a big box store, they treat their employees well and their employees treat their customers well. Socially, I find them more ethical and responsible than Walmart. Also would like to purchase certain items there because of their prices. I don't long for a Costco, I feel very good about shopping locally with independents. Family Friendly restaurants. Have to think about this more. Appendix B: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Wish List City Council Study Session Page 129 of 260 Can't think of any at the moment Costco Satisfied with what is here. supermarket in Basemar center better food options for families on the hill more restaurants out East by 55th and foothills Local children's clothing shop Asian food markets I think Boulder offers a variety of great stores at the moment. affordable Any large retail store with service Sporting good store DSW shoes! Any store for teenagers Affordable women's clothing, more mid scale restaurants (not high end fine dining but still full service restaurants) that have a focus on service and food quality - some of our favorites have recently closed, more "general / every day" home good stores that are within quick(er) walking distance of my home. Generally, we need more useful daily shopping in the central parts of Boulder (basically bounded by Folsom, the mountains, Valmont, and Baseline). It's the most walkable part of town but there are only two grocery stores, no hardware stores, and two drug stores (and those are specialty places really). As residential and office conversions have recently been eating away at the historic business districts of Boulder (East Pearl, 3rd and Pearl, 22nd and Pine), those of us who live in the greater downtown have to drive to 28th Street for almost everything. Mainstream clothing, restaurants, recreation rather than pretentious progressive themes I wish you would do more to make it easier on existing retailers to stay in business! Especially small businesses! Cheaper places. Like a Walmart or Costco or sams More with a unique perspective that are locally owned. Creative sources - a great art supply store. better parking to access the good stores It's not about the type; it's about the price. Electronics stores. More restaurants (fast casual and/or sit down) in north Boulder and around Iris Non-retail chain stores Lower end retail stores, casual restaurants, beauty services and large free parking lots or free parking ramps to park at. Family restaurants department stores and discount stores. I actually think we have a good mix of options Not sure. I go to Costco in Superior for tires, and bulk purchases. I don't think we need one here in Boulder, Superior is close enough. The problem is that rents for retail places is expensive enough that stores charge more for their products here. I will drive elsewhere is the price is a significant difference. More affordable choices - it's expensive to live here and everything is taxed a lot Big box stores with much lower prices - WalMart, WalMart groceries (Neighborhood Markets), - and food prices are cheaper in Longmont and Lafayette and Louisville than in Boulder Grainger Casual restaurants, frozen yogurt stores Super Target Costco General sporting goods Movie theater w/recliners A decent fried chicken place not named KFC. lol Moderate priced clothing chain stores for more than teens or college age. Restaurants where there is parking or you can get in with a larger group. Lower price family style restaurants. There's almost no place to take the kids -- we miss Turley's and Denny's. Plus-size women's clothing -- Macy's used to carry it, but now they only have clothes for skinny people. We go to Kohls in Louisville or to Flatirons Crossing. Kids' shoes! I don't know where to buy kids' sneakers in Boulder except for crummy stuff at Target. The running stores don't carry kids' sizes and REI has a very limited selection. More family/chain restaurants, more drive-thrus. I don't feel super comfortable taking my three kids (all 6 and under) to new restaurants because I'm never sure how they'll do with kids, so we almost always take them to chains or family restaurants out of Boulder. Also, I use drive thrus quite a bit so that I don't have to get the kids out of the car to get coffee or prescriptions, or even lunch. The fact is that when I need a drive thru, I just leave Boulder. I would also love to see a fast food restaurant with a play structure, which does not currently exist in Boulder - I would seriously be there all the damn time. Appendix B: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Wish List City Council Study Session Page 130 of 260 Stores with free parking, a Dillards or Kohls type department store, Walmart (large not that stupid little grocery store type) so Target has some competition, nursery (trees, shrubs, bushes), discounted furniture store, COSTCO with alcohol sales, Western wear, family restaurants with games like bowling, bowling alley, appliance stores, Walmart again only super Walmart would be better than a market place, sporting goods, Reasonable priced clothing. General retail (like Target/Walmart). Boulder has a lot of boutique shops and high end stores. Maybe because the rent to have a store costs so much. I'd love to see more community concepts for medium priced shops of clothes, natural goods, toys, household Less fussy shops for home goods and clothing, casual eateries. More frequent bus system More street lights Community Garden Japanese grocery store Dim Sum restaurant Walmart Wal-mart, shoe stores, household goods Toy stores Thrift or resale store * DITTO(USA):"WETHEPEOPLE...OUR,Long-LastingUSACompany(ies)AndBusiness(es)LikeSears&Roebucks,Sup erWalmart,Denny's,Howard&Johnsons,Etc.Etc....ThanksVeryMuch/AlwaysInLiberty,DennisTavares...SoonerAnd/N ot,Later...AMEN..."!!!!!🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺 Stores that carry something different than every other store. Boulder needs to attract more national chains because these stores are more reasonably priced Wal-mart, McDonald's, Wendy's Would love faster internet services. Butcher Art supplies, though even if there was a good source the traffic in Boulder is so bad I hate coming into town More selection of retail stores/restaurants or other services Wal-mart Reasonable food services and clothing (larger size) Can't just walk to corner, have to drive Wal-mart with grocery Wal-mart More of auto parts, auto repair, men's barber shops Ones that stood up the racist and unconstitutional Boulder city council Walmart was a good competitor to Target for budget conscious people. Latelier was a fantastic restaurant that Boulder lost because of overzealous rules. Boulder chased away Costco because it is a "big box", so now I regularly go to Superior and spend a large portion of my grocery budget at the Costco there. I loved the The Cup and Snarfs - both were in walking distance. Both are gone, More breakfast options, more fast food, fast casual downtown. We miss the Cheesecake Factory. Snobs looked down on it, but visitors loved it and it was the best sit- down place for kids / families. More reasonably priced stores and restaurants - this town is ridiculous as far as parking and pricing goes and that is the reason I have stopped shopping in Boulder and go to Longmont or on-line instead "Real" Mexican restaurants, other diverse restaurants at a reasonable price, music venues, dance clubs, music store, cidery, arcade None. Boulder has too much retail space. more affordable family-style restaurants more chains Stores like Kohl's. More choices in sporting goods. Family type and casual restaurants, Department stores like Macy's. More vegetarian restaurants. Also, Kaiser needs an allergy clinic in Boulder! I'm going to switch to CU Health because I'm tired of driving to Lafayette for services. Clothing etc. for senior citizens, even a Wal Mart would be welcome for lots of people!! I'd like to see more affordable family restaurants. They may be chains, but places like TGI Fridays and Chilis that used to be in Boulder provided an affordable option for families that is much harder to find today. We have plenty of grocery stores, but I've noticed prices are often higher at Boulder's Target and Whole Foods than in Superior. Coffee shops especially drive troughs! I wish there were more small businesses oriented toward affordable, original basics rather than high-end, high-cost options. walmart, real thrift stores, Appendix B: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Wish List City Council Study Session Page 131 of 260 I wish Boulder had more low cost restaurants like mexican restaurants that are not $15 for a cheese enchilada or $9 margaritas. Would love a big box store Really none because I try to avoid Boulder except to come to work. It is just too busy. Electronics stores. Best Buy is great, but there needs to be something else. big box retail, mid-priced clothing, big box sporting goods We need more restaurants like Turley's, Juanita's, Rocky Mountain Joe's. You know, more middle class/less foo foo. Oh yeah, and less banks! Good gawd. As a visitor from overseas (UK) who has a close relative living in Boulder throughout the academic year, local businesses in Boulder have proved to meet all her/my needs and offer excellent service. I was very impressed with the range and quality of goods and services on offer when I spent 10 days in Boulder in 2018. You have something very special in your range of local businesses, something to be proud of. My responses are from my direct experience of staying as a visitor in Boulder, and my relative's experience of living and working/studying in your community as an international student. Something more affordable, not the high-price items of Pearl Street. I prefer shopping on Longmont often for stores like Kohls and Maurices. General merchandise Would be nice to have more ethnic restaurants. Clothing stores here need a better balance- the expensive boutiques vs. HM (way cheaper). Need more options in the middle. Less big box retail. More small business, but if you keep increasing rents on Pearl St. no one but big box can afford it and another bank will just take its place which we don't need. Most banking can be done online. I don't want to set foot in a bank honestly. I wish boulder had more casual dining places such as Chik Fil A or Chili's. Chik-Fil-A, Sonic, Weinerschnitzel, Jack in the Box, but then again, I still would not frequent them because of the City's ridiculous sugar tax. not sure Children's clothing, toys and supplies (baby items, etc). More affordable options. It seems like everything is high- end retail or specialty that the average family cannot afford. Probably because we can't afford to live in Boulder. Unique, specialty retail: we DO have amazing bike, running, outdoor gear stores. Would love more art supply, travel/casual clothing, local (non-chain) eateries - especially casual dining. Great geographic distribution of shops/cafes. Lexus, Mazda, Mitsubishi car dealerships. Better Mexican food! We have lot of mediocre options; few really good one! furniture, sporting goods It would be nice if Boulder had old navy or other popular retail stores. The clothing selection at target is limited and not diverse in size. Casual restaurants at a good price -- BJ's is usually our go-to, but there's not a lot left. I feel like restaurants in Boulder are either fast (for example, 29th St Mall) or super fancy (anything on Pearl Street.) Taco Johns Chick Fillet Dillards, JC Penny I cannot think of much of anything. I wish that Boulder had more restaurants that fell in a reasonalbe price range and provided more options. Denver (RiNo, Highlands) is a great example of this type of restaurant. Everything here is either too fast casual or tacos, or it is entirely out the price range (ie Fresca and Corrida) Horse goods store (example dover saddlery) Sporting goods store similar to sports authority Better coffee shops in gunbarrel more diversity in restaurants. I enjoy ethnic food that i wish there was more of. Music independent local stores; record stores, book stores, Vinatge/ clothing stores, pawn shops, antiquities, local businesses like Red Letter Books, The Beat Book Shop, Boulder Guitars, Gypsy Jewel, Trident Cafe, Beleza Cafe, Ozo, Bart's CD Shack. Buffalo Exchange Less corporate buisineses and restaurants. More casual bars and restaurants downtown - most of the inexpensive places have closed. Costco (but north boulder which would probably be an ideal location would be too far for us) Mexican food in south boulder Climbing gym in south boulder (add to rec center?) non Chain restaurants Donut shops! Sporting goods, discount retailer, electronic parts (like J B Saunders or Fry's Electronics). If you have a time machine, Tom's Tavern. Appendix B: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Wish List City Council Study Session Page 132 of 260 Good thrift stores like Savers; discount stores like Ross & Tuesday Morning. Costco, more food truck parks Retail/ shoe Boulder's stores feel lacking in terms of general affordability - so more affordable stores in every category. More small, locally owned and unique stores. We're losing too many of them, and there are too many chains moving in. Pearl Street looks more and more like Beverly Hills, with high end stores that are out of our price range. I wish for more family-friendly type sports bar/restaurant places in Boulder. I also wish the area's breweries had actual restaurants attached to them. Food trucks just aren't sufficient, and people drinking so much beer should have food available to eat. N/A more original shops, stores, restaurants, less chains. More childcare options Services for young children or pregnant women seem to be declining rapidly due to demographic changes, especially the very important medical/birthing/emergency visits services. public spaces that don't require $ per use (like the library, which is great!) but rather which are paid with by taxes, as common goods. There are far too few places where you can meet up with someone, quietly read a book, do work, whatever, that are outside the home and don't cost $. This reduces the quality of the social interaction, and negatively impacts the less well off (which do exist in Boulder!). Also, more to your question: vegan food options! There are some, but there should be more! Discount (Big Lots, Marshalls/TJMaxx/Ross, Savers) Furniture stores Food trucks Better medical options Moderately priced restaurants More stores that cater to the Asian American community— more boba stores/cafes, Meet Fresh, etc... More opportunities to access Asian groceries/foods. I wish boulder had more parking around services and stores Soccer Store More sport stores Maybe more stores witch supply imports to support our Hispanic population. Mexican restaurants and stores More affordable places to sit down and eat at, such as nice places with affordable meals Wal Mart, chick fil a More mid-priced of everything. Boulder is splitting between very high-priced and low-priced options with nothing in the middle. quick service restaurants with lots of gluten free options, more unique "ma pa" restaurants and less chains, affordable furniture stores I'd like to see more coffee shops in South Boulder. The one closest to me turned into a bank, and Caffe Sole got fancy a few years ago, so it isn't comfortable to meet people there anymore. Also, I was sad when the Tokyo Joe's in Boulder closed recently. I used to go there a lot. At least there's still the one in Louisville, but that's harder to get to. Overall, I'm a big fan of fast casual restaurants, but they were one most people could agree on. I miss Juanita's, Tom's Tavern, and more "down to earth" restaurants. We need an Irish pub Other retail besides Target & Macys For any market, an increased selection of, shall we say, middle-class options. So much of what is avilable is high- end pricing, Simple example: Try to find a sandwich for under $10. Not easy, and likely a reflection of the cost of doing business in Boulder. Once building and zoning restrictions are as pervasive as they are, the ripple effects lead to higher consumer costs at every point. Nicer department store, beauty supplies store, furniture stores, home decor, more fine dining. Costco! Sams/Super-Walmart Ford dealer Full service shoe store - Brown's Longmont Senior-friendly pricing more parking, easier access & routes Affordable groceries and places to eat out (Walmart, fast food places, etc) JC Penny/Sears, Dicks Sporting/Sports Authority, Soccer store, and The Salad Bar restaurant Mid-income clothing stores. Most of the stores on the 29th Street Mall cater to a fairly high income bracket. Jewish deli Breakfast joints Electronic parts Appendix B: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Wish List City Council Study Session Page 133 of 260 This is a confusing survey, because you initially say "City of Boulder" at the beginning when asking where we reside. So when we have to select "in Boulder" I'm assuming you mean City of Boulder. But there is no clarification. I'd like to see a good grocery store east of 28th off Iris, where Albertsons and that poorly chosen Walmart was. I'd like to see that depresssed area with good restaurants and more retail in general. I go to Lucky's and Sprouts in Longmont more than I do in Boulder. I am a Sr and have Silver Sneakers so fitness facilities and classes not applicable. When I do shop in Boulder it more for convenience than being price Affordable furniture, beauty supply, shoe repair, some chain restaurants, like Red Lobster, department stores other than Macy's, more affordable clothing stores, Uniqlo Most less pricey businesses cannot afford space in Boulder I miss Savers! And specialty electronics and plumbing supplies. Discount stores like Walmart and general sporting goods stores Cost focused clothing. Everything seems expensive in Boulder. Send like there's high end clothes or sports clothes and that's it. More independent book stores. Anything that low-wage workers can afford. Stores like target where you can get goods. Boulder target is one of the only like it (besides bed bath and beyond) and the stock is often.poor. used bookstores The Home Depot store in boulder is smaller then the ones in Longmont and Louisville. Boulder stores are small and so is the parking!! Arbys, Red Lobster, Walmart, Dicks, Khols, More affordable everything - it's super expensive to live here, everything is taxed a lot on top of the high prices. women's clothing general store like Macy's ModPizza, more stuff for kids. The bounce place is nice but more eating out that's kid friends and more places for kids and working parents. More kids boutique clothing and toy stores. Family casual restaurants, gardening and snow shoveling help, moderate shoes, ladies business atire I wish there were more small "bodega" type markets that were within walking distance of each neighborhood that sell basic needs like milk, eggs, some fruits and veggies, drinks etc... they had these in NYC where I lived and I liked them. I also wish there were more high quality used clothing stores... particularly for sporting goods, children's clothes and gear. I wish that there were more casual restaurants and store with general merchandise and clothing on the Hill near where I live. I enjoy walking to dining and shopping but there isn't much near me. Small Green Grocers, Small Bakeries (Bread&Pastry), Fishmongers, Meat Markets. Sorely miss the Cheesecake Factory ! Teds Montana Restaurant ! Toms Tavern ! Old Chicago ! Women's shoes, women's clothing e.g.Talbots, Coach, Sundance A drug store on the Hill. A clothing store on the Hill. In general, a better selection of retail stores on the Hill. More diverse restaurants. More less-expensive restaurants. More pubs (not more breweries, more pubs). More nightlife. More cafes (not joking). About the banking: I don't use banks, I use credit unions. I wish you'd bring back our Savers!!!!!!! The Walmart grocery was pretty good because I could order goods online and not have to drive to Lafayette to pick them up. Can you get us an Esh's? That is where I buy groceries, I can afford them there. Mostly I don't buy anything for the home in Boulder except at garage sales, and the "free box." Okay here's my wish list: 1) stop taxing groceries 2) the senior citizen property tax break is on $100,000. When I moved here, my condo cost $257,000 so that was decent. Now my property is worth $400,000 and it's not going to be very helpful any more. 3) Boulder creates a hardship on the poor by having only ritzy stores, because then we have to spend gas money to drive to Walmart and Esh's. Dollar Tree, that was great bringing them back. Target is way too expensive for shopping. Can you get us a low income discount for the Rec Centers? Also the phone bills -- landlines -- are OUTRAGEOUS. Almost $100 a month!!!!! Can you help? Clothing boutiques; independent movie theatre Clothing, hardware, art...really miss the army store, Starr's and jjwells...Meiningers locally owned and still affordable. Real grocery stores! More discount stores for us poor folk An Irish pub. Skunk Funk. Torchy's Tacos. Another fun bar to watch World Cup games. I wish boulder had more affordable clothing and shoe stores. I would like Mercedes, Porsche & Tesla to have service departments in boulder. Appendix B: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Wish List City Council Study Session Page 134 of 260 I WISH Boulder had LESS fine dining restaurants and shee-shee clothing stores downtown. Instead, I would like more tool-shares, libraries, art-teaching shops, pottery co-ops, and other locations where friends can gather and LEARN something WITHOUT paying lots of money. I would like to see these things DOWNTOWN, not in the dispersed outlying areas. Costco - clothing outlets Love Trader Joes & Vitamin Cottage. Thank you! Would be nice to see more green, sustainable businesses. More California type indie retail Aviator nation Fred seigel Kids retail and shoes Healthy food at reasonable prices general clothing stores for business and casual attire that's not overpriced that's not overpriced like the downtown boutiques and not discount stores. If Macy's closed we'd have to again drive 30 minutes to shop More variety of all types of stores, which would bring more selection and competition. I don't necessarily think Boulder needs more, since there's flatiron mall nearby (which I love) Walmart...I know I know...still that 30th location and the people there, fantastic. It was a real loss to the community. Chillis, furniture store I wish we had a big box sports retailer like Dick's. We hate having to drive to Broomfield for kid's sporting goods apparel and shoes. We also wish there were more fast casual restaurants or cheaper restaurants on Pearl Street. affordable clothing options, consignment stores, recycled clothing, sneaker stores classic and conservative clothing like Dillards and Pennys Penzeys spices, Victoria's Secret, New York and co, Express, DSW, bath and body works, Costco I wish Boulder had more affordable casual dining I feel like with the aesthetic here, casual dining exists but it's still expensive. Pretty much every where (except fast food) is at least $10/meal and extra if you want a drink. I also want to see stores that carry clothes for women of all sizes. I can't shop at H&M or Target and second hand stores also don't carry anything in my size, but won't buy anything in my size either because 'it doesn't sell'. I'm 5'3" and 170lbs, so overweight but by no means obese, and I haven't been able to shop for clothes in Boulder since I as in high school. A food truck corral downtown (and other loacles) so there are some casual, low-cost options (and, no, not just once a month as some cheeky special event...EVERY. DAY.) Boulder has most shops/services that you need. However, they are scattered all over the place. It really needs some thought put into Integrated shopping areas, with multiple services and retail in one location. And it needs more good Asian restaurants. Good restaurants are going out of business on Pearl A library and community center with pool within walking distance of where I live (The Crossroads neighborhood near 30th and Valmont). Walmart food store. Wal-mart Big toy stores Corner stores with small deli counters Small grocery/food stores dispersed throughout the city Local retail/goods instead of only 29th st mall Movie theaters Chick-fil-a Wish we had more bars and or clubs We have a great young population less expensive lunch options. More Mexican food restaurants, more fast dining on Pearl Street. furniture, children's clothing, women's clothing I wish there were more stores, restaurants, and services that catered to people who are not the stereotypical Boulder residents. While there are plenty of Nepalese restaurants and craft brewers and outdoor specialty stores, I would love to have more variety. I would like to see some big-box stores. I would like to get fired fish or fried chicken without having to leave Boulder. I think the city is too limited in catering to lower-income spenders. Walmart and Supertarget Family/kid friendly spaces More fast food, casual family dining, big-name box stores. WAL-MART, WAL -MART, WAL-MART. Something between the outrageous Pearl Street prices and the big box stores of 29th street More parking In-N-Out, Costco, Frys Electronics Butcher and baker only Costco Appendix B: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Wish List City Council Study Session Page 135 of 260 More food trucks. More ethnic foods. There really isn't a good solid middle ground for food like there is in other cities. Too many high end and fast casual leave a rather large gap. And because rent is SO HIGH, it'd be nice to have more access to food trucks at places like the Rayback Collective. Sporting goods; shoe stores, particularly for children, but there is also a need for an adult shoe store. Boulder retail stores usually have limited selections. Boulder needs Italian restaurants that don't cost a fortune. I think the variety is fine. I would love more of the independent store to be able to stay open in Boulder and not be priced out. national clothing chains - The Gap. Appendix B: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Wish List City Council Study Session Page 136 of 260 What Basic Goods or Services Were You Unable to Find in Boulder? Sporting good stores (i.e. Dicks) Big Box Stores (Costco) High end apparel (Nordstrom) Other than casual Friday wear, I cannot find appropriate work wear in Boulder. I also have to go to Denver for dim sum. hair care items, stylish clothing (not casual) low to med quality/priced clothing which will be worse once Macy's closes. Soda - I refuse to pay your sugar tax. Mexican products are not as abundant as they are in other stores outside of Boulder. Any bigger shopping you have to go to Superior or Broomfield. Unfortunately. Shoes and affordable clothes. A good dentist that doesn't lie. Reasonably priced anything! Furniture Shoes for kids Walmart, Costco, Dollar Store, Lowes, discounts stores in general and services such as good plumber, electrician, contractor, etc. Lower cost house items, restaurant, etc Vacuum cleaner bags, mother of the bride gown, prom dresses, baby shower gifts, new kitchen pots, sympathy plant gift. It is much easier for me to drive to Superior than to go to central or north boulder. appliance Clothes, general thing like you find at walmart Most goods are low quality, high price I recently drove to a plumbing supply store in denver, plant-starts stuff, to Longmont for tv repair, and two other sevices Ican't recall what. I drove to several stops in denver looking high quality meats, bed sheets I drove to denver for a clock repair for an antique clockThe one bright spot is McGuckin's Food ls about the one thing boulder does mediocrely well if one can get past the fast food invasion - o for an excellent bakery Some of the problem is the Mediocracy of goods and services in general - mostly below my minimum standards - there are bt\right spots of course, I just keep finding my self driving out of the city. Not mention it's easier driving out of the city the fight the traffic and parking Clothing and appliances. any affordable clothes, shoes, etc. Affordable eyeglasses Plus size blazer. Well, the question shouldn't be asked this way. Sure, if I wanted to spend 1 hour, round trip, driving from my one extreme end of Boulder to the other extreme opposite end of the city, I might be able to find some of these things. But since the round trip travel takes 1 hour, and then factor 30 minutes for the actual shopping and purchase, that's 1.5 hours for a very simple, trivial errand that shouldn't have taken much longer than 30 minutes...if the retail was nearby. So I will answer your question this way: The basic goods and services that I'm unable to find within an ecologically sustainable walking, biking, or short distance drive from me include: *Pet food and supply store *Bookstore *Auto parts store *Beauty salon for my wife *Barber shop for me *Office supplies store *Musical instrument supply store for the kids who are in school music programs *Not-over-priced restaurants *A convenience quick grocery store, like a Stop and Go, for that quick quart of milk *Florist *Hardware store It's not about selection. It's about price. Boulder has become so expensive and everything is available for cheaper online. This goes for everything from food to clothes to appliances. I tried to really shop locally but more and more of the local shops get pushed out by high rents. It's very sad Costco, chick filet,old navy, Kohl's,chuck e cheese, bowling, trampoline park, crate and barrel, outlet mall, Lowe's, and ikea Men's shoes, furniture Affordable good quality clothing and household items. I drove to Kohls in Superior to buy things like corduroy pants, and flannel shirts, towels,cloth table napkins at a good prices and in the colors I needed. Appendix C: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Unmet Needs City Council Study Session Page 137 of 260 Clothes like Nordstrom at Flatirons- limited men's clothing Outdoor apparel great - good selection Limited appliances stores travel to Louisville More brand name goods at Nordstrom There are not enough women's clothing stores in Boulder Late night groceries or prepared food. Clothing variety mens clothing Discount stores, clothing fashionable men's clothing upholstery fabric major appliances shopping like Costco Costco, bras, underwear, shoes, dresses, It's not so much unable to find but able to find at a reasonable price. We can routinely save 20 cents per gallon of gas of the Same gas by leaving Boulder. We shop at the same time saving the Boulder premium on groceries. The above pays for the nominal drive with money left over. The better traffic and ease of parking rounds out the deal. We use Boulder like a convenience store. Hardware grocery stores at the North end of Boulder Basic services like a vacuum repair shop. Its so expensive or isn't available here so end up going to longmont. Basic clothing items. sporting goods motorcycle service Inexpensive home goods/furnishings Affordable yet lovely clothing, household goods purchased instead through Amazon Environmentally and socially conscious consumerism has become all the rage across the country, especially in progressive communities. We have very few independent shops in Boulder supplying clothing, homeware and toys that are responsibly made and support local artists. Furniture, appliances at reasonable cost Some herbs and vegetables I have not been able to find. medical supplies, such as walkers for rent Asian groceries Good selection of kids shoes Baby strollers and other items Maternity clothing Kids haircut Daily clothing for work/home. There is no affordable place to buy blue jeans in Boulder. Starrs used to be dependable for jeans but their prices escalated and the store closed. Other basic wear is poor quality (H&M as example) or too fashionable for most people's needs. I go to the Flatiron mall for evening dress and work clothing. I also go to Flatiron mall and Denver to shop for furniture. I shop a lot online. Downtown is too hard to park and too expensive, so I never shop there for regular goods. furniture Kids stuff, vacuum supplies Can't think of a specific. But there seems to be more times when I am leaving Boulder for one reason or another. shoes. clothes Non-taxed sugary drinks Appliance stores, home furnishings, that weren't totally expensive or had some selection. Tire stores that are independent and didn't have months long waits. Everything takes forever to have done now because so few services exist Large nursery with native plants (not a chain store) Large Farm and Ranch Supply Store (not chain store) Mainly new furniture. There are a lot of used furniture store but most of the moderate type furniture stores are gone. All I can think of is Arhaus (expensive) and West Elm (moderate). Home Goods has some odds and end furniture but you really have to go to Denver or go online to buy furniture. We have lost most of our bookstores and music stores. Motorcycle clothing. Tools and supplies. All the restaurants we like are almost gone. Boulder caters to techies that are into trendy expensive eateries, bars and retail. Sporting goods, among others. Appendix C: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Unmet Needs City Council Study Session Page 138 of 260 tile dependable moderately priced auto battery reasonably priced dentist name-brand department store underwear internist Replacement parts for various household items Cheap big box retail. There used to be more affordable restaurants. Everything is catering to high income customers. Computer store like Microcenter, Costco. A quality department store. Sporting goods. Cajun food for Mardi Gras. Antique store. We travel outside of Boulder to find more affordable everything, from steel for welding projects, to food. As a 65 year old woman, I find it hard to shop for clothes that aren't geared for a Size 2 figure. So it forces me to go to Broomfield and shop at Dillards. Not so much I couldn't find in Boulder, rather I didn't feel like driving across town to get them. Much faster, easier, cheaper to drive to Superior for bulk groceries and tires (Costco), household items (Target). Motorcycle gear Tools Construction materials Sporting goods. Men's clothing clothing,club store, It is more about the cost of items than the availability A decent selection of children's shoes & boots. Remodeling materials for our home Reno projects: tile, plumbing fixtures, etc Children's shoes Walmart Specialized sport and art supplies after the closure of Sports authority and Meininger A decent place to buy Kitchen Appliances that isn't a mega-chain. Clothing, shoes, furniture The basic goods and services were available, just at a high price. Sporting goods, kids' activities, affordable family/not fancy restaurants on Pearl St open in the evening! We go out in Louisville for family evening dining Thrift stores, Costco General sporting goods (since Sports Authority closed) Decent meal at a decent price. Soccer ball Maybe not quite what you're researching, but I don't drive, and so when Ecocycle moved from Old Pearl out to east Arapahoe, that really put a crimp in my style. I used to peddle a bunch of compost out there regularly, but it's current location is awfully far, so I've had to make other, more difficult arrangements. Affordable goods and services. In order to save money we leave Boulder every weekend to purchase all of our goods in Longmont or outside of Boulder. Boulder Bodywear had to move to Lafayette. International Tires closed and Meininger Art Supplies also closed their store entirely. To shop there you now have to go to Denver. Two of them citied city rents and taxes as the reason. Clothing stores Children's soccer shoes, etc. too many to list quality affordable clothing- 29th street mall doesn't have enough. H&M= only option. I have to travel to Longmont or Broomfield for shopping (Kohls, Forever 21) Shoes that fit my style and price desires. Athletic equipment and clothing Affordable food and clothing, affordable water, affordable exercise/workout facilities, reasonable property taxes Auto Bulk foods Certain clothing Candles car tires, at a good price. fd Appendix C: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Unmet Needs City Council Study Session Page 139 of 260 As the parent of a young child I need drive thru options. When my kiddo is sleeping int he car or I don't want to take her out and then battle to get her back in I need drive thrus. I think it's ridiculous that we don't have more options in Boulder. I get walkable/bikable cities but it feels like we sometimes forget reality at times. Drive thrus are a life saver for parents with small kids. Restaurants are pricey and minimal to find. Shopping for normal items it seems we have target if you are lower income. Clothes I have to leave for because I am not rich or small sneakers a decent greeting card store Jeans Jean's that fit that Iiked. Things you can purchase at a pharmacy or Costco reasonably priced gardeners and household help Over the counter health care products prescribed by my doctors. Household goods Appliances -high quality, but not overly expensive (or trendy) shoes for kids and adults -high-quality, reasonably priced sporting goods reasonable price meals / lunch and /or coffee inexpensive goods in bulk More affordability on basic goods such as the kind of things you can get at Costco in Superior. Also, when it comes to food/restaurants it seems like there is a wider selection of more affordable options in other communities - especially as you get closer to Denver, there's good diversity. More indoor playground for little kids. Winter is long here and for babies and toddlers there's not much to do. In Washington DC we had Gymboree which was a life saver on the winter. Also a Gap would be great in downtown. It's affordable, quality and has adult and children's clothing. a decent fast casual salad restaurant withing walking distance of Pearl St mall golf equipment, clubs,shoes, etc. Family friendly restaurants and clothing at reasonable prices. Would like a full-service sporting goods store like Dick's Sporting Goods. Liver specialist Shoe repair...the only one I know of is on Arapahoe/28th and they are terrible. Shoe repair, seamstress, vacuum store, corner general store, coffee shop (mine closed). Costco my medications, supplements, handiman, housecleaners, yard help, some food are all from outside of boulder Sheet plastic, like Lucite or polyethylene or polypropylene, for storm windows, plastic construction, etc. Colorado Plastics got kicked out of town when the idiotic Boulder Junction got built. Hobby shops. Practical clothing stores. Foreign Auto parts stores. More variety with Hardware store options needed...and small business selections.. Walking boot / Air cast Small retain shops seem to be declining, as are lower-priced restaurants and grocery stores. Costco and shops at Flatirons Crossing. New clothes that are not over-prices, I mostly shop at Goodwill but it is nice to have something new and Target is not working for me - still to pricey. In addition to the comments above, the loss of locally owned retail and repair (in all areas) is not only very sad.... but it the associated quality of service that is increasingly hard to find. Big box stores and service centers staffed with short-term young people who either know little or care little (but still expect a 25% tip) ...ensures increased on-line purchasing... which in turn furthers the demise of local business (and the taxes local businesses pay). Seriously... City Council and City staff need more people in house and on boards who understand and live w/ this. When Sports Authority left, it was inconvenient. Walmart, too! Selection of moderate shoes and clothing. wholesale store Costco and Mens clothing. Clothes. Gasoline (at a reasonable price). Affordable restaurants. Appendix C: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Unmet Needs City Council Study Session Page 140 of 260 A high quality pair of shoes. dance shoes The Walnut Cafe, Old Chicago, Bayleaf, Conor O'Neills, The Video Station, Sancho's, The Yoga Workshop, The Walrus, Walnut Brewery, Catacombs, The Cup, and other small businesses pushed out due to exorbitant rent and property taxes. Soon: Brooklyn Barber Academy and businesses being displaced by a hotel on The Hill. Its a long list Clothing, shoes — they are cheaper and have more variety online. Goods and services provided by small, family owned businesses. Affordable restaurants. They all seemed to be replaced by high end restaurants, banks, and large corporately owned chains. Hardware, ski goods, clothing Affordable food and goods and services Metal, plastic & other small light industrial business needed for special projects. Clothes Furniture, less expensive clothing, children's items, car repair. sewer drain rooter service on an emergency basis. furniture. costco Retail clothing for women - very poor styles, not much available for a professional, poor quality Shoes - very little selection I wasn't able to find the following goods or services at the quality and price point I wanted: psychologist, hair cut, nail services, candles, headphones, books, drinking glasses, wine glasses, pet grooming tools, picture frames, thank you cards, holiday cards, pants, skin care products, jewelry, shoes, magazines, dish towels, bed sheets, bath towels. Some clothing options in mid-range of prices Basic services retailers are closing because they cannot afford the rental prices. The ones that are still open need to increase the price of their products. They are no longer an option for me. Trying to find goods and services outside of Boulder now. A good taco near my house Clothing - go to shops in Denver We need a Good department store and shops where people age 60 can find nice dresses. I like my sales tax money to stay in Boulder. we need a good department store and shops where people age 60 can find nice dresses. like sales tax money to stay in Boulder. Food items specific to my family's cultural cuisine that are not or are rarely available in Boulder. furniture Medium priced, medium value clothes (like Sears, Penneys, Melvyns used to be) (something between Target & Macy's) Bedding is non existent. Bed Bath Beyond is limited, and so is Macy's. Shoes- all kinds are limited. Sports wear- all sports besides skiing, can't shop for soccer gear/clothes for my child. Furniture- basic stuff is non existent. Sporting goods — especially kids sizes — and not skiing or hiking. No place to buy baseball shoes and gear for example. Is this basic? Well it is when there are two big little leagues in town. See above comments. Those goods and services are available but if you live in my neighborhood you have to drive to them. Replacement parts for small electronics like toothbrushes, robot vacuums, pressure cookers. Home remodel items, the selection at mcguckins and Home Depot is not sufficient. The Verizon store in boulder isn't good, so we go to the superior store. Pet items like water reservoirs, electric collars. Discounted pet goods and pet pharmacy. Large box discount stores. Large box organic foods discount stores. Large box health food discount stores. Discounted or membership liquor stores. Large, petite and tall women's clothing. Large, petite and tall or wide and narrow women's discount clothing and shoes. Dance apparel and shoes. Normal priced tall adult kick scooter. Appendix C: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Unmet Needs City Council Study Session Page 141 of 260 More Latin/Asian/African/Arab food options. My powdered chai and other things from Costco. But I only go there 2-3 times a year. A popular supplement, various beauty products, a dress for an upcoming wedding. Also landscape services, some construction services, plumbing employment related services Sporting goods - with Sports Authority leaving town I have to drive Westminster or Broomfield to find suitable soccer gear for my children. Home goods & decor - for example, Container Store, Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn. Women's clothing, shoes. Home organization. Home decorating. Women's clothing. Women's shoes. Loose tea. food items Car washes are definitely a hassle when I am in Boulder. Affordable restaurants downtown Basic clothing, shoes, household goods. Basic clothing, shoes, household goods. We have lots of specialty shops that cater to specific people and activities. Imported food products. Reasonably priced clothing. Good Restaurant & retail service. Family restaurants - national chains. Moderately priced restaurant, i.e., Egg & I, Applebees (long gone), variety shopping in Table Mesa Area. Affordable furniture that is higher quality than goodwill. Thinking IKEA-quality Shoes Kids shoes Large appliances Discount clothes Whether this is basic could be debated, but you can't buy any kid sports clothes or shoes in boulder. Finding a white T-shirt for PE class was impossible. I ordered online. Reasonably priced clothing, camping gear, groceries, etc. that can be found at Walmart Supercenters in Lafayette and Longmont. Specific health care Organic plant based restaurants It was more convenient to shop at Kohl's in Louisville where my business takes me weekly. I was buying clothing, and seasonal decorations and gifts. Psychiatry Discount stores In South Boulder: Auto Store, Barber, Physicians, Better hardware store, More take out food (Good Quality) Economical furniture, homegoods. Casual clothes Fast food meals Costco prices Reasonably priced clothes, and household items Affordable retail. Clothing, shoes, etc that are not high end Furniture affordable clothing for adults and kids There is no Donut shop other than Dunkin Donuts in the city. There are so many coffee shops and breweries and ice cream shops but no unique donut shops. More vegan food options Furniture Ever try to find a pair of size 5 shoes in town? You have just one choice: Nordstrom Rack. the question should actually be what affordable services or goods are not available in Boulder. Here are a few: car detailing, work clothing and shoes (office attire), furniture. I also think we are getting dangerously low on gas stations. But thank goodness we have so many new banks moving in so I can put my money there instead of spending it! A pair of jeans in a decent price from woman Diverse groceries such as Asian grocery markets have, the grocery stores here in general are mediocre. Also the Target is terrible so there's no good place to get those things without going to Superior. Gas stations Fireplace insert & installation at reasonable prices (the first example that comes to mind) Cable and internet at a competitive price. Appendix C: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Unmet Needs City Council Study Session Page 142 of 260 Furniture store, low cost clothing retailer, food stores that aren't packed with stockers during business hours, lawn mower, vacuum bought on line. It's too crowded here! Basic goods other than high end exercise apparel you mean? Basic goods that we used to purchase at four, or was it five anchor stores at Crossroads Mall. Plus however many small businesses. Plus downtown streets lined with shops in relevant tasteful buildings We are as limited in our purchasing as you might expect given the lack of choice and low inventory common now. Except of course if you require expensive recreational clothing. Worse, everything is priced based on the false market. Taxes are exceptionally inflated in Boulder. Why shop here, and where? You said it. Basic goods and services. I used to live in Aspen. The joke was that you had to drive to Glenwood Springs to buy a tooth brush. We have very little choice and shopping elsewhere or online is now unavoidable. Huge gaps are left in goods and services availability when what was a diverse retail environment is systematically dismantled. I have a guy who has repaired my watch for 25 years. He is in the Diagonal Plaza and will fall victim to the "improvements" planned there. I won't get started on over priced gourmet grocery stores. Or snobby restaurants most common people cannot afford to patronize, even if they wanted to.Recent wild goose chases looking for a singular basic item by bicycle like a good citizen have proven fruitless. Shopped for clothing or shoes around here lately? Where? Know of a bike shop where you can find a tire for under $75? There are now three hardware stores in Boulder, McGuckin, Home Depot and Boulder Lumber. Never mind Sutherlands or the place that was located in Gunbarrel where a hotel now stands. I digress. Clothing stores in Boulder are very niche and don't always have items for day to day Clothing retaill economical variety of household goods that would be found at such places like Walmart or Costco. I don't always need organic or higher priced local goods. My income has limits and therefore, so does my ability to buy higher priced goods even if they are superior in another way. Nut cheese and organic celery are always out at the grocery store. Mid-range (expense) swim suit that fits. Mid-range (expense) affordable work (office) clothing. Latin, foods, polenta Specific kind of miso dressing, specific kind of salsa, homemade tamales, etc. Food. Affordable care items.Variety Affordable furniture stores. Pharmacy type stores in walking distance from work. pregnancy clothing store, other larger options for big box stores that are convenient at the flatirons mall; smaller selection of electronics/computers than in other nearby towns Affordable clothing, fuel, groceries And home good. I almost always drive through Boulder to get to stores and services outside of Boulder. I live directly outside the city limits, work in the city but leave Boulder to shop and spend my money. I would prefer to stay local, save time and miles driven but Boulder simply does not have goods and services. Interestingly, a good portion of the people I see shopping outside of Boulder are from Boulder. Clearly Boulder retailers are not meeting the needs of people who live there. Convenient fast food locations during my lunch break that weren't an hour long wait in the drive thru. Baby and kid products are a market that is not served well in Boulder. Furniture Books, Barnes and Noble are our only selection. Discount clothes, I often shop at Kohls in Longmont. inexpensive clothing. A few thrift stores and Target are only options. Affordable new clothing for older women Clothing. Sporting goods. Furniture. Housing bulk food, party supplies, kids clothes Does housing count? Costco! dough hook for a certain model mixer, trail books for a trail in Scotland, vacuum cleaner wand for a certain model Appendix C: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Unmet Needs City Council Study Session Page 143 of 260 affordable clothes and shoes I've given up looking for women's clothing in Boulder. It's geared to a different style and size demographic than I am. Stylish fashion. High end home decor Various lumber needs, department store like Kohls for clothing Affordable food. Electronics of all kinds, There is nowhere to buy: nice quality housewares (glasses, placemats, vases, etc.). We really need a Crate and Barrel. Inexpensive hosiery, overnight essentials Soda without a soda tax So called "assault weapons" (fake made up term by your stupid city council) Sugary drinks without excessive taxation. Low priced items furniture. Walmart, Bulk items such as those offered at Costco. Affordable clothes Ethnic Food, Intermediate level dance. Studio, fast casual restaurants, men's clothing store Sporting gear Bulk items like fish that were priced reasonably. Affordable clothes--I often go to Flatirons Crossing mall or order online as there is not a full selection of items in Boulder. certain cuts of beef, lamb; dearth of fresh seafood selection Resonably priced soccer gear and jeans Reasonably priced used tools. A massage that doesn't cost $70-$100 an hour once you tip. Affordable computer repair service. Pet products offered somewhere locally rather than a chain store. Certain electronics. WalMart or Costco type sizes and prices. Good quality women's clothing. Usually go to Longmont for restaurant choices. Pearl Street Mall has poor parking. Mostly medications and medical supplies. Basic prices on gardening and outdoor equiptment Ethic hair stylist Donut shop Shoe repair, Women's shoes & clothes Affordable restaurants Movie theater selections mid-level clothing like the underwear brands that I prefer, not the cheapest and not the fanciest. specific DVDs and books that I wanted. the size and style of kitchen trash can I wanted. jeans - not designer ones, ones you can garden in. Kids stuff. Newborn stuff. Specialty stuff. Reasonably priced house hold foods and restaurants. I shop at Costco Affordable furniture, reclaimed goods, all the "local" shops cost an arm and leg because of ridiculous rent prices. Authentic bakery and coffeehouse with European pastries and multiple types of artisan breads. Reasonably priced clothing Reasonably priced bulk groceries, fully stocked target store tile wood rv.camper The cheap, quick once-per quarter Wal-Mart run type goods. Sporting goods for youth sports, low price kids clothes (only Target at this point). Food products, personal products, books, equipment, parts, bulk shopping - for decent prices and without major parking hassles. reasonably priced but good quality furniture; children's entertainment venues (e.g. trampoline parks); reasonably priced but good quality children's clothes; good breakfast tacos; basic sporting goods items for school aged children. Appendix C: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Unmet Needs City Council Study Session Page 144 of 260 Reasonably priced women's clothing. sporting goods Plus size clothing the teas I like drinking lighting fixtures Shops there are mostly nice but we need AFFORDABLE basics Medium priced clothes - like at Kohls - for adults and children. There is only Macy's and they are leaving. Basic toddler clothing Specific health and beauty items at King Soopers. I usually wait and hit a Target or other store on my way home, and so I can pay sales tax in my home city/county... and plastic bags in Boulder are costly too. I don't mind, but it should be city wide and not just a few retailers. Asian Market Pepper Spray, a specific type of gutter guard, high end art supplies now that Meininger's is gone, lots of specific grocery items Goat meat, Indian spices Existence of only 1 super market like Target. Affordable restaurants mud jacking Electronics parts, such as RadioShack used to supply. SparkFun does not have a good selection and is not open weekends. Decent, affordable lunch place in walking distance Working in gunbarrel currently and I see that there is no food court or good eateries around this place where we can grab a togo or a quick bite. Very limited selection of eateries. I used to get things like welding gas, metal stock, woodworking wood that wasn't just pine or oak, stuff like that at various places in town. Now I have to go to Longmont or Denver for those. Good clothes and shoes at affordable prices Costco. Sporting goods. Hunting supplies. kids shoes Furniture, tile, specialty foods (international) Affordable clothing, basic necessities like underwear and socks Affordable furniture Furniture, mattress, home goods, certain clothing brands. The stock on hand in Boulder stores is sometimes inadequate and not available (sold out). Also, professional equipment is rarely available in stock at Boulder stores - therefore I end up purchasing this needed equipment online. Because of the Target store, they didn't carry or have them available. Organizer boxes. Could get at office supply store, but more expensive. Also, thermal underwear. Used to get at Target. Have to keep going back to find them in stock.They do not stock staples items. Dishwashing detergent, Ivory. Very common and less expensive there. Depend on Target to get general items without having to travel to several stores. Without a car, it is expensive to travel to a store outside Boulder. It's frustrating when they don't have what I need. Some food items, nutritional supplements, landfill services Items that you could find at McGuckins, but can get for half the price outside Boulder or online. Feel we are lacking in a good selection of children's clothes and shoes Cloth for teenagers, yes this might mean chains or big box Sporting good store, shoe stores you name it! costco/wholesale store but im not complaining Men's clothing Groceries and beauty services that are not overpriced or have decent parking, meaning not enough parking spaces and parking spaces that are very narrow. petite clothing. More department stores for choices. Usually it comes down to cost. I might be able to find it in Boulder, but the taxes and higher prices make something more costly, therefore I shop elsewhere. I also shop at the Whole Foods in Longmont (on rare occasions) because it is a nicer store and I can park easily. Appendix C: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Unmet Needs City Council Study Session Page 145 of 260 Often I have to go to McCaslin BLVD or Longmont to find goods and services that I need. Sometimes I have to go to Denver. When something is available in Boulder, there is almost always a price premium and the same item is available a bit further away for anywhere from 10% to 30% less. Many of us colloquially refer to this as the Boulder "tax" despite it not being actually tax related. Sporting good store. Now that Sports Authority is gone you have to drive to Broomfield for Dicks Sports Certain brands of certain foods that do NOT contain onions, soy products, etc.... Grainger's Clothing for me and other family members. Mother of the groom dress, blue cardigan sweater, bulk toilet paper, low heeled semi dress shoes, IAMS senior dog food (50#) bag, hen scratch, goat feed, large cans of wet dog food for under $1, bulk lotion, spices by the ounce, smart 65" TV under $649, king size mattress topper under $150, hanstone quartz countertop, Western wear, cars,soda without a sugar tax, appliances etc "Saran" Plastic Wrap, Garden trellis, and green house. It's not that you can't find what you want it's that the prices of goods are much more expensive. I shop at Amazon, Costco, Walmart and Lowe's in Louisville, Superior and Broomfield. I would much rather my sales tax dollars remain in Boulder. * DITTO(USA):"WETHEPEOPLE...All,TheBasicGoodsAndServicesIHadAtMyWalmartNeighborhoodMarket,Etc.Etc .... ThanksVeryMuch/AlwaysInLiberty,DennisTavares...SoonerAnd/Not,Later...AMEN..."!!!!!🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺 It's a growing list. Even local retailers are pushing shopping online. Wal-mart - "cost fair" goods and services Don't want too many national chains, but need some Butcher, bakery with dark bread, shoe selection Art supplies Needed to find clothing - not always available in Boulder area Un Wal-mart Clothing in larger sizes Affordable car care Quality affordable produce Freedom Items that used to be available at Radio Shack and JD Saunders good thrift shops, Walmart or similar business, reasonably priced food New affordable sporting stores like Dicks ~ not Play it again sam used goods card. monitor A variety of sporting goods, clothing, and household stores. Now that Macy's is closing, we have to drive to Dillard's in Broomfield. Also, I am a special case because of my food allergies. I actually have to order my body products from Canada because everything in this country contains corn derivatives, to which I am allergic. (I don't expect this problem to be solved by Boulder, though! It's more the lack of a department store that affects us.) After living here over 50 years we no longer have stores like we had at Crossroads shopping center. Very hard for senior citizens to go out of town for stores like Kohl's, Ross etc. The stores at 29 th Street do not meet our needs, mostly cater to younger people. Very disappointed in selection of stores, like Boulder used to have. Costco, affordable gas Dollar store Latino food store Walmart housewares, affordable and wider selection of hispanic foods, I shop online more due to the traffic and parking situation in Boulder. I don't have time to sit in traffic to get basic goods even though they might be available. competitively priced household goods and furnishings. All is expensive here Lack of sporting equipment for kids. Only option appears to be Play it Again NA Appendix C: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Unmet Needs City Council Study Session Page 146 of 260 Clothing, most of the time I have to shop online. Basketball Shoes, affordable produce and other healthy grocery items. Ethinic foods/grocery store quality auto service Any good or service that is owned by someone with a traditionally Christian religious belief such as Hobby Lobby, Chik Fil A (no decent chicken sandwiches). How intolerant of you! Also, what happened to Chili's and other affordable eateries? Any big box retail is impossible to find. If you do find something it is 2-4x the normal price outside of the city. Terrible options for children's clothing and maternity clothes. Speciality stores are expensive and so is the only consignment option. I shop Target, go online, or go to Longmont. There are literally NO options for maternity clothes other than the limited options at Target. Children's/Baby supplies are also limited to Target or grocery stores. I wasn't able to find products for my hair or certain foods I was looking for in the grocery stores around here. Most anything needed is not in this city. Reasonably priced clothes -- no too low end (like Target) and not too high end (Black House White Market). Medical items. Household goods at a reasonable price. horse feed While services and goods might be available. The inflated cost of things, based on the cost of living in comparison to the wage paid to retail jobs, makes basic goods and services more of a hardship financially.This cuts both ways based on the socio-economic infrastructure of Boulder. Stores have all but been priced out of viability. The other day I went to get some food near my work and the deli I frequented ( Sun Deli/ Bow Tie Cafe) was closed, gutted and left me with no viable options for goods within a 6 block radius. This was also affected by the fact that Snarfs was recently demolished and was also, obviously, closed. Ironically, there were at least a dozen new apartments being built in the same 6 block radius. The bottom line is this: Boulder is completely catering to a wealthy socio-economic class and it is gentrifying it to the point that it is very difficult for working class people, artists, musicians, and people of ethnicity to live here. Bulk food found at Costco in superior Auto purchase Auto purchase, buy soda outsider boulder because of the ridiculous soda tax (who is the complete idiot that came up with this one?) Sporting goods, low-priced retail like Costco, broad selection electronics parts retailer (like the old J.B. Saunders) Current fashion in clothing fashion makeup and home goods Car- had to go to Denver Nothing really kids clothes Appliances a pump organ But not enough! It is OK not to have Ikea, Home Depot, Lowes, etc all within the city! Practically anything that isn't food is something I have to drive for. I am equidistant from Longmont as I am from Boulder shopping, and Longmont is cheaper and often has easier parking. I almost only buy gas in Longmont (usually 15-20c cheaper per gallon). Their Target is also better. For some other stores, it just depends on where I am already shopping (pet store, Home Depot). Boulder doesn't have enough discount stores, like Big Lots. It only has Marshalls since Ross left (and it isn't a great Marshalls). Losing Savers was a huge loss even though I do check the other thrift stores. Stores I frequent occasionally that are not in Boulder: Kohl's, Lowe's, ARC Thirft Stores, King Soopers (for any drinks with sugar), Walmart (because sometimes they are the only store that has certain items), Movie Theater with good member program (used to do Cinemark, but now am a member of AMC since it is a MUCH better deal). Appendix C: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Unmet Needs City Council Study Session Page 147 of 260 1) Landscape installation and maintenance services. This is an extremely pronounced lack which is getting more pronounced each year. Some services are extremely unreliable. Some are overbooked to the point of total unavailability. Not enough are skilled in design for native ecosystems or wildlife habitats or in materials sourcing. 2) Local handyman services. Especially those prepared to do custom maintenance on historic homes. Home furnishings and furniture Car washes that are affordable and good service Limited number of pharmacies/drug stores (so I go to grocery stores for this need) Value proposition(s) available @ Costco for various groceries, household supplies, pharmacy/personal care items, contact lenses, hearing aids. Walmart, Chick fil a. xx Volleyball supplies Cheap clothe or Mexican food Basic clothing stores/food services that had affordable clothing or resources Walmart. Chick fil a. Street food, you know carts or trailers, that don't cost as much as a restaurant. $10 for a rice bowl, $9 for three little tacos, seriously? I go out of Boulder to shop for affordable eyewear. Also, I know my quality of life in Boulder will go down when/if Macy's leaves. It's the only place I can go for emergency clothing/undergarments/accessories/shoes and know that they'll have something that will work. cheaper gluten free options, Affordable larger-sized women's clothing. Ethnic retail selections, particularly Asian foods. Clothing....I'm driving to Broomfield or even Cherry Creek and Park Meadows to shop for my family's clothing. Sometimes we go to Longmont restaurants as Boulder restaurants are becoming fewer. reasonably-priced staples, meat, groceries ladies walking shoes, practical, wide-width competitive, quality hearing aids competitive sub-contractors for remodeling reasonably-priced glasses Mexican specialty store Affordable groceries - I take the bus to Walmart in Lafayette to purchase them Affordable food - I frequently travel to Broomfield (Flatiron Mall) to eat out good typically purchased at stores like Kohl's, JC Penny, Sears, etc. A good pastrami sandwich Actually, I prob. could have found what I wanted in Boulder, but I refuse to shop at Home Depot. Appliances and tiles/flooring, Farm and ranch supplies Certain affordable clothing items Less expensive options and restaurants that aren't overrun with drunks Goods- clothing Services- contractor Your stores are to small of the ones that I would use and the parking and getting around town sucks! Affordable services. Everything is Boulder prices! variety of women's clothing and shoes Availability of desired goods will become very bad. Stores like Talbot's and Clark shoes have left. 24 hour pharmacy Men's clothing, Family restaurants especially, comfortable shoes in my size, non-jean slacks, moderate sweaters, undergarment selection. Sneakers, used children's and adult clothing (a store like Savers). Look at the above answer and figure it out. House repair persons not experienced well ! Home Furnishings. Independent movie theatre(s). Chicken feed. Although I might be able to get some brand of chicken feed at McGuckin's, I go to the Jax in Louisville. Appendix C: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Unmet Needs City Council Study Session Page 148 of 260 Much is too expensive here. Too much to list. Target is as close as we get to discount shopping Pediatric rehabilitation services at BCH is moving to Erie, leaving only private, out of pocket services available in Boulder for children with special needs. Now must travel to Louisville, Erie, Broomfield. Costco Co. Flatiron Crossing (it's nice to shop indoors on a snowy day) Archery lessons Pottery co-op in my neighborhood Non-corporate retail and/or grocery options near me TOOL SHARING CO-OP near me!!! walmart Costco - affordable bulk items as well as outlet store prices. Great sun hats Kids clothes and shoes Kids Sports equipment While the basic goods are all available here in Boulder, the selection isn't as wide and varied, limited amount of stores, items are more expensive since it's a bit of a captive audience. Good Quality clothes and shoes not too expensive Reasonably priced clothing and furniture and groceries Clothing, furniture, reasonably priced restaurants. Children's shoes Costco type store suitable clothing, electronics, high quality tea, blood pressure machine Clothes, shoes, buy-in-bulk store low cost food shopping. One items would be leather jacket. Was trying to find a good place for quality leather jacket collections. While very few places do have these, even they don't have many selections. Wholesale outlets Wal-mart Wal-mart Affordable materials for remodeling and updating our kitchen Affordable clothing Anything in bulk n/a Good bike mechanic, good car dealership, and any bulk grocery shopping (Costco) Pharmacy open in evening In general, Boulder is lacking any basic shopping. There needs to be an equal amount of small and big box stores, not just overpriced boutique for tourists. Needs many more fast food places. Baby supplies Costco Butcher shop I shop a lot at Costco in Louisville for reasonably priced organic products I will not shop online, therefore I would appreciate having a variety of shops that I can go to into look for personal goods. Home goods...sheets, quilt, etc. Sometimes Bed Bath and Beyond and Target don't have exactly what I want. soccer shoes, kids clothes Appendix C: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Unmet Needs City Council Study Session Page 149 of 260 This section describes and evaluates the retail market in Boulder - its size, make-up, and performance. To add perspective to this assessment, we compare descriptive metrics taken from several data sources to the same (or similar) measures regarding the following two reference groups: 1.A set of neighboring communities that compete with Boulder retailers for shopping and dining spending, and 2.A set of peer communities across the country selected for their similarity to Boulder on key attributes. With respect to neighboring cities specifically, in addition to these data-driven comparisons, this report also focuses on qualitative policy and administrative differences (zoning, taxation, regulations, local government infrastructure, etc.} that may impact the delivery and performance of retail goods and services. Boulder Comparison with Neighboring Cities This section will evaluate Boulder as compared with the other nearby cities of Broomfield, Lafayette, Longmont, Louisville, and Superior. The following map shows the relative locations of the regional comparison or neighboring cities against which we have compared Boulder. Boulder and Regional Com parison Cities The map on the following page shows the location and size of retail properties in Boulder and its surrounding communities. With the exception of only a few pockets, retail in this area is largely confined to within the incorporated limits of the comparison cities. 45 Appendix D: Boulder Compares to Neighboring Communities Appendix D: Boulder Compared to Neighboring Communities City Council Study Session Page 150 of 260 ExistingRetail*Space,Boulder andRegionalComparableCities•‘BouC0Source:Costar,04-2018‘a.C*NoteToaidinregionalandnationalcomparisonsacrossothercities,“retail”hereinc/udesallproperties trackedasretai/byCostar,inc/udingsomecategoriesnotshowninPart(findingssuchasautodealersandrepair.UI2 345m1IIIpIp.-.J0,Co&dlLONGMONTifCC’,RetaipropertiesarescaledtoiepreseritpropertySizeThepropertyshov,r,hereisthe12millions1.ElatirorrCrossingMallArapahoeCountyRd8CCa3ROOMFIELD46Appendix D: Boulder Compared to Neighboring CommunitiesCity Council Study Session Page 151 of 260 NotesonTwoKeyDataSourcesOn-the-groundretail realityismessyandinconstantflux.Storecategoriesblurand morphovertime;individualpropertiesservemultiplepurposes; proprietorsarestingywithinformation;andprimarydatacollectorswithhavelimitedresourcestoservediverseaudiences.Assuch,nodatasourceisperfect.Thisanalysis reliesheavilyontwodataproviderswithagoodbalanceofaccuracy,nationalcoverage,andlocalgranularity(abilitytospot-checkandzoomtocustomgeographies).COSTAROriginallyanationalbrokerage(likeColliers,CBRE,CushmanWakefield,etc.),Costarisnow strictlyasubscription-basedinformationprovider,withdataandanalyticsoncommercialproperties(retail,office,industrial,apartments)acrossallUSmarkets.Inadditiontociuarterlysummaryreportsonallnationalmarketsandsubmarkets,Costarde1..versextensivedataonanindvoualpropertylevelaswellasmarket-levelmetricssuchasprevailngrentsand vacancyrates.Data qualityvariessomewhatacrossmarketsandisrotflawless,but theirpoint-levedeliveryandreasonablyexhaustveinclusion ofsmallerandowner-occupiedpropertiesoffersauniqueabilitytocapturetheentiremarketandtrackdowninaccuracies,whilestillallowingforcomparisonsatanyUSgeography.ESRIAlsotheleadingproviderofgeographicinformationsystems(GIS)so’twa’e,ESRIisa:sooneofahandfuloftopnationalsuoscriptiondernogapbicdataproviders.Theirdatadivision,marketedasESRIBusinessAnalystOnline(or ESRI-BAO)‘usesavarietyofprimarysourcesbutmostlytakesUSCensusdata,includingAmerican CommunitySu’vey(ACS)updates,andappliesproprietarymodelstocreatecurrent-yearestimatesacrossahostofden’ograpncandeconomicvadables.CriticaltothisanalysisisESRI’sdataon retailsupplyanddemand.Supply(orsales)isestimatedbasedonUSEconomicCensusresultsfrom2011(latestavailable),updatedusingInfoUSAproperty-leveldatatocurrentyearestimates.Demand (spendingpotentialcomesfromUSCensusConsumerExpenditurePatternsurveyresults,scaledbyregionand prevailinglocalrcomes.BaselineMetricsTocreatesomecontextofretadinBoulderanditsneighboringcities,wepresentanumberofbaselinemetrics:Estimated2018Population,RegionalComparison109,42796,7547714571,20230,92821,20813,444SuperiorLouisvilleLafayetteBroomfLeldLovelandLongmontBoUlderSource:ESRIBusiness Analyst(basedonUSCensus data)47Appendix D: Boulder Compared to Neighboring CommunitiesCity Council Study Session Page 152 of 260 RetailTotalInventory,RegionalComparison(millionsofsf)6.65.95.]1.80.8SLpericLoLisvIIIeLaaye:teSrocrrfieid:o-.grcrtSource-Costar,04-2018Ncte:Toadinregionalandnationalcomparisonsacrossothercities,“retail”hereincludesallpropertiestrackedasretailbyCostar,includingsomecategoriesnotshowninPartIfindingssuchasautodealers andrepair.•Boulderisthelargestcityinthislocalcomparisonregionandalsotopsintermsofoverallretailinventory.•Theregionalhierarchyintermsofretailisbrokenintotwodistincttiers,withBroomfield,LongmontandBoulderhavingquitelargeretailpresences(allover5millionsouarefeet)and Superior,LouisvilleandLafayettehavingfarsmallerinventories.•Inventorycorrespondsroughlywiththepopulationdistributionacrossthesesevencities,althoughminorvariationsinthatsortingresultinsomenotabledifferencesinretailinventorypercapita.•Historically,inpartbecausetheDenverareahadnotyetexperiencedtoday’slevelofgrowthanoinpartbecauseoftrafficpatterns,BoulderwasthedominantcityacrosstheBoulderValleyRegion.Boulder’suniquepositionintheregionhaserodedasgrowthtothenorthwestofDenverhascontinued.Today,nearbyBroomfieldandLongrnontcompetewithBoulderinprovidinggoodsandservicesofallkinds.Whilealookattheabsoluteamountofretailgivescontextforretaildistributionacrosstheregion,lookingatthenumberofsquarefeetofretailonaper-capitabasiswillgiveageneralideaofhoweachcityisservedascomparedwitnitsneighboringcities.Asnotedintheretailtrendssection,above,theUnitedStateshasthehighestnumberofsquarefeetofretailper-capitaintheworld.EachofthecitiesstudiedhasasignificantlygreaternumberofsquarefeetofretailthanthealreadybloatedU.S.number.SalespercapitaforBoulderanditsregionalcompetitorscanbefoundinthegraphandtablebelow.Bowocr48Appendix D: Boulder Compared to Neighboring CommunitiesCity Council Study Session Page 153 of 260 RetailInventoryperCapita(2018Est.)Est. S.F.perCapita(2018)70.771.655.858.260.361.0SuperiorLafayetteBoulderLongmontLouisvilleBroomfieldSource:Costar;ES???EstimatedRetailSalesandSalesper Capita(2017)TotalAnnualTotalAnnualRetailSales,RetailSalespermillionsCapitaES???;20)7est.;*inc?ES??);20)7est.;*inclvehiclesales&srvc.vehiclesales&srvc.Boulder$2,957$27,024BoulderCountyOverall$5,778$17,302RegionalCompCitiesBroomfield$1,041$14,627Lafayette$239$7,736Lonymont$1,341$13,858Louisville$349$16,458Superior$389$28,942Source:ES??)BusinessAnalystNote:ESRI’sestimates arebasedonU.S.Economic CensusandInfoUSAdata,notsalestaxrevenue data•TheCityofBoulderaccountsforapproximatelyone-halfofallcounty-wideretailsales•BoulderandSuperioraretheonlytwo citieswithmorethan$20,000inannualestimatedsalesperresident—bothinexcessof$27,000.Comparingretailsaleswithineachcitytothecombinedspendingpotentialofitsresidentsgivesanestimateofwhetherthatretailisbeingsupportedlargelybyresidentsinthatsamecityorbysomelargerspendingpool.Pullfactorsabove1.0indicatemarketswheresomespendingislikelybeing“pulled”infromoutsidethecityboundaries.Onthecontrary,pullfactorsbelow1.0suggestthatcityresidentsaretakingat leastsomeoftheirspendingpowertoshopanddineoutsidethecity(commonlyreferredtoas“leakage”).49Appendix D: Boulder Compared to Neighboring CommunitiesCity Council Study Session Page 154 of 260 EstimatedRetailPullFactorTotalAnnual AnnualHouseholdRetailSales,SpendingmillionsPotentialPullFactor(valuesabove1.0indicatecitieswherecitysalesexceedESRI;2017eat.;*incLESRI;2017eat.;*inci.spendingpowerofvehiclesales&srvc.vehiclesales&srvc.cityresidents)Boulder$2,957$1,9411.5BoulderCountyOverall$5,778$6,3930,9RegionalComp CitiesBroomfield$1,041$1,3840.8Lafayette$239$5400,4Longmont$1,341$1,5210.9Louisville$349$4590.8Superior$389$3171.2Source:ESRIBusinessAnalystandconsultant•BasedonESRIestimatesofsalesandspendingpotential(inturninfluencedbybothpopulationandincome),Boulderhasthehighestpullfactoramongitsregionalcompetition,withlocalspending exceeding residentspendingpowerbyapproximately50percent.RegionalComparisonsofRetailVacancy,BuildingSize,andRentsPropertyQualitycwtd.Vacant VacancyAvg.StarMarketRentRentGrowth-InventoryRate Rating) (NNN!sf/yr)12mo.Boulder425,0006.4%3.0$25.372.6%BoulderCountyOverall931,0005.4%$22.172.3%RegionalCampCitiesBroomfield105,0002.0%3.8$27.80-0.6%Lafayette43,1002.4%2.7$22.631.0%Longmont170,00029%3.0$17.082.5%Louisviie232,00015.4%2.8$25.193.0%Superior11,6001.5%3.1$27.330.6%Source: Costar,04-2018•Boulder’svacancy rateof6.4%,whilerelativelyhealthyinanabsolute sense(asarule-of-thumb,retailunderwritingconsidersanoccupancyrateof95%tobefullyleased),ishigherthanallregionalcomparisoncitiesexceptforLouisville,wherevacanciescurrentlytop15%.•WhileBoulderdoeshavethelargestinventoryofvacantspaceinthecomparisonregion,withover400,000squarefeet, some150,000squarefeetofthistotalisaccountedforby50Appendix D: Boulder Compared to Neighboring CommunitiesCity Council Study Session Page 155 of 260 theMacy’spropertyintheBVRC/29thStreetretailarea,drivinga14%vacancyrateforthatnode..Withoutthatsinglevacancy,Boulder’soverallvacancyratewouldfallto3.9%.•SimplydividingthecountofbuildingstrackedbyCostarintothetotalinventorysquarefootageyieldsaroughaveragebuildingsize—about14,400s.f.forBoulder, lowerthanSuperiororBroomfield,whereaveragestop20,000.•BroomfieldandSuperioraretheonlycitiesintheregionwithhigherestimatedrentsthanBoulder,wherethecurrentNNNmarketrentis$25.37.Longmonttrailswithjust over$17persquarefootatitsaverageannualrent.RegionalComparisonsof RetailDevelopmentActivity12-moNetAbsorption(asDeFiveries-PastCurrentlyUnder%ofInventory)12mo.ConstructionBoulder-2,1%5,40024,500BoulderCountyOverall-0.3%46,30074,000RegionalCompCitiesBroomfield4.1%20,500123,000Lafayette0.1%18,300 7,500Longmont1.9%9,20020,000LouisvilFe-2.9%--Loveland0.6%86,400 450,000Superior7.8%12,00022,000Source:Costar,04-2018•Intermsofrecentactivity,theregioncontinuesto bedrivenlargelybyBroomfieldandLoveland,whereprojectscurrentlyunderconstructiontotal123,000and450,000squarefeet,respectively.•Boulderhasjustunder25,000s.f.underconstruction,withonly5,400s.f.deliveredoverthepast12months.•Netabsorption,afunctionofboth constructionactivityandchangesinoccupancy,wasnegativeforBoulderlastyearRetailSupplyandDemandMetricsbyStoreCategoriesAlthoughnearthecountywideaverageforgrocerystoresalespercapita,Boulderisfarandawaythestrongestregionalperformerintermsofpullfactor,withlocalsalesestimatedat2.7timesresident spendingpower.ThemostlikelyexplanationforthisfindingischainslikeWholeFoods,LuckyandotherspecializedsupermarketswithalargeflagshippresenceinBoulder(a)charginghigherpricesthanmoretraditionalmass-marketgrocers,and(b)drawingfromawidetradearea.51Appendix D: Boulder Compared to Neighboring CommunitiesCity Council Study Session Page 156 of 260 RegionalPullFactorandSalesper CapitaComparisons--Grocery&RestaurantFood/BevAwayFood/BevAwayGroceryPullGrocerySalesperFromHomeSalesFromHomePullFactorCapitaperCapitaFactorBoulder2.7$2,271$2,9211.6BoulderCountyOverall1.4$2,424$1,8721.0RegionalCompCitiesBroomfield0.8$2,453$1,5940.8Lafayette0.2$2,206$1,1500.7Lonymont1.2$2,006$1,7911.1Louisville1.4$2,714$1.9150.9Superior2.0$2,962$1,1830.5•Boulder also hasthe highestrestaurantpullfactorintheregion,at1.6.•DespiteneighboringcitieshavinganincreasinglylargeconcentrationofsophisticatedF&Bofferings(andmyextension,Boulderhavingasmalleroverallpercentofsuchbusinessesregionally),Boulderremainsakeydestinationforspecialtyretailusessuchasfoodandbeverage.•Boulder’swidevarietyof retailandreputationforhighqualityrestaurantsisalikelydriverbehindBoulder’sleadroleinthiscategory(andamajorreasonforleakagefoundinsomeofthecomparisoncities.RegionalPullFactorComparisons—LiquorStores,Specialty Food,PersonalCare,ElectronicsElectronics&Liquor/BevStoreSpecialtyFoodHealtb/PersonalAppliancePullPullFactorPullFactorCarePullFactor FactorBoulder1.50.61.83.3BoulderCountyOverall1.00.31.11.8RegionalCampCitiesBroomfield0.30.10.42.1Lafayette0.60.20.70.5Longmont1.10.31.21.1Louisville0.90.11.32.1Loveland0.80.51.10.9Superior1.80.00.60.7•Withamajoruniversityandahighlyeducated,affluent-skewingpopulationit’snotsurprisingthatBoulderalsoleadsintermsofpullfactorforliquor/wine/beerstores.•Specialtyfoodpullfactors aresurprisinglylowacrosstheboardfortheregion52Appendix D: Boulder Compared to Neighboring CommunitiesCity Council Study Session Page 157 of 260 •Boulderleadsinhealthandpersonalcarepullfactor,probablyformuchthesamereasonaswithsupermarkets—strongnaturalandfitnessorientationandnationallyknownflagshiptenants.•Boulder’spullfactorinelectronicsisnodoubt boostedbytheuniversitypopulationRegionalPullFactorComparisons—Furniture,HomeCenters,Clothing,BooksFurniture!Hardware!Clothing!Book!NewsFurnishingsPullGarden!SupplyAccessoryPullStorePullFactorPullFactorFactorFactorBoulder1.51-01.7fl12.5BoulderCountyOverali0-80.80.84.5RegionalCompCitiesBroomfield1.20-32.60.2Lafayette0.20.60.30.0Longrnont0-80.90.61.1Louisville0-61.51.01.0Superior0.00.00.20.0•Onceagain,theuniversityinfluenceisalikely(positive)culpritforBoulder’smostremarkablepullfactorscore,wfthbookstoresalesinexcessoftwelvetimesthelocalhouseholdspendingpotential.Withsomuchbooksales,aneconomicdevelopmentgoalfocusingonattractingyetmorebookstoresisnotmerited,anditisrecommendedthatattentionbefocusedonotherinitiatives.•ClothingandAccessoriesisararecategoryinwhichBoulderissurpassedintermsofpullfactor.Despiteahealthy1.7forBoulder,Broomfi&d(drivenbyFlatironsMall)leadsthewaywitha2.6factor.•Hardware/HomeCentersisararecasewhereLouisvilleleadsthe regionintermsofpullfactor,with1.5comparedto1.0forBoulder.•Infact,homecentersistheonlymajorcategory(other thandepartmentstoresandgeneralmerchandise,discussednext)whereBouldercomesclosetohavingestimateosales belowwhatitsownresidentscouldsupport.RegionalPullFactorComparisons—SportingGoods/Hobby,DepartmentStores,OtherGeneralMerchandise StoresSport!Hobby!MusicDept.StorePullGeneralMerch.PullStorePullFactorFactorFactorBoulder2.00.60.0Bou[derCountyOverall1.00,70.9RegionalCompCitiesBroomfield0.81.30.0Lafayette0.40.90.1Longmont0.71.01.3Louisville1.30.60.0Superior0.31.311.453Appendix D: Boulder Compared to Neighboring CommunitiesCity Council Study Session Page 158 of 260 •Withaworld-classreputationforfitnessandoutdoorrecreation,Bouldersstrong2.0pullfactorinsportinggoodsisnotsurprising,leadingthe regionwithnoclosecompetition.•Withoutananchoredregionalmall(Macy’swillbeclosingsoon),oramajordiscountretailer(TargetisscoredasadepartmentstorebyESRI),Boulderslipswellintoleakageterritory,forbothDepartmentStoresandOtherGeneral Merchandise(mainlydiscounters).RetailSales GrowthToprovideacomparisonofoverallgrowthinretailinBoulder’sregion,welookedatretailsalestaxcollectionsacrossthissame setoflocalcomparisoncities.BasedondatafromtheStateDepartmentofFinance,alongwithbudgetsandfinancialstatementsfromtheindividualcities,wetrackedrevenuegrowthfrom2014to2018,setting2014asa0%baseline.Whiletherearesomelocaldifferencesintaxratesandcategoriesofgoods subjecttotax(andobviousdifferencesincitysize),thisoverviewoftotalrevenuegrowthservesasareasonablecomparableindicatorofperformancetrajectoryacrosstheregion.Asshowninthetableandchartsbelow, Boulder’s21%increasetrailsLouisvilleand Longmontinabsoluterevenuegrowth,buthasoutpacedLafayette,BroomfieldandSuperioroverthesameperiod.40%SalesTaxRevenueGrowthSince2014BoulderLongmontSuperiorLafayetteLouisvilleBroorfluSource;Co/oradoDepartmentofFinance,individual Municipalbudgetdocuments,LCG,GRES.Afterdividingrevenuesbyannualpopulationovertheyearsinquestionforeachcity,wethencomparedper-capitasalestaxgrowthoverthesamestretch.Thisadjustmenttocontrolfor35%30%25%20%15%10%5%0%•0I34%,31%1I21%18%10%7%4’—4’.4”-——-S—2014201520162017201854Appendix D: Boulder Compared to Neighboring CommunitiesCity Council Study Session Page 159 of 260 differencesincityresidentialgrowthrateshasverylittleeffectontherelativerankingofthecities,withBoulderstillsquarelyinthemiddleofthepackwith18.6%growthoverfiveyearsasshownbelow;SalesTaxRevenueperCapita,GrowthSince2014Boulder——LongmontSuperiorLafayetteLouisvilleBroomfieldSource:ColoradoDepartmentofFinance,individualMunicipalbudgetdocuments,LCG,GRES.Thefactthatper-capitagrowthfiguresareallslightlylowerthanabsoluterevenuegrowthsuggeststhatretailrevenuesarenotquitekeepingupwfthpopulationgrowth.Thiscouldbedrivenbyanumberoffactors,includingtheever-increasingshareofon-line sales,potentiallossof localsalestonearbycompetitors,shrinkinghouseholdspendingingeneral,etc.ItunderscorestheimportanceoftourismtoBoulder’sretailhealth./2/.3%—23.1%18.6%6.4%4.8%10.3%0-‘a.--S201420152016201]201855Appendix D: Boulder Compared to Neighboring CommunitiesCity Council Study Session Page 160 of 260 GrowthinSalesTaxRevenueperCapitasince201418.6%15.1%20162018Source:ColoradoDepartmentofFinance,CityofBoulder,LCG,GRES.Finally,asshowninthechartabove,Bouldercomparesfavorableintermsofsalestaxcollectiontrends,percapita,relativetothestateasawhole,whichgrew15.1%overallduringthelastfiveyears(althoughthestatehasslightlyoutpacedBoulderduring2017and2018).OtherFactorsAffectingRetailExpansionorContractionThereareanumberoffactorsaffectingtheexpansionandcontractionofretail.Thesefactorsincludethecontinuedconsolidationofcommodityretailchainsastheyfacecontinuedandincreasedcompetitionfromotherretailchannels.Evenspecialtyretailersthathaveadifficulttimedifferentiatingthemselvesfromthepackarehavingadifficulttime,withmanyclosingstores,mergingwithotherchains,orgoingoutofbusiness.TheoverallretailervironmentinBoulderseemstobedoingat leastaswellorbetterthanmostcommunities.Forexample,Boulderisabletosupportnotonlynationalandregionalchains,butalsoavarietyofindependentretailersevenincommoditycategoriesthathaveseenthegreatestimpacts.Finally,theemergingtrendsnotedinthisstudy’sintroductionareimpactingtheoverallretailfootprint.One examplewouldbelandlordswhoareincreasinglywaryoflongleasetermsoutoffearthataretailconceptthatisinfashiontodaymaybe “yesterday’snews”injustafewyears.CityofBoulderStateofColorado20142015201156Appendix D: Boulder Compared to Neighboring CommunitiesCity Council Study Session Page 161 of 260 Boulder’sneighborsarebecomingmoremature,sophisticated,and competitiveintermsofrecruiting retailers.Atthesametime,overallregionaldemandisincreasingwithpopulationincrease.AsidefromthisdynamicintheBoulderValleyregion,wedonotseeanyunusualfactorsorpatternsaffectingBoulder.Infact,Bouldercontinuestooutperformmostcommunities.Itishelpfultohaveabetterunderstandingofhowretailersmaketheirnewstoreopeningdecisions.Thisunderstandingwillhelpcontextualizeretailattractioneffortsgenerally.Retailershaveanumberofstrategicoptionsforhowtodevelopapresenceinanygivenmarket.Some retailersmaylooktoopeninregionaldestinationsonlywhileothersmaytakeaneighborhood-by-neighborhoodapproach.Astore’ssalesmustbeadequatetocoverbothfixedand variablecosts.Regardlessofstrategy,allretailersmustconsiderthetotalcapitalexpenditurerequiredtoopenanewstore,andtheymustjustJythis capitalexpenditureinmakinganewstoreopeningdecision.Inaddition,someretailersburdentheircapitalexpenditureswiththeirweighted averagecostofcapital(eg.assumingcapitalexpendituresofSi,000,000andaweightedaveragecostofcapitalof5%,thetotalcapitalexpenditureisassumed tobe$1,050,000)inordertodetermineifaninvestmentinanewstoreoutweighs“keepingthemoneyinthebank,.”Commodityretailersinparticulararefacinggreatercompetitionfromavarietyofsources,andthismakesprojectingtoplinesalesandprofitmarginsneededtojustifythecapitalexpendituresrequiredtoopenanewstorethatmuchmoredifficult.Thetimeandexpenserequiredtoobtaintheapprovalsandpermitsnecessarytoopenanewstorecanbeconsiderable.ForthisreasonandbecauseitisimportanttounderstandBoulderascomparedwithitsneighboring(andcompeting)municipalities,aspartoftheneighboringcitiesassessment,weevaluatedanumberoffactorsaffectingretailerslookingtoopennewbusinessesintheCityofBoulder.ThesefactorsincludedcomparingBoulderversusitsneighborsonkeygovernmentstatistics,planningdepartmentstructure,planningandbuildingfees,utilitycosts,parkingregulations,andlocaltaxrates.Insomecategories,nofindingsofsignificance werenotedwhileinothersawide disparitybetweenBoulderanditsneighborswerenoted.Welookedatthesizeofeachcity’slocalgovernment,bothfromanFTEandbudgetperspective.Ourfindingsaresummarizedinthefollowingchartandnotes:1a-TotalGovernmentEmployees(FTE)GovernmentEmployeesper1,000ResidentsGeneralFund2017Budget($millions)Per-capitacBoulderBroomfieldLafayetteLongmontLouisvilleSuperior1,44713.2$128$1,16878411.4$74$1,074267921235319.39,711.82.5$27 $76$38$9$937$800$1,893$75157Appendix D: Boulder Compared to Neighboring CommunitiesCity Council Study Session Page 162 of 260 ItwasdifficulttogenerateanexactcomparisonofplanninganddevelopmentservicesbudgetsandFTEfromcitytocitybecauseofdifferencesinreportingandapproach(e.g.somecitiesoutsourcemoreworkthanothers).Thatsaid,wenote thefollowing:•Boulder’sbudgetissignificantlyhigheronbothanabsoluteandonaper-capitabasisthananyofitsneighborsexceptLouisvillewithrespecttothe per-capitameasure,•BroomfieldandLouisvilleareinarapidgrowthmode,and theirdevelopmentservicesbudgetsreflectthe demandsplacedonthecorrespondingdepartments.NonethelessBoulder’sbudgetisoverdouble thenexthighestcity’sdespiteBoulder notbeingina“greenfield”growth mode.•Eachcityhadsomediscretioninthestatisticsthattheywere abletoreportintheOperatingIndicatorsbyFunction/ProgramintheirComprehensiveAnnualFinancialReport.Forthisreason,wearenotabletopresentaside-by-sidecomparisonbyfunctionforBoulderanditsselectedneighboringcities.Forthisreason, the balanceofthestatisticsabovearepresentedforreferenceandcontext,andwedrawnoconclusionsfromthem.•BoulderhasbyfarthelargestcitygovernmentfromabudgetandanFTEperspective.•BoulderalsohasthelargestFTEonaper-capitabasis.•Boulderhasthelargestcitybudgetbothonanabsoluteandsecondlargestonaper-capitabasis.Wealsotookacloserlookatthe planning andbuildingdepartmentfunctionstocompareBoulderwithneighboringcities:Planning/BuildingDepartmentMetricsBoulderBroomfieldLafayetteLongmontLouisvilleSuperiorPlanningandDevelopmentServices2017budget(in$17,334$5,096$444$0$1,300$424thousands)PerCapita$158 $74$15$0$65$34#Employees(ETE)545292711#ApplicationsorPermitsIssued6,2531,2411,205#Codeenforcementcases1,547#Inspections11,5777,212ItwasdifficulttogenerateanexactcomparisonofplanninganddevelopmentservicesbudgetsandFTEfromcitytocitybecauseofdifferencesinreportingandapproach(e.g.somecitiesoutsourcemoreworkthanothers).Thatsaid,wenotethefollowing:•Boulder’sbudgetissignificantlyhigheronbothanabsoluteandonaper-capitabasisthananyofitsneighbors,and58Appendix D: Boulder Compared to Neighboring CommunitiesCity Council Study Session Page 163 of 260 •BroomfieldandLouisvilleareinarapidgrowthmode,andtheirdevelopmentservicesbudgetsreflectthedemandsplacedonthecorrespondingdepartments.Nonetheless,onaper-capitabasis,Boulder’sbudgetisoverdoublethenexthighestcity’sdespiteBouloernotbeingina“greenfield”growthmode.•EachcityhadsomediscretioninthestatisticsthattheywereabetoreportintheOperatingIndicatorsbyFunction/ProgramintheirComprehensiveAnnualFinancialReport.Forthisreason,wearenotabletopresentaside-by-sidecomparisonbyfunctionforBoulderanditsselectedneighboringcities.Forthisreason,thebalanceofthestatisticsabovearepresentedforreferenceandcontext,anowedrawnoconclusionsfromthem.Inordertogiveanideaaboutthecostofbuildinganewretailfacility,welookedatselectedplanningfees,utilityfees,andbuildingpermitfeesacrossBoulderandit’sneighbors,focusingonkeymetricswherewewerebestabletodrawdirectcomparisons.Tocompareplanningandutilityfees,weassumednewconstructionofanin-fill,10,000SF,multi-tenantretailbuilding.Tocomparebuildingpermitfees,weassumedatenantimprovementinanexistingbuildingthatisassumedtocost$500,000.00.Acomparisonofplanningfeesfollows:PlanningandBuildingSelectedFeesBoulderBroomfieldLafayetteLongmontLouisvilleSuperiorPlanningfees(fora10,000SFretailbuilding)NonefChangeofuse$81$250alloweabyzoningTCO$174N/AS100$175N/AImpact$145,400SeeutiltyS2,000$33,575$32,000N/AfeesLinkage Fee$30/SEN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AAss’,meDevelcoment‘eviewTeeszonedPUD•Incv/ste. .Inc1.inPlanFinalarcnicecture$840$1,200NAreviewRevewFee-Incudedncw/sieIrcI.inPlanFinallandscape$840•N/Aw/archreviewReviewFeeIncludedIncw/siteIncI.inPlanFinalsite plan$840N/Aw/archreviewReviewFeeCombinedengineering$12,600N/AN/AN/A59Appendix D: Boulder Compared to Neighboring CommunitiesCity Council Study Session Page 164 of 260 Conceptplanreviewand$10,495$200$400Incw/siteN/AcommentreviewdepositRezone$15,620$350$700$760N/And.inPLanRevrewFeeSitereview(standard)$10,465$350Included$75QN/AIncI.inPlanw/archReviewFeeUse review(standard)$3,680N/And.inPlanReviewFee•Boulder’sfees,byasubstantialmargin,are thehighestofanyofthecitiesstudied.ThedegreetowhichBoulder’steesoutpaceothercommunities’feesiscertainlyanegativefactorinbuildingexpensebudgets,andinretailerstoreoeratirgmodels.•Boulder’sfeesarealsosignificantlygreaterinquantityandaremorecomplexthaninneighboringcities.Similarly,welookedatwaterfees:UtilityFeesBoulderBroomfieldLafayetteLongmontLouisvilleSuperiorDomesticmeter(2”)S3,376Si36951,712$937N/AN/ATap(2’)S738$50,236$41,574$2455217,000$17SWastewatersewer)tap5190$28,249N/A$32,800$75(4’)PIF-warer(assumes2’$73,359LicensefeeSi60.490N/A$25,778meter/SO%)PIF-wastewater$28,613Licensefee$93,510N/A$7,785(assumes2meter/50%)•WaterisafiniteresourceinColorado,andcomplexsystemsofallocatingwatertoandwithinvariouscommunitiesexist.•Eachcommunityhasitsownmethodologyforchargingforaccesstowater.Itisnotpossibletocompareeachtypeofchargefromcitytocity.•NooverallconclusioncanbedrawnaboutBoulderoranytheCity’smethodsorchargesfromthedatacollectedotherthanaccesstowaterisexpensive.60Appendix D: Boulder Compared to Neighboring CommunitiesCity Council Study Session Page 165 of 260 Finally,welookedat buildingpermitfees,thistimeforanassumed$500,000tenantimprovementinanexistingbuilding:PlanningandBuildingFeesfor$500,000TenantImprovementBoulderBroonifieldLafayetteLongmontLouisvilleSuperiorPlanningfees(fora10000SFretailbuilding)Permit$3,439$3,233$3,561$3,162 $3,400$4,924Energycodecompliance$104.05N/AN/AN/AN/AN/APlancheck65%ofbdg65%of65%bldg65%of65%&65%ofpermitfeesbud’ingpermit‘eesbudilingbudilingoldgpermitfeepermitfeepermitfeeperm.tfeesElectrical$19.60perS1,000IncludedS16.D0/$1000IncludeaIncluded$19.55perw/bldgofvaluew/bldgw/oldg$1,000permitpermitpermitMecnanica!$19.90+lncudedlrcLdedInciuded.nclu’ded$3.15/$100w/bdgwlbldgpermitw/bldgw/bldgpermitpermitpermitPlumbing$19.90+IncludedIncludedIncludedIncluded$3.15/$100w/bldgw/bldgpermitw/bdgw/bldgpermitpermitpermitFreNofeebut$680.50OnlyVfrePerZiretaxedpermitma’shallreq’dDemo$173.70$23.50$150.00$100.00SameasoldgpermitschSignsS3L4.00nciudedUsebidg$55000Sameasw/bldgpermitbldgpermitschedu:epermitschUseTax4.845%X50%of4.15%X4.485%X4.515%X4635Xvauaton50%of60%of50%o’50%ofvaluationva’uationvaluationvaluationRezDne$15,620$350$700$160N/AIncI.inPlanReviewFeeSitereview(standard)$10,465$350Included$750N/And.inPlanw/arcbReviewFeeUsereview(standard)$3,680N/AIncI.inPlanReviewFee•AllcitiesbuildingpermitfeesweresimilarwithonlySuperior’sstandingoutasbeingoutoftheordinary.•Eachcity’splancheckfeesarethesamepercentageofthecalculatedbuildingpermitfee.61Appendix D: Boulder Compared to Neighboring CommunitiesCity Council Study Session Page 166 of 260 •Eachcity’susetaxcalculationvaries,however,allaresimilarexceptforLovelandwhichisinadifferentcounty(ie.differentcountytaxrate).•Boulder’sfeesaremorecomplextocalculatethantheothercities.Thecomplexityofobtainingrequired approvalsisanothercost(bothintermsofmoneyandintermsofresources)thatretailersneedtoconsider.Inadditiontoevaluating fees,welookedateachcity’sapprovalprocesstotrytoascertainthetimerequiredtoobtaintheapprovalsandpermitsrequiredtobuildanewbuildingorsimplytoopenanewstore.Needlesstosay,eachcity’sprocessisquitedifferent,andwedeterminedthattherewasnowaytoevaluatetheseprocessesinanobjectivebasis.Forthisreason,wehaveomittedthiscomparison.Somecitiesdo,however,postnarrativeabouttheirprocessontheirwebsites,andwehaveincludedtheavailableinformationfromeachcityinAppendix“B”sothatthereadercandraw theirownconclusionsabouttherelativecomplexityofapprovalprocessesonaqualitativebasis.Welooked atsalesandpropertytaxesandutilityratesforBoulderandneighboringcommunities.The resultsaresummarizedinthefollowingchart:SalesTax,PropertyTax,UtilityRatesBoulderBroornfieldLafayette LongmontLouisvilleSuperiorSalesandPropertyTaxesSales tax rate8.85%7.15-8,35%8.49%7.43-8,52%8.64%7.96-8.45%(combined)Propertytax Varies Varies Varies VariesVariesVariesrateUtilityCostsWaterVaries$3.22/i000gal$7.39/i000$3.73/i000gal$344.50vsVariesgal?$3.02/i000galElectricity$0.09i6/kWh$0.09i6/kWh$00916/kwh$00685/kwh$00916/kwh$00916/kWh•Salestaxiscollectedonessentialgoodssuchasfood andprescription drugs, althoughspecificsvaryfromcitytocity.•Wedonotfindasignificantenoughdifferenceinsalestaxratesto beconcernedthatshoppingdecisionsaremadetaking salestaxintoaccount.•Foravarietyofreasons,propertytaxratesarenot possibletocompareacrossjurisdictions.Examplesofchallengescomparing propertytaxesincludeadjustingforsupplemental assessmentswhich canevenvarygreatlywithinagiven jurisdiction,andfindingapropertyineachjurisdictionthatissimilarinenoughmaterialrespectstobethebasis forcreatingacomparison.•Waterusagefees(asdistinguishedfromdevelopment/hook-uprelatedfees)areconsistentacrossamajorityoftheneighboringcities. Boulder’swater ratesarethemostdifficulttocalculateandthereforenocomparisonagainstBoulder’sfeeshasbeenincluded.•Electricityratesarerelativelysimilaracrossvirtuallyallofthecitiessampled.62Appendix D: Boulder Compared to Neighboring CommunitiesCity Council Study Session Page 167 of 260 Parkingorthelackofparking,isanessentialelementnotedbyallretailersintheirdecision-makingprocesses.WecomparedBoulderanditsneighborsparkingstandardsforthecategoriesmostdirectlyrelatedtoretailandquasi-retailuses,andthesearesummarizedinthefollowingtable(allparkingratioshavebeentranslatedandexpressedasarequirednumberofspacesper1,000SF):SeeGeneraLRetailentryYesYes;parkingreductionsMostcomplexcodeandlowestparkingreq’sofneighboringcities.StatedratiosarealsomaximumsDIr2:1000forcommercial•Withtheexceptionofdowntownareas,allcitiesincludingBoulderaregenerallysuburbaninnature,•Boulder’sparkingcodeisthemostcomplexanddifficulttounderstandofanyofthecitiesstudied.•Boulder’sparkingrequirementsinagivencategoryareequaltoorlowerthantherequirementifanyofthe othercitiesstudied.ULouisvilleSection17.20.020LongmontSection15.03Table5.5LafayetteSection26-20-25:1000SuperiorSection16-24-10CityStandardsforRetailCustomerandEmployeeParkingBoulderBroomfieldLandusecodeLandUseCodeSecton17-section(s)Section9-9-6et32-040seq; Tables9-3,and9-4 (bikeparkingstandardsinTable9-8)GeneralretailComplex/by5:1000districtasopposedtobyuse;typicalrangeof2.5-3.3:1000FoodserviceVaries;generafly4:1000or1spaceper3seatsOfficeSeeGeneralRetailentryMedicalSeeGeneralRetailentryServicesBikeparkingaddressedSharecparkingaddressedOther/Notes4:10006.67:10003,3:1000;2:1000forfurnitureandappliance6.67:10006.67:1000or12:1000or110:1000ifadrive-thru1spacepertable,whichevergreater33:10005:1000spaceperGreaterof13seatsper3esatsor5:1000;greaterforfast foodrestaurants3.3:10006.67:10005:10003.3:10004:10004:10003.3:10005:10003.3:10004:1000Yes5:1000Unclear63Appendix D: Boulder Compared to Neighboring CommunitiesCity Council Study Session Page 168 of 260 •Onlyafewcitiesaddressedbikeorsharedparkingintheirmunicipalcode.Conclusions•ItisourjudgmentthatthedifferentialinfeesamountstoBoulderpossessingacompetitivedisadvantagewithrespecttoitsneighborswhenengaginginretailattractionactivities.•Evidenceobtainedduringoursitevisitandfield-workindicatesthatthetimerequiredandthecomplexityofprocessin9approvalsandpermitsinBoulderamountstoBoulderpossessingacompetitivedisadvantagewithrespecttoitsneighborswhenengaginginretailattractionactivities.Thecombinationofhighcostandincreaseduncertainty/riskisnotacombinationthatisconducivetoattractingnewbusinessestoBoulder.•Thedifferencesinsalesandpropertytaxratesorinutilityusageratesdonotleadustobelievethatanyofthecitiesstudiedhaveanadvantageoroperateatadisadvantageascomparedwiththeothercities.•AsidefromthechallengeofdeterminingwhatpartsofBoulder’s parkingcodemightapplyinagivencircumstance,BoulderisattemptingtodiscourageautousebyprovidinglessparkingforautomobilesandmoVeforalternativemeansoftransportationsuchasbikes.Noting that,asidefromDowntown,Boulderhasanessentiallysuburbanform,itis areasonableconclusionthatautosremainthe most convenientmeansofgettingfromplacetoplace,andevensomeCityfacilitiesarenotservedbypublictransit.Limitingparkinginanauto-orientedenvironmentmakespatronizingretailersmorechallenging.Furthermore,bikesandscootersarenotpracticalmeansforconductingmanyshoppingtripssuchasfood(forotherthananincidentalgrocerypurchase),orforlargeritemssuchasthosethatmightbepurchasedatahardwarestore.64Appendix D: Boulder Compared to Neighboring CommunitiesCity Council Study Session Page 169 of 260 Appendix E: Boulder Compared to National Peer Cities Whereas the last section focused on Boulder's real estate market in comparison to the nearby cities it directly competes with, the following tables and figures look at how Bou lder compares to other cities across the country that Boulder is most similar to. Selecting Peer Cities What does it mean for a city to be "similar" to Boulder? While Boulder is a truly unique locale in many resp ects, there are some key salient features that may affect its retail environment and performance. In selecting peer cities for further analysis, we looked for (in rough order of imp ortance: College towns Semi-freestanding satellite cities Relatively affluent Ra rifled/protected •large student population representing a significant share of tota l population •Highly-educated resident population •Not a suburb, but ... •Within commuting distance of a larger metro •Largely self-sufficient in terms of services and workforce {a commuting destination of its own) •(Ideally) separated from larger metro by relatively undeveloped buffer •Higher home prices and household incomes than nearby towns •Home prices that are at least on par with nearby major urban center •(in some combination) •Natural beauty •Cultural assets, hip, urbane •Strong voices for growth management, preservation & related regulation •Demand exceeding supply for places to live, shop, dine, work 65 Appendix E: Boulder Compared to National Peer Cities City Council Study Session Page 170 of 260 CitiesConsideredbutRejectedBelowis aquick summaryofsomecitiesthatwereinitiallyconsidered,thenrejected,aspeercities:Candidate Consideredbecause...Rejectedbecause...Eugene,ORCollegetown•NosatestaxinOregon•Satelliteto Salem(anddistantly,to•DistancetoPortlandlongerthan normalPortland)commuteandSalemisrelativelysmallBend,OR•Naturalbeauty,outdoororientation•Lackofsales tax•Pricey,highdemand•NosatefliterelationshipStillinhigh-growthphase(lessmaturethanBoulder)Bozeman,MTCollegetown(MSU)FairlysmallrelativetoBoulder•Naturalbeauty,activeoutdoorscene,•NosatelliterelationshipresortsMadison,WICollegetownVeryself-contained(hasitsownsatellites)•Liberalorientationwithvocal,involvedLargerthanothercandidatesadvocates•StatecapitalAthens,GACollegetown•Notparticularlyaffluentrelative tosatellite•Liberalorientationwithvocal,involvedmetro(Atlanta)advocatesLongcommutetoAtlantametroSantaFe,NM•Relativeaffluence•Nocollegepresence•Naturalbeauty•Desirabilitycontrastwithsatellitepartner(Albuquerque)Figure1:Boulder andPeerCitiesEage’oBonemanBo,dCa,nbridgeMod!,onAnnArborIowaCi1yFortCoIltosBkICey•Boulder4PaloAltoBlooni,ngtonSantacwzLawrence.PeerCtyCanciiclalesSanLuliObispoSantaro*erz&IAthens4SLIh1OCI66Appendix E: Boulder Compared to National Peer CitiesCity Council Study Session Page 171 of 260 CitiesConsideredasQuasi-PeersBerkeley,Palo Alto,andCambridgeareoftencitedbystaff,orelectedorappointedofficialsaspeercities,andareincludedhereatstaff’srequest.Thesecitiesarebeingcharacterizedasquasi-peers,withkeydifferencesascomparedtoBouldersuchasallhavingmuchhigherpopulationdensities,andmoreofasuburbanrole(asopposedtobeingaTree-standingsatellite)relativetotheircorrespondingmajormetropolis.Eachcity’skeydifferencesarecitedbelow.Wemakenoobjectiontoincludingthesecitiesforcomparisonsake,however,wetakepainstonotethedifferencesbetweenthesequasi-peersandBoulderbecauseBouldercomparingitselfwithnon-peerswillnotonlyskewana’ysis,butwillacttocreatemisperceptionsaboutBoulder’sactualperformanceascomparedwithcloser-to-peercities.CandidateKeyBouldersimilaritiesConsideredQuasi-Peerbecause...Berkeley,CACollegetown(U.ofCali{ornra)\ea’lycortinuou’swithOaklandareaurbanfabriceducaten,liberal•\orealseparationofretailmarketversussurrounoingareaExtremehousingaffordabilityproblemsCambridge,Collegetown (Harvard,MIT)NearlycontinuouswithBostonmetrourbanfabricMA•affluent,ed,catedNorealsenaraliorofretalmarketversussurroundEryareaoMetroretailinventoryvastlylargerthanBoulder’sPaloAlto,CA•Collegetown (Stanford)NearlycontinuouswithSanJose/southernBay•affluent,educatedAreaurbanfabric•Norealseparationofretailmarketversussurroundingarea•ExtremehousingaffordabilityproblemsPeerCityProfiles•Eachmapinthetablebelowshowsthepeercityinitssurroundingregionalcontext,withurbanizedlandshadedorange(pertheUSCensusBureau).Allmapsshownatthesameapproximatescaleforeaseofcomparison•Mapsareaccompaniedbybasicdemographicfacts,keyretailmetrics,andqualitativenotesaboutthecity’sregionalroleandcomparisonobservationsrelativetoBoulder.67Appendix E: Boulder Compared to National Peer CitiesCity Council Study Session Page 172 of 260 RetailMetricscityInvento(sO8.0milhoncityInventoryas%43%ofMSA’sVacancyRate3.0%MarketRent(NNN)5213912-mo.RentGrowth-27%12-monthDeiveries9KLnoerConstruction23<RetailS.F.Pe64.9CacitaRet&PullFacto1.0RetalcapRates6.5%AnnArbor, Michiganr•1IBasics50mlPopulation1GrowthRatePop/sqmiU.ofMichiganstudentsIncomesHHAveracePc’CapitaMedianAgeMed.HomeValues123K1.0%(2010-18)4,42545K(37%ofcitypop.)557K589K538K2815270K4.*‘•Large1ysepaia,odhornDetroiturbanfabric(AnnA’boisInitsownseparateMSA).•Ojitaaffuent.butnotrearlythebousVgatfc.cabItyamble-rnasBoulde’.•However,lowoveialle:ailPt,Ifactor,relativetootherpeersd,etostrorgs’obancomoetition).Bloomington,Indiana-BasicsPoojlation4L’S5Dm,.-Growth•SRate&..t,-fr-,Pop/sqmi•0U.of--aIndrara—-ndLana[iolis—“students,-•A\.AIIr-coires--b•Ied,anHH0’AveragoIPerCapita4loomingtonpMedianAgeMed.HomeValues85K07%(2010-1-9)3664(57%oftypop.)531K554K522K28.15192KRetailMetricsCty.nventory(sflCityInventoryas%ofMSA’sVacancyRateMarketRent(NNN)l2-mo.RentGrowth12-monthDeliveriesUnderConstructionRetailS.F.PerCapitaRetailPullFactorRetailCapRate6.5million,67%3I51622-2.0%13KI1K76.31774%•Amongthemostfullyseparatedpeercities,relativetoitslargerhub—alsohighlyuniversity-dominated.•Thatseparation,alongwithdominantroleinitshomecountyboostsitsretailpullfactorabovemostpeers.•Amongthelowerincomeantihomevalueprofiles,buthighestretailinventorypercapita(withexceptionofSanLuisObispo)68Appendix E: Boulder Compared to National Peer CitiesCity Council Study Session Page 173 of 260 •Notmuchsmallerthanitshubcity,CedarRapidsandrelativelyfast-growing(despiteshrinkingIowaruralpopulalions)•Amongthelowestretailsquarefootagepercapitaamongpeersandlowestrentsdespiteverylowvacancy.•Pullfactoris anet positive,butsuffersfromnewerretailinfast-growingoutlyingareas(includingCoralville,betweenIowaCityandCedarRapids)FortCollins,Colorado0jortCollins‘1.(Rcukler;Vb11.2million56%4BasicsSOmlPopulationGrowthRatePop/sqmiCsustudentsIncomesMed’aHPAverage2eCapte-MeciarAgeMed.HomeVaLes165K1.7%(2010-18)3.02133K(20%ofcitypop560Ksea<S3<2105347KRetailMetricsCityInventory(sf)CityInventoryasofMSA’sVacancyRateMarketRent(NNN)12-mo. RentGrowth12-monthDeliveresUnderconstructorRetailS.F.PerCapitaRetailPullFactor1.1Re:aiCapRate6.9%populationdensity—less55%$18.451.5%38,003<OK67.9•_a’ge.‘astgrowrg.andf-g—Iya”Lentrelativetopees,despite moderatedo-mr-an:.nves:ypresence.•‘s-loreUscornecredfromregionalhbcity(Denver)re1a:ivetopeers.•2ul-actorsuffersf’onlocalcompetition,especialyverystrongLovelandmarketIowaCity,IowaSemi1.arI4BasicsPopulatonGowtnRate‘op/sqH0.ofIowastcen:sIncomesMi.dAvciagePciCapitaMedianAgeMed.HomeValuesCedar-4RidsiowaCity77K1.6%20108)3,00833Kf-14%ofcitypop553<Si3K530K27.0$205KRetailMetricsCityInventory(sOCityinventoryas%ofMSAsVacancyRateMarketRent(NNN)12-mo.RentGrowth12-ronthDciveriesUnderConstructionRetailSF.PerCapitaRetailPullFactorRetailCapRate441nion44%1.7%S14.2-0.1%BKOK530138.2%69Appendix E: Boulder Compared to National Peer CitiesCity Council Study Session Page 174 of 260 Lawrence,KansasBasicsPopuletonGrowthRatePop/sqmiUCSLOstudentsnconesSrHHA’:e:dyaPerCsc--uMedianAgeMed.HomeValuesiI,4K.A.IKSASBasicsSOmiPopulation1GrowthRatePop/sqmiU.ofKansasstudentsMISSOIJPIIncomesMedianPHAreraPerCpteMeoianAgeMen.HomeVaiues97K1.2%(2010-18)281528K(29%ofcitypopi550K573K530K28.65203KRetailMetricsCityInventory(sf)CityInventoryas%ofMSNsVacancyRateMarketRent(NNN)12-mo.RentGrowth12-monthDeliveriesUncerConstructionRetailS.F.PerCapitaRetailPullFactorRetailCapRate4.1million44%4.2%£14.46-0.6%15KOK64147.2%•FulyseparatcofromKansasCtyurbanrabricdesoiteelativelyshortcommute•IncomeprofilenearlydentcaltoIowaCty’s(coincidentaly)andlowamongpees.•Dcm.na:esrerailmakernhonecouty/VSA.•[keo:nerVidwestcombs,Lawrencehasr0at.ve:yowren:sconsiderHgitsrooftopgrowthandoccucancy.SanLuisObispo,California&SSanLuisOb,Po*IS°8K0.9%(20’Or8)3,69221K44%ortypop.)547K574KS32K28.7$663K(.iid.lf.aSa?it?“BarbaraRetailMetricsCtyInventory(sflCitynvertoryas%ofViSAsVacarcyRateMarketRent(NNN312-mo.Rent Growth.2-mcntnDeliveriesUnderCo’st’uctionRetailS.F.PerCapitaRetailPullFactorRetailCapRate5.1millior34%6.0%$27.360.8%30K35K1052.26.0%•Noratruesatellitecitybecausenonearby metroplex—butseveralmid-sizedneighborsinregion.•AswithCaliforniapeers,medianhomepriceswellbeyondreachofmedianincome-earners.•Remarkablyhighretailsquare feetpercapitaandpullfactor--reflectingitsregionalretailhubrole.70Appendix E: Boulder Compared to National Peer CitiesCity Council Study Session Page 175 of 260 RetailMetricsCtyInventory(sf33.4rum’C;tyriver:ciyas%30%ofMS/IsVacancyRate2.7%MaetRent(NNN)522.9312-mo.RentGowth09%‘2-mortDeliveesOKUndeConstructionOKMedianAgeRetailS.F.Per523CapitaMed.HomeValuesRetailPullFactor16RetailCapRate5.9%•WithincomrnuringrangeofSanJosebutseparatedandwitlmnownMSA•Among thesmallerretailinventoriesamongpeercities,butcomparablepullfactortoBoulder.•Astronomicalmedianhomevalues,unaffordabletomedianearners(significantlyworseratiothanBoulder).•Norecentorcurrentretaildevelopmentactivitydespitetightvacancies.•Retailrentsseemlowrelativetoincomesandhomevalues•SecenconlytoCan’bridceinpee-c,tvoopua::cndensity—noseparationfromn’er’oc.lexuoanfaorc•Significantlyolder-skewingpopulation(toppedonlybyPaloAltoamong peers)•Despitearetailinventory andcitypopulationcomparabletoBoulder,itsretailpullfactorishalfofBoulder’s,duetoheavycompetition(andlackofmarketinsulation).•HousingaffordabilitycrisismatchingCaliforniapeersSantaCruz,California.11SanBasicsPopuationGrowth-vRatePop/sqniEQUCSCstudentsIncomesMediar,HF,AieaqePc’Canta‘ISanta Crui63K1.3%(2010-1815,398-9<(33%oftypop.)569K5105KYOK31.35859K0qiSOci1Berkeley,CaliforniaSanH1’IPaloAlt.1BasicsPopulationGrowthRatePop/sqmiCalstudentsIncones,e.:iii’-HAe-au’ePerCaptaMedianAgeMec. HomeValues121K0.9%(2010-18)11,52912Kf31%ofcitypee6o(5t13<541<3245881KRetailMetricsCityInventory(sf)CityInventoryasofMSA’sVacancyRateMarketRent(NNN)12-mo.RentGrowth12-monthDeFveriesUnderCcnsH,,cticnRetailS.F.PrCaptaRetaiPullFactorRetailCapRate0F6.3million8%3.0%531953.1%010K52.20.75.5%torn,171Appendix E: Boulder Compared to National Peer CitiesCity Council Study Session Page 176 of 260 Population70KGrowth09%Rate (2010-18)Pop/sqmi2917Stanford17Kstudents(25%ofcitypop.)IncomesMedianHHAveragePerCapitaMedian Age43.3Med. Home $1,784KValuesCityInventory(sI)3.9 millionCityInventoryas%ofMSA’sVacancyRateMarketRent(NNN)12-mo.RentGrowth2.0%12-monthDeliveries0UnderConstruction0RetailS.F.Per56.0CapitaRetailPullFactor0.8RetailCapRate4.7%•Althoughonlylow-moderatepopulationdensity,oneofmanySiliconValleysuburbswithnorealseparation(PaloAltoistechnicallypartoftheMSAanchoredbySanJosebutbotharepartofanincreasinglycontinuousSanJose/SanFrancisco/OaklandCMSA.•Anoutlieramongthispeergroupintermsofmedianage,affluence,homepricesandretailrents.•Aswithother“quasi-peers”,retailpullfactorislow,withapproximately20%ofnetresidentspending powerleakingoutsidetoothercities.•IncomesMedianHHAveragePerCapitaRetailCapRate5.7%•Althoughanindependentcollegetowninmanyways,CambridgeisseamlesslyintegratedintothevastBostonmetroplex—hometojust2%ofthemetroarea’sretailinventory•Ouitesimilarinseveralways,onpaper,toBoulder(population,growth,universitypresence,retailinventory)—yetapproximately4timesthedensity,withhigher incomes andhomeprices.•Lackofseparationfromretailcompetition contributestolowpullfactor(lowestinpeergroup)PaloAlto,CaliforniaBasicsRetailMetricsaBeiSanFrija5%1.5%£6188$154K5211K585K0SOmiIICambridge,MassachusettsBasicsRetailMetricsPopulation117KCityInventory(seGrowth1.3%Rate (2010-18)CityInventoryas%ofMSA’s5.3million2%Pop/sqmi18,244VacancyRate2.1%Harvard,MITstudents34K(31%ofcitypop.)$85K$123K554K(NE’sVI0MarketRent(NNN)$35.2112-mo.RentGrowth1.5%12-monthDeliveries0Under Construction17KRetailS.F.Per45.S0.7Median Age31.8CapitaMed.Homesom,Values$7 06KRetailPullFactor72Appendix E: Boulder Compared to National Peer CitiesCity Council Study Session Page 177 of 260 •Strongoverallretailpullfactoroverall,drivenbyexceptionaldrawpoweroftsgrocerystores,bookstores,restaurants,sportinggoodsandhealth/personalcare.•PullfactoringeneralmerchandisesthenotableexcoptionCITYOFBOULDER4*4t-;.BasicsPopulatonGowlbRatePop/sqCustucentsIncomesIHAveraoePerCep.’aMedianAgeMedHomeValues109<4%(2010-18)4CC333K(31%fclypop.)S58<596<541<299S574KRetailMetricsCityIrventory(seCitynvertcryas%ofMSA’sVacancyRateMar<etReflt(NNN)12-mo.RentGrowth12-monthDeliveriesUncerConstructonRetailS.F.PerCapitaRetailPullFactorRetailCapRate6.6milton39%64%525.372.6%5K25K6031,56.1%73Appendix E: Boulder Compared to National Peer CitiesCity Council Study Session Page 178 of 260 Side-By-SidePeerCityComparisonsToaidincomparisonsacrossnationalpeercommunities,thefollowingsectionpresentsaseriesofgraphicsshowingtherelativelevelsofBoulderandtheabovecitiesonkeyretailmetrics.TotalRetailInventory,PeerCityComparison(mHlionsofsf)1.28.06.26.36.56.65.15.3343941L-o(sDCCSource:CostarCitywidevs.SurroundingMSARetailInventory,PeerCityComparison2360Ct1)cn)SwCityMSA82.380.120.118/115.0.9.4a..LSAJ6.6$4—62./tI..°°jc”qP,,O°°‘/.J/::.Source:Costar74Appendix E: Boulder Compared to National Peer CitiesCity Council Study Session Page 179 of 260 RetailInventoryperCapita,PeerCityComparison(squarefeet,ctywidc)105.276.367.960.364.164.952.2 52.353.056.045.5(yY’4çY“‘(Jos-°e&C,Source:Costar,E5RI,LCG,GRESCurrentOverallRetailVacancy,PeerCityComparisonvacancyrate,04-20186.0%6.4%4.2%1.5%1.7%2.1%2.7%3,0% 3.0%3.1%\SPcc&C,t3cq’C,C,C,C,Source:Costar75Appendix E: Boulder Compared to National Peer CitiesCity Council Study Session Page 180 of 260 C-; 0, CD N- U, PD C U, PD U, c—i Un !j) .1) 0 tU ? ‘%‘5 0 Q S S 0 U, U, cUd U, Pd Pd U, Pd 0, DC U, c—i U, tO U, U, C C U, toa E 0 C-, >, C-, a)a) 0 u U, >, 0 4- C a) > C a) a U, a) to U) to 4-, a) 0 a) 4- Co 4-, o U Lii > C).)0 C 0 to to a E 0 U N-. 4-, U a, a) a- to C a) 4-, S Co Co 4- a) 0 4) 0’ JO -S S -G ‘JO— -‘9’ -‘C‘D, o 0 S 0 *5 or) ‘U -r 1 03 C -tci 4-’ a) z a) a H- I) U, w C CN Co Pd L Co to 0 U ti) (U C 0 U,Appendix E: Boulder Compared to National Peer CitiesCity Council Study Session Page 181 of 260 RetailDevelopmentActivity,PeerCityComparisonPs;:‘1earCorni:zn;+‘ur,:ylJ1.:]srCon;tn.l:Io,Iof‘.sn:rij‘:01;Source:CostarPeerCityComparisonofRetailSalesPerCapitaandPullFactorsbyCategory0.0%00%02%02.>03Cr!.03%t%L05%?1tfp’iC‘C1d-SarRetailSaaspercaptaPullFactorsOverallRetailGroceryRestaurant/OarHealth/PersonalCareBldg/Garden/SupplyClothing/AccessoriesSpan/HobbyBooks/NewsDeoarv’e’rSIn-esdoerCene’avle:cb.(inc.oscour:)MScRetail(1owe’s.pet,office,etc.)Source:ESR(AnnFortIowaLoisSantaPoloBoulderArbor8:oornirgronCollinsCityLawrenceObispoCnnBerke’eyCambridgeAltoS27K515KS16<518K518K519K531K527K515K515K529K1.51.01./11131.42.21.60.10.7082.70.81.31.51.71.51.82.11.10.70.41.61.83.21.31.81.52.01.51.01.50.91.81.41.40.10.91.51.71.51.11.30.51.00.31.40.91.12.91.60.61.00.70.21.71.12.30.9011.22.71.20.61.41.82.01.92.51.5081.65.31.81.60.60812.53.725.51.61341384.93.43.04.0090.60.40711.4‘.2.60.102a’i.s0.0‘81.80.9030.33.83.00.101061.5121.21.3292.7301.41.10.70.577Appendix E: Boulder Compared to National Peer CitiesCity Council Study Session Page 182 of 260 PeerCityDemographicComparisonsAnnBlooming- FortIowaSanLuisSantaVariableBoulderArbortonCollinsCityl,awrenceObispoCru,BerkeleyCambridgePaloAlto20lOTotalPopulation97525113,96080,439144,10167,86081,11145,173 59,946112,333105,16264,4192018Population109,427123,30185,200165,02817,37496,65448,476 64,956120,662116.57769,648Pop.AnnualGrowthRate)2010-18)1.4%1.0%03%1.1%16%12% 09%10%09%1.3%1.0%Pop.Density(persqmi.)4,403904,425.003,664.203,021.503,008.702,815.903,692.10 5,098.5011,529.3018,244.202,917502018TotalDaytimePopulation172,658185,554104,606116,328103,89698,94466,716 74.772159,953 166,613120,918DaytimePopulation:Workers123,010122,72056,651104,02065.00150.536 41,686 43.636 98.927117,56486,2592018DaytimePopulation: Residents49,58862,83447,955 12,30838,88948,40825,030 31.13661,02649,04934,6592018TotalHouseholds45,47550.22333,47965.53931,31238,85220.442 22.70249,43649,04027,979Avg.HouseholdSize2.192.182.12.42.242.282.272.412.192022.412023TotalHouseholds48,108 52,15334.96310,84833,94641,51121,286 23.383 51.62052.28528,9392018MedianAge29.9 28.224.531.321.028.628.131.3 32.431.843.3Boomert18,490 19,77710,07028,61211,85314,9168.66312,27423,10118,14716,637GeoX17,00117,2389.03127,91710,35714,4956,20010,66219,26918,36115,335Millennials43.08050,93141,73159,13333,61239,517 21,369 23,28545.48454.10013,974GenZ22,38526,14618,25035.11516,01520,6137.53114.24722.43716,70414,9652018MedianHouseholdIncome$58,124$57053$31,2S5$59789$50069$50,229$47,115$69,893$67,999$84,138$154,1742018AverageHouseholdIncome$96,027$89,252$53692$83,129$13,299$72,984$13,628$105,077$110,399$123,407$210,9822018PerCapitaIncome$41301$38,069$22,096$34,259$30,399$30,459$31,510$40,122$41,099 $53,999 $85,0272018MedianHome$1.7Value$573,542$269,572$192,007$346,562$205,008$203,455$663,262$859,020$884,188$705,685million2018AverageHome$l.tValue$643,283$310,328$221,495$405,302$241,236$249.41)$721,310 $933,925$983,509$850,495million2018HouseholdIncome$200,000orgreater5,0054,7051,1674,4501,7622,0861,2672,8827,2478.23110,9112018Education:Bachelor’sDegree%)34.05%29.93%26.23%32.16%29.03%27.84%3136%28.39%3362%2934%28.69%2018Education:Graduate/ProfessionalDegree(%)3965%44.51%31.69%22.12%33.34%27.93%20.52%23.47%40.01%48.50%52.54%2018EducationalAttainmentBate64,516 69,81540,068102,14241,70955,512 27,544 39,613 75,473 81,11649,731SomeCollegeorHigher(2017)2%)89.02%90.08%79.37%81.14%83.36%79.42%82.93%80.63%89.70%86.75%92.16%Bachelor’sDegreeorHigher2(%)13.70% 14.45% 57.92%54.29%62.37%55.77%51.89% 51.87%73.62%77.84%81.23%2Ol8TotaLhousingUnits41,12952,52635,43368,21033,25841,07421,908 24,286 52,374 52,490 29,5062018OwnerOccupiedHousingUnits21.94520,57911,65934,59914,75119,3388,7709,65219,44115,31115,6032018RenterOccupiedHousingUnits23,53029,64421,82130.94016.62119.51311.67213.05029.99433,72912,3762018VacanthousingUnits1.6542.3031,954 2,671 1,8862.2221.466 1,5842.9383.4501,5272018DiversityIndex37.15240.838.147.945.250.165.6706660.72018HispanicPopulation(%)9.17%4.90%4.19%10.91%6.62%7.08%16.49%21.67% 11.29%9.56% 6.14%2018MinorityPopulation1%)18.30%32.78%23.02%18.81%27.46%25.08%27.52%37.08%49.09%45.98% 45.59%Source:ESRI78Appendix E: Boulder Compared to National Peer CitiesCity Council Study Session Page 183 of 260 Thefigurebelowisasummarycomparison,withsalespercapitaonthex-axisandoverallretailpullfactoronthey-axis.Generallyspeaking,overallretailperformancetendstobehigherforcitiestowardstheupper-right.Notethatonthesemetrics,Boulderappearstobeastrongperformer—aloneamongCaliforniapeercitiesandwell-separatedfromothercollegetowns.Amongnon-Californiacomparisons,onlyBloomingtonhasahigherpullfactor.Sales-per-capitaisamixedblessing—clearlybeneficialtotheretailersinvolved(andintermsofretailsalestaxrevenues),butcomingwithchallengestoinclusivenessgoals.OverallRetailPerformanceMetrics,Bouldervs.PeerCitiesOverallRetailPerformanceMetrics23SanLursC)FIS21uB..nurjton•Crtrz=•Boulder•Lawrence<U-.•IowaCity<U•FortColirris0•A;•PaloAft:•BeLacv•CarnL”’JcieS2&C2,OverallRetailSalesperCipitaSource:ESRI;consultantNote:8asedonestimatesof2017salesestimatesacrossallretailcategories(includingvehiclesales/service)plusfood/beverageawayfromhome.Per capitacalculationdivides2077salesby2018populationestimates(forcitylimits).Pullfactoris2017estimatedin-citysalesdividedby2077estimatedcityhouseholdspendingpotential.79Appendix E: Boulder Compared to National Peer CitiesCity Council Study Session Page 184 of 260 InadditiontocomparingthecitieswithBoulderdemographicallyandoncurrentretailmetrics,wealsolookedat howretail wasperforminginthepeercitiesoverthepastfiveyears.Forthisanalysis,weusedretailsalestaxrevenueasaproxyforoverallretailperformanceandfocusedonlyonthosepeercitieswheresuchdatawasmadepubliclyavailableinaformsuitableforcomparisonacrosscities.Whiletherearelocaldifferencesacrossthesecitiesintheretailcategoriessubjecttosalestaxandthe applicabletaxrates,thedirectionandrateofrecentchangesinoverallcollectionsshouldprovideareasonableindicatorofBoulder’sconsumerretailspendingtrajectoryrelativetoagroupofsimilarpeercommunities.Asshowninthefollowingtablesandproceedingchart,whensetting2014salestaxrevenuesasabaseandshowingcumulativepercentincreaseoverfiveyears,Bouldercomparesquitefavorablyagainstnationalpeersforwhichcomparabledatawasavailable.Boulder’staxcollectionsrose20.7%overallinthattimeframe,agreaterincreasethancomparisoncities,whichrangedfrom5.7%to17.0%growth.SalesTaCollections(inthousands)20142015201620172018Note,SanlaCrsZ39,840310.248310(01511,863311,514%a.&s’.,,,4’v&noahy0.”Iye,’t’5$16365$1594452(’lOO317.436suesUAnjsc’flscSanL,nsC))u1x,522.’Ic)521.6/6524,6145140495Z4.559Sa’s‘,,,,t’’r’:.’.’’nrJ12%0PSOnpncp522404 473441 424147525013325S9hasonI55.,ssansasFortoulbos57)7-IC51.190%$1797.1£SCoI’12583.166based3.85%as‘ale359OH5122,03551054/63105459SiU,e,’,)SOnsIrnsac,,;n(,,,I1/Mi)I’e,cenlChonqninSoles‘axessince 201420142015 201620172018Cnaz0.0%4.1%2.3%20.6%17.0%‘085..34”.1185..15.SanLutsUbrsrc0.0%I”1%10.1%7.409.6%Lav,In!P00%4/%10.5%116%138%fociCnSn;0.0%1,4’,975 120,168%8c,uldep0.0%13.-ISI?2’97,4%20.7%SaleslaxRevenueperCapita‘/0)’)201020162(0)2018SanlaCiui$156516cc515651935179$139$1363)33$1653)43SanIci,sOhirr545)5’,))352135015518LawItnoc52428249825932595262F’.ciC’Ii,,$1595.36/340)$1813.3970nI]dr$803$9.115914591951,)12GrowthinSalesTaxRevenuePerCapilasince 201410)42015201620172018Ss,taCruz00%2.6%O’I”,115%142%Clü%25% 56%10653.1%SanLitis51)5300%89%81%53%755,0.0%,315.1.3%1.0%8.3’-’.fociCollins00%I75,4.6%6.3%8.9%00%110%42%148%186%80Appendix E: Boulder Compared to National Peer CitiesCity Council Study Session Page 185 of 260 Tocontrolforpotentialeffectsofdifferingpopulationgrowthtrends,wethencomputedasalestaxrevenuepercapitameasure(bysimplydividingeachyear’staxrevenuebythatyear’spopulationineachcity).ThefollowinggraphicshowshowBoulderagaintopsthisshortlistofpeercities,with18.6%growthinper-capitarevenuesoverfiveyearsversuspeersrangingfrom3.1%growthinBerkeleyto142%inSantaCruz.RecallthatBoulderwasrougnlyinthemiddleofthepackonthissamemetricwhencomparedtoregionalcompetitivecitiesGrowthinSalesTaxRevenuePerCapitaSince2014Source:ColoradoDepartmentofFinance,CityofBoulder,LCD,GRES.18.6%14.2%89%31%ThiscomparisonsuggeststhatBoulder’sretailisperformingquitewell,likelyattributableinparttoitsregionalcontext.One possiblecautionaryinterpretationofthissamefindingisthattheupsideinretailperformanceforcitiesPikeBoulderissomewhatlimitedunlessBoulderundertakestomakeitselfanevengreaterdrawfortheregionasawholeandembracesthetouristspendingitalreadyenjoys.TotheextentthatBoulder’scityleadersandbusinesseswouldliketoseestrongerlocalsalesgrowththanwhathasoccurredinrecentyears,itmaybedifficulttofindexamplesoftrulysimilarcitiesthathavefaredbetter.AreasonablequestionwouldbeifanyorallofthePeerCitiesareadjustingtheirtaxationtorespondtochangesintheirretailenvironments.Theansweristhatdifferentjurisdictionshavedifferentabilitiestomodifytheirtaxation,sonopatternorinferencecanbedrawn.I-———dISantaCruzBerkeley-SanLuisObispoLawrenceFortCollinsowder2014201520162017201881Appendix E: Boulder Compared to National Peer CitiesCity Council Study Session Page 186 of 260 Appendix F: District Accessibility Assessment This phase of the research is intended to explore and document the existing retail conditions in the Boulder market, particularly concerning accessibil ity or the relationship between existing retail locations and people living and working in the City. An area of special interest is the accessibility of "everyday needs" retail within close (walking or biking) proximity to those residents and workers. To this end, the City has developed the concept of "15-minute Neighborhoods" and criteria it is hoped that residents in those neighborhoods have within a 15-minute walk from their homes. A 3/4-mile radius corresponds with the distance someone can walk at 3 mph (a typical walking pace), and will be the uniform radius scale used throughout this report unless noted otherwise. The criteria that were used in the last version of the City's neighborhood access tool included the following: 1.Bus stops 6.Health care 2.Cafes 7.Parks 3.Child care 8.Recreation centers 4.Dog parks 9.Restaurant5.Grocery stores These nodes were selected by identifying the areas in the City with the highest concentrations of retail. Not all of the above criteria were evaluated when fieldwork was conducted in early February, 2019, however, good data was collected for the retail uses on this list, and grocery stores and cafes/restaurants in particular. Data Sources and Approach This phase of work relied heavily on a few key data sources: Denver Regional Council of Governments: •DRCOG provided estimates of population, households and employment at the traffic analysis zone (TAZ) level (for use in transportation planning, primarily). •Geographically, TAZs tend to be larger than U.S. Census blocks, but smaller than Census block groups. There are approximately 160 TAZs making up the City of Boulder and a few adjacent outlying areas. Costar, Inc.: •A for-profit firm providing detailed property data for reta il development (and other commercial land uses). •Costar data is widely used in real estate and related industries and tends to be reasonably accurate (with some exceptions), and fairly exhaustive in its coverage. •It includes data on ownership, square footage and vacancy, with selectively available data on rents, property sub-types. anchor tenants, etc. Boulder County Assessor: •Parcel data from the county assessor was used mainly for quality-control purposes� to check for spatial and data accuracy of DRCOG and Costar information. 26 Appendix F: District Accessibility Assessment City Council Study Session Page 187 of 260 •Alsousedtohelpdetermineretailsub-categoriesincaseswhereCostardataisnotbrokenoutforlargeshoppingcenterproperties(averycommonoccurrence).•Parceldatawasalsousedtomakeafiner-grainedresidentialdensitymapinFigure4.U.S.CensusLongitudinalEmployment-HousingDynamics(LEHD):•LEHDdataisfocusedoncommutingpatternsandrelationshipsbetweenworkerresidencesandworkplaces.•Verysmallgeographicresolution(Censusblocks),butalsoincludessome‘blurring”algorithmtoprotectdataconfidentiality—introducingsomeminorerrorsinpointplacement,butcanbemanuallycorrected.•Weuseithereforsomedemographicprofilingofre&dentsandworkersatthe3/i-milenodelevel,sinceblock-groupdataistoocoarse, geographically.ESRI:•ESRIisafor-profitserviceprovidingdemographicdataandrelatedproducts.•ESRIdatasbasedonUSCensus,InfoUSA,andproprietary models.DatafromESRImaynotexactlymatchDRCOGdataduetodifferencesinmethodology.Inadditiontothesemainprovidersandojrownfieldwork,wealsoreliedheavilyonaerialphotographyandinternetsources(suchasnewsarticlesandGoogleStreetVew)tohelpverify,categorizeandverifyinformationfromothersources.Datathathasbeenadjustedisnozedassuchbelow.RetailNodeIdentificationThemapatthebeginningofthissectionshowsexistingretailinventoryofallmajortypes(excludingautomotivesales&repair)bylocationandsizeofproperty.Basedonthedistributionofretailspace,withadditionalreferencetoamappingofretailemploymentdensitypreparedbyCitystaff,weidentified10primaryclustersofretaildevelopment.These10nodesformthebasisformuchoftheanalysisincludedinthisphaseofwork.•Thenodesvaryconsiderablyintermsofthescale,andvarietyof retailcontaineowithineachnode.•Somenodesaregeographicallydistinct,suchasTableMesaandMeadows whereonediscreteshoppingcenteressentiallyconstitutesthenode.Others,likePearlStreetandBVRC/29thStreetmaysprawlacrossmanyblockswithsomewhatfuzzyouterboundariesand/oroverlapwithother nodes.•OnlyahandfulofretailpropertiesintheCityfalloutsidetheseprimarynodes.Thefollowingtablegivestheestimatedtotalretailsquarefootageassociatedwitheachnode.Unlikesomelatercalculations,thenumbersshownherearenon-overlapping.Inotherwords,theyreflectmutuallyexclusiveinventorytiedtoeachspecificnodeclusterwithapropertybeingassignedtothenodewhosecentertowhichitisclosest(asopposedtoallinventorywithineachnode’s¾-mileradiusarea).Assuch,thefiguresareadditive,withaCity-widetotal21Appendix F: District Accessibility AssessmentCity Council Study Session Page 188 of 260 ofapproximately6.1millionsquarefeet(withapproximately200,000additionalsquarefeetlyingoutside thenodeboundariesbutwithinthecity).RetailMetricsbyRetailNode(3/4-mileradiusareas)PropertiesInventory(s.f.)Vacants.f.VacancyRateBasemar18165,00023,00014.1%BVRC-29thSt1342,560,000 231,0009.0%Gunbarrel12141,0006,0003.9%Meadows425100000.0%N28thSt701,146,00076,0006.6%NBroadwayAnnex1286,0001,0001.6%North Broadway13153,0006,0003.6%PearlSt1161,027,000*28,0002.7%TableMesa13345,00014,0004.2%TheHill26221,00012,8005.8%Outsideofnodes14190,0009,0005.0%BoulderTotal4326.3rnillion*400,0006.5%Source:Costar(withcorrectionsandadjustmentsbyLCG)*Costarshows anadditional250,000s.f.ofinventorywithinthePearlStreet node thatappearstobemisclassified(officeportionsoftwomixed-usebuildings).For accuracyincomparisonacrossnodes,wemanuallycorrectedthatfigurehere.However,wechoseretainthe6.6millionsquarefootcitywidetotalinthecity-by-citycomparisons, sincewewereunabletomakemanualadjustmentsinothercities.Wenotethat differentsourcesshowdifferentamountsofretailspaceinBoulder.Forexample,NewmarkKnightFrank’sBoulder Market ReportforQ4,2018shows4.5millionsquare feet.ThisStudyreliesmoreheavilyonCoStarwhichisamoreinclusivedatasource --trackingpropertiesassmallas1,000squarefeet,whereasbrokeragestendtoignorepropertiesbelow10-20,000squarefeet.ThefollowingmapdepictspopulationdensityfortheCityofBoulder,withnodesanda3/4-mileringaround eachnodeforreferenceandscale.28Appendix F: District Accessibility AssessmentCity Council Study Session Page 189 of 260 PopulationDensityandBoulderRetailNodesPopulationDensity2015pelqrossacreU--25255KSO‘00‘00-—5.’-zoo—zOO500—5004’?Source:ORCOGestimatesfor2015populationbyT,4Z(2077vintageestimate),LCG,GRESThefollowingtablegivesanideaofkeydemographicattributeswithineach3/4-mileringsurroundingthecenterofeachnode(3/4-mileradiihavingbeen chosenascorrespondstothedistancethatcanbewalkedbyanaveragepersonin15minutes,andthereforeactingasaproxyfortheboundaryofa15-MinuteNeighborhood).Becausetheyoverlap,valuessuchaspopulationandcountofhouseholdsshouldnotbeaddedacrossnodeareas.Forthesamereason,wearenotcalculatingaggregatespendingpotentialhere.0inS•129Appendix F: District Accessibility AssessmentCity Council Study Session Page 190 of 260 KeyDemographicIndicatorsbyRetailNode(3/4-mileradiusareas)2018Populatio2010-2018nDensityPopulation:2018201820182018Bachelor(PopperAnnualAveragePercen2018Median MinoritysDegreeSquareGrowthHouseholtMediaHouseholPopulatioorHigherMile)RatedSizeRenternAgedIncomen(%)(age25+)Basemar11,3361.8%1.9181%21.6$23,24819%66%BVRC-29thSt6,6153.2% 1.8278%26.1$36,07823%71%Gunbarrel1,8754.5%1.9963%35.7$65,82720% 65%Meadows5,2320.3%2.13“5%38.6$6966818%71%N28thSt66871.3%2.0050%34.8555,61525%69%NBwyAnnex4,1222.1%2.6223%39.0$79,18031%67%NBroadway6,0961.0%2.1447%37.2$77,51912% 78%PearlSt10,331 1.2%2.0274%25.9$39,61017%76%TableMesa6,1070.6%2.4539%33.9 $83,92515%77%TheHill10,7561.6%2.3078%22.3$31,65317%80%CITYOFBOULDER4,4041.4%2.1952%29.9$58,12418%74%Source:ESRINotsurprisingly,themostdenselypopulatednodesareinDowntown,Basemar,andtheHill.TneBasemar,Hill,BVRC!299St,andPearlStreet nodeshavemedianagessignificantlylowerthanothernodesandtheCityasawhole,likelyindicatingahigherconcentrationofstudents.TheGnbarreInodeisbyfartheleastdenselypopulated(anditsretailersclearlydrawfromalarger functionaltradearea than3%-mile,includingunincorporatedBoulderCountyresidents).Thesamedemographicindicatorsaregraphicallydepic:edbelow,sortedbynoderankings,foreaseofcomparison acrossnodeareas:Avor1qeHcISeHQIdSIZ-3N’l’ec?i.3r1A13NBr.:.—Hi.,2II)‘nner,I:IlA:,24Mi33ThH.II2}DN:nhP.,:.cJv:,,372ItTK3FE0’.’LLEP-;itcI3tiH43219I,,jnI-.,rrI3c7rNh211NZSIKItlIP.Mt:.ws213TaI:I+H;:..,131PatIt202CITYOFBC’’.’LCEP299N28thIi200P,’R’J.?l,hIT2IP:artIt251Ba;narII’4,11223BVRC-llthItI2130Appendix F: District Accessibility AssessmentCity Council Study Session Page 191 of 260 -u CL -t Cl; a t! ¶ ¶ C C n CD Cr F CD C n C D Co C D (C S C S CD 2 Co 5, C- CD rfl Co CD H (0 -to C C S (C 3 0)-o Co C Co (0 3 -D C 3 (0 S C (0 S Co S (0 C-) 0 ‘C -1 cThJ_ _coa —:- :-4!- 0) 0) !5 0 D-m —C!,c ¶ni T C)Appendix F: District Accessibility AssessmentCity Council Study Session Page 192 of 260 EmploymentDensityand50100innsoI50200—200—300-500—Thetablebelowgivesanidea ofemploymentdensitywithin3/4-milesurroundingthecenterofeachnode.Thereare,ofcourse,largeemploymentbasesoutsideofthe¾-milenodes,however,thesearenotgiventhe samelevelofanalysispertheCity’srequestedscopeofwork.BoulderRetailNodes0imiC’COJobDensity(2015,perrcssAcre)0-2525 50——CoyI_unitsSource:DRCOGestimatesfor2015employmentbyTAZ(2017vintageestimate),LCG, GRES32Appendix F: District Accessibility AssessmentCity Council Study Session Page 193 of 260 Employment(jobsanddensity)byNodesEst.2015JobsperEmploymentGrossAcreBasernar11473109BVRC-29thSt17,520167Gunbarrel5,71854Meadows1,93918N28thSt6,57763NBroadwayAnnex2,34822NorthBroadway17,485167PearlSt20,226193TableMesa2,94328TheHill21,891208Source:DRCOG,LelandConsultingGroup,GreensfelderRealEstateStrategyAgain,workerswhoseofficesarelocatedwhere morethanonenodemightoverlapwillbecountedmorethanonceinthistable.Aswithpopulationdensity,PearlStreetand theHillhavethehighestnumberofjobsandemploymentdensity(theHilllikelybecauseCUisBoulder’slargestemployer).WhiletheHillisoftenthoughttobeunderserved,thismaynotbeanaccuratedepictionwithrespecttodaytimeworkerswhohaveanamplevarietyofbusinessestoserveneedsrangingfromF&Btosundries(Walgreens)toofficesupplies.Asshownlaterinour surveyresults,residentslivinginthePearlStreetandHillnodeareastendtobelesssatisfiedwiththeselectionofbasicretailnearthanemployeeswhoworkinthoseareasare.Comparedwithothernodes,NorthBroadwayAnnex,Meadows,andTableMesahaveveryfewjobs.ThereareareasofdenseremploymentoutsideofthestudynotessuchasinEastBoulder.Whilethereisanincreasingamountofmulti-familyhousing,Gunbarrelremainsessentiallysuburbanincharacterwithitsretailnodeservingpredominantlylowdensityhousing,officecampuseslocatedbetweenBoulderandtheGunbarrelnode,andasmatteringofofficeandindustrialthatisnotpartofalargercorporatecampus.Thefollowingmaplabeleddepictsresidentialparcelsandjobsonthesamemap.ThismaphelpsexplaintherelationshipbetweentheresidentialandcommercialareasinBoulder.33Appendix F: District Accessibility AssessmentCity Council Study Session Page 194 of 260 Job&PopulationDensity,AlternateDepiction(2015)&PopulationDensity2015JobsbyBlockGroup(dotssizedbyjobcount)DwellingunitsbyparcelSource:USCensusLEND(for2015jobsbycensusblock)andBoulderCountyAssessorGISandimprovementdatafordwellingunitcountbyparcel,LCG,GRES.34Appendix F: District Accessibility AssessmentCity Council Study Session Page 195 of 260 InventoryRelativetoBasicRetailNeedsOnegoalofthisstudyistodeterminetheadequacyofBoulder’sretailsupplyrelativetoitsworker andresidentpopulations.Inthenoisy realityoftheretailworld,bothworkersandresidents spendmoneyacrossabroad,overlappingspectrumofretail,serviceanddiningcategories.Inotherwords,therearenopurelyresident-servingorworker-servingstorecategories.Toaddtothecomplexity,thereisalsoconsideroverlapbetweenBoulderworkersandBoulderresidents.Infact,justover one-halfofemployedBoulderresidentsalsogotoworkwithinthecityofBoulder.Forthisreason,itisdangeroustoassumethat,foragivenneighborhoodorretailnode,that theaggregatespendingpowerofnearbyresidentsand workerscanbeviewedasadditive,assuchanassumptionwould leadtoconsiderabledouble-countingofdemandpotential.Tounderstandhowwellstore1inventorieswithinBoulder’s variousretailnodesmeetthebasicneedsofworkersandresidentsinthoseareas,webeginbylookingatthe mostquintessentialfrequentpurchasesofthosetwogroups.Althoughworkersspendmoneyacrossavarietyofcategories,thesinglelargestspendingcategoryisdining/drinking.Whetherforlunch,happyhour,orcoffeebreaks,restaurantscaptureapproximately$29eachweekoutofevery$116spentbytheaverageurbanofficeworker,accordingtoanICSCsurvey (inflatedto2019dollars).Restaurantsby faristhe largestsinglespendingcategory.AverageWeeklySpendingbyUrbanOfficeWorkers£35£2927(9S4’.r‘,0..<3Source:ICSCOfficeWorkerSpendinginaDigitalAge,2012Note:Averageacrossallofficeworkers,induding thosewhospentnothing,Inflatedto2019dollars.1Theterm“store”hereandelsewhereinthisreportmayrefertoavarietyofretail,restaurantandserviceestabflshmenttypes--notjusttypicalshops.sSIC’S,4’‘F035Appendix F: District Accessibility AssessmentCity Council Study Session Page 196 of 260 Spendingbyresidenthouseholdsisevenmorevariedandspreadacrossmanydifferentcategoriesthanitisforworkers.Forresidents,foodathome(primarilygrocerystores)movessolidlyintothetopposition,withrestaurantspendinginsecondplace,followedbydepartmentstoresand health&personal carestores(closelymatchingdrugstores).Groceryanddrugstorepurchasesexemplify“retailbasics”forresidents,notonlybasedonspendinglevels,butalsobecausetheytendto bemorefrequentshoppingdestinationsthandepartmentstores,homecentersandclothingstores.BoulderAnnualPerCapitaSpendingbyCategoryFurniture&HomeFurnishings$550Electronics&Appliance$575Misc.StoreRetailers$576Sporting, Hobby,Book&Music$630Clothing&Accessories$762OtherGeneralMerchandise$893BldgMaterials,Garden,Supply$960Health&PersonalCareStores$1,259DepartmentStorescxci.Leased$1,744FoodServices&DrinkingPlaces$1,809Food&BeverageatHome$2,848Source:ES!?!,basedonU.S.CensusConsumerExpenditurePatterns,adjustedforBoulder’sincomesandregionaldifferences.Note:Dataisestimatedfor201Band excludesautomotive,online,andnon-retailcategories.So,forourspatialanalysisofhowwellBoulder’s retailnodeareasareaddressingthebasicretailneedsofworkersandresidents,wechosetofocusonthetworetaildestinationsthatrepresentthetopspendingcategoriesforthosegroups: restaurantsforworkersandacombinedcategoryofgrocerystoresanddrugstoresforresidents2.Specifically, weusedavarietyofsourcesincludingBoulderCountyAssessordataandCostarcommercialrealestatedatatoidentifyallthegrocerystores,drugstoresandrestaurants(includingcafes,tavernsandrestaurant/bars).Then,usinggeographicinformationsystem(GIS)2Asshowninthetwospendinggraphics,thereis,ofcourse,considerablecross-spending.Thats,workersalsospendsignificantlyatsupermarketswhilerestaurantsarethesecond-biggestspendingcategoryforresidents.Toconfusemattersfurther,aBoulderresidentworkinginaBoulderofficebuildingmayactuallyspendthebulkofherhouseholdrestaurantbudgetwhileatornear theworkplace.Weaddress the questionofhowwelllocalareasmeetbasicretailneedsmorepointedlyintheshoppersurveys,presentedlaterinthisreport,butforananalysisbasedonsupplyanddemanddata,thismaybeascleanasitgets.36áAppendix F: District Accessibility AssessmentCity Council Study Session Page 197 of 260 software,wecomparedthoselocationstocentersofpopulation andemploymentdensitywithinthetenBouldernodes.GroceriesandDrugstoresinBoulder•Po%Gi,nhau.lN8,oa4*aAtnt2.Nasa“a’BVRC-?9t1’SI-Me• -Nlie’SiN8WIMetN,.’,iI;ieoad.ia’.P,,,,ISI(T3bCMc,.,Thtii,IiU’ugile:esG’oce’yLs:Orracery&Stc,,e,Pci.-i,iai.onO’uasIo’e51p0:2/SIIUISG4JU7311.0)1161.1214SS.(C3283N,44Ar,r9AM49301fl117(0)112I1J95l38,021,16BiO-JI4(XYI2.62918.O39,Q)1410/26950(X)II47/86R1)2%ro’137J121Source:BoulderCountyAssessor, Costar,LCG,GRES37Groc.ry.ndDrug.tor.Inv.nIe;(31&-miI.Nod.r.n)$Ca.)1:-Lu:4l.-•t”’t:i:.s,lvcsa’9t4N28thSI0n,oieNaIwaJ—(‘aOadti0.ç4QIBVR(79t5St3L.t‘S/‘l’0Nr,,II-I’”dw.,yPerIA11a110’‘I-theKill0-ç\/•BSS6•.R’/2/•:Ba,emat•‘•Sata,,Meadows\••\_‘N%r-TableMet.\\\..-Appendix F: District Accessibility AssessmentCity Council Study Session Page 198 of 260 RestaurantsandBarsinBoulderI.5-..-I/7/•Li......_..itradows/-5.///-‘4-A3:,‘.--/ftINB,oadwayAnn/s-1.•L’r.r.,j7////7:/S.II.t’///7/RestaurantsSariandLit,NeckPestauranl&Restaw,ntWorkersBarsiper4k’ie‘BaCombosWeNr7&t0i,.1i’-,’sftflasa,ns,.13,7007000 1141335[19Cr79th5?144,7007,80011,520‘14Ounba,iel26,000300005,11085M,’,,’Isss95(5)1,93949N2455?69,100 34,1006,577Il.0NBMncxI33)4.0002.3435.5NorthBrn,slw.ty7IS-Ill)32800I/485131?288,700 37.30020,226‘54FalsiftMc’,a76501)2,9439(I1,tileH,lI33)001,Y3Ii41335—--A/••.ttt,:,Bro,’,Jly--‘‘A•.•••.—A/.ThoR.—-tN---I.,:1‘ft•tale•IbarAbar-restaurantN//leMca•,Source:Boulder County Assessor,Costar,LCG,GRES38Appendix F: District Accessibility AssessmentCity Council Study Session Page 199 of 260 Thefollowingscatterchartillustrateshowwelleachretailnodeareameetstheprimaryneedsofresidentsorworkersinthosesamenodes:How WellDoBoulderRetailNodesMeettheCommon NeedsofResidents&WorkersI8.0016.00•PearlSt14.00•NorthBroadwayN28thStBVRC-29thSt12.00•TheHitto•10.0)S•TableMesa•Gunbarrel2.00‘5NBroadwayODDAnnex••Meadows4,00SBanemar2.00meetingprimaryRESIDENTneeds2.004.006.008.00 10.0012.0014,001&0)181020.00221024.00Grocery&Drugstores.f.perResidentSource:ESRI,BoulderCountyAssessor, Costar,ORCOG,LCG,GRESNote:PopulationandemploymentcountsarebasedonDRCOGestimatesfortrafficanalysiszones(TAZs)withcentersfallinginsideagivennodearea.Squarefootageofrestaurants,grocery storesanddrugstoresarebasedonparceldataand Costarpropertyinformation.Retailnodeswiththeirlabelsclosesttothe topofthischarthavethehighestconcentrationsofrestaurant spacepernearbyemployee.PearlStreetleadsthepackwithnearly16squarefeetofrestaurants,bars,andcafesforeveryworkerinthat¾-mileradiusarea.NorthBroadwaydoeswellonthatmeasuretoo, butmorebecauseofitsloweremployeecountthananabundanceofdiningoptions.Basemarislowestbythismeasure,withjustunderfoursquarefeetofdining/drinkingspaceper areajob.39Appendix F: District Accessibility AssessmentCity Council Study Session Page 200 of 260 Nodes towardstherightofthecharthavemoregroceryanddrugstorespaceforeachresidentwithinthenodearea.TheBoulderValley-29thStreetretailcluster,withitsimpressivearrayofgroceryoptions,istheclearleaderwithover21square feetofgrocery/drugspaceperresident.PearlStreet,NorthBroadway,TheHill,NorthBroadwayAnnex,andBasemarbringuptherearwithapproximatelyone-tenththegrocery/drugspacepernearbyresidentasBVRC/29thStreet.Itisimportanttonotethatwhileanareamaymeettheneedsofresidentslivingwithinthatnode,thenodemayormaynotbeeasilyaccessibletoresidentsfromotherareasornodesintheCity.“DailyNeeds”RetailAccessibilityAsmentionedearlier,thebestsingleindicatorfor provisionof“dailyneeds”retailisthequantity andlocationofgrocery/supermarketsupply.Infact,sinceothernon-foodretailbasicsalsotendtobesoldatstoresclusteringaroundsupermarkets,studyingthegeographyofgrocerystorelocationsisagoodproxyforevaluatingtheadequacyofneighborhood-servingbasicretailasawhole,especiallyinrelation towherethepeopleare.Fordemographicandemployment-basedplanning,theDenver RegionalCouncilofGovernments(DRCOG)dividesupthe greatermetrointothousandsofsmallareascalledTrafficAnalysisZones,orTAZs.ThecityofBoulder(withitsimmediatesurroundings)ismadeupofapproximately160TAZsofvaryingsizeandshape3--eachwithanestimatedheadcountofcurrentresidents. Thesearerepresentedasyellow-ishcirclesinthemapbelow,withlargercirclesmeaninghigherTAZpopulations.Boulderhas15grocerystoresof10,000squarefeetormore,ranginginsizefromthe TraderJoe’sandsmallerLuckyMarketformat(bothunder15,000squarefeet)tolarger Whole Foods,Safeway,andKingSoopersstoreswhichcanexceed75,000squarefeet.Thesegrocerystoresareshowninthesamemapasredhexagons,sizedinproportiontotheirfloorarea.Householdsdon’tnecessarilyshopattheir closeststore,shoppingpatternsbeingdrivenbytrafficflows,brandloyalty,commutingroutes,tradearea“gravity,”andotherfactors.Simpleproximity,however,remainsafundamentalfactorgoverningbasicretailshoppingbehavior.Assuch,evenanuncomplicatedmodelwhereeveryhouseholdshops attheirclosestsupermarket(illustratedinthemapasdarkredlinesconnectingTAZpopulationstostores)canbegintoshedlightonareasthatmaybeunderservedinamarket.Theresultingmapillustratestherelativelyshortshoppingdistances enjoyedbyresidentslivingnearcentralBoulder’sconcentrationofsupermarketsalong28thStreet,relativetothelongerlinksrequiredforoutlyinghomes.Northwest BoulderresidentslivingoneithersideofBroadwaymayhaveseemingly shortconnections,but theyareservedbytwoofthesmallestgrocerystoresinthecityleadingtothequestionofwhethertheyareadequatelyservedfordailyneedscommodityretail,evenwithintheir15-minuteNeighborhood.WespeculatethatThepreceding shadedmapsofpopulation densityandjobdensitywerecreatedusingTAZboundaries,andgiveanideaofthetypicalsizeandshapeofthosegeographicunits.40Appendix F: District Accessibility AssessmentCity Council Study Session Page 201 of 260 theseresidentstravelsouthortoGunbarrelforlargergroceryshoppingtripsandusethesmallerstoresforincidentalsorhomemealreplacement(HMR).Infact,thedozenTAZsinfarnorthwestBoulderthatsharethe13,000s.f.Lucky’sastheircloseststorehaveacombinedpopulationofapproximately12,700—enoughspendingpowertosLipportasupermarketcloserto 50,000squarefeetinavacuum(ie.iftherewerenoothergrocersservingthetradearea).PopulationAreasLinkedtoNearestGroceryStoresIS./•Si’Ptoh,,k•Poix,la,o,,AZiJihLJiflophCe,ncr10piea,e,toimi———;—_.?.--...it:qrSLi:2,lOOrec.derptshere.wln rr:ckysM:iik:as.1%.A’Llefrclosestqro.ceryI/-‘7’%%%srcre.ISource:ORCOGTAZ-levelpopulationestimatesfor2015,shownaspopulation-weightedcentroids;CostarandBoulderCountyAssessorforgrocerystorelocationsandsquarefootage,[CC,GRES.41Appendix F: District Accessibility AssessmentCity Council Study Session Page 202 of 260 DailyNeeds:AnotherLookatGroceryAccessibilityAnotherwaytoillustrateareasofrelativeavailabilityofbasiceveryday-needsgoodsisshownbelow.ThismapalsobeginswithcirclestorepresentthecenterofeachTAZ,sizedbythepopulationinthatTAZ.Thistime, however,theseresident-representingdotsareshadedtoshowhowmuchsupermarketspaceiswithin¾mileofeachparticularpopulationdot(populationareaswithdarkest greenshadingareservedbymore nearbygrocerysquarefootage(usuallyacrossmultiplestores),whilethoseshadedthelightestyellowhavenoneatall).Groupsofyellowcircle/dots,therefore,areagoodindicatorofunderservedneighborhoodareas.BoulderAreaTAZPopulationsbySquareFootageofGroceryL.TAZPopulationbyGroceryAvailabilitySGrocery Srore,00•0250C0Storeswithin3/4Mile-e//c,H:..IsH:ThisAZ,populatrors985,hasapprox48,000sfofcjrocerystorespare(theMeadowsSateway)wit(sirsis3/4-rr,rteradiusGrocerysfw,Ilriir5.’4mile•ZSOn76.Sa•76.9C0234,cO0muSource:DRCOGTAZ-levelpopulationestimatesfor2015, shownaspopulation-weightedcentroids; CostarandBoulderCountyAssessorforgrocerystorelocationsand squarefootage.42Appendix F: District Accessibility AssessmentCity Council Study Session Page 203 of 260 CharacteristicsofAreasOutsideRetailNodesThismapcombines residents,workersandretailtogethertoshowhowtheirdistributionrelatestotheretailnodeareas.Areaslyingoutsideofanynodearehighlightedwithadottedoutlineandgivenlabelscorrespondingtoatabletofollow.Legendçq3Res,dentijlparcels(perAssessor).Retailproperties(percostar)SE’nployntentbycensusblock(perUSCensusLEHD,2015)—,Populationandeniployneriticoncentraronsoutside¾-miie%%)noderadiusareasResidents,WorkersandRetail,ShowingRetailNodesandNon-NodeAreas-_Source:US.CensusLEt-ID,Costar,Boulder CountyAssessor,LCG,ORES.43Appendix F: District Accessibility AssessmentCity Council Study Session Page 204 of 260 Notethatconsiderableresidentialacreageliesoutsideofthenodeboundaries.However,thepopulationdensityinthesenon-nodeareasconsiderablylowerthanwithinnodes,wheredevelopmenttendstobemoreurbaninnature.Whilethreenodeareashadpopulationdensitiesofmorethan10,000peoplepersquaremile,densitiesintheseoutside areasareallbetween2,000and4,000persquaremile.Infact,onlyabout one-quarterofBoulder’spopulationliesinareasoutsidetheidentifiedretailnodeareas.DemographicIndicatorsforAreasOutsideNodes20182010-2018DensityPopulation20182018 2018(PopperAnnualAverage20182018MedianMinorityUnserved2018Est.SquareGrowthHouseholdPercentMedianHousehold PopulatioAreaPopulationMile)RateSizeRenterAge Incomen(%)East3,6122,2520,6% 2.2838%39.0$89,08915.4%NorthCentral3,808 3,5102.0%2.7415%42.6$119,931132%Northeast3,0822,7901.4%2.5429%38.6$71,35128.7%Northwest4,275 3,1320.7% 2.4818%45.6$111,85611.1%Outer Gunbarrel8,753 2,8170.6%2.2421%45.6$94,25111.0%South5,0312,6260.6% 2.3820%46.2$116,44310.6%Source:U.S.CensusLEHO,Costar,BoulderCountyAssessor,LCG,GRES.WhileBoulderhasareasofresidentialdensityandprioritizesalternativeformsoftransportation,inordertomaintainaproductiveretailbasethatisbotheconomicallyandenvironmentallysustainableandthatmeets theneedsofitsresidentsatallincomelevelsandfromavarietyofbackgrounds,thoughtmustbegiventoresidentswhowillfinditeasiesttoaccessgoodsandservicesusinganautomobile.ThisobservationisnotmeanttosuggestthatBouldershould notprioritizealternativeformsoftransportation,anddensemulti-usenodes.ItismeanttohighlightthatonequarterofBoulder’spopulationlivesoutsideofthe15-minute/¾-milenodes,andtoemphasizethat thesepriorities shouldnotbeattheexpenseoftheautoorientedrealityof¼ofresidents.Ignoringthis finding wouldmeanlessratherthanmoreinclusivityfromaretailperspectivefortheportionoftheresidentanddaytimepopulationsthatexistoutsideofthe15-minuteNeighborhoods.44Appendix F: District Accessibility AssessmentCity Council Study Session Page 205 of 260 Overall, How Satisfied Are You with Price, Selection and Availability of Retail Near Home? Could benefit from more "big box" stores instead of having to drive to cities that actually want them. (i.e. Costco, Wallmart, Nordstrom, etc.) Favorite restaurants left the city recently. They weren't happy with rents. Sugar tax is ridiculous and as a result, I shop in Longmont, Louisville and Lafayette. Also make an afternoon of it, and go out for lunch or dinner, get gas... it's know that Boulder is more expensive than other surrounding cities, it would be nice to have more affordable Obviously all the grocery stores are superrrrr expensive in Boulder... also the selection is quite limited. This is very disappointing. So much space around the city and no single cheaper store located. There are few places to purchase "normal" items such as clothes, shoes, underwear. Target is the only place left. Boulder is expensive! No clothing stores nearby Basic good is fine - we've got Target and grocery stores. Have to travel outside of Boulder for better prices We can walk to both Table Mesa Center and BaseMar Center and they are both lacking in gifts, clothing, household goods, and restaurants. my neighborhood has lost a car wash, a grocery store, a restaurant, a fast foodplace, a gas station and a general merchandise store. The spaces remain empty and some of them are decrepit. Plenty of grocery stores. That's good. However there are lots of vacant places like basemar and Moorhead/36. Prices are high. There is a lack of many retail types in south Boulder. We don't have much retail and services near where we live, even though it's a very prominent central area. What retail we had is under threat of being converted into office space for corporate tenants. Many people in my neighborhood are now driving to other cities for retail and service (out of desperation, not by first choice). All the affordable stores have been leaving. Macy's is thinking of closing the Boulder store. I am increasingly driving out of town to shop for clothing and household items. I live in south boulder limited choice but I do not want more retail,- improve what we have currently I live walking distance to Basemar mall and was very disappointed when the Basemar wholefoods closed. I shopped at that WF very regularly and like the walking/biking access. Before the WF closure, I was disspoinated when the Ace Hardware in the same mall closed. it is not clear what "near our home" means? Walking distance? within a radius? Gunbarrel needs additional stores such as a hardware store and some good delis. The new restaurants are way above the price point for families. King Soopers has 75% of its aisles dedicated to junk food. Would love a We can walk or bike for many basic items. Prices do tend to be high. We often shop outside of Boulder for basic goods to save money. Most of us leave Boulder to buy basic clothing items. There is no place at all to buy sporting goods. I only still shop at what was "Ideal" Market strictly for convenience -- dislike that it went over to the dark side (i.e., Whole Paycheck / Amazwrong). I've lived in the Whittier neighborhood for nearly 17 years and everything has become exorbitantly expensive. South boulder is lacking Difficult to find cheap produce and staples like cheap bread/milk I am concerned with the introduction of more corporate grocery and general goods stores in Boulder. Eight years ago, I was attracted to Boulder because of the diverse community and the thriving diversity in retail stores - 'mom and pop' shops offer unique goods that the larger, corporate stores do not. In the past 8 years, I've seen too many small, locally owned stores and restaurants close down and more corporate chain stores/restaurants move in. I'm actually considering moving out of Boulder because of this. I think rents and city taxes increase the cost of goods here in Boulder, and for some that creates a financial burden. I include myself in that category. Everything is so expensive Access to grocery stores along 28th and 30th streets is troublesome as these streets are congested and have no viable bike lanes for the most part. Especially along 30th and 28th north of Mapleton bicyclists are crowded into on street bike lanes or onto sidewalks and interfere with pedestrians. Groceries are plentiful at various price points. Other goods not so much, particularly reasonably priced and a wide variety of furniture and clothing. Appendix G: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Satisfaction Near Home City Council Study Session Page 206 of 260 Office space and banks are taking over prime space that should be either retail or dining. Google moved in and their presence hasn't helped the surrounding area one bit. Restaurants should have benefitted, but this mass of new workers somehow dines inside their building. Thank you for instituting the Sugar Tax. As a direct result of the tax, I now leave Boulder every weekend to do all my shopping(not just for my sugary drinks). I have found better quality restaurants in the surrounding cities (food and service) than what is currently offered in Boulder. I like to buy from independent businesses and need to travel outside the city for things like appliances, furnishings, repair services, etc. Some of these things used to be near my home and are no longer We need less chain stores and more single owner shops. The city should favor true small business, not franchise's, in the permitting process. I truly wish we had more "department store" type of store like Target and Macy's. Those are about the only two stores in Boulder where you can buy underwear! (Besides the more expensive stores like Christina's) Very happy with Sprouts and grocery store availability in southeast Boulder. Retail on this side of town is awful. Now we're losing our 1st Bank at the Table Mesa Shopping Center at King The only shopping within walking distance is a gas station convenience store There are a few things I can't get here, but price is way more of a barrier for me than availability. It's difficult to walk or bike to any grocery stores or restaurants from my house near valmont bike park. Losing some basic stuff as national outdoor clothing chains move in. There is plenty of fancy expensive stuff, but a lack of lower cost retail. For example, I probably spend the most at Costco in superior. Kroger is probably second, but they are going upscale in Boulder, and I am getting less satisfied. I have no use for all these expensive boutique shops and up scale restaurants. Everything was better before the Basemar shopping center was ruined by the actions of Whole Foods. They still hold the lease so other grocery stores cannot rent the space. Whole Foods is not a company that I have any respect for. It will take years to fix what they so casually destroy. There are no good espresso cafes in South Boulder. I have lived in Boulder for 65 years. It was easy to shop when there were department stores, drug stores, shoe stores, on Pearl Street. Then Crossroads opened, and again, there were a lot of department stores and other smaller retail. Now, there are so few department stores in Boulder. I can rarely find something at Macys, I am too old for clothes at Target. It is hard to find furniture. I have made an effort to keep my tax dollars in Boulder County but that is getting harder and harder to do. I refuse to shop on Amazon or on-line. I have to be a discretionary shopper to achieve the best prices. This mainly pertains to grocery shopping. I do not purchase clothes in Boulder While there is a good selection of goods and services, most are very expensive and are unaffordable. Developers have been building/converting (potential) retail spaces into higher-priced office. This leads to higher rates for retail space, reduced variety and domination by chain stores or ones selling high-priced yuppie crap. The price and selection keeps moving away from the middle class. We seem to do most of our shopping outside of Boulder (Longmont, Louisville, Superior). I live in North Boulder and drive to King Soopers for some of my groceries. I also do a lot of shopping at Lucky's, but it's a smaller store. I would like more Mom & Pop small restaurants or lunch spots on East Pearl The price of everything has gone through the roof without wages being increased to meet the demand. This is a recipe for disaster. Small (useful) retail operations are being driven out of the city by outrageous rents. Several vendors that I have frequented for years are now located outside of the city - in Lafayette for example, necessitating a long drive - or they have closed their stores entirely. They used to be located in downtown Boulder and can no longer afford to We need a grocery store in BaseMar shopping Center. Missing: Chinese food restaurant that is not just takeout. Need a nicer place with servers, etc. And would be nice to have more options for quality, affordable home furnishings - I travel to Broomfield (the mall there) for Crate & Barrel or Pottery Barn, and Costco, or order online. Additionally for some electronics, I feel our selection is limited to Best Buy or Target. lots of grocery options, not many clothing options. Happy with food options The cost of goods in Boulder are very expensive. Boulder, with all of its luxury taxes, is way overpriced. Overall, I prefer to shop in Superior, which I'm doing with increasing consistency. I have to drive to shop. Also, prices are higher (with taxes) than surrounding communities so I drive to superior. Appendix G: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Satisfaction Near Home City Council Study Session Page 207 of 260 Closure of Whole Food in Basemar has been detrimental to people living in South Boulder, specially Martin Acres. A bigger focus on promoting local retail would also be appreciated. Bit too much high-end retail - living near downtown, as walkable as it is, I'd sure appreciate a neighborhood corner grocer to complement the high-end bag, boot, and glasses shops and mid-range restaurants nearby. I'm sure the 2/3 of students in my neighborhood would, too. A few too many auto service locations in Boulder, too -- if we're trying to make a walkable community, these should be replaced with neighborhood-oriented businesses (like corner grocers!). It should be more convenient to get groceries than get your car serviced in the city, and right now, unless you're in select neighborhoods, it's often not. The Boulder focus is not very inclusionary for people who are looknig for basic goods and staples at a value price. The Boulder sales tax is also a consideration - I am often having to drive to nearby cities and find that their taxes more favorable. I, for one, was sorry to see that Boulder drove out the Walmart. There are enough quality items in Walmart, especially for basics, that I will drive to get them. I can find them in Boulder but..... Prices are going up for everything, except income! I will soon be priced out of town, to a place with lower cost of Almost nothing within ~1 mile. We need to focus on providing retail close to new high-density construction. I live near Lucky's and having no competition price and selection are limited. Grocery store items are much more expensive in Boulder than other ares of the country (like MA where I'm from originally). I also find other necessities to be higher prices. I assume that's a by product of the huge rental rates and increases happening regularly out here. I'm also very disappointed to see small bsinesses being forced off Pearl St for banks and non-shopping stores (Bayberry, Moon Gate, etc). I used to have reasons to go down there but my reasons are less and less these days. There is very little outside the core of big stores in boulder. Out east it's is sparse past 30th on valmont or any other roads It is difficult to find moderate priced clothing in Boulder. There are high end stores or Target. Also there is no longer a store to buy sporting goods now that sports authority is gone. REI is too expensive as is Boulder Running Products here in Boulder are pricey and lack diversity. Grocery choices: good. Clothing choices: not so good. Not enough independent clothing stores. The ones we have tend to be very pricey, either fancy or outdoor-technical, and they don't carry larger sizes for women. That leaves Target, Macy's, and J.Jill on sale, which are all national chains. I expected very satisfied to be toward the right and wonder if that will skew your results? I live on the West end of Pearl. The gentrification of Pearl street is very dispiriting. I'm quite certain I don't need yet another high end coffee shop, bank, or chain retailer in place of the eclectic, affordable, and interesting shops, bars, and restaurants that used to line the corridor. Pearl street has lost most of the charm and character that once made it unique. Does near mean that I could walk there? Sales tax is too high For better or for worse basic goods has very different meanings to very different people especially in Boulder - a definition would be good. Things are getting more and more boutique-y. I am a very practical person and I choose items that are more functional/practical over brand and fashion. For example, it's more and more difficult to find sturdy kids shoes in Boulder anymore; we've been having to shop in Longmont for items such as these. Closing the Whole Foods at Basemar was a real blow to the community I own a small business and the building that it is in in downtown Boulder (Pealr & 17th). Although downtown Boulder offers a decent selection and good availability of products and services, they are consistently significantly more expensive than the same products and services right outside of Boulder. Also, downtown Boulder is increasingly only offering high-end or franchised products and services. Smaller, privately owned businesses are being priced out unless they charge an inflated rate for their product or service. I live downtown, but happily walk to Whole Foods at 28th & Pearl or Safeway. McGuckin is also an easy walk. not much shopping near my home I live in South Boulder. So everything that's not available at the Table Mesa Shopping Center is at least a 2 mile drive. Thankfully the Table Mesa Shopping Center has a good mix of retailers to cover some basics. too expensive, too many coffee shops, We need less retail and more housing. I have to use a car to get to stores in Boulder - my walk is more than 15 minutes to get to shopping areas We live in Gunbarrel, would like more choices for retail but it is improving Need a Costco Appendix G: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Satisfaction Near Home City Council Study Session Page 208 of 260 Except for Macy's, and they apparently will be closing, there are no department stores I like to shop. So I shop outside of Boulder for all my clothing purchases. I live downtown and find that while I can usually find what i want within the city, I am increasingly needing to travel away from central Boulder for basics. No department stores, too many banks and restaurants. We need more small, local shops that aren't just head shops and tattoo parlors. way too many banks! North Boulder is on its way, but the subcommunity center's development was stunted when Safeway was orevented from anchoring it. Too many banks. Too many nic-nac stores and not enough affordable needs (food, hardware, garden, medical care further away) and services We need a grocery store back in BaseMar. Everything now requires a drive. The Boulder sugar tax caused me to take my food shopping to Louisville, where I also find the food prices and fuel prices lower than here. I am interested in seeing more local and affordable local businesses....I often have to go out of the city for retail that I am interested in...Local business constantly talk about the rents being so high and getting higher because of greedy developers and hype about business in Bldr. I would like to see the city provide more supports to attract and keep small businesses. I am a senior still supporting my 3 children and my needs are basic. Walmart is Lgmt and Lafayette is where I do majority of my shopping. SOBO lacks diversity and competition in ALL areas EXCEPT offices, pharma and gas stations. (BTW: unique places to gather or meet a friend are an important service ... e.g.: special nooks or park-like spots.) This is a serious (QoL, price and climate) issue - esp. given the horrific and increasing traffic congestion compounded by lack of affordable, clean efficient public transportation both w/in Boulder and for travel to other communities or Restauranats and stores are too expensive. Main complaint is sugar beverage tax. I buy a lot of NO sugar beverages/energy drinks. Tax is assessed on these! I go to Superior and Longmont to avoid the tax and end up doing the majority of my grocery and Target purchases outside of Boulder. I hate to give these cities my sales tax money. we are full of grocery story options nearby, and these have improved; but many other types of retail services are lacking nearby There is virtually no shopping in Boulder. If you want clothes or anything you need to leave the city and head While there are a few small independents, the selection of retail (clothing, furniture) is skewed heavily to lower quality or discount goods. For higher quality, we either have to shop in Denver or online. Food is plentiful here with a great selection of grocers, and we are covered well with hardware basics thanks to Home Depot and McGuckin's. Prices for services are way high — I cringe whenever I cannot do a home or car repair by myself, knowing that it will cost a lot. Restaurants are expensive, so I rarely go out to eat. I shop online for clothing and most other basics. the Safeway near us on Iris used to have aisles and coolers with alternative (non dairy) gluten free etc. items but now there is beer in the coolers and empty shelves I live near McGuckin's and Safeway, and do most of my shopping there. There are no auto parts stores in walking distance of my house. This is discouraging when there are several empty retail locations that could accommodate this type of business. Not enough restaurants in South Boulder. The restaurants we do have near my house are always packed. I live downtown where there isn't an affordable or accessible grocery store within walking distance of my home or I live downtown where there isn't an affordable or accessible grocery store within walking distance of my home or I often wish there was a coffee shop within walking distance from my house. I really miss a grocery store being in the Basemar center. I live in N Boulder. Quality products are available at smaller stores; however the prices are high and selection is low. And that only applies to food. Need to go to Target for other staples. Sometimes the cost of goods and services exceeds prices of NYC. I call it the Boulder Tax. Gasoline is always more expensive in Boulder than in the immediate surrounding areas. Appendix G: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Satisfaction Near Home City Council Study Session Page 209 of 260 I feel like Boulder is a lot of the same. Unique but still the same. I like not having the normal commercialization of a city, but it is interesting to me that the only places that stay open late night are the select commercialized places Boulder seems to hide, in reference to food. Price, everyone knows moving into Boulder, it's expensive, bottom line. The only thing that disheartens me is when people say move out of Boulder if you can't afford it, which I don't believe the only solution should be. Especially when considering travel to and from Boulder if it is your place of We lost our Whole Foods at BaseMar. It was within walking distance. It anchored BaseMar. No options, nothing good. 29th street has lost all the nice clothing stores . we have many grocery stores and that is good, but all the middle price chain restaurants are gone. need to go near by cities, I would like some selection in Boulder. I live very centrally. I would prefer to select "Satisfied" for all of these as "Somewhat satisfied" seems less than what I feel, so I have chosen "Very satisfied." generally, most goods are more expensive in Boulder. It is the Boulder effect- for goods and services- but I am not one of the elite wealthy. Then add the city and county tax in the area. Selection is limited b/c stores are limited. Really miss the Whole Foods at Basemar. Also, our area...Keewaydin...needs more coffee shops and restaurants that one can walk to. I wonder if the area on Manhattan Circle, just south of South Boulder Road, could be developed with more of these options. Miss the Whole Foods in Basemar. This retail strip also lost the The Egg and I (not a good restaurant and not a big loss). Restuarants not top of the line. Would be excited to see redevlopment of this retail area. Being in Boulder, it's already expensive to live here due to a high cost of living and rent, and also the sales tax rate is one of the higher rates in the country. Adding to this, the sugar tax has really hurt a lot of people as far as spending goes. All of these additional taxes do not help regular, middle-class consumers such as myself. I also know that the sugar tax has put a lot of pressure on our neighbors in the food service industry, especially hurting the small, local businesses. I wish South Boulder and Table Mesa in particular had more services; particularly entertainment, food, and cultural/social venues and sites If you are talking about clothes for the common person we have only one place to shop. If you are talking about clothes for the common person we have only one place to shop. Safeway is way too expensive near me. Retail and moderately priced restaurants have moved out, many to Longmont. Rents here are much too high for these places to succeed. No stores within 2 miles Housing is too expensive All require driving The move of Whole Foods, the Egg & I Restaurant, Herb's Meats, and Abo's Pizza from BaseMar are big losses South Boulder is lacking in options. Live in South Boulder. There are very few neighborhood serving retail suppliers here. If to develop, such as Ground Zero (Moorhead/27th Way/Baseline) should consider options to place retailers instead of strictly commercial which would do nothing for the community. Pricier near me I miss real stores like crossroads used to have- Mervyns, Sears, Wards. Also reasonably prices stores- Tues Morning, Ross. There are a lot of services that I still have to get in the car to find. There are still a lot of services that I cannot walk to and have to drive to central Boulder, North Boulder, or more likely to Superior I am homeless, I work full-time and find that the only grocery stores I have access to are upscale stores that charge more than southern california stores. It is very hard to maintain a good diet when i can only budget a very small amount of food into my days. Would be great to have a discount retailer beyond Target or Walmart. I live in Boulder, but in the Gunbarrel area. There is only one grocery store, King Soopers. I have no choice where to go really. The selection is decent and most of the time satisfactory. Appendix G: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Satisfaction Near Home City Council Study Session Page 210 of 260 The reason we shop online is because Basemar shopping center no longer has the kind of shops we need, and Basemar is the only shopping center within walking distance of our house. Amazon is preferable to driving in Boulder's heavy traffic and trying to find a parking place. The stress and the risk of accident is just not worth the drive. We prefer walking to our own Basemar shopping center. Getting better shops at Basemar means we'll be happily walking and there will be less traffic on city streets. The Basemar Center, which lost its Whole Foods, should be a site where the city encourages good, new retailers. It doesn't need to be a grocery, since we now have Lucky's and King Soopers in South Boulder. We live by what used to be Ideal Market. Ever since Amazon bought them we can't get our regular goods. We need more Mountain Sun price and quality options in these area Retail taxes are too high. Need to optimize, cut those that are not broadly beneficial. If taxes were lower, I would shop in Boulder consistently; as it is, I do most of my family's shopping in Superior or other nearby communities. This started long ago when Crossroads closed. Too many grocery stores and specialty shops. It would have helped to give examples of what this survey means by "basic goods and services." Groceries are very expensive in Boulder. We have limited availability with just Macy's and Target. With Sports Authority leaving, I often travel to Dick's outside the city. Grocery store selection and prices are great. McGuckins and REI fill all of my other needs. I only refer to food & drug stores. When we moved into the Holiday neighborhood in 2004, we were told it would be a "walkable" neighborhood with retail services nearby. 15 years later, there's no grocery store, no drugstore, no hardware or garden supply store, no clothing store or toy store—virtually no retail at all. (One pet store, which is nice.) There are very few moderately-priced restaurants or cafes, which is especially problematic because this is a lower and moderate income neighborhood. Just as the city has created permanently affordable homes to support a broader range of people in Boulder, perhaps they could partially support grocery stores and "general" stores in neighborhoods without them. This would promote walking and biking, which encourages better health and community-building while decreasing vehicle traffic. This would also help us meet our climate commitment goals. We have lost good discount stores like Ross and Tuesday Morning I can hardly afford basic needs dispite my partner and I both working full-over time. We are looking to move outside Boulder within 3 months. Grocery shopping and a branch library are a 12' walk. Loss of a thrift store and a home goods store were lamented. Stores close earlier in Boulder than larger cities, so this has been an adjustment. I'd like to see more LOCALLY OWNED grocery stores and restaurants that serve organic food I can find most things in Boulder, but if I want a very full selection of clothing or household goods and affordable prices I have to either drive outside of Boulder or order online. No decent butcher/meat market -- and no, not Whole Foods There is no good women's clothing shops in the City of Boulder with the exception of Barbara & Co. I don't want to shop at chain stores and that is almost all of the shops on the Pearl St. Mall. We need more stores for women like JJ Wells which is closing and Willow which did close. Retail rents are too high and you have priced stores out of Prices in Boulder are inflated compared to other local markets, this has caused me to shop outside of Boulder more often than before. South Boulder has very limited places to eat other than fast food. Rent is way to high for smaller business to stay or come into Boulder. Building height restriction are also a problem for large business to come in or to expand in Boulder. Also, the sugar tax has prompted people to shop in other towns for sugar drinks. Including juices, teas, soda, sports drinks and soy milk. Reasonably priced, quality men's clothes are hard to find in Boulder. Even Safeway and King Supers are now at the same price point as Whole Foods. ????? Bus line times during weekends is limiting Bummed that local businesses are getting priced out. Lack of variety to shop....one target, not even a superstore leaves a lot to be desired. I live near the Village Shopping Center (within 15 minutes walking distance). That sort of proximity to McGuckin's, where you can get almost anything, and Sprout, Natural Grocers, etc probably leaves me with a steep advantage over folk living in North or South Boulder where retail space is not as prevalent and 15 minute neighborhoods are wish there was a closer grocery store to us up in north boulder Could use another king soopers near Yarmouth in north boulder. east boulder should become a neighborhood Appendix G: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Satisfaction Near Home City Council Study Session Page 211 of 260 Have to shop at 3 different grocery stores to get the selection I need. Groceries are generally more affordable in neighboring towns (not including sales tax, just basic sales price). Prices seem high. I would like to buy drug store items and groceries within walking distance of my home at prices comparable to the suburban stores. I have to go to central Boulder or Denver for a lot of my needs. King Soopers in South Boulder is too small and keeps discontinuing items I use frequently. Prices are too high. Taxes are too high. Restaurants are expensive, fast food options (chipotle, qdoba , Panda Express etc.) are frequented bc other restaurants are too Pricey Lots of restaurants but not much else near my house. I have to drive to McGucks or 29th street or leave town for basic home care stuff. Which wouldn't be a problem but that driving during the day in this town is now a nightmare. Food is expensive. Traffic feels heavy. Wish eco pass was available to all. Boulder no longer has choices for basic needs like socks and underwear! We only have high end clothing, and with Macy's leaving, it is only going to get worse. There are lots of vacant retail spaces near my home. Also the selection is NOT varied - there are three dentists within a one block radius! Other than groceries, very satisfied because King Soopers and Vitamin Cottage near my home, otherwise, Target is my go-to for basic goods. The store here is not as customer friendly or as good about keeping their shelves stocked. Three to four times in past year, I have gone for something I have gotten before, they don't have it or have the availability to see if they have six of the items at a nearby store. There's no customer care and for me to get to Target and not find what I need is hard. Target the only department store here. I've lived here for a long time, used to be Crossroads Center but I haven't shopped at 29th Street because it's a boutique. Crossroads was efficient, all under one roof. In Winter, you would be covered and they had a food court and it was very convenient. In Boulder you now have to drive around to get what you need and I don't drive any more. I live in Gunbarrel and there aren't very many good restaurants there, but we usually drive into Boulder to eat out anyway. Parking downtown continues to be challenging Would like to see more choices that are made in the USA or North America I live in South Boulder and rely on King Soopers for most of my basic needs. we need a grocery store in the Basemar center, where whole foods used to be. It is an empty space that needs to be filled. A nicer restaurant choice would be great too There are no stores for children and teenagers! I live near the east end of pearl, downtown, and recently there have been a number of retail closings (shops and restaurants) that I frequented in favor of housing. This has significantly, negatively, changed my view of development in boulder and quick, walkable access to these types of places in my neighborhood. I truly feel like the city is losing focus and the value around having walkable communities. Yes. There are places I can still walk to but a number of my options have recently been removed entirely. Gunbarrel is underserved at this time. The grocery stores closest to my home in north Boulder are more expensive than the grocery stores in central I feel like there are too many boutiques and specialty shoes or art galleries in Boulder and the parking is horrible so I do most of my shopping online or in Longmont. Everything is very expensive. Not enough selections for dry goods. Too many grocery stores. I'm thinking in terms of groceries. The selection is good, but the prices not so great. Food prices are much higher in Boulder than most places in the country. Groceries in particular. Disabled and retired. Prices too high; store and product choices restricted. Stores offer items for one year or less; then stop selling those items. Difficult to shop when one has food allergies. Sugar tax is ridiculous. If I want to stock on something, I get it when I have meetings in Longmont. The selection and diversity is poor. The price is not reasonable. * DITTO(USA):"WETHEPEOPLE...Well,At28th/Iris80301USA-WEOnceHadAWalmartNeighborhoodMarketAndA-CV SPharmacy...Now,IGoToASuperWalmartInEnglewood,Colorado80110...ThanksVeryMuch/AlwaysInLiberty,DennisT avares...SoonerAnd/Not,Later...AMEN..."!!!!!🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺🇺 I'd love a cute coffee shop closer to Valmont and foothills area. Need to drive almost 5 miles from gunbarrel to natural foods grocery store this is a weird question ~ price and availability of goods? why not say stores? Appendix G: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Satisfaction Near Home City Council Study Session Page 212 of 260 I live near the Diagonal Plaza, which *really* needs to be developed more. It's almost useless, and attracts a lot of "car meets" in the empty parking lot, which are really disruptive to residents. If larger retails were located there, this group would probably not use the area. We are satisfied in general with what we can buy in Boulder, but not in our neighborhood. We have to drive to other places since Safeway doesn't have the food we need (vegetarians with multiple food allergies). Small, family-owned food stores in my area of central Boulder have been closing over and over due to rent costs. Walmart has the best prices and they moved out of Boulder. Target is expensive. A small grocery store or deli within walking distance (< 1mile) of 55th/Arapahoe would be great. The bag tax is a deterrent to purchasing food in Boulder, I go over the hill. I hope that the walk-ability/bike-ability/bus-ability of the basic needs will be emphasized in the future. For a small city in the U.S., this is what makes Boulder special and a nice place to live and work. I would like to see more smaller shops around town. Not just on pearl street. I would also like to see more retail in north boulder. I live in central Boulder and the closest grocery selection is Whole Foods and Ideal Market. This is frustrating because these are the two most expensive shopping complexes in Boulder. Local business seem to keep going out and chains keep coming in. Local business seem to keep going out and chains keep coming in. We need a bowling alley, salad bar restaurant & Costco This question is confusing. Are you asking if goods and services are near my home, or how satisfied i am with the goods and services nearest to my home? What if I'm satisfied with what I find when I get there, but they're not near my home? Losing the Whole Foods in the BaseMar Center was a big loss. I recently moved here and find it odd that our local Target in Boulder is often out of stock in basic items (like kitchen scrub brushes, cleaning wipes, paper towels, hand sanitizer, etc.) and I find myself needing to drive to nearby towns (like Walmart or other Target stores) for these items. I sometimes see the same "empty shelf syndrome" in our local grocery stores....so it seems we have a need for more stock in Boulder, perhaps especially when school is in session and the college students are in town. There is 1 Target store in Boulder, and its items' stocking is very, very, very poor. Fine for basic services. Sometimes shop on line for gifts. As an exploited graduate worker (I teach 4 classes a year and make ~2/3 of the cost of living) I buy little beyond food, so what is a "basic need" to me is probably much narrower in scope than it is for others. I do not want to be able to find everything in the city of Boulder! I want to live in a community that is quiet, has open space, and friendly people. I am not looking for more shopping in Boulder but actually less! The 29th street mall should have been a central park. I am in Gunbarrel, and we and we have practically nothing out here. I like my King Soopers (although the produce quality has gone down due to various circumstances), but the parking became awful since the city allowed all of the condos/rentals to be built in that area. The only gas station price gouges, so I never buy gas there. At least there are more restaurants now. Prices range depending on the service and some businesses are not in Boulder or have hours that are the same as when I work. I've lived in my home in Newlands for 43 years and although cumulative changes to the two shopping centers @ Alpine & Broadway have been net positive for the surrounding neighborhoods, I regret that Ideal Market no longer meets my needs since being taken over by Whole Foods & now Amazon. Their presence there has caused me to shift much of my "daily" grocery shopping to Lucky's on North Broadway...unfortunately a more car-centric and less immediate neighborhood choice. Too much yuppie stuff and yuppie prices. Sometimes it feels like just one big Patagonia store with an overpriced restaurant attached to it. Not everybody in Boulder is making $100K+. Soda and grocery bag taxes need to go. I cut my shopping in Boulder by 2/3 because of those. So you lost on the tax, the sales tax, the income tax of the business, the business revenue got hurt and if the local business cut back on staff then the taxes on employees Boulder loses out again. Even more so if the business move out of Boulder. Walmart is still cheaper so my family goes there Too much yuppie stuff and yuppie prices. Sometimes it feels like just one big Patagonia store with an overpriced restaurant attached to it. Not everybody in Boulder is making $100K+. Soda and grocery bag taxes need to go. I cut my shopping in Boulder by 2/3 because of those. So you lost on the tax, the sales tax, the income tax of the business, the business revenue got hurt and if the local business cut back on staff then the taxes on employees Boulder loses out again. Even more so if the business move out of Boulder. Appendix G: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Satisfaction Near Home City Council Study Session Page 213 of 260 I worry in a couple of years, every restaurant in Boulder will either be completely high end (Pearl Street) or fast food/chain (28th Street). Local, mid-priced restaurants are disappearing from Boulder at an alarming rate. Ross' leaving was disappointing. I would appreciate a small local market within walking distance of my home. I live in the Holiday neighborhood, and Lucky's Market is not what I consider "within walking distance". Boulder's so small that I don't have to go far for anything. If I do, I go to Longmont. I can afford to shop in Boulder, but find that availability of the types of stores that carry goods I'm looking for (clothing, home furnishings, etc.) is very limited Boulder expensive. I often shop in Longmont b/c somewhat less expensive. I live on the Hill and unfortunately our local commercial district is struggling and does not offer a useful variety of goods or services for our family. It would be very helpful if the City Council would support the proposed Hill hotel The selection of basic goods has dimenished considerably in the last decade. I now must travel to Broomfield to find a selection of stores that carry non-young adult clothing, shoes, accessories. Family restaurants have all but I have to travel like 1 mile to get groceries that are affordable and have good selection. The only easily available basic goods and services are restaurants, outdoor wear and grocery stores. Streets poorly Maintained - Parking Scares - Sanctuary City Fears - Last nine yrs. BEST restaurants all GONE + Transients everywhere ! Boulder Creek Contaminated. I live in Uni Hill area, and shops in this area are very limited. Difficult to fight the on-line retail trend. Although Pearl St provides a number of shops and restaurants, the only grocery store near my house on Univ Hill is Alfalfa's. Its selection is minimal and the prices are very high! I live near 30th and Glenwood. There are some of the BASIC needs in m neighborhood, but not anything worth writing home about. Would like goods and services within walking distance or bus line runs more frequently. I wish Esh's was here. Whole Foods and the Farmers Market are so expensive. Why did they shut down I live in north boulder, Upland and Broadway There are no clothing shops near me. Even when we had a WalMart, it wasn't a real one. Everything's getting pricier and scarcer. Lucky's is nice to have in S Boulder, though at the expense of Savers & Dollar Store...I don't know. Pearl Street is ridiculous - how many pricey, trendy restaurants do we need? Set up a food truck corral downtown so there are some casual, low-cost options (and, no, not once a month as some cheeky special event...EVERY. DAY.) Lots of places are going out of business and a lot of banks are coming in. Tax is high so prices are high. Also selections are limited for certain items I am not really satisfied with the retail near my home. There is a lack of competition for goods and services in the Gunbarrel area. This limits the selection I have as a consumer. I would appreciate more variety for all things: restaurants, stores, gas stations, etc... Living in north/east Boulder, Valmont & 55, retail is a true wasteland. No retail or restaurants nearby. Lots of empty space where the proposed park was to be. Should be used for a shopping center. Need a car for everything I'd love to see a butcher shop and proper bakery near my home. Right now there is no butcher shop to speak of and Great Harvest is on the other end of town. There is a grocery store across the street, but it is very expensive. I typically drive about 1 mile to get to a different It seem like all of the independent shops are being priced out of Boulder. It's sad that our community doesn't seem to care that mom and pop can on longer afford to stay open. Appendix G: CRS Shopper Survey Responses Satisfaction Near Home City Council Study Session Page 214 of 260 Appendix H: Retailer Survey Results8 Objectives Working towards goals of an inclusive, sustainable, and vibrant retail environment requires the City to have a good understanding of businesses currently selling goods and services in Boulder. The Retailer Survey was designed to strengthen that understanding by expl oring the attitudes and perceptions of a broad sample of local Boulder establishments, including their satisfaction levels, concerns, customer characteristics, core strengths, and prospects for the future. Method As with the Shopper Survey, Retailer Survey respondents were informed about the survey by postcards, e-mai l, on-line newsl etters or personal outreach by phone or in person. Respondents were directed to a web-based questionnaire. The questionnaire included both open-ended and multiple-choice questions designed to explore the above topics and took approximately twelve minutes to complete. Participants' identities were kept anonymous, but participants were invited to leave contact information to opt-in to potential qualitative follow­ up research (ie. focus groups). We received completed Retailer Survey questionnaires from 61 respondents operating businesses located in Boulder (or the immediate vicinity}. Sample Characteristics The following pie charts give a good overview of who responded to the Retailer Survey: Wtwru n Ym.,, Ou�m•"S'\ I h•,1, l'1u,Hh�t1"11l? Is: Yuu, Bu1h.J1ntf Ownt.4t1 ur 1�:.,J·•.ccP t-..., �· ... , e Note that the reference for all findings in this section, unless otherwise noted, is the 2019 Boulder Retail Shopper Survey, as analyzed by Leland Consulting Group and Greensfelder Real Estate Strategy. Appendix H: Retailer Survey Results City Council Study Session Page 215 of 260 •57%ofparticipantsoperatedormanagedretailstores,20%representedrestaurants,18%representedservicecompanies,and5%represented“other”businesses.•Thevastmajorityofquestionnaireswerecompletedbyproprietorsormanagersofthebusinessesinquestion.•Twooutofthreebusinessessurveyedwereinleasedbuildings.Intermsofspecificstoretypes,themost commonsinglecategoryofwasdining/drinkingestablishments,followedbyapparel/accessorystoresandservicebusinesses(ofseveraltypes):RespondentsbyEstablishmentTypeDining,RetailServiceDetailHospitalityStoreBusinessApparel,accessories9Food/Drnkaway13Health,pharm,care21Hobby, books,music41Homefurnishings3M:sc.retail4Specialtyfood5SportingGoods4Automotive11Services18Food/BevatHome2Entertanment1LHote1Total143512•Inall,thesamplerepresentedagoodcross-sectionofBoulderbusinesses—notdisproportionatelydominatedbyanyparticularretailtype.•Sixrespondentschosenottoanswerthestore-typequestion.•RelativetoBoulder’soverallexistingretailandrestaurantmix,thesurveysampleleanstowardsanover-representationoflocalindependentbusinesses.Assuch,theperceptionsandopinionsoflargernationalchainbusinessoperatinginBoulderarelargelymissingfromthefindingspresentedhere.Retailerresponseswerelocatedinthefol(owingareas(darkercolorsindicatinghigherconcentrationsofrespondents):115Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 216 of 260 FindingsFindingsforeachmainquestionnairesectionareshownbelow,eitherforthesampleoverallorcross-tabulatedbydemographicorgeograpnicfactors,dependingonrelevancetothesurveygoals.Notethatgiventhesmalloverallsamplesizeof61,cross-tabulationsofanytypearetobeviewedwitncaution.Whileparticipationwasrelativelyhighforrestaurantsandservicebusinesses,thetotalsamplecountsinthosegroups(13and14,respectively)aretoosmalltodrawmeaningfulconclusionsfromseparatingoutresultsthosesubsets.Findings-OveraHSatis1ctionwithBoulderAcrossall61respondents,Boulderwasgenerallyratedpositivelyasaplacetoconductbusiness,withapproximatelyone-halfratingitasatleast“verygood”:Source:CityofBoulder116Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 217 of 260 RateBoulderasaPlacetoDoBusiness(AllRespondents)50%45%40%35%30%25%20%15%10%5%0%•22%weregenerally dissatisfied,givingBoulderapoororfairratingoverall.atratings acrossthecategoriesrepresentedsuggestsgenerally highersatisfactionservicebusinessesand more dissatisfactionamongrestaurants(although,again,thesizesarereallytoosmalltodrawprojectableconclusionsfromthisapparentdifferenceacrossstorecategories)ServiceBusiness0%33%17%RetailStore16% 13%28%38%_.._..:Dining,Hospitality7%21%21%50%PoorFairGood•VerygoodExce[lent43%28%12%10%Poor7%FairGoodVerygoodExcel[entAlookamongsampleRateBoulderasaPlacetoDoBusinessC30/0117Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 218 of 260 Findings-BoulderBenefitsThefirstopen-endedqueryinthequestionnaireaskedretailerstolistthe“benefits,ifany, ofdoing businessinBoulder.”Thisquestionyieldedawidevarietyoftop-of-mindresponses,whichwereclusteredaroundahandfulof primarythemes:•Themostcommoncategoryofresponserelatedtothegeneralbeauty,vibrancyandhappinessofBoulderasaplacethat peoplelove.•Closebehindinfrequencywerecomments about the spendingpower/affluenceofBouldershoppersandthestrongvolumeofvisitorandshopperfoottraffic(especiallyamongDowntown/PearlSt.respondents).•Anotherclusterofcommentswasgenerallythemedaround theideaofBoulderasadestination,wherethecombinationofotherstoresand restaurants,togetherwithitsreputationasagoodplacetoshop&dineprovidedapositivecriticalmassforretailers.•Theimportanceoftheuniversity(ies)inBoulderwasarguablyimplicitinmanyofthesecomments,butalsoexplicitlymentionedbymany.Closelyrelatedthematicallywastheimportanceofhavingawell-educated,discerning, quality-seekingcustomerbase(with“foodies”asthemost commontermusedinthecomments).•Finally,manyrespondentsnoted,inonewayoranother,thebenefitofhavingastrong,supportivecommunity.Versionsofthisthemereferenced“loyalcustomers”,greatdowntownassociation,supportiveneighboringbusinessesorsimilarcommunityperks.Thefollowingbarchartandtableshowthegroupingofthesemajorpositivethemesintosomeofthecommonsubcategories presentintheopen-endedcomments,alongwith anoveralltally:ProsofDoingBusinessInBoulderBeautifulHappy VibrantPlaceSpendingPowerVisitors/TrafficCriticalMass,Clustering,BrandSmart,Cultured,Quality-SeekingLocalSupportUniversityoio20304050RelatedComments118Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 219 of 260 BenefitsofDoingBusinessinBoulderaThemeSub-themecountofcornmentsBeautifulHappyQualityofLife,Greatplacetolive&work1041VibrantPlacetotalBeauty,weather,nature,locale8Active,Vibrant,Fit,Bike,Walk,Healthy,Eco9Walkable,Transit4Attitude,friendly,positive,happy,greatpeople10Visitors/TrafficTourism,Visitors2032FootTraffic,GoodTraffic12totalUniversityUniversity,students,CollegeTownBBnlSmart,Cultured,Educated, intelligent620Quality-SeekingUnique,interesting,diverse, culture5totalDiscerning,Foodie,quality-seeking9SpendingPowerGeneralEconomy433Affluent,Incomes,Demographics19totalCustomerBase(general)10LocalSupportLocal-loyal514Community,Support5totalCitySupport,DBI,Events4CriticalMass,OtherBusinesses,Neighbors421Clustering,BrandFoodOptions,Dining5totalReputation,Draw,Recognition6PearlStreet6Findings-BoulderDrawbacksThe“benefits”questionwasfollowedbyanotheropen-endedpromptexploringtheconverse:drawbacksofdoingbusinessinBoulder.119Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 220 of 260 ConsofDoingBusinessinBoulderRent,TaxesStaffing,CostofLivingPark,ng,trafficStoreTurnover,ChangeCFty/CouncilSnobsRegulationT’ansien:sComoeti:ionSeasoraityEven:s•00203040 5060Rea:eaComments•Fully54ofthe61totalrespondentsmentionedhighrentsand/orhightaxes(almostalwayspropertytaxes,whenspecified)asbeingtheprimaryconsofoperatingintheBoulderretailenvironment.•Closelyrelatedwastheproblemofhiringandretainingemployees(especiallyentry-level)withseveralcitingtherisingcostoflivinginBoulderasakeyrelatedfactor.•Aboutathirdofrespondentsmentionedproblemsrelatedtoparkingavailability (oftenrelatedintheircommentstotrafficcongestion).Somespecificallymentionedlackofemployeeparkingorofcustomerparking,butmostcommentswererelativetoparkingingeneral.ThethemeoftheCity’s“urban”and“transitoriented”aspirationsbeingatoddswith itssjburban,autoorientedlayout and habitsrepeatedacrossallsurveys.•Severalparticioantsnotedthattenantturnover(and/or‘iacancy)ofneighboringstoresorrestaurantscouldbeachallenge--aestheticallyorintermsofreducedtraffictothearea.Somementionedtenantturnover(especiallytowardsexclusivelyhigh-end)aspotentiallychangingthecharacterofshopping/diningareasfortheworse.•ComplaintsrelatedtotheCitystaff,CityCouncil,orCityregulationsgarnerednegativecommentsfrommorethan one-fourthofrespondents.•Complaintsaboutclienteleandpassers-bywerenearlyevenlysplitacrosstheeconomicspectrum,withseveralcomplaintsaboutimpactsfrompeoplewho arehomelesslocatingnearthestoreandevenmorerelatedtoaperceivedsenseofentitlementamonganincreasinglyaffluentresidentbase.120Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 221 of 260 •Manyoftheseanswersmirrorwhatwasheardinthestakeholderinterviewsandexpressedintheretailerexitinterviews.WhenaskedaboutthetrajectoryoftheBoffiderretailenvironment(specifically,whetheritwasgetting harderoreasiertodobusinessintownoverthepasttwo years),perceptionswerenearlyunequivocallynegative,withalmosttwo-thirdsindicatingitwassomewhatormuchmoredifficultdoingbusinesstoday.IsitGettingHarderor EasiertoDoBusinessinBoulder?3’%31%28%5%5%0%M:bmoreSomewhatAc-o:theScnewhatMucheaserNotsret‘raredEffcLsaneeasieRespondentsfocusedoarticularlyontheexpenseofdoingbusinessinBoulder(rentsandNNNpass-throughsinparticular),andthedificultyfindingemployeesandthedifficultyemployeeshaveaffording toliveinBoulder.Fromaregulatoryperspective,respondentsfrequentlymentionedtherulesandregulationsimposedonthoseoperatingbusinessesintheCity,andalackofadequateparking.Wethenshowedrespondentsalistofpotential/likelybusinessenvironmentchallengesandaskedthemtoindicate,foreach,whetherthatfactorhadbeenachallengefortheirBoulderbusiness overthepasttwoyears.Forfactorsnotedaschallenges,participantsthenindicatedwhetherithad“someimpact”or“significantimpact”ontheirbusiness.121Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 222 of 260 ChallengestoDoingBusinessinBoulderSomeimpact‘SignificantimpactLocalFees&Taxes44%48%•—‘—High/IncreasingRent26%57%Finding&KeepingEmployees34%46%CustomerParkingAvailability30%46%EmployeeParkingAvailability30%43%CityPocies&Reculato”s39%21%Compet{c”fon\earhy393/UtiesCosts39%8%OnneCompet:ion20%26%LackofAvaabeSpace20%25%•Asnotedearlier,taxesandrentsledthelistofchallengesforlocalbusinesses.Thischartshowsthedegreetowhichtheywereratedasthemostimpactful.•Similarly,thischartshowsthedegreetowhichstaffingconcernsandparkingavailability(bothcustomerandemployee)wereratedasimpactful,withatleast43%indicatinga“significantimpact”.• Citypoliciesandregulationswereseenatposingatleastsomeimpact,withabout60%ofresoondentssoindicating.Itisimportanttonotethatthiscategoryratedasagreaterconcernthancompetitionfromeither nearbycitiesoronlinesellers.•The relativelylowconcernevidencedhereforon-linecompetitionmaybemoreafunctionofthesignificantchallengesposedbycost,staffing,complianceandparkingdifficulties. Theon-linethreatisempiricallyreal,basedonnationalretaildata,butthepaceofchangemayjustbeslowenoughtokeepconcernatasimmer.•“Lackofavailablespace”isanotherfactorthatappearsto bereal,basedonavailableevidence(generallylowretailvacancyrates across mostareasinBoulder,andshortageofretaildevelopmentland),butperceptionsofconcernherescorelowThisapparentmismatchislikelydrivenbytheimmediacyofotherconcernsrelative tospace needsMostretailersatanygivenpointintimearenotactivelyinthemarketfor newspace,sotheconcerntakesabackseattootherday-to-dayfactorsthathaveamorevisibleimpactonsales/performance.122Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 223 of 260 Respondentslistedavarietyoffactorsthattheyattributedtosettingtheirbusinessesapartfromcompetitioninothercities:WhatSetsYourStore/BusinessApartinBoulder?Scn-ewhatImportantVeryrpora’tTopOuary23%75%Exper:Service13%84%CoolAtmosphere28%61%Hard-to-Find,UniqueOfferings28%52%FrequentlyUpdatedStock34%46%ConvenientParking20%54%EasytoWalk/BikeTo28%43%-Sales&Promos26%18%ConsistentlyLowPrices15%20%BargainPricing20%7%0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80% 90%100%•AskedwhatsetstheirbusinessaboutintheBouldermarket,almostallsaidthattopqualityofferingswereimportant,with75%ratingitasveryimportant.•Offering“expertservice”wasratedasveryimportantbyevenmorerespondents,at84%.•Thesomewhatrelated attributesof“havingacool,interestingatmosphere”and“hard-to-find/uniqueofferings” bothscoredhighinimportance,with89%and80%respectively,indicatingtheywereatleastsomewhatimportant.AskedtoprognosticateabouttheirretailpresenceinBouldertwoyearsintothefuture,notsurprisingly,mostrespondentsindicatednolikelychanges:123Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 224 of 260 2-YearPlansforBusinessMayormaynotSomewhatlikelyVerylikelyClosealllocations11%42%SellBoulder locationCloseBoulderlocation13%18%7%5%7%5%MoveoutofBoulderMoveelsewhereinBoulderOpennewBoulderlocation13%7%10%10% 7%5%7%3%3%10%%0%10%20%30%40%•Concernsaboutthefuture trajectoryoftheretailenvironmentdiscussionswithCityleadershipandstakeholders,areechoedquestionaskingrespondentstolooktwo yearsintothefuture.•Just13%indicated somepossibility ofopeninganewBoulderlocation,whilesome30%felttherewasatleastapossibilityofclosingtheir Boulderlocation(althoughjust12%rated thatprospectassomewhatorverylikely).Storeopeningandclosuresforsmallbusinessoperatorsshouldberareevents.Evensaying“maybe/maybenot”issignificant,especiallygiventhetwoyeartimeframe.WhilethereisnotabenchmarkforColoradoornationallyagainstwhichtocomparethisresult,thisresultdbesseemuncharacteristically pessimisticandforthatreasonmeritsattention.•Whetherornottheywouldchangethestatusoftheir Boulderstore,37%indicatedatleastapossibility ofopeninganon-Boulderlocationoverthenexttwoyears.WhilethisfindingcouldbeattributedtoBoulderhavinglaunchedanumberofbusinessesthatlaterexpandedelsewhereorhavinglimitedpotentialbecauseofitssize,itcouldalsoreflectadissatisfactionwiththedifficultyandexpenseofopeningandoperatingabusinessinBoulderascomparedwiththemore business-friendlyenvironmentsinneighboringcities.Opennon-Boulderlocation16%inBoulder,evidentinintheresponsestothis124Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 225 of 260 •Havingalack ofcertaintyaboutcontinuinginbusinessinBoulderisasignificantfindingasitrelates totheCity’sdesiretoretainandfosteraninclusiveanddiverseretailoffering.Thisuncertaintyisnotawelcomeadditiontothesupplyconstraintsandregulatoryburdensalreadynoted.Thecommentsretailersofferedontheretailersurvey“pro”and“con”open-endedquestions,”particularlythoseaboutoccupancycosts,findingemployees,theregulatoryenvironment,andparking,correlatewiththisnotedlackofcertainty.Askedtoratetheimportanceofavarietyofdifferentcustomersegments,oursamplewasmostlikelytolistBoulderresidentsascritical—with80%ratingthatgroupasveryimportant.ImportanceofCustomerSegmentsSoriew[’atrrportantVeryrpo’ta”:Boderresden:s15%80%Resdentsofnearbyccrrmunites26%64%Peopewhowok;3ouder38%44%Vsitors7tcuris:s23%59%u:versitys:udents26%31%Fesbva/everl-goers23%31%20% 30%40%50%60%7C%80%90%C0%•ResidentsofnearbycommunitiesareclearlykeytomanyBoulderretailer’scustomerbases.EvenifnotquiteasimportantasBoulderresidents,90%ofrespondentsratedthemasatleastsomewhatimportant•Visitorsandtouristsalsoremainhighlycoveted,withalmost60%ratingthemasveryimportant.Thisgroupisanimportant partof Boulder’seconomy,andthisfindingisatoddswithattitudeswenotedinstakeholderinterviews,andretailersurveyopenendedresponses.125Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 226 of 260 •Retailers’ratingsofthesedifferentgroupsindicatethattheyrelyonavarietyofcustomergroupsfortheirsales.•There wereonly12restaurantrespondentsand15servicebusinesses(representingavarietyof services).Becauseoftheoveralllackofresponsesand thusdatainthesecategories,littlecanbegleanedbyanalyzingresultsbyestablishmenttype.Ofthe13diningestablishmentsinoursample,eightindicatedthattheyoffer onlineordering.Fiveofthose estimatedthaton-lineorderingaccountedfor10%or lessoftheiroverallsales.Justonerestaurantsaidthaton-lineorders madeup morethan20%ofsales.Allbuttwooftherestaurantscurrently doingon-linesalessaidthattheiron-linepercentofordershad grownoverthepasttwoyears.Amongthe35(non-service)retailerrespondents,17(approximatelyhalflsaidthatthey haveanon-linesalespresence.Threeofthosesaidtheiron-linesalesrepresentedmorethan50%oftheir totalsales.Nineretailersindicatedthaton-linesales were10%or lessoftheir business.Morethanhalfoftheretailerscurrentlysellinggoodson-lineindicatedthatsuchsaleshadincreasedsincetwoyearsago(andonlyonesaidtheyhadcutback).WhatPercentofYourSales/OrdersLastYearWere On-line?57%43%Retailstores36%Restaurant,hote20%14%11%•6%6%0%0%none1to10%11to25%26to50%over50%•Fiverespondentsreportedthatatleastone-quarteroftheirsaleswerenow on-line.•Thenumberofretailersandtheamountofsales originatingon-lineappearsto beaheadofnationaltrends,however,thisfindingisnotunexpectedgivenBoulder126Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 227 of 260 residents’wealth,educationlevels,andaccesstotheinternetascomparedwithnationalbenchmarks.RetailerExitSurveyResultsWiththeexpressgoalof“creatingamoresupportiveenvironmentforsmall,localbusinesses,”theExitSurveyofpastBoulderretailersconductedbytheBoulderSmallBusinessDevelopmentCenter.TheSBDCinvited174brick-and-mortarretail,restaurant,andwalk-inservicebusinessesidentifiedbytheCitythroughconfidentialtaxrecordsthatclosedforbusinessoverthepasttwoyears.Thissurveywasmorequalitativethantheshopperandretailersurveyssummarizedabove,anditposedthreequestionsto retailersnolongeroperatingintheCity:1.Whyareretailbusinesses,restaurantsandservice-basedbusinessesleavingBoulder?2.What’schanged?3.IsthereanythingthattheCityofBouldercandoto helpsupportthesebusinessestostay?SixbusinessesrespondedfromwhichtheSBDCwasabletogarneroneinterview.WithalowresponseratefromCityidentifiedbusinesses,theSBDCthenundertooktocreateitsownlistofexitedbusinesses,andanadditional72wereidentified.Cfthese,22wereinterviewedbyanexperiencedmemberoftheSBDCstaff.Allresponseswerefromsmallbusinessesasappropriatecontactsatlargerandchainbusinessesweredifficulttofind.AcopyoftheSBDC’sreport,summarizedhere,isattachedasExhibit“E”.Theinterviewquestionsandguidelinesweredevelopedcollaborativelyby SBCDstaffandCitystaff.Theconsultantteamwasnotconsultedand thuswasnotabletoofferanysuggestions.Participantswerepromisedanonymity,keytoobtainingfrankandhonest feedback.Overviewofrespondentsandkeytake-awaysFollowingarecharacteristicsofthe22businessesthatwereinterviewed:•18of22closedallBoulderlocations.•14of22operatedasinglelocation,72-4locations,and1operated5÷locations.•12of22hadoperatedinBoulderfor11+years.•11of22saidtheywouldnotconsiderreopeninginBoulderinthefuture.127Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 228 of 260 10respondentswerefoodandbeverage(F&B)operators,10traditionalretail,and2servicebusinesses.NoparticularareaintheCityaccountedforanoutsizenumberofclosures.ThefollowingchartshowshowexitedbusinessesrateBoulderasaplacetoconductbusiness:Source:SUDC,GreensfelderRealEstate StrategyToaddgreaterinsight thischartshowsattitudesaboutthetrendofhoweasyitistodoinbusinessinBoulder:Thefollowinglistofreasonsdescribes themost commonlycitedprimaryfactorsgivenbyexited retailersdescribingtheirdecisiontocloseforbusiness:Leaseratesforthespaceyourbusinessoccupied8Localfeesandtaxes3a.I.‘I.AaExcellent:3•VeryGood:0Good:3LFair:SaPoor:4a[Notsure]:4.3SaMucheasier•SomewhateasierAl)uutthe samemoretlifficutlt—MuchmoredifficultNotSureSource:SBDC,GreensfelderRealEstateStrategy50.0%18.8%128Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 229 of 260 Availabilityofparkingforcustomersoremployees2125%Abilitytofindandkeepemployees2125%Availabilityofsuitablespaceforyourbusiness16.3%Source:SUOC,Greensfe/derRea/EstateStrategySummarizedresponsestoopen-endedquestionsThefollowingopen-endedquestionswereasked,withresponsessummarizedandlightlyeditedforclarityandreadability:Howwouloyojnesrbethecustomersyouexpectedtocapturewhenyouoginallyooenedo’O,.Sirless?1.BusinessOwnersor,TheHillexpectedmoreUniversitytrafficfromstudentsandstaffbutclosedinpartbecausepeopledon’tstayonTheHilltoshopandeat,andirpartbecauseofapoorbusinessenvironment(ie.lackofpolicesupportandparking,andsanitationissues).2.PearlStreetandDowntownownersandoperatorshopedforfoottrafficfromlocalsandtourists.PearlStreetbusinessesattractedcustomers,butnoted“lookers”asopposedto“buyers,”andflatsales.3.OwnersandoperatorsinotherareasoftheCitywerevariouslytryingtoattractafocusednichesuchasfoodies,beeraficionados, coffeeenthusiasts,equestrians,ortravelers.4.Notsurprisingly,Gunbarrelownersnotedadisappointingretailenvironmentwithalackoffoottraffic,“gravity”favoringotherareaswithacriticalmassofgoodsandservices,andoccupancycostsoutof syncwiththeabilitytoproducesales.Areyougettingthecustomersyouwerelookngforinyournewlocatron?1.AllthosethatrelocatedtoaneworexistinglocationoutsideBouldernotedthattheywereabletoattractshoppersandclients,thatitislessexpensive,andthatitiseasier todobusinessoutsideofBoulder.129Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 230 of 260 What arethebenefitsofbeinglocatedinBoulder?1.Halfofrespondentshadan affinityforBoulderanditslifestyle,andsomewereresidentswhowouldhavepreferredtoremainlocalasopposedtorelocatingelsewhere.2.18%ofbusinessesstatedthatabenefitwasBoulder’saffluence.3.18%ofbusinessesnotedeaseoflocation,access,orparking.WhatarethedrawbacksofbeinglocatednBoulder?1.40%citedhighrent,taxesandoperatingexpensesweretoohighto stayopen.2.Facilityandlandlordchallengeswerethenextmostfrequentlycited drawbacks.Theseincludedissuessuchasleaksandfloodsimpactingoperationsthatlandlords wouldnotaddress,increasingbaserents,passingthroughincreasedcostssuch aspropertytaxes(notethatretailleases aretypically“triplenet”or“NNN”meaningthatpropertyoperatingexpenses,propertytaxes,andinsurancearepassedthroughtotenants),andLandlordsfavoringchainspresumablybecauseoftheirgreaterabilitytofundtheirowntenantimprovements.3.AlackofsupportbytheCityforlocalsmallbusinesses.Examplescited includeddifficultystartingabusinessgiventhecomplexityofnavigatingtheCity’sregulatoryenvironment,lackofCitysupportforcertainindustries(mouniainbiking),lackofCitysupportforspecificcircumstances(adequatepoliceontheHill,monitoringnegativeexternalitiesFromanearby,newlyooenedmarijuana company).SpecificallywithrespecttotheCity’sregulatoryenvironment,navigatingzoningissues,inconsistentlyappliedCitypolicies,andlackofcoordinationbetweenCitydepartmentswerespecificallycited.4.Staffingissuesand theinabilitytofindqualityemployeeswasachallengeforaboutathirdoftheousinessowners,withonlyafewousinessessayingthiswasanon-issue.5.ManybusinessessurveyednotedanarroganceissueinBoulder,saying“Boulderneedsanattitudeadjustment.”WhilesomefocusedonthecostofconductingbusinessintheCity,especiallyforindependentbusinesses, madeoperationsinBoulderunsustainable,othersFocusedspecificallyattheCitygovernment.Specifically,somefeltthattheCitymadeitmoredif-Ficulttodobusinessthannecessaryincludingbeingunsupportiveandsettingroadblocks,andnotcaring whenbusinessesclosedtheirdoors.Somerespondentssimplysaidtheyweresimply“fedup”withthearroganceoftheCity.130Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 231 of 260 6.Parking wasnotthereasonforanyoneshuttingtheirdoorsbutmanybusinessescreditedparkingasanissuefortheiremployeesandpatrons.7.Entrepreneurslookingtoopenanewbusinessarehavingtocompeteforspacewithmarijuanabusinessowners.8.BusinessownersonTheHillfeltthatthere’s.9.GunbarrelandtheHillweresingledoutasdisappointments.Gunbarrelwascharacterizedasa‘forgottenchild,”apartfromandabandonedbytheCitybutwithallthesamecostsofbeinginBoulderproper.Similarly,Hillbusinessownersnotedthat“nothingthatkeepspeopleontheHill.’VVa:morecould havebeendoretosuooortvocrbjsinesswnenitwas:nBouder?1.Responsesfocusedontaxrelieforpolicythatwouldlimitwhattaxescouldbepassedthroughbyapropertyowner(apolicywenotethatwouldnotbeeffectiveinpractice).SuggestionsforCurrentandFutureBusinessOwnersParticipantswereaskedforsuggestions thatmighthelpcurrentand futurebusinessowners,andtheSBDCextractedanumberofspecificcommentsthatweremadebyinterviewees.Themostpoignantcommentwhichcorrelateswithourreighboringcitiesresearchwas,‘Youdon’thavetobeinBoulderanymoretobeasuccessfulbusiness.”Followingareresults,summarizedbytheme:1.CityGovernment:Onerespondentsaid,“There’sanarrogantattitudeasifyoushouldbe gratefultobeinBoulderanditpermeatesthroughCitystaffasifyou’reanannoyance”whileanothernoted that“Longmontisresponsivetobusiness owners(moresothanBoulder).Theytryandhelp.Boulderputsupwalls.”Suggestionsthatwereofferedinclude:a.HelpnavigatingtheCity’sbureaucracyincludingfindingtherightdepartments.b.Azoningadvocatetohelpwithinformationexchangewouldhavebeengood.c.Gettingconsistentanswers(referringtozoningquestions).2.LocatingBusinessesSuggestions:a.Helpidentifyingandcontactingbrokersandconsultantstolocateproperty.131Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 232 of 260 b.Makesurethatthereisenoughroominindustrialzoningforother businessesbesidesmarijuana.‘Whatweneed, potgrowershave.Anyfacilitythatisopenhasjackedupprices.”3.RetainingBusinesses/BusinessEnvironment:ThisisabroadcategorywithresponsesfocusingeitheronCitygovernmentorontheprivatesector.ThesentimentseemstosupporttheideasoftheCitybeingmoreactivekeeping businessesinBoulder,andoffindingwaysCitycouldhavesupportedthebusiness,andifanyresourceswereavailable.a.WithrespecttotheCity,weheard thefamiliarrefrainthattheCityshould“Supportbusinessesratherthanmakingitmoredifficult,”and“Don’tlosetrackthattherearedifferentkindsofbusinesses.”b.ThefollowingquotesumsupfeedbackaboutwhatsmallbusinessownerswishtheCitywoulddo,“Ifthere’sanythingthattheCitycandotoincentivizelandownerstokeepsmallbusinessesalive,thatwouldbegreat.Rentsgoupanditpushesupexpenseseachyearandsmallbusinessownerscan’tkeepupwithbigbusiness,Landlordshavenoreasonnottosignwithachain.”c.Withrespecttotheoverallbusinessclimate,theSBDCheard“BoulderemployeesareBAD,”“Peoplewalkdowntownbutdon’tshopdowntown,”and“I’dratherhaveacrappyplaceinBoulderthananiceplaceinGunbarrel.”d.Withrespecttooccupyingspace,theSBDCheard“Propertymanagementdoesn’tcareandthere’snothingyoucando,”and“It’shardtoknowwhotogotofordifferentcontractors(forplumbingasanexample).”e.Finally,therewereanumberofcommentsaddressingtheviabilityofsustainingabusinessinBoulder:“I’veneverworkedsohardfor solittlemoney,““I’mfedup,andIamconsideringleavingBoulderalltogether,”“Basically,wealljustgritourteethandbareitandthen gooutofbusiness,”“NoonemakesmoneyindowntownBoulder,”and“Evenwithgoodbusiness,youdon’thaveanythingleftafteryoupayforemployees,renttaxes etc.”ThereareanumberofquestionswewouldhavelikedtoHaveasked.Examplesincludemoredetailedinformationaboutoccupancycostasapercentofgrosssales,salestrends,wnerecustomerswerebeingdrawnfrom,andspecificfeedbackabouttheclosuredecisionprocess.132Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 233 of 260 KeyFindingsThefollowingarethekeyfindingsfromtheSBDCformerretailersurvey:1Drawbacksoutweighedbenefitsbothinquantityandsignificance.2.ConcernsaboutoperatinginBoulderasrevealedbydirectquotesreportedintheSBDCstudyfellintoseveralcategories:(a)Boulder(CouncilandtheCity’sbureaucracywerebothcited)doesnotunderstand/careaboutsmallbusinesses,(b)smallbusinessesshouldbesupportedandobstaclestoopeningandoperatingbusinessesshouldbeminimized,(c)thecostofoperatinginBoulderhasbecomeuntenable.3.ManybusinessesopenedinBoulderbecausetheyoriginallylovedtheCity,andtheyexpectedthattheclientsthattheywouldattractwouldhelpthemtothrive.4.Theresultsareconsistentwithsupplyconstraints(createdbythegrowthboundaryandheightlimits)causinghighoccupancycosts,andbothsupolyconstraintsandtheregulatoryenviron’ientnegatively affectingbusinessattractionandretention.Theproliferationofmarijuanabusinessesareaddingtothesupplyconstraint.5.Inclusivityconcernsarefocusedonresidentneedsbutnotonbusinessownerandoperatorneeds.6.Inthefuture,werecommendinterviewingbusinesses(orataminimumgathercontactinformation)betweenthetimetheyannouncetheywillclose,and the timetheyactuallyclose.7.Wealsorecommendinterviewingopenandoperatingbusinessesonarotating,regularbasistounderstandconcerns,andactuoonthoseconcernswhereappropriate.133Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 234 of 260 QuestionstoBeAnsweredTheconsultantteamwasasked,tothe extentthatsummarizedsurveyresultsprovideadequatedata,toaddress thefollowingeightquestions:1.Overafive-yearperiod,howdoesBoulder’s%changeinretailsalestaxrevenuescornprtolocalandnationalbenchmarkcitiesin$,%yearoveryearandin%ofoverallmunicipalrevenues.Arethereagreaterorfastertransitiontoon-linepurchases,istheresignificantlylowerpurchasingpercapitaascomparedtopeers,isthereasteeperdeclineinpurchasesforbasicgoods,etc.Withrespecttotheneighboringcities,Boulderisroughlyinthemiddleofthepackwithrespecttoannualgrowth—bothintermsoftotalcollectionsandpercapita.SaleslaxRevenueperCapita.GrowthSince2014Source:LelandConsultingGroup,GreensFelderRealEstate Strategy,AnnualPopulationEstimatesBoulderfinancedepartments,U.S.CensusAlthoughgrowthinBoulderisbeingsurpassedbyLongmontandLouisville,Boulder’spercapitarevenuegrowthfromsalestaxeshasdoubled thatforSuperiorandismorethan5timestherateforBroomfield.F:!-!,,lie’———Fn.-i1,1:11I.aLiy.:_tt,.:F:i’:I,24A.tT,273%23i718.6%or—+iI:.S.icrA,2n42r2iS2(1:3134Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 235 of 260 SalesTaxRevenueGrowthSince2014Source:LeandConsultingGroup,GreensfelderRealEstateStrategy,cityfinancedepartments,US.CensusAnnualPopulationEstimates.2.How,’WhereareBoulderresidents,workersandstudentsshopping,andforwhat?Hastnatshiftedovertheperiodofinquiryinthesurvey?Currentbehaviorsandreportedchangesover thepasttwoyearsaredocumentindetailintheReported ChangeinBoulderShoppingHabitsinPartIll.Theshareofshopping,diningandservicepatronagetakingplaceinBoulderversusoutsideallvaryconsiderablybasedonproductcategory.Among Boulderresidents,about90%stayintownfortheirusualgroceryanddrugstoreshopping.Clothingandfurnitureshoppingsendthemostresidentsoutsideoftown,withjust49%and31%ofshoppingdonelocally(respectively).Workerpatronagepatternsare drivenlargelybywhether oneliveinBoulderorcommutesfromoutside,althoughevennon-residentworkers.347—BouderLafayetleLongmengc,25,2)C..ii..,0%SC.,ICC,2O52L62O12018135Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 236 of 260 Reportedchangesinspending destinationsoverthepasttwoyears indicatesome causeforconcern.BothresidentsandBoulderworkersweremostlikelytosaythattheirspendingpatternshadstayed“about thesame”but among thosewhoindicatedachange,decreasesBoulderspendingwerefarmorecommonthanincreases.Conversely,increasedspendingoutsideBoulderandonlinewasmuchmorecommonthandecreasesforthoseBoulderalternatives.3.WhataretheCity’sdemographicandeconomictrendsandhowarethosetrendslikelytoimpactretail salestaxperformance(i.e.arewelikelytomorerapidlydeclineorincreaseinretailsalestaxbecauseofourgrowth-relatedpoliciesandpercentageofresidentslikelytoliveonafixedincome?Arewe losingsmallbusinessesfaster?Servicebusinesses?)•DetaileddemographicinformationcanbefoundinPart1ofthis Study.•Boulder’sresidentdemographicprofilewouldbetheenvyofmanycommunitiesincludingtheneighboringandpeercommunitiesstudiedhere,withcomparativelyhighdisposableincomes, andasensibilityofsupportinglocalbusinesses.•Boulder’spopulationisgettingolder,primarilyduetothe agingoftheBabyBoomergenerationpopulationbulge.Boulderitesaged65andupwentfrom8.9%ofthepopulationin2010to12.2%in2018,and areexpectedtoreach14%inanotherfiveyears.Theagingpopulationrepresentsahugereservoirofdisposableincome, andalsogreaterdemandforservicesincludingmedicalwhichincreasinglycanbefoundintraditionalretailsettings.Asolderresidentsdownsize,increasedsalesofhomefurnishingandhomeimprovementitemscanalsobeexpected.•Inaddition,theHispanicpopulationhasgrownfrom8.7%ofthetotalpopulationin2010to9.2%in2018.TheHispanicportionofthe populationtendstohave lowerthanmedianincomes,soanincreaseindemandofcostefficientshoppingoptionscanbeexpectedtoincrease.AlthoughtherateofHispanicpopulationgrowthhasbeencomparabletotheColoradostatewiderate, Boulderisstartingfromamuchsmallerbase.ESRIestimatesthat9.2%ofBoulderitesarecurrentlyofHispanicoriginversus21.7%acrossthestateasawhole.Assuch,HispanicgrowthinabsolutetermswillbesomewhatmutedinBoulderrelativetothestate.Student populationswillbedictatedbyCU’sgrowthobjectives.Touristanddaytimeworkerforwardprojectionswere notstudied.•Boulder’ssalestaxcollectedonapercapitabasishasoutpacedbothneighboring andpeercitiesasshowninthe graphs aboveandinPart2.Fromthisperspective,Boulderdoesnothaveasalestaxproblem.Projecting outward,thepercentofthatretailsales(andbyextensionsalestax)realizedfromcommoditygoodsthatcaneasilybepurchased throughalternativeretailchannelscanbeexpectedtoincreaseasapercentoftotalsalesoriginatedfromwithintheCity,therebyputting somemoderatingpressureonsalestaxcollection growth.136Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 237 of 260 •Wenotethatthesalestaxaspectofthisquestionisfluid.Coloradocitieshavemoreflexibilityapplyingsalestaxesascomparedwithsomestatesthatrequirechangesinsalestaxtobeapprovedbyvotersaspartofaballotiteminageneralelection.Sincelastyear’sSouthDakotavsWayairdecision,thereisalsoamovementinmoststatestocreatesalestaxequitylegislation.Theselegislativeinitiativeshavefocusedon“marketfairness”byrequiringcollectionofsalestaxonproductspurchasedfromout-of-areasourcesincludingon-lineretailers.•Growthpoliciesarecertainlyafactorinrecruitingandretainingbusinesses.Asnotedinthisreport,Boulderhascreated(andcontinuedtocreate)capacityconstraintthroughacombinationofgrowthboundariesandheightlimits.Thisconstraintonnewsupplyofbuiltspacemeansthatbothlandandexistingspacebecomesmorevaluable.Atthesametime,Boulder’spopulationanddaytimeworkforce(ie.sourcesofretaildemand)havebothincreasedsubstantiallysincethegrowthboundarywasenacted,andtheycontinuetoincreaseatarespectablerate. Thelawofsupplyanddemanddictatesthatlimitationsonsupplyandincreaseindemandwillresultinhigherprices.Notsurprisingly,thisisexactlywhathashappened.Complicatingmatters,commercialvaluationsareafunctionofnetoperatingincome,soasrentshaveincreasedsohavevaluationsandbyextensionpropertytaxes.Retailleasesaretraditionally“triplenet”meaningthatoperatingexpenses,insurancecosts,andpropertytaxesarepassedontothe tenant,andare“nettotheowner.”So,inadditiontohigherbaserents resultingfromsupplyconstraints,tenantsarehitwithsometimesquitelargeincreasesinthe“NNN”portionoftheiroverallrentburden.•Wedonothavedataontherateoflossofbusinessesinneighboringorpeercities,however,anecdotalevidencedoesindicatethatretailersrecognizethatneighboringcitiescomparativelyeasyregulatoryenvironmentcombinedwithloweroccupancycostspresentacompetitiveadvantagewhencomparedwiththeregulatoryandrentenvironmentinBoulder.4.Wha:aretheretailindustryimpacts(locallyandnationaltrends)andhowisthatbeingexperiencedinBoulder?Howdoesthisparticularlyimpactsmallandlocalbusinesssustainability?Howdoesthismatch,ifatall,thequalitativedatawereceivedintheretailersurvey?TheBac<groundsectionofthisstudyidentifiesanumberofimportantthemesabouthowbehaviorsfunctionwithrespecttoretail,andemergingretailtrendsaffectingallcommunitiesincludingBoulder.Theanswers hereare specifictoBoulder’scircumstances.•Differentiationwillbethekeytoastronglocalbusinessenvironment.Retailofferingsthatrepeatthe ubiquitousmixesofstorescommonlyfoundwillnotdrawdestinationcustomertrafficaseffectivelyasuncommonanduniqueofferings.Thatsaid,theremust137Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 238 of 260 bedemandforretailersthatdooperate,souncommonanduniqueisnotanendinandofitself.•L-citiesarecatchingupintermsofhavingamorematureretailbasethatdoesnotrequireresidentstotravelforasmanygoodsandservicesasinthepast.Similarly,withtheintroductionofchains,Boulderisnotasdifferentiatedasitwasinthepast.•LocalbusinessandregulatoryenvironmentmakesitharderforBoulderthanforneighborstorecruitandretainexistin9businesses.•Employersreportthatemployeesarehardtorecruitbecauseofhighcostofliving,andthatreliableemployeesarehardtofind.•Thegainorlossofbusinessesisandwillcontinuetobemoreafunctionoftheevolutionofretailtrends(outlinedinthisstudy’sintroduction)andthebusinessenvironmentinBoulderthanBoulder’sdemographics.•TheBoulderRevenueandBudget UpdatepresentationmadetoCouncilonApril9,2019corroboratedtheseobservations:WhyBoulderRetailSalesAreFlattening•Competitionfromsurroundingcommunities•Onlineretailsales•Demographicshifts•BoulderretailchoicesForexample,therewillbeacontinuedtrendofcommoditygoodsbeingconsumedthrough theeasiestretailchannel,likelyattheexpenseofbricks-and-mortarretailers.Continuedandincreasingcompetitioncanbeexpectedfromalternativeretailchannelstocaptureincremertalsalesfromspecialtyretailca:egories,withcontinuedexperimentation(eg.Ubereats,subscription,freereturns,etc)aimedatdrivingspecialtyretailpurchasestonorbricks-and-mortarplatforms.Thistrendislikelytoputadditionalpressureonsmallerandindependentbusinesses.5.AreBoulder’sidentifiedretailnodesadequatelyservingthebasicretailneedsofthoselivingandworkingwithin3/4mile?Doesthisdifferbasedonthe area?Doesthatdifferbasedonareademographics?Adetaileddiscussionofthe tenretailnodescanbefoundinPart3.Retailisdemanddriven,andoftenthereisnotenoughdensitytogeneratethelevelofdemandrequiredforaretailertoprojecttheamountofgrosssalesneededtojustifythe138Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 239 of 260 up-frontexpenseofopeningastore(ie.capitalexpenditure),andtheexpenseofoperatingastore.Focusingoncommoditiesanddailyneedsretailgoodsandservices,tieresultsoftheCity-wideGAPanalysisindicatesthatdemandforcommodityretailandthesupplyofcommodityretailintheCityofBoulderaremostlyinbalance.BecausethereisnotasignificantamountofthiscategoryofsalesleakingoutsideofBoulder,anotherstoreinthiscategorywillnotopenuntiladditionaldemandiscreated,eitherfrompopulationgrowthortheclosureofacompetitor.Fromadifferentperspective,trafficpatternsareimportanttounderstand.Asagenerality,retailtendstolocatealongheavilytraveledroutesandasdiscussedinthebackgroundsectiononthe“gravity”sideofatradearea.BecausemosttraffictravelsthroughtheSouthBroadway/TableMesagatewayintersectionthathasamatureretailbase,thereisnoreasonfortheseretailerstoopenanotherstore“inside”oftheTableMesaneighborhoodeventhoughmuchoftheresidentslivemorethan¾ofamilefromtheprincipalretailintersection.Therewereanumberofspecificdifferencesinlevelsofsatisfactionwithbasicretailofferingsbasedonplaceofresidenceandworkplace,asdetailedinPartIll.Forexample,BoulderiteslivinginTheHillandPearlStreetnodeareasarelesssatisfiedwithbasicretailinthoseareasthanresidentsinothernodes(presumablybecausetheretailfocusthereisheavyondiningandvisitor-orientedretail,withlittleinthewayofgrocery,drugstoreanddailyessentials).However,workersinthosesametwoareasratetheirsatisfaction(withbasicretailneartheirwork)similarlytopeopleworkinginothernodes—probablybecausetheamplechoiceofcafélunchoptionssatisfiestheirprimaryneedsduringworkhours.Bothincomeandageplayaroleinpeoples’satisfactionwithbasicretail,withlowerincomerespondentsreportinglesssatisfactionwithbasicretailpriceandavailability,regardlessofwheretheylive.Onecommentintheopen-endsectionseemedtoexplainthephenomenonwell,atleastformany,withaBoulderresidentsaying:“It’snotsomuchunabletofind[basicslbutabletofindthematareasonableprice.Wecanroutinelysave20centspergallonofgas...byleavingBoulder.[Then]weshopatthesametime[outsideBoulder}savingtheBoulderpremiumongroceries.Theabovepaysforthenominaldrivewithmoneyleftover.Thebettertrafficandeaseofparkingroundsoutthedeal.WeuseBoulderlikeaconveniencestore.”OneexampleofinequalityistheEastBoulderCommunityCenter,essentiallyaservicebusinessthathappenstobeoperatedbytheCity.TheEBCCwasbuiltinalocationawayfromthe“gravity”trafficdirection,andwhichisnotservedbypublictransportation.Forthisreason,itdoesnotserveallresidentstowhichitistheclosesthealthandfitnessfacility.Careshouldbetakenforretailandservicebusinessestobeaggregatedonthe“gavity”139Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 240 of 260 sideofagiventradeareaandalongmajorroutesoftravel,therebymakingthemaccessibletothegreatestnumberofpeople.WehavealsobeentoldofnumerousexamplesofCitypolicyandprocedurethatexacerbateinequality.Forexample,therehasbeendiscussionaboutaballotmeasuretotaxcarsanaverageof$265eachinorder toachieveclimatechangecommitments.Ifpassed,fromaretailinclusivitypointofview,thistaxwouldplaceanoutsizetaxburden(ie.aregressivetax)onanyonewhorequiresacarinordertodotheirshopping,andinparticularonpreciselythelowerincomeor lessmobilegroupswholiveoutsideofa¾-mileretailnodethattheCityisconcernedareproperlyserved.6.Identifyretailstarvedareasandretailstarveddemographicsegments.How,ifatall,doesthismatchordifferfromthequalitativedatareceivedintheshoppersurvey?InPart1ofthisstudy,wehighlightareaslyingoutsideofoneofthe¾-mileradiusretailnodes,identifyingthemasbeyondacomfortablewalking-distanceforretailshopping.Theseareasareoutlinedwithdottedbordersinthefollowingmap(withresidenceshighlightedinyellow,retailinred,andemploymentinblue):ThenwecomparedthedemographicsofpeoplelivingintheseidentifiedareaswithdemographicsfortheCityasawhole.Withoutexception,thesixidentifiedunderservedareashaveconsiderablyhigherincomeprofiles140Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 241 of 260 SatisfactionwiththeAvailabilityofBasicRetailNearMyHome35%24%pii:.oat,,IiedS•r’,ne,’;[iat‘ii,iiofi_’irJ—i,tral•Sc.nie,’,liat911;fie:iVer..s.iti;Ije.:IandhighermedianagesthantheCitypopulationoverall(seechartinretailaccessibilityanalysis).ExcepttheareasurroundingGunbarrel,eachhaslessethnicdiversitythantheCityasawhole.Inaddition,allsixareashaveafarlowershareofrentersthantheCityoverall.Cli’Cl_Itol-:ICIII’,13%IIIiIIIIh,24%/el‘-ilOiiii”,’l•S.:.199,e’’,il9i.ilc.itIoil,9.l•t’ieLji’di•S.:,n1e’.h,9iitioti..i••ef’yail-fie’:iThesesomewhatcounter-intuitiveresultssuggestthatthese“underserved”populationsmayhaveactuallylocatedinareasfurtherawayfrom retailclustersbychoice—tradingoffthe inconvenienceofbeingfurtherawayfromshoppingareasfortherelativeseclusionoflower-densitysingle-familyresidentialneighborhoods.Alternatively,theirhigherlevel ofaffluenceindicatesthattheirbeingoutsideofa4-milenodeisnotaninclusivityissue.7.DoesBoulderhaveoverorundersaturatedsegmentsofgoodsorretailersgivenourpopulation?Doesthisdependuponthelocationoftheexistingretailstudyareas?Li’,:oi.it’sj:I:_nyrio’’:1’:-33%25%i-4”18%,,cu7%SaiisfactionwiththeAvailabilityofBasicRetailNearMyWorkli:Oi:le?:.iflC26%141Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 242 of 260 Thetermover-saturationhasanegativeconnotation:“moreretailthanweneed.”Thisconnotationbeliestheimportanceofretailtomunicipalfiscalsustainabilityandgenerallocaleconomicvitality.Weprefertheterm“pull”todescribetheoppositeofleakage—wherelocalsalesareinexcessof localspendingpowerandthuspullingindollarsfromoutsideoftheCity.Residents,daytimeworkers,visitors,andstudentsallcontributetoandareessentiaicomponentsof “pull.”Bythatmeasure,Boulderhasaveryhealthy“pullfactor”acrossallmajorretailcategories,asdocumentedinPartII,exceptforGeneralMerchandise,whichincludesbothdepartmentstoresandlargediscountretailers.BothofthosecategorieshaveretailleakagethatispresumablyflowingprimarilytonearbyoutlyingcitiesandcouldbeafocusoftheCitywideRetailStrategy.8.Totheextentfeasibleandinformationisreadilyavailable,whatmunicipally-fundedorcreatedprogramsexisttosupportsmallretailbusinesssustainabilityinourbenchmarkcities?Iftherearereadilyavailablereportsthatprovidehowthoseprogramsareperforminginsustainingretailaccess,affordabilityand retailersuccess,linktothosereports.Muchofthegrantandeconomicdevelopmentassistanceworldisfocusedonjobcreationasopposedtosupportingstartingretailbusinessesperse.Wenotethattheconsistentlymostcitedbarrierto openingandoperatinginBoulderistheCity’shighlyregulatedenvironment.Werecommendthatthefirstandprimaryfocusbe(a)onsimpliFyingtheregulatoryenvironmentsothatitismoretransparentandeasiertonavigate,and(b)oncreatinga“concierge”withinCitygovernmenttohelpprospectivebusinessownersworktheirwaythroughthenecessarystepstoopeningabusiness.Thisconciergewouldalsobearesourceavailabletoprospectivebusinessownerstosuggestmanyoftheprogramslistedhere.Programsandresources(bothlocalandnational)thathelporthathavethepotentialtohelpwithretailbusinessesincludethefollowing(thislistincludesbothmunicipallyfundedprograms,andotherprograms):•BoulderSmallBusinessDevelopmentCenter(SBDC)https://bouldercolorado.gov/business/small-business-supportTheSBDCsupportsthegrowthandresiliencyofsmallbusinessesinBoulderCountybyprovidingfreeousinessconsulting,practicalworkshops&eventsandconnectiontoresources,includingfinancing.TheSBDChelpsalltypesofsmallbusinesses—fromstartupsthrough2ndstage,from“MainStreet”throughhighlyscalabletechnologyventures.SomeprogramminginbothErglishandSpanish.•ColoradoSmallBusinessDevelopmentCenterhttps://www.coloradosbdc.orgsponsorstheSBDCADVANCEDprogram,anewbusinessdevelopmentprogramadministeredbytheColoradoSBDCNetwork.Itisaneconomicgardeningprogram,Focusedon142Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 243 of 260 helpingColoradocompaniesgrowbyprovidingcustom-fitmarketresearchandcorporate-leveltoolsthatmightotherwisebeoutofreachforsmalltomid-sizedbusinesses.Thesebusinessescanthenusethisdatatomakeinformedstrategicgrowthdecisions.•TheNorthMetroDenverSmallBusinessDevelopmentCenter(SBDC)hasbeendedicatedtohelpingexistingandnewbusinessesgrowandprosperbyprovidingtreeandconfidentialconsultingandno-orlow-costtrainingprograms.Inthelasttwoyears,wehavehelped43businessesstart,created136jobs,retained96employeesandhelpedtoinfuse$5.5millionincapital.•ThePathtoEntrepreneurship(P2e)Programisdesignedto helplow-to-moderateincomeresidentsbuildfinancialsustainabilitythroughbusinessownership.P2eis acontinuumofoutreach,practicaleducation!programsandtechnicalassistancethathelpslow-to-moderateincomeindividualstostartupnewbusinessesandtogrowexistingbusinesses.Eachprogramcomponentisdesignedtoassistunderservedandvulnerablepopulationstoprogresstothenextlevelofentrepreneurialsuccess(prestartuo!feasibility,startup,earlystage,growth).Thiscombinationofoutreach,workshops!educationalprogramsandtechnicalassistance-customizedtoindividjalsandbusinesses-appearstobeeffectiveinhelpingunderservedpopulationspursuebusinessownership.•JobCreationTaxAbatements—AsmallbusinessmightbeinanEnterpriseZone(asOhiotermsit),orasimilartypeofarea,andaccordinglybeofferedtaxircentivesforprojectsoroperationsthatcreatejobs.Thesearen’ttechnicallysmallbusinessgrants,but theyputadditionalmoneyinabusiness’spocketthatcanbeusedtogrow.•GreenTechnologyBusinessGrantProgram-Environmentalsustainabilityinitiativesexistateverylevelofthegovernment,soconsidergoinggreentosavewithyoursmallbusiness.•ChicagoSmallBusinessImprovementFund-TheSBIFsupportssmallbusinessesrepairingorremodelingtheir location,whetherbyupdatingwindowsandfloors,replacingsignage,orpurchasingnearbypropertytoexpandinto.•MiamiMom&PopSmallBusinessGrant-Ifyou’reinMiamiandhavebeeninbusinessfor atleastayear,makesuretoapplytothisprogrammeantto“bridgethegapbetweenlocalgovernmentandsmallownedandoperatedbusinesses.”•OrlandoDowntownFacade&BuildingStabilizationProgram-ThisprogramprovidesgrantsbetweentS,000and$40,000tosmallbusinessesthatowntheirbuildingsindowntownOrlandotoimprovetheirstabilityorappearance.•SanFranciscoHistoricPreservationGrant-ThecityofSanFranciscogivesgrartsandbusinessloansforemergingandestablishedbusinesses.Grantsareavailabletocompaniesthatareworkingonpreservingandrehabilitatinghistoricbuildings.Thiscouldbeapplytoretail,brickandmortarbusinesses.•TheCollierVisitorBureauinBonitaSprings,Floridaprovidesgrantsformarketingandpromotion.143Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 244 of 260 •Blogs—Thereareavarietyofblogsthataretargetedatentrepreneursfocusedonstartingnewbusinesses.Somecanbefoundhere:www.sbopjiyqprnLretail/12004237124-retaFl-hHgs-every-smaH-busress-entrepreneur-sbould-be-reacfing.Followingisalistofdebtandequityopportunitiesandstrategiesforsmallbusinesses:•Microloans-Microoansare loansunder$50,000,andusuallyhaveeasyeligibilityrequirementsandreasonableinterestrates.Manyofthesameorganizationswhichprovidegrants,suchnonprofitsandgovernmentorganizations,alsoprovidemicroloans.•Crowdfunding-Therearemultiplecrowdfundingsiteswhereyourbusinesscanaccessfunds.Allyouhavetodoiscreateanaccount,pitchyourproductorservice,andwaitforpeopletodonatetoyourorganization.Inexchangefortheirmoney,youprovide“prizes”likeacouponorfreeproduct.Ifyoudocrowdfunding,makesuretocarefullyread therulesbecausetheplatformusuallytakesasmallcutofyourmoney.•SBALoans-SBAloansareanotheralternativeifyou’reunabletoqualifyforagrant,especiallyafederalgovernmentgrantlikeSBIRorSTTR.ThefederalgovernmentguaranteesSBAloansandworkswithbankstoget theseloansinthehandsofsmallbusinessowners.YoucanapproachyourlocalbankandseeiftheyprovideSBAloans,or youcanapplyforanSBAloanthroughFundea.•New MarketTaxCredits—Thisprogramisdesignedtoincreasetheflowofcapitaltonusinessesannlowincome communitiesbyprovidingamodes:taxincentivetoprivateinvestors.Theprogramcanbedifficulttoaccessandcumbersometonavigate.•ColoradoBusinessResourceBook—Anexcellentprimeronfinancingterms,asummaryoffinancialoptions,andcontactforrelevantagenciesthathelpsmallbusinessescanbefoundinthispublicationstartingonp.56(downloadat-;:ps:/!cooradosoccorçj/wpcoter.’ploads/2Y9/O2/SBDC-rRESOURCE±GJlDE+07.30.16PNAL.odf).144Appendix H: Retailer Survey ResultsCity Council Study Session Page 245 of 260 What are the Drawbacks, If Any, of Locating in Boulder? Terribly inane regulator environment; huge burden financially. City Council is unpredictable, self-important, self referential and highly vested in serving a population that wants Boulder to look like it did in 1970. Only problem is that the population of Colorado has doubled since then. No Parking, high rents, ridiculous taxes that are on the backs of small business owners not building owners! Boulder charm is disappearing. No more parks or trees just square concrete buildings housing lawyers,banks,IT startups, corporate national firms who can afford to be here as opposed to other markets! New people are bringing there agendas and attitudes and they are self absorbed and not typical friendly Boulder or Colorado genuinely pleasant people!? to bad, but that is progress so if you want that great, otherwise just move out! Right? All of our "events" constantly typical hurt local brick and mortars businesses who have created the environment that draws people to Boulder but the city gets their tax revenue and local business lose revenue! Oh well? maybe a little more emphasis on businesses that have survived here, not always free press for new start-ups? Just a thought! it is getting expensive The cost of being in boulder, the awful gauntlet to get a reconstruction or remodel done The cost of living is high so many of our employees cannot afford to live in Boulder and have to commute from towns outside of Boulder. This often makes it difficult to find and keep employees. The city is often hard to work with and puts onerous standards in place that are hard or expensive to meet. The high cost of living (and hence, a high cost of doing business)... High rent and CAM charges, online shopping, parking City caters to transients, parking is limited, and because people often times have above average incomes, they can at times feel entitled. Commercial retail rent is expensive Cost of business, taxes, rent Costly, in terms of the lease, services. I am in far North Boulder, pretty separated from the mall/campus/downtown. We seem a little bit like the forgotten part of town. Parking for employees is a problem. The homeless population. It's a bit of a niche and not easily accessed with little parking It is expensive, and given the nature of retail, it's getting harder and harder to find people who both live in town, and want to work. The cost of living is high that a lot of people end up commuting far which causes a strain on We are a national trade association, so only a very small % of our customers are in Boulder. Very few employees can afford to live in Boulder, so almost everyone commutes. Many employees wish they could have a shorter commute, but can't afford to do so. Too much competition The rules, regulations and lack of interest in business coming from outside the city of Boulder--visitors. Very casual lifestyle especially with so much tec business. Extremely high rent, landlords focused on income only, lack of locals shopping downtown, too many banks on Pearl Street Mall, big businesses moving in pushing small businesses away. parking. affordability employees can not afford to live in city, transient population is overwhelming at times, Boulder can be too full of itself and needs to get down to earth Expensive to build, tax rates are high, high living expenses diminishes disposable income City council thinking there are to many tourists very undiverse high turnover rate of staff unreasonable rent rates Operating costs and rent increasing College vacation Permitting and regulations are a bit of a pain, specifically, sign permits. Cost of living it's expensive! labor is expensive! but there's nothing we can do about either of those things! Being in a collage town especially during the summers and winter break, the cold weather. Competitive. Rent is expensive. high rent safety is an issue parking/loading zones are horrible for staff, deliveries and us higher liquor license fees Parking - most of our employee do not live in Boulder or in an easily bussable area. The lack of parking makes recruiting a challenge. For those who do have a parking pass, the cost is a challenege. Lease space cost - Boulder rates are similar to downtown Denver without the attraction of a tru urban setting. The many open commercial spaces on an near Peral street reflect that boulder rates are not funcitonal or sustainable. Tansients - we need a stronger police force walking the mall and surrounding allies - ciminal behavior is apparent daily. Appendix I - CRS Retailer Survey Responses Drawbacks City Council Study Session Page 246 of 260 The lack of support from city council of Downtown Boulder and just business in general. High property taxes, feeling as though the city council has no idea the challenges we face as small business owners in terms of additional taxes, red tape, etc Parking and the lease and tax rates for businesses. Parking. At times I here complaints but generally it's fine. the pan handling (tourists do not like it). High rents general public doesn't understand the process etc. Only drawback I can think of is parking. Yes, it is fun to be on Pearl Street, but parking is always a problem. There are no handicap spots remotely near us, and customers are constantly feeling rushed to get in and out of the store based on parking. It would be nice if there were more parking garage options on the South side of Pearl street, and more parking lots available in this area. High rent. #1- Lack of Quality restaurant employees, especially line cooks. I would open another restaurant but I dont know where I would find 25 new employees. I spend 2-3 months trying to find 1 decent line cook, finding an entire staff seems daunting. High Rent. Seasonality- my restaurant is on the Hill, we only have 8 months of business and 12 months of bills. Lots of competition from other restaurants Rent too expensive to make a profit and to pay your employees. Can't find good help. Employees have to live outside Boulder. Employees cannot afford to buy a home or pay rent so they leave. Boulder has definitely lost its charge. Too many people now. Pressure on the environment, trails,etc. and on wildlife. Boulder will become an Aspen or San Francisco soon$$$ Many people complain about heavy traffic, lack of parking, and paying for parking every single day in our office. This has caused some people to do business elsewhere. The homeless people who hang out in front of our store has been a problem, because they bother the customers. Sometimes the police help out, but they are becoming Parking, downtown events which draw away from business Rent prices! retail space rent High rent, lots of competition The sugar tax, daily traffic, high homeless population, and the higher pay rates necessary to keep employees. cost of doing business, property taxes High rent. Heavy competition The cost of operating a business in Boulder is high. Also the parking and infrastructure is out of date. Rents are too high. Signage for events too restrictive. Too much traffic, too many restrictions on what kind of businesses are allowed here. The sugar tax is a real detriment in our line of work. Also, Boulder clientele can be very demanding and The rent Very steep decline of traffic on Pearl Street Mall. All the "festivals" and craft fairs detract from storefront businesses. They attract lots of people who browse, shop, and leave. These on offs take away sales from businesses which have 12 months of staffing , rents and utilities. Rents are in a vicious cycle, the higher the rent, the higher the assessed property evaluation, the higher the taxes, etc. Many, many businesses closed or are closing. Soon it will be banks (closed 1/2 Saturday, and all Sunday and holiday. This hollows out Pearl Street) bars and imported womens clothing made in Vietnam or Cambodia. I've overheard my customers describe the mall as "the Boulder tourist strip." I know of no one who is a long time resident who EVER goes there. Why would you. Weather (wind, cold snow) depresses traffic 4-5 months of the years and the endless "festivals" take the best weekends. The Boulder Creek Festival and the Hometown Fun Fair lead to zero sales for Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends: no parking, congestion, noise and traffic, mostly people who live out of Boulder. The Mall banners are dated and stupid, just how it looks: tired and boring. The exciting shops and restaurants have or are planning to move to Louisville or Lafayette. As a specialty retailer I cannot pay the rents for the current mall traffic. Online selling with free freight combined with the continuous raising of rents means the Mall is in a fatal downward spiral. In 1990 dollars we were grossing over $1m annually, in 2018 we struggled to reach $800k in a larger space with Rent cost, Taxes, no parking, hard to keep employees because rent costs are high. Parking is an issue. Rents are too high! Nothing as far as I can tell. Very difficult actions taken by city BLA put me out of business for 2 days on technicalities. Then 2 more days because we filed late. Not a win win. Property taxes are going up so fast we are losing to surrounding areas that Appendix I - CRS Retailer Survey Responses Drawbacks City Council Study Session Page 247 of 260 Honestly - not much any more. The cost of doing business as a result of the exceptional high rent and high property taxes are forcing all the mom and pop stores out. In addition the ridiculous minimum wage for tipped employees only adds to the financial constraints a Boulder restaurant feels. Rent / Property tax prices are hard to keep the business profitable and sustainable. Price of rent. Boulder is seen as a location for developers and investors to invest "safely". Business in Boulder has become all about the building and NOT the actual businesses inside. Empty storefronts because of unsustainable rents. Too much dead space on Pearl St. Too much focus on upscale. There needs to be a balance. locals have little/no desire to come to the pearl street mall Appendix I - CRS Retailer Survey Responses Drawbacks City Council Study Session Page 248 of 260 EXIT INTERVIEWS FINDINGS REPORT MAY 6, 2019 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Why are retail businesses, restaurants and service-based businesses leaving Boulder? What’s changed? And is there anything that the City of Boulder can do to help support these businesses to stay? These are some of the questions that began the process of the Exit Interviews. The assumption for many has been that businesses (particularly small local businesses) close because of property taxes and the cost of doing business. Insight from these exit interviews provide better understanding of the shift in Boulder business within the last 2 years. These findings also provide a more intimate view of what businesses owners are going through as they try to thrive in Boulder. Additionally, this qualitative approach lends insight and perspective for recommendations to create a more supportive environment for small, local businesses in the City of Boulder. PURPOSE Our purpose for conducting these interviews was to gain insight into why businesses were closing in Boulder. Our goal was to facilitate 20 interviews with brick and mortar businesses that closed in the last 2 years, to document findings, and to define themes with businesses that can help with future planning, understanding and potential increased support from the City. METHODOLOGY The Boulder Small Business Development Center (SBDC) conducted a series of Exit interviews from March 29th-May 1st, 2019 as a qualitative approach to learning more about the reasons that retail, restaurant and service-based businesses have left the City of Boulder in the last 2 years. The SBDC performed extensive research to find as many business contacts as possible within a 5-week time period. The criteria for our search was businesses within the City of Boulder that were brick and mortar, retail establishments, restaurants or walk-in service businesses that had closed within the last 2 years. Appendix J: CRS Retailer Exit Interview Summary SBDC City Council Study Session Page 249 of 260 To create a target list, several sources and means were used. City staff contracted with [name of consultant company] and sought input from its economic vitality partners (including SBDC) to develop an anonymous email survey of current and past City of Boulder retail establishments. The survey was distributed to 174 businesses that were identified through confidential tax records. Out of that list, 6 businesses responded that they would be willing to be interviewed to provide more feedback to the City. All were contacted by the SBDC; 1 provided an interview. Due to the confidentiality of tax records, the SBDC was unable to obtain the business names and contact information from that emailed survey. The SBDC then began a more widespread search. From the combined knowledge of City staff, the SBDC, and other economic vitality partners, we created a new target list of businesses that were known to have closed their doors -- including those of high interest. The SBDC expanded this list by mining through The Daily Camera, other business databases such as Reference USA, through word-of-mouth, researching social media and by looking for signage of more recent closings. Our intention was to provide a range of businesses in different areas around the City, of various sizes and various types of business. In tandem with gathering this information, we developed a guideline of interview questions that were edited, improved and approved by City staff (this was a collaborative effort). We agreed that interviews would be guided by these questions, that we would begin with an exploration of the initial expectations that the business owners had when they started their business and what they experienced overall. The SBDC reached out to all on the target list and as permissions were received, conducted exit interviews with the intention to learn more about why businesses of all sizes moved from Boulder. Although there were several large (corporate) retailers on the list, we were only able to get agreement from and to speak briefly to a representative from one large chain. All of the other exit interview participants were small business owners with 2-35 employees at their peak. All interviews were facilitated by Suzi Bahnsen, SBDC Asst. Director, who has 20 years of expertise in marketing, market research and business ownership. Interviews were conducted in person and over the phone. Additional research to build the target lists was provided by Eladia Rivera, who has over 20 years of research background as a retired Boulder Public Library employee and consultant for the SBDC. Please note that participants were promised anonymity, that names of businesses and individuals would remain confidential for this report. We did ask to record interviews, but we encountered resistance from interviewees and curtailed that request after a few contacts. In addition, although the interview guidelines and questions were fairly straightforward, we found that many of the interviewees had an emotional response to the questions. We felt that asking to record obstructed the flow of the interviews. Therefore, we did not record our discussions. Notes were taken; All interviews are transcribed, and those transcriptions are held as SBDC confidential records. Appendix J: CRS Retailer Exit Interview Summary SBDC City Council Study Session Page 250 of 260 In total, we created an outreach list of 72 businesses that had closed in the City of Boulder in the past two years. Of those contacts, 22 interviews were completed, which was a 30.6% participation rate. (The goal was to reach 20 businesses.) LESSONS LEARNED In this request and interview process we found a few road blocks to gathering responses from businesses. We heard that closing a business is an emotional act. Some business owners were not interested in talking about the loss. Finding contact information is more difficult now than years past. Cell phone numbers aren’t listed, and land lines aren’t used as often. Most times, businesses that close, disconnect phone lines and cancel their email accounts. Large corporations were the most difficult to reach. Without a contact name and referral, there was zero response by larger businesses like Whole Foods, Walmart and others to provide information. Services like hair salons, chiropractors and other service providers that may have closed were difficult to find. We were unable to access tax lists to find businesses and many times there is no information when they shut their doors. Recommendation regarding future interviews If possible, interview businesses before they close or gather alternative contact information for follow up before they shut their doors. Consider ongoing “customer follow-up” initiatives with currently operating businesses to understand their concerns and – if appropriate - try to address issues before they become reasons for closure. THEMES What we heard in the interviews – in common for most all of the small business respondents – was that they opened in Boulder because they originally loved the City and expected that the clients that they would attract would help them to thrive. Many of them didn’t want to move but had to. Some of the others, especially those that had been in business for over 10 years, were “fed up” and had a different view of how Boulder had changed. When asked if they would consider locating their business in Boulder in the future, 10 of the 22 businesses said “yes”. There may be an opportunity that this response uncovers. Below are replies to specific questions that were conveyed by the interviewees and larger themes that arose from participants. Appendix J: CRS Retailer Exit Interview Summary SBDC City Council Study Session Page 251 of 260 When you originally decided to locate your business in Boulder, how would you describe the customers you expected to capture? - Business Owners on The Hill expected more University traffic from students and staff but said that people don’t stay on The Hill to shop and eat. They all said that there were issues with the type of people walking around and police support. One business owner said that “the smell” of the area was the number one reason they moved. Parking on The Hill was a challenge for the business owners, their staff and their patrons. - Business Owners on Pearl Street and downtown were hoping for foot traffic from Pearl Street Mall, from locals and tourists. Those that were on Pearl Street were attracting customers, but most said that their sales were flat. Some felt that people were not shopping on Pearl, only looking. One business owner was thriving on Pearl so they were pulling in patrons but had to close do to landlord issues. - Business Owners in other areas of the City mentioned the types of clients they were trying to attract were focused on their niche (foodies, beer aficionados, coffee enthusiasts, equestrians, travelers etc.) - Business Owners in Gunbarrel were disappointed in the area stating that no one stays in Gunbarrel to shop or dine. They were all disappointed in Gunbarrel as a place to do business, feeling as if they were paying the Boulder prices without getting the foot traffic of Boulder. Are you getting the customers you were looking for in your new location? All those that opened a business at a new or existing location said that they were getting the clients that they want to there and it was less expensive with less hassle to do business outside of Boulder. Mainly, these businesses had locations in Denver, Longmont, Lafayette and Golden. When asked what they as business owners saw as the benefits of being located in Boulder: - Half of the respondents said they love Boulder as a City. They love the mountains, the lifestyle and the beauty of Boulder. Some of them were residents of Boulder and had hoped to continue to have a business located in the City of Boulder vs travelling elsewhere to their business. - 18% of businesses mentioned that their particular location was good for them for easy access and parking - Two businesses that had been in Boulder for over 20 years originally started their business because of the Boulder biking community but said that Boulder has changed. - 18% of businesses stated that the benefit was the affluence of Boulder Appendix J: CRS Retailer Exit Interview Summary SBDC City Council Study Session Page 252 of 260 When asked what the drawbacks were of being in Boulder and what expectations weren’t met: - High rent, taxes and the expenses were too much to keep things going for 40% of interviewees - Landlord problems were as challenging to businesses as the cost of doing business. - In some cases, it was the number one reason that they had to close. Out of 22 people interviewed, 3 said they had flooding problems that their landlords knew of and would not fix. This impacted their businesses negatively, and in one case they had to close several times because of water leaking from the ceiling. - With landlords passing the costs of increased property taxes to their tenants, it is difficult to have a profitable business. There’s nothing left for the business owner. “They double rent and pass through property tax increases to the business owner” - Landlords can elect not to renew a lease and sell to bigger business. If they don’t want to help with improvements, they can just cut out the small business owner. There’s no protection. - Note- there were a few landlords mentioned in interviews that will not be mentioned in this report. However, it is important to realize that this is not one landlord but a pattern of commercial real estate owners that have control. - A few businesses were disappointed in lack of support for local small businesses in Boulder. - The City did not support mountain biking in the community. - The City assumed that businesses can afford to hire additional police on The Hill to stop transients and intoxicated college students from harassing their customers. - One business felt a lack of support from the City when a marijuana company moved in next to their shop. - Navigating how to start a business or finding the right resources within the City was a difficulty mentioned by several businesses that had opened within the last 5-7 years.  Finding space to lease or own and navigating zoning issues was a major challenge.  A few businesses mentioned that each time they tried to find an answer to a city policy they received a different answer with no soft pass off from one department to the next - Staffing issues and the inability to find quality employees was a challenge for about a third of the business owners. Employees from Boulder tended to be unreliable and uninterested in holding a job. There were a few businesses that said that this was a non-issue, but it was a more common theme to hear that it was difficult to find and keep staff. Appendix J: CRS Retailer Exit Interview Summary SBDC City Council Study Session Page 253 of 260 - There’s an arrogance issue in Boulder. “Boulder needs an attitude adjustment” stated a few business owners. - Some said that things have changed in Boulder, particularly those that had been in business for more than 20 years. - They felt that the City made it more difficult to do business than necessary being unsupportive and setting roadblocks. - They expressed that Boulder was not for the small business owner, that costs kept increasing, and there was concern that unless you were part of a large corporation or a chain, it was not sustainable to stay in Boulder any longer. - Many (but not all) of the business owners did not feel that the City cared when they closed their doors. - Some said they were simply “fed up” of the arrogance of the City. - Parking was not the reason for anyone shutting their doors but many businesses credited parking as an issue for their employees and patrons. One business owner specifically mentioned that there is no free handicap parking. Cities like Chicago provide this type of parking. - There were some business owners that struggled with finding property because the spaces available were mostly taken by marijuana business owners - Business owners on The Hill felt that there’s nothing that keeps people on The Hill. - Gunbarrel was a disappointment for the 3 businesses interviewed there which included a brewery, a restaurant and a retail shop. One business owner called it the “forgotten child”. Another business owner said it was like “Puerto Rico”. Each felt abandoned by the City. “You have to pay the price of living in Boulder but you’re not really part of the City.” What more could have been done to support your business when it was in Boulder? Most respondents didn’t have an answer for this question. They weren’t sure. Some said that there was nothing the City could do unless they could help lower taxes or limit what taxes could be put on someone leasing from a property owner. RECOMMENDATIONS FROM INTERVIEWEES During each interview, we asked if the participants had any suggestions that might help current and future business owners. These were some of their responses: - Help with licensing. Finding the right departments is hard to navigate if you haven’t opened a business before in Boulder. Appendix J: CRS Retailer Exit Interview Summary SBDC City Council Study Session Page 254 of 260 - If someone would help to find a property to buy that would be good. - City could have been more active in keeping businesses in Boulder. - A zoning advocate to help with information exchange would have been good. - Make sure that there is enough room in industrial zoning for other businesses besides marijuana. - It would have been nice to know of ways City could have supported the business. Didn’t know of resources. - Create a map of business types (office/industrial) to make it easier. It’s difficult when you get different answers each time you call. (This specifically referred to zoning and finding spaces to lease and/or own) QUOTES These were actual statements shared by the respondents during the interviews. - “You don’t have to be in Boulder anymore to be a successful business.” - “I’d rather have a crappy place in Boulder than a nice place in Gunbarrel” - “I’ve never worked so hard for so little money.” - “Support businesses rather than making it more difficult.” - “[A City Council Member] killed mountain biking in Boulder.” - “Don’t lose track that there are different kinds of businesses.” - “Boulder employees are BAD.” - “The Hill is gross.” - “Gunbarrel is the Puerto Rico of Boulder” - “There’s an arrogant attitude as if you should be grateful to be in Boulder and it permeates through City staff- as if you’re an annoyance.” - “Support local” - “It’s the City Approach vs City Policy” Appendix J: CRS Retailer Exit Interview Summary SBDC City Council Study Session Page 255 of 260 - “Boulder is still the most beautiful paradise. The mountains center me. But something is wrong. I’m not sure if the City of Boulder can fix it. Right now, locals shun the downtown. There’s an attitude adjustment that needs to take place.” - “I don’t think Boulder cares. People on the council have never owned a business and don’t understand.” - “Google raised taxes. I’m fed up. And I am considering leaving Boulder all together.” - “Longmont is responsive to business owners (more so than Boulder). They try and help. Boulder puts up walls. Though eventually things in Longmont will be more like Boulder.” - “What we need- pot growers have. Any facility that is open has jacked up prices.” - “Property management doesn’t care and there’s nothing you can do.” - “Basically, we all just grit our teeth and bare it and then go out of business.” - “If there’s anything that the City can do to incentivize landowners to keep small businesses alive, that would be great. Rents go up and it pushes up expenses each year and small business owners can’t keep up with big business, Landlords have no reason not to sign with a chain.” - “No one makes money in downtown Boulder” - “Boulder is going through something and has been. People walk downtown but don’t shop downtown.” - “Create a product mix for zoning. We don’t need another retail bank.” - “What did you expect when Google moved in? Everything changed.” - “Boulder has become a nexus for outliers.” - “Grow industrial opportunities and leave some room for different types of business besides marijuana” - “Even with good business, you don’t have anything left after you pay for employees, rent taxes etc.” - “It’s hard to know who to go to for different contractors for plumbing as an example. (Had to wait 2 weeks to get approval of contract.)” Appendix J: CRS Retailer Exit Interview Summary SBDC City Council Study Session Page 256 of 260 ACTIONS TO CONSIDER In the course of the interviews, some opportunities came up that the City may want to consider as potential actions to support businesses in the future. - The City could create some of the dynamics like Denver. Providing more space for pop ups and art districts, combining different businesses under one roof for energy and interest. This would attract more experiential shoppers and foodies to the area. - Help small businesses to understand how to navigate through departments in the City for zoning, policies and licensing- Perhaps partner with the SBDC for monthly workshops that are less labor intensive, scheduled with templated handouts or recorded. (webinars, video) - Revisit the zoning resources available to small business owners with updated zoning restrictions, including a user-friendly map. - Provide resource lists to businesses currently operating in Boulder so they understand all of the support channels the City has to offer. (SBDC, Chamber, Downtown Partnership, City Department list, etc.) - Create a video series that helps provide answers from business owners on a panel where they share their stories. (Possible business mentor program) - Help small businesses to purchase commercial property in Boulder. (Rent to own options or City supplemented programs) EXIT INTERVIEW RESPONSES Number of Businesses by Area: The Hill :3 Gunbarrel: 3 Pearl Street: 3 Community Plaza Shopping Center: 1 29th Street: 1 Village Boulder Shopping Center: 1 Sunrise Center: 1 Arapahoe Ave: 1 Frasier Meadows: 1 Crossroads East Shopping Center: 1 28th Street: 1 15th Street: 1 Lee Hill Road: 2 Type of Business: Restaurant: 7 Tap Room or Tasting Room: 3 Retail: 8 Restaurant/Retail: 2 Service: 2 Leased Business Space in Boulder When in Business: 22 Current Location: Own space outside of Boulder: 2 Lease space outside of Boulder: 7 Lease space in Boulder: 3 Closed: 8 Current Location: Own space outside of Boulder: 2 Lease space outside of Boulder: 7 Lease space in Boulder: 3 Closed: 8 Other: 2 - Sharing space with another business - Became a mobile business Years in Boulder: 1-5: 7 6-10: 3 11-20: 4 21 or more: 8 Appendix J: CRS Retailer Exit Interview Summary SBDC City Council Study Session Page 257 of 260 Downtown Boulder: 2 Other: 2 - Sharing space with another business - Became a mobile business Number of Employees: 1-29: 17 30-50: 4 50 plus: 1 Part of Franchise or Cooperative: 1 When your business closed its location in Boulder, did you relocate, sell or close your business: Relocated business to new location outside Boulder: 6 Relocated business to existing location outside Boulder: 4 Moved to a different location within Boulder: 3 Sold business: 0 Closed business: 7 Other: - Owner Passed Away - Became a Mobile Business Did you close all locations in Boulder: Yes: 18 No: 4 Number of locations: 1: 14 2-4: 7 5 or more: 1 Top reasons why business owners closed or moved from Boulder: Landlord Problems (Example, landlord won’t fix the roof and it floods your space so you have to close down): 1 Landlord wouldn’t renew lease: 18% 4 Landlord doubled rent: 1 Inability to find a location (zoning): 2 Just couldn’t keep it going (Not enough customers, low sales, high expenses): 41% 9 Boulder has changed: 1 Other: 18% - Changed direction of business and didn’t need the space - Owner past away - Bankrupt - Marijuana shop next door created bad environment for owner and customers Retiring: 2 Overall, how would you rate Boulder as a place to do business? Excellent: 3 Very Good: 0 Good: 3 Fair: 5 Would you say doing business in Boulder has become easier, more difficult, remained the same or unsure Much easier: 0 Somewhat easier: 0 Why? - The bureaucracy is bad. Eco cycle and energy efficiency policies. - Property taxes up 20% Appendix J: CRS Retailer Exit Interview Summary SBDC City Council Study Session Page 258 of 260 Poor: 4 [Not sure]: 4 About the same: 3 Somewhat more difficult: 3 Much more difficult: 7 Not Sure: 4 - It’s hard to figure everything out. Zoning, water, etc. - Rent and expenses of doing business In the two years or so before your business left Boulder, which of the following factors, if any, were significantly impacting your business’ ability to thrive? - 6 Local fees and taxes - 7 Lease rates for the space your business occupied - 3 Availability of suitable space for your business - 7 Cost of doing business (Utility costs, etc. - Please explain.) - 5 City policies and regulations (Any in particular?) Energy and recycling, hard to get permits - 5 Availability of parking for customers or employees (please explain) - 6 Ability to find and keep employees - 1 Competition from nearby communities - 2Competition from online sales - 1 Other The Hill- Lack of Support, Building policies- you can’t do what you want Lack of Sales Marijuana business next door Which of the following factors were ultimately the most significant in your decision to close your Boulder location? - 3 Local fees and taxes - 8 Lease rates for the space your business occupied - 1 Availability of suitable space for your business - Cost of doing business (Utility costs, etc. - Please explain.) - City policies and regulations (Any in particular?) - 2 Availability of parking for customers or employees (please explain) - 2 Ability to find and keep employees - It was a distraction from other businesses that were doing better - Bad landlord - Boulder doesn’t market The Hill. - Parking is rough for employees and they give a lot of tickets. Hard for employees that already don’t make much money. - Inability to get customers on West side of Pearl Over the next two to three years, where do you see your business going? Most businesses closed. Two businesses planned on staying and build their new business in their new location, two businesses planned to relocate from their current location, one business planned on growing multiple locations. No one that was interviewed was planning on selling their business. Over the next two to three years, where do you see your business going? - Most businesses closed. Appendix J: CRS Retailer Exit Interview Summary SBDC City Council Study Session Page 259 of 260 - Two businesses planned on staying and build their new business in their new location, - Two businesses planned to relocate from their current location - One business planned on growing multiple locations. - No one that was interviewed was planning on selling their business. Would you consider locating your business in Boulder in the future? - Yes- 10 - No-11 - Not sure-1 Appendix J: CRS Retailer Exit Interview Summary SBDC City Council Study Session Page 260 of 260