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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12.17.20 PB MinutesCITY OF BOULDER PLANNING BOARD ACTION MINUTES December 17, 2020 Virtual Meeting A permanent set of these minutes and a tape recording (maintained for a period of seven years) are retained in Central Records (telephone: 303-441-3043). Minutes and streaming audio are also available on the web at: http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/ PLANNING BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: David Ensign John Gerstle Lupita Montoya Lisa Smith Peter Vitale Harmon Zuckerman, Chair PLANNING BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Sarah Silver STAFF PRESENT: Charles Ferro, Development Review Manager Hella Pannewig, Assistant City Attorney Cindy Spence, Administrative Specialist III Jean Gatza, Meeting Moderator Karl Guiler, Senior Planner – Code Amendment Specialist Sarah Shaffer, Associate Planner Elaine McLaughlin, Senior Planner Adam Goldstone, Facilities Project Manager Holger Durre, Deputy Fire Chief 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair, H. Zuckerman, declared a quorum at 6:01 p.m. and the following business was conducted. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES On a motion by J. Gerstle and seconded by L. Smith the Planning Board voted 6-0 to approve the November 5, 2020 minutes as amended. On a motion by J. Gerstle and seconded by D. Ensign the Planning Board voted 6-0 to approve the November 19, 2020 minutes as amended. 3. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION a) Lynn Segal spoke regarding CU South. She spoke of her concerns that so many students are concentrated in the small town of Boulder and the city’s focus is the housing imbalance. She suggested the undergraduate students could be moved out of Boulder and repurposed to other CU facilities in Denver and Colorado Springs. b) Bia Campbell, who works for VS Strategies a cannabis farm and representing Stellas Lounge who is currently redeveloping the Walnut Brewery building at 1123 Walnut Street, said that she is hopeful that Boulder will begin to change the density requirements and zoning use for cannabis businesses. In addition, she wanted to have the board to being thinking about marijuana hospitality across the city and changes to Title 9. 4. DISCUSSION OF DISPOSITIONS, PLANNING BOARD CALL-UPS / CONTINUATIONS A. CALL UP ITEM: LAND USE REVIEW: 2230 20th Street; Mapleton Walsh PUD. Minor Site Review Amendment to permit a one-story 677 square foot addition to an existing single-family home within a two-lot Planned Unit Development from 1984 (PUD P-84-5). The decision may be called up before Planning Board on or before December 18, 2020. B. CALL UP ITEM: ALPINE TRAINING CENTER (LUR2020-00035): Use Review for a proposed athletic training facility that caters to athletes focused on skiing, climbing, and mountaineering located at 1840 Commerce Street, Unit G. Indoor recreational or athletic facility uses require a Use Review in the IG zoning district. The call-up period expires on December 28, 2020. None of the items were called up. 5. PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS A. AGENDA TITLE: Concept Plan Review for a new two-story fire station at 2751 30th Street. The first floor includes an apparatus bay with four drive through bays and associated support spaces along with Fire Administration offices and a public Community Room. The second floor is proposed to house the living spaces for firefighters, 12 bunk rooms, and a roof patio. The site includes secure parking for firefighters and public parking for Administration staff and public visitors. The site also includes the proposed Bluff Street Extension and rear public alley. Vehicular access to the site will be from the Bluff Street Extension. Fire apparatus will respond to calls from 30th Street. Reviewed under case LUR2020-00043. Staff Presentation: C. Ferro introduced the item. E. McLaughlin presented the item to the board. Board Questions: E. McLaughlin answered questions from the board. Applicant Presentation: A. Goldstone, City of Boulder’s Facilities Project Manager, and Will Bussard, with Davis Partnership, presented the item to the board. Board Questions: A. Goldstone, Will Bussard, and D. Holger, representing the applicant, answered questions from the board. Public Hearing: 1) Lynn Segal said that the project should be designed with COVID-19 in mind. She did not approve of the architecture. She would have preferred to see a fire station placed at the mountain backdrop rather than this location. Applicant Rebuttal: Will Bussard, representing the applicant, said the project had been designed following strict code, environmental, and air quality standards. D. Holger added that firefighter safety is always considered and they have not had any transmissions to date. Board Comments: Key Issue #1: Does the project, on balance, preliminarily meet the relevant policies of the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan? • The board agreed the project, on balance, met the relevant policies of the BVCP. • D. Ensign said, Policy 1.19 regarding public safety, is probably the most important Comp Plan policy that should be addressed, and a new location is needed since the Arapahoe station is in the flood zone. The proposed location would be a good site and a good match in zoning. He understood the concerns surrounding siren noise and said that mitigation would be nice. The phasing with street activation is a Comp Plan principle and should be thought about. Five years would be a reasonable amount of time. He said the path to north of the site might provide a safe alternative for bike and pedestrians. • J. Gerstle said that this was a nice proposal. He thought the proposed community room would be useful for the neighborhood at large. He was unclear regarding the design of Bluff Street. The appeared to be a “kink” in the road to the south before it continues west. He questioned if that would be a desirable street layout. • P. Vitale said the proposal by the applicant’s that siren noise would be mitigated by the sirens not being started until they were on the street and pointed in the direction of travel, he found that to be compatible. In addition, he said it would be nice to see development at location. • D. Holger spoke to the mitigation of the noise. He said the fire station at Darley and Broadway has a similar exit/entry system as the one proposed for this project. No active complaints have been received and sirens are not used if there is no need to clear traffic. • D. Ensign said the view of the Flatirons from this location will be amazing. He would like to see an opportunity to have more for firefighters and staff to face the view with the design. • H. Zuckerman agreed. The enhanced design is great. He suggested moving the hole in roof to southeast corner. Regarding safety, he said moving the equipment base to the north was a smart move. He said he was not concerned about the diminishment or relocation of parking. Key Issue #2: Is the proposed project preliminarily consistent with the Transit Village Area Plan and Guidelines? • The board found the project to be consistent with the TVAP. • D. Ensign had no concerns regarding the setback variances given the location. He said there would be space to work. The primary entrance located on the side to the south, he suggested making it more obvious with walkways and signage. He agreed with placing the parking in the back. • The board supported the staff’s analysis found in the packet. • H. Zuckerman agreed with D. Ensign regarding the entrance. He supported the idea that this fire station would be a relief to the density in the TVAP by allowing for transparency and having a community room. He would support the staff recommendations. • J. Gerstle said the project was an attractive design. All board members agreed. Motion: Since this is a Concept Review, no action is required on behalf of the Planning Board. 6. MATTERS FROM THE PLANNING BOARD, PLANNING DIRECTOR, AND CITY ATTORNEY A. AGENDA TITLE: Information Item: Parks & Rec Master Plan Update Board Comments: • No comments from the board. B. AGENDA TITLE: 2021 Letter to City Council Board Comments: • The board discussed and finalized the Planning Board’s 2021 letter to City Council. 7. DEBRIEF MEETING/CALENDAR CHECK 8. ADJOURNMENT The Planning Board adjourned the meeting at 9:56 p.m. APPROVED BY ______ Board Chair _____01/21/2021_______________ DATE