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406 Pearl demolition DooleyFrom:gwen dooley To:Historic Preservation Subject:406 Pearl demolition Date:Monday, May 31, 2021 5:44:41 PM External Sender I have an abiding interest in this historic block: I own 438 Pearl and 1911 5th St., and I marshalled through the creation of the pocket park at 5th and Pearl as a Community Development Block Grant Committee member before I served on the city council, the Boulder Housing Authority, the Open Space Board of Trustees, and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. On the Parks Board, I helped Sheila Fortune with her community gardens and the approval of its fence by the Landmarks Board. The reason that Landmarks has received so little public input, is that the public hasn't known that all this was happening to what is acknowledged as a highly visible property. At the August 12, 2020 Landmarks hearing I attended via phone, I pointed out that no Public Notice had been posted on the property. When Fran Sheets and a male board member inquired about this fact, someone from the city attorney's office responded that the city manager had simply waived that requirement because of covid. Excuse me? This made no sense then or now. Posting a Public Notice outside on the fence posed no danger to anyone. Moreover, the Land Use Code requires that 2 notices be posted there: one facing Pearl and one facing 4th St. Two notices are now correctly posted, even though neither refers to the demolition the new owners are asking for. 'Alteration' does not convey the threat that 'demolition' does. Whereas I assume the city did put the required notice in the Camera, we all know only those in the know look at such notices. And most folks in Boulder do not even subscribe to the newspaper. The whole point of a Public Notice is to notify the public that something important is happening that they should know about. If the city manager did take it upon herself to deny the public this information, there had to be another reason other than covid for doing so. God knows what. Meanwhile everyone else seeking a city permit was being told to go on-line and print out their permit to post in a highly visible place for the public to see and read, e.g., the front window of the property. I believe there is a serious question to be asked here: Does the city manager even have the legal right to waive the city Land Use Code mandated posting of 2 Public Notices? I doubt it, but I'm checking now with a previous attorney in that office. The lack of a public response -- other than mine -- was a direct result of the lack of sufficient Public Notice. Apparently only property owners received any notice, which is discriminatory. All the people who use these 2 streets and their sidewalks were left in the dark. All the walkers and tourists going to Red Rocks, all the drivers who use the round-about, and most all of the neighbors. (In fact l just spoke with a young woman on 4th St. who was carrying groceries into her home. "Did you know that the little brick house across the street is slated to be demolished?" Her answer, a sad and surprisingly loud, "Oh, no!" I told her she should read one of the signs. In fact, Sheila Fortune who still owns and pays the city water bill for her property just to the south of 406 Pearl did not know about any of this until this past Saturday, when I informed her. Sheila received no notice in the mail for the August 12th hearing nor for this one on the 2nd. She plans to attend. In addition to informing her, I thought her foundation might be interested in purchasing the property if the new owners decide to unload it and build their dream house somewhere less problematic. ( As an aside I 'm sure they do not know about all the honking that takes place at the round-about because people don't know how to use it. My son at 438 Pearl hears it loud and clear -- frequently.) For all of the above reasons and reasoning, I respectfully ask the Landmarks Board to set aside all decisions regarding 406 Pearl until the public has been properly informed as the Land Use Code requires. To do otherwise does a disservice to our Boulder citizens who expect more from our local governmental officials than most communities do.