Zoning for Affordable Housing HAB 3.22.2023.kg_sw editsZoning for
Affordable Housing
Housing Advisory Board (HAB)
March 22, 2023
Purpose
HAB discussion and feedback
on Zoning for Affordable
Housing Project
Planning & Development Services | Zoning for Affordable Housing
Part 1: Background
Part 2: Residential Density
Part 3:Potential Options
Part 4:Community Engagement /
Board Feedback
Part 5:Next Steps
Part 6:Deliberation
Questions for HAB
1. Does HAB have any comments or questions related to how
residential density is calculated in Boulder?
2. Which potential options should be the focus of any further
analysis, outreach, and ultimately ordinance development?
Background
Problem Statement
Housing in Boulder is increasingly more costly to rent or own making it ever more
challenging for some to afford to live or stay in Boulder. Occupancy limitations
and other zoning regulations may make such challenges more pronounced.
Terrain.org boulderhousing.org Bouldercolorado.gov
City Council Direction
Objective / Purpose (2022 Retreat):
Evaluate the land use code with the intent of removing zoning barriers to more
affordable units and smaller, modest-sized units.
Goals of Project
Review & identify areas where zoning may discourage affordable or modest
sized dwelling units, including intensity standards & parking requirements
Prepare options that would remove zoning barriers with a focus on areas that
are not typically diverse, areas where additional / denser housing is
anticipated
Vet options with the community to inform proposed changes
Prepare code amendments that provide opportunities to obtain more desired
housing
What is affordable housing?
•Permanently Affordable Housing:Deed restricted for
affordability in perpetuity (rental and ownership). ) Produced
through Inclusionary Housing (IH), city funding, or housing
partners –or some combination of all three
•Affordable (“Attainable”) Housing: Households pay no
more than 28-30% of income on housing
•Market Rate Modest Sized Housing: Market rate units that
are comparatively more affordable compared to other larger
market rate units, which often result from density and floor area
limitations that encourage larger floor plate units
Apartments.com
Thistle.us
Housing Outcomes
•Allowing more housing in areas by relaxing some density limits would:
o encourage the provision of more, modest sized and priced market rate units; and
o increase the amount of permanently affordable housing through Inclusionary
Housing
↑Attainable
Housing ↑cash-in-lieu
or units
produced
through IH
↑Affordable
Housing city
wide
Proposition 123
•Colorado ballot initiative passed in Nov. 2022
•Created the State Affordable Housing Fund / dedicates state income tax revenue
(roughly $290M/year) to fund housing programs with:
Grant programs to local governments and loans to nonprofit
Affordable housing equity program
Programs on concessionary debt affordable home ownership, and
Rental assistance, housing vouchers, and other case management for persons
experiencing homelessness.
•CMO and HHS coordinating on how to best implement
Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP)
Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP)
Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP)
Relevant Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP) policies:
1.11 Jobs: Housing Balance
2.10 Preservation & Support for Residential Neighborhoods
7.01 Local Solutions to Affordable Housing
7.06 Mixture of Housing Types
7.08 Preserve Existing Housing Stock
7.10 Housing for a Full Range of Households
7.11 Balancing Housing Supply with Employment Base
7.12 Permanently Affordable Housing for Additional Intensity
10.02 Community Engagement
Residential Density
(dwelling units per acre)
BVCP Land Use
Designations
Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP)
Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP)
How does Boulder regulate density?
•RR, RE and RL-1 zone only permit one detached unit per lot
•RR –30,000 sf min. lot size
•RE –15,000 sf min. lot size
•RL-1 –7,000 sf min. lot size
•RL-2 –6,000 sf min. amount of open space / unit
See Table 1 of memo for all residential zones
Very Low Density Residential [RR zones]= Less than 2 du/acre
Low Density Residential [RE, RMX, RL zones]= 2 -6 du/acre
Medium Density Residential [RM, RMX zones]=6 -14 du/acre
High Density Residential [RH zones] =More than 14 du/acre
How does Boulder
regulate density?
•No density cap in BVCP for some high
density residential, mixed-use, business,
industrial zones
•Some zoning districts have no density limit
•Zones like BR, BC, MU and I zones allow
medium to higher density residential
•These zones typ. located in the Boulder
Valley Regional Center & neighborhood
centers
•additional housing and mixed-use are
planned for and anticipated
How does Boulder regulate density?
Density vs. Intensity
City regulates amount of development by
using different density & intensity limitations.
Some zones use just density, others use
intensity, and some use both
Density is number of dwelling units permitted on a
property. Must be consistent with BVCP & zoning
districts
–Dwelling units per acre
Intensity is how much floor area can be built on a
property
–Floor Area Ratio (FAR) / Open space / Parking
/ Height limits / Setbacks
How does Boulder regulate density?
Density vs. Intensity –A Diagonal Plaza Example (5.45 acres)
Zoning District Density Limit Density# of units # of IH units Intensity Limit (FAR?)
BC-1 1,200 sf of
open space
per unit
22 du/ac 120 units(1)30 units Not applicable.
No FAR limit.
BR-1 1,600 sf of lot
area per
dwelling unit
27 du/ac 148 units 37 units 2.0 FAR limit (Can be
increased up to 3.0 FAR
with Community Benefit)
BC-1 with Special
Ordinance /
Diagonal Plaza
15% open
space
requirement
on site
52 du/ac 282 units 70 units Not applicable.
No FAR limit. Diagonal
Plaza was built to a
1.77 FAR.
Example Change No Density
Limit
No Density
Limit
--1.0 –1.5 FAR could be
applied. Open space
based on height.
(1)Approximation based on typical design provisions of open space in a project with the BC-1 requirement.
Comments or questions related to how
residential density is calculated?
Potential Options
Summary of potential options
(A)Density Adjustments
Revise Density Calculation in BR-1, RH -5, BC-1, BC-2, IG, or IM
Set Floor Area Ratio (FAR) limit
(B)Housing Type Allowance
Allow duplexes or attached housing types by-right in RL, RR, RE zones
Permit more than one principal building per lot
(C)Parking Modifications
Revise parking calculations for projects with mostly 1-bed units or reduce parking requirements for permanently affordable projects
Allow some residential parking reductions without Site Review
Density AdjustmentsOption # Option Description Staff
recommendation on
moving forward as
part of this project?
A-1 Revise density calculation (1,600 sf of area per dwelling unit) for
one or more of the following zones and set a floor area ratio
(FAR) limit: BR-1, RH-5, BC -2, IG or IM. Add a Floor Area
Ratio (FAR) maximum to regulate intensity.(1)
Yes.
A-2 Revise density calculation for BC-1 zone (1,200 sf of open space
per dwelling unit), set a floor area ratio (FAR) limit. Add a Floor
Area Ratio (FAR) maximum to regulate intensity.(1)
Yes.
Housing TypesOption # Option Description Staff
recommendation on
moving forward as
part of this project?
B-1 Allow duplexes or attached housing types by-right in RL, RR and
RE zones in Use Table with no change to density and amendment
to 9-9-2(b) allowing more than one principal building per lot.
No. There would be
little value in this
change as not many
units could be added.
More appropriate to
handle this as part of
a future project that
involves BVCP land
use changes and
subsequent rezonings
if supported by
community.
B-2 Conditionally allow duplexes or attached housing types in RL,
RR and RE zones in Use Table with no change to density and
amendment to 9-9-2(b) allowing more than one principal building
per lot.
No. Same as above.
B-3 Eliminate Use Review requirement for efficiency living units
(ELUs: units that are 475 sf or smaller). Current requirement is >
40% requires Use Review.
Yes.
Parking ChangesOption # Option Description Staff
recommendation on
moving forward as
part of this project?
C-1 Revise the current parking requirement of 1.25 parking spaces for
one-bedroom units to 1 per unit in projects with more than 60%
one-bedrooms.
Yes.
C-2 Lower parking requirements for affordable units or projects. No. This should be
done as part of a
more holistic parking
analysis to ensure no
impacts to
neighborhoods or
businesses by
reducing parking
requirements.
C-3 Allow Residential Parking Reductions up to 25% through an
Administrative Review (Staff level) process. Currently all
residential parking reductions require Site Review.
Yes.
Community
Engagement &
Board Feedback
Community Engagement
Planning & Development Services (P&DS) Newsletter & City Website
Conversations with interest persons and groups/neighborhoods
Feb. 22nd outreach event on housing related code changes with housing advocacy
groups & neighborhood representatives
Engagement will center on the option or options that City Council selects
Open houses & office hours to be scheduled in coming week/months
Community Engagement
Viewpoints in favor of increasing housing opportunities:
Adding more, modest sized housing will increase housing opportunities that is more suited
towards those struggling to find housing or struggling to stay in Boulder
Consistent with the city’s Housing and Racial Equity goals
Viewpoints in opposed to or cautious of increasing housing opportunities :
Increasing housing supply alone will not make a difference or move the needle on affordable
housing. Demand is so high that adding housing will only add more expensive housing
Boulder should significantly increase in lieu fees, commercial linkage fees and/or control
rental prices to obtain more deed restricting affordable units
Opposition and concern in some single-family neighborhoods about potentially increasing
density or allowing more housing types
Next Steps &
Engagement Opportunities
Housing Advisory Board update March 22, 2023
City Council study session March 23, 2023
Analysis and Outreach, Offices Hours Q2/Q3 2023
Planning Board update April 18, 2023
Ordinance development Q2/Q3 2023
Matters check-in at City Council June 15, 2023
Planning Board recommendation on ordinance August 2023
City Council decision on ordinance September 2023
Which potential options should be the focus of
any further analysis, outreach and ultimately
ordinance development?
Questions for HAB
1. Does HAB have any comments or questions related to how
residential density is calculated in Boulder?
2. Which potential options should be the focus of any further
analysis, outreach, and ultimately ordinance development?
FAR Examples
FAR Examples
FAR Examples
Density & Building Typologies
Source: League of California Cities
Visualizing Density
Source: League of California Cities