Item 5B - TVAP Phase 2 BVCP Land Use Map ChangesCITY OF BOULDER
PLANNING BOARD AGENDA ITEM
MEETING DATE: November 21, 2023
AGENDA TITLE
Public hearing and consideration of the following related to Boulder Junction Phase 2
Implementation:
1. Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP) Land Use Map Changes
REQUESTING DEPARTMENT / PRESENTERS
Planning & Development Services
Brad Mueller, Director
Kristofer Johnson, Comprehensive Planning Manager
Chris Ranglos, Senior City Planner
Rebecca Hieb, Planning and Zoning Specialist
Vivian Castro-Wooldridge, Community Engagement Planning Sr Project Manager
OBJECTIVE
1. Planning Board hears staff presentation
2. Hold Public Hearing
3. Planning Board action to approve or reject proposed changes to the BVCP
Land Use Map for the Phase 2 area of Boulder Junction.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this item is to consider updates to the Boulder Valley Comprehensive
Plan (BVCP) Land Use Map concurrent with the approved Phase 2 Amendment to the
Transit Village Area Plan (TVAP).
Item 5B - TVAP Phase 2 BVCP Land Use
Map Changes
On August 22, 2023, the Planning Board held a public hearing and moved to approve the
Transit Village Area Plan Phase 2 Amendment. On September 21, 2023, City Council
held a public hearing and moved to approve the TVAP Phase 2 amendment. As a
concurrent step, the BVCP Land Use Map is proposed to be updated to reflect the
approved land use changes in the TVAP Phase 2 amendment.
During the planning process, staff worked closely with the community at the Consult and
Involve levels, and with other city departments to analyze the existing 2007 Transit
Village Area Plan, learn more about the outcomes in Phase 1, and make
recommendations for necessary amendments to better meet current community needs.
The newly approved amendments to the area plan focus on land use, transportation
connections, and urban design and character of the Phase 2 area. Existing policies related
to the Phase 1 area remain. Based on a range of community and departmental input, the
TVAP Phase 2 land use amendments include:
• Revisions to the land uses to include Mixed Use Transit Oriented Development
(MUTOD), Mixed Use Industrial (MUI), Park, Urban & Other (PK-U/O), and
Open Space, Development Rights or Restrictions (OS-DR).
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Planning staff finds that the proposed land use map changes meet the criteria for land use
map changes in the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan. Therefore, staff recommends
Planning Board consideration of these matters and action in form of the following
motion:
Suggested Motion Language:
Motion to approve the proposed changes to the BVCP land use map for the Phase 2
Area of Boulder Junction.
BACKGROUND
Community feedback during the planning process clearly indicated support for allowing a
wider range of commercial uses, neighborhood services, and residential types. In
addition, market research identified a need for flexibility to support market demand for
residential uses and be nimble to respond to on-going changes as Boulder lives into the
post-COVID recovery.
Staff identified the following key takeaways from the community, Boards, and City
Council when developing the TVAP Phase 2 land use amendment:
1. Maximize opportunities for new housing and mixed-use outcomes by allowing
greater flexibility for many different types of uses and overall density.
2. Retain and encourage new local and small businesses (particularly light industrial
and service commercial uses where feasible).
3. Incorporate more green areas and gathering spaces.
Item 5B - TVAP Phase 2 BVCP Land Use
Map Changes
These comments were addressed in the TVAP Phase 2 land use amendment in the
following ways:
1. Mixed Use Transit Oriented Development (MUTOD) is a flexible BVCP land use
category and specifically intended for areas with multi-modal transit resources.
This land use category is applied to the majority of the Phase 2 area to transform
existing, disparate uses into mixed use, transit-oriented neighborhoods rich with
amenities and services. MUTOD encourages retail, food & beverage, personal
services, and other community serving uses, and also allows residential uses
where appropriate.
2. Mixed Use Industrial (MUI) also provides flexibility for residential uses, but
prioritizes other uses on the ground floor. This land use category is applied to the
area along Old Pearl Street where many light industrial and service uses currently
exist and are encouraged in the future. This land use type differs slightly from
MUTOD in that it encourages small maker spaces, workshops, breweries, and
other creative spaces and does not prioritize retail on the ground floor. It is also
not intended for larger industrial or warehousing uses that would be encouraged in
other Industrial land use categories.
3. Park, Urban & Other (PK-U/O) is applied along the Goose Creek greenway to
establish the intention for this area to be enhanced as a community amenity.
4. Open Space, Development Rights or Restrictions (OS-DR) is applied to a small
section along the Pearl Parkway right-of-way as a clean-up item to recognize an
existing scenic easement managed by the Open Space & Mountain Parks
department.
ANALYSIS OF KEY ISSUE(S)
Does Planning Board support changes to the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan
Land Use Map to align with the amended Transit Village Area Plan?
The BVCP Land Use Map depicts a plan of the desired land use pattern in the Boulder
Valley. The map is intended to serve as a guide for future land use and transportation
decisions and should be used in conjunction with the policies, figures, and principles of
the BVCP. Land use designations and land use map descriptions, which are outlined in
Chapter 4 of the BVCP, should also be used to guide future zoning decisions.
Figure 1 below represents the existing BVCP land uses in the Phase 2 area of Boulder
Junction. These uses include Light Industrial (LI), Community Industrial (CI), and Open
Space, Other (OS-O) designations. Figure 2 below represents the proposed BVCP Land
Use Map changes staff is proposing to align with the land use plan approved in the TVAP
Phase 2 Amendment. These uses include Mixed Use Transit Oriented Development
(MUTOD), Mixed Use Industrial (MUI), Park, Urban & Other (PK-U/O), and Open
Space, Development Rights or Restrictions (OS-DR).
Item 5B - TVAP Phase 2 BVCP Land Use
Map Changes
Figure 1: Existing BVCP Land Use
Item 5B - TVAP Phase 2 BVCP Land Use
Map Changes
Figure 2: Proposed BVCP Land Use
BVCP Land Use Map changes may occur at any time concurrent with adoption or
amendment of an area plan and require approval by both the Planning Board and City
Council. To be eligible for a Land Use Map change, the proposed change must meet the
following criteria:
a) On balance, is consistent with the policies and overall intent of the
comprehensive plan;
Item 5B - TVAP Phase 2 BVCP Land Use
Map Changes
The Transit Village Area Plan is intended to implement the policies of the Boulder
Valley Comprehensive Plan at the local level. The TVAP Phase 2 land use
amendment offers a myriad of opportunities to move BVCP policies towards action
and implementation. The proposed land use changes will enable the implementation
of the following key BVCP policies in Phase 2 of Boulder Junction:
• 2.16 Mixed Use & Higher-Density Development
• 2.21 Light Industrial Areas
• 2.33 Sensitive Infill & Redevelopment
• 5.01 Revitalizing Commercial & Industrial Areas
• 7.07 Mixture of Housing Types
• 7.11 Balancing Housing Supply with Employment Base
b) Would not have significant cross-jurisdictional impacts that may affect
residents, properties or facilities outside the city;
City staff have coordinated planning efforts with outside agencies. There are no
cross-jurisdictional impacts of the proposed land use map changes that cannot be
accommodated.
c) Would not materially affect the land use and growth projections that were the
basis of the comprehensive plan
The 2015 BVCP growth projections give a broad sense of the type, location and pace
of new housing that might occur communitywide based on the total amount allowed
by current zoning at the time (2015). The TVAP Phase 2 land use amendment
proposes changes to the previously assumed land uses and results in an increase in
housing units and population that is greater than the 2015 BVCP projections. This
overall growth does not materially affect the basis of the comprehensive plan as it is
consistent with BVCP policies and within the capacity of established or planned
municipal services and capital improvements as described below in item (d).
d) Does not materially affect the adequacy or availability of urban facilities and
services to the immediate area or to the overall service area of the City of
Boulder
Land use map changes are anticipated to result in gradual redevelopment of this area
over a 20-year horizon and will not materially affect the availability of urban facilities
or services. Redevelopment will be accommodated through increased revenue
associated with additional growth and development that will fund urban facilities and
services. For example, the existing utilities have capital and regulatory requirements
that must be satisfied prior to development.
Other urban services include:
• Parks and Recreation. With the land use changes and associated projections,
the parks and recreation levels of service will remain above the city’s
benchmark.
• Fire and Emergency Response. An increase in population in Boulder Junction
will lead to an increase in request for fire and emergency service. This will
require additional FTE staffing, equipment, and vehicles.
Item 5B - TVAP Phase 2 BVCP Land Use
Map Changes
• Police. An increase in population in Boulder Junction will lead to an increase
in request for police services. The police department anticipates a need for
additional officers to accommodate full build-out of the plan as well as
additional patrol cars.
• Schools. Local schools can currently absorb additional students from new
housing and Boulder High School is also positioned to absorb additional
students in the coming years, as enrollment numbers are trending down.
e) Would not materially affect the adopted Capital Improvement Program (CIP) of
the City of Boulder;
The proposed BVCP land use map changes implement the Transit Village Area Plan
and will result in rezoning and land use changes over time. Development will be
expected to pay its own way, however, future potential capital improvements that
would support the envisioned mixed-use neighborhoods in Boulder Junction may be
necessary and will be further analyzed in future implementation steps. The proposed
BVCP land use map changes would not materially affect the currently adopted CIP.
f) Would not affect the Area II/III boundaries in the comprehensive plan.
The proposed BVCP land use map changes would not affect the Area II/III
boundaries in the comprehensive plan. All proposed land use map changes are in
Area I.
It should be noted that approximately 7.71 acres of land designated as Open Space –
Other (OS-O) on the BVCP Land Use Map exists within the Phase 2 area of Boulder
Junction. OS-O is defined in the BVCP as:
1. Open Space, Other (OS-O) applies to other public and private land designated
prior to 1981 that the city and county would like to preserve through various
preservation methods, including but not limited to intergovernmental agreements,
dedications or acquisitions. By itself, this designation does not ensure open space
protection. When the mapping designation applies to some Area 1 linear features
such as water features or ditches, the intent is to interpret the map in such a way
that the designation follows the linear feature, OS-O may be applied to ditches;
however, the category should not be used to interfere with the operation of private
irrigation ditches without voluntary agreement by the ditch company
The existing OS-O land use designation near Boulder Left Hand Ditch/North Boulder
Farmer’s Ditch between the railroad tracks and Foothills Parkway north of Pearl Parkway
is believed to originally have been intended to help protect the Boulder Left Hand and
North Boulder Farmer’s ditches. These ditches and ditch companies’ interests are already
protected via existing easements. These ditches are concrete lined (a decision controlled
by the ditch companies). The areas adjacent to these ditches were permitted to be
developed and have been impacted by the allowed development to the point that they are
no longer of interest to Open Space preservation. Therefore, staff is proposing to remove
the existing 7.71-acre OS-O designation. In place of OS-O, staff is recommending
redesignation to Mixed Use Transit Oriented Development (MUTOD) and Mixed Use
Industrial (MUI), with a small portion along the Goose Creek Greenway changing to
Item 5B - TVAP Phase 2 BVCP Land Use
Map Changes
Parks, Urban and Other (PK-U/O). This redesignation better reflects the existing
conditions and future vision for the area as defined in the TVAP Phase 2 amendment.
The City Charter (Article XII, section 175) states that the Open Space Board of Trustees
(OSBT) “shall review the open space elements of the BVCP and make recommendations
concerning any open-space related changes to the plan.” On July 12, 2023, OSBT held a
public hearing and consideration of a motion to recommend approval of the removal of
the OS-O designation in the Phase 2 area, which received unanimous support from the
board.
Public Process
A notice of proposed changes was mailed to all property owners in Boulder Junction
Phase 2 whose property is considered for a BVCP Land Use Map change. Notices were
also mailed to all property owners whose property is located within 600 feet of a
proposed BVCP land use change. City staff received minimal inquiry from community
members related to this item. Those who did inquire asked general questions related to
process, current and future regulations, and next steps.
NEXT STEPS
Following the approval of the BVCP Land Use Map updates, there are a number of
significant projects requiring cross-department staff time and potential funding to
implement Phase 2 of the Transit Village Area Plan. Staff will establish an approach to
the regulatory, physical, and programmatic infrastructure required to ensure successful
redevelopment of Phase 2 in line with the amended Transit Village Area Plan. This will
begin with an exploration of expanding the Boulder Junction Form-Based Code and
General Improvement Districts (in current or revised form) to the Phase 2 area and
developing a strategy for phasing and funding of any necessary public improvements.
Approved By:
________________________
Brad Mueller, Director
Department of Planning & Development Services
Item 5B - TVAP Phase 2 BVCP Land Use
Map Changes