HomeMy WebLinkAbout10.20.25 All CV Commissions Presentation 3Boulder Valley Comprehensive
Plan Update
Joint Summit of District
Commissions
Oct 20, 2025
Purpose
2
•To provide an overview of the Boulder Valley
Comprehensive Plan major
update process
•To share staff approach to policy
and land use updates
•To get feedback on policy direction and
potential policy changes to consider for the
update
Role of Boards/Commissions
3
•Advisory
-Boards and commissions are advisory
to the update process
•Policy Direction
-Assist staff in identifying and shaping any changes to
relevant policies
•Recommendation
-Encouraged to offer recommendation of support to
Planning Board and City Council during adoption
process
Adoption
- City Council
- Planning Board
- County Planning
Commission
- Board of County
Commissioners
Key Questions
4
1)What considerations should we be thinking about to maintain district vibrancy and economic
resilience in light of changing retail and office dynamics?
2)The BVCP team is considering input from the community and City Council for policy that
enhances a night life economy, 15-minute neighborhoods, local businesses, and commercial area
vibrancy. What are the most important needs (infrastructure, land use, policy, or regulatory
changes) that would improve these categories for your districts?
3)What challenges and opportunities should the BVCP consider for access to commercial areas to
further reduce single-occupancy vehicle trips and to improve the connection between districts
across the city?
5
Boulder Valley
Comprehensive Plan
What is a Comprehensive Plan?
6
An aspirational plan that:
•Describes a community’s long-term vision and goals
•Establishes policies to address community needs and manage change
Planning Areas
7
Area I – City of Boulder
Area II – County areas serviced by
the city where annexation may
be considered
Area III, Rural Preservation
Area III, Planning Reserve
Planning
Framework
What things get
built How things
get built
How we plan
to spend
money
What actions
are we taking in
the next
3-5 years
Our 20-year
Vision
8
2024
•Oct-Dec – Current Conditions
2025
•Jan-Apr – Vision & Values
•May -June – Concepts for Change
•July-Sep – Preliminary Analysis
•Oct-Dec –Preferred Alternative
2026
•Jan-Mar – Draft Plan
•Apr-May – Final Plan
•June-July – ADOPTION
Update Process & Schedule
Community Engagement
5000+
responses
45 engagement opportunities
8 partner agency conversations
6 community led conversations
7 community assembly meetings
Draft Vision & Goals
11
Our community works
together to ensure
everyone belongs, to
create opportunities for
all and to sustain the
health of the Boulder
Valley for future
generations.
Areas of Focus
Travel Options
(transit, bike, pedestrian,
vehicle, etc.)
Safety
(public safety, bike/ped
safety, etc.)Climate Action
(climate mitigation,
adaptation, disaster
response)
Housing Choice
& Opportunity
(housing types and locations)
Inclusive Local
Economy
(small local business,
entrepreneurs, etc.)
Multigenerational
Multicultural
Community
(opportunities for all,
Boulder’s cultures, etc.)
Food Systems
(healthy food access, local
agriculture, etc.)
12
Policy Goals
13
•Significantly reduce number
of policies
•Identify set of unique policies
•Limit policies to those applicable
to Boulder Valley
•Reflect community feedback while
reinforcing core values
•Written for clarity
Approach to Policy Updates
14
Clear: Limit redundancy, conflicts, and complexity
Simple: Make the plan easier to read and more
understandable for all users (community members,
development industry, staff, and policy makers)
Resilient: Keep the policies at the appropriate level of detail
to guide decisions without limiting options as conditions
change
Land Use Goals
15
•Re -set expectations of map as describing the future
of the community
•Build in resiliency to deliver desired outcomes in
changing conditions
•Deliver equitable opportunities
and outcomes
•Integrate climate strategies into
land use plan
•Strengthen relationship between land use
and mobility planning
New Option for Land Use
16
Plan for PLACES Mix multiple USES Create more CHOICES
Upcoming Milestones
2025
•Nov 14: Council IP Memo – Engagement Summary
•Dec 11: Planning Board/City Council Joint Meeting -
Recommendations on policy and land use changes
2026
•Jan: Community Change Request Review Process
& Community Needs Assessment
•Mar: Release Public Draft Plan
•May : Final Draft Plan Released
•Jun/Jul: Final Plan & Land Use Map Adoption Process
17
Visit aboulderfuture.org!
•View the current conditions snapshots on A
Boulder Today
•View what we heard and the vision and goals on
A Boulder Tomorrow
•Learn more about future community events
•Read the FAQs about the Plan
•Sign up for the newsletter
•Send staff a comment through the form or via
email (future@bouldercolorado.gov)
18
District Commissions Discussion
19
Key Questions
20
1)What considerations should we be thinking about to maintain district vibrancy and economic
resilience in light of changing retail and office dynamics?
2)The BVCP team is considering input from the community and City Council for policy that
enhances a night life economy, 15-minute neighborhoods, local businesses, and commercial area
vibrancy. What are the most important needs (infrastructure, land use, policy, or regulatory
changes) that would improve these categories for your districts?
3)What challenges and opportunities should the BVCP consider for access to commercial areas to
further reduce single-occupancy vehicle trips and to improve the connection between districts
across the city?