Town-gown relations are strong these days, and it hasn’t always been that way. So here’s hoping the city of Boulder and the University of Colorado soon can agree on a site plan and annexation agreement for all 308 acres that CU owns in Boulder County.
An annexation would enable the city to perform a $22 million-plus flood-mitigation project so that we never again see massive destruction such as that caused by the south Boulder flood in 2013.
That’s why Boulder city officials initiated talks recently with CU about annexation, seeking to mitigate the flood exposure of the South Boulder Creek. This land needs to be within city limits so that it’s not subject to Boulder County land-use regulations.
The land includes the former site of the Flatirons Cos. gravel pit. CU swept in and bought the land in 1996, engendering mistrust and suspicion between the Boulder City Council and CU’s Board of Regents.
Some residents and neighborhood groups may oppose the idea of full annexation, preferring that the city annex only the acreage it needs for flood mitigation. But that diverts us from the important issues, which will be the language of the annexation agreement and a completed site plan.
CU has not had to go through an annexation process before. Governmental immunity attaches only when the property is located within the city.
Full annexation is the preferred route, now that we’ve seen CH2M Hill’s South Boulder Creek Study, which provided the information needed to advance this annexation process.
First, the city of Boulder would benefit. It would work with CU to provide flood detention to downstream residents, as well as enhancing its habitat-protection goals with access to CU property next to the city-owned open space.
The city also could benefit if CU agrees to support Boulder’s affordable workforce housing goals by providing land for such buildings, and to avoid doing the unacceptable on the annexed land, such as adding a football stadium, Williams Village-type freshman towers or any connection built between Highway 93 and U.S. 36.
Boulder also could prevent incremental development of the property under the county land-use regulations by executing a full annexation, giving it more control about what gets built there through the agreement.
Second, the university can’t plan for the entire property if it is required to annex it in two or more parcels. CU needs to know that it can use portions of the property in order to meet its own needs. For example, CU may wish to give away portions of the 308 acres to meet community uses.
Concerned citizens can attend the upcoming public hearings to express their opinions about the annexation planning process. They also can contact the appropriate officials with their thoughts.
In the meantime, CU is in no rush to start any development on the proposed annexed land. For now, it has no immediate plans to develop the property. CU may want to complete five other projects in its pipeline first (Grandview Terrace; the Williams Village undeveloped land; CU East, across from Scott Carpenter Park; the research park; and ongoing improvements of the main campus).
The annexation process has begun with changes proposed for the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan. Next comes a four-body (Boulder City Council, Boulder County Commission, Boulder Planning Board and Boulder County Planning Commission) review of those changes.
Assuming they are approved, city officials would then begin work with CU on a comprehensive site plan and annexation agreement. Then the planning board would make a recommendation to the City Council, which would decide whether not to advance the annexation. (Citizens can lobby for certain restrictions or limits to development on the site as part of this process.) The completion goal is early 2018.
People must keep an open mind about how the property will move to annexation, and be willing to learn about the protections and benefits they will have after the process is completed. We don’t want to start another town-gown internecine war, which happened when the property was purchased.
All stakeholders — the city, county, nearby residents and CU — will have more of a voice at the table if all 308 acres, rather than only those needed for flood mitigation, are annexed at the same time.
In short, everyone’s interests would be better served by a full annexation and site plan that will protect the community’s interests today and for future generations.
Email: jimmartin@att.blackberry.net
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