BOULDER, Colo — The Boulder City Council will have an initial vote Tuesday night on a city ordinance to limit the height of buildings in certain areas of the city .
During a city-wide debate over intelligent growth and development, this height-limit proposal will be discussed earlier than scheduled, but a final decision will not be made yet, according to the Daily Camera.
“The idea is that we would limit the application for height variances to areas of town where there’s a real clear community vision around that topic,” Councilwoman Suzanne Jones said. “In those areas, automatically developers can feel free to come forward with proposals. In areas of town where there’s not clarity and, as a matter of fact, a lot of concern, we wouldn’t be accepting that discussion.”
Since 1971, developers have been able to apply for approval for up to 55 feet (about four stories) in all districts, the Daily Camera reported.
If this ordinance is passed, the city will not view applications from developers that plan for buildings exceeding the height limit of the respective zoning district, the newspaper said.
There will still be tall buildings allowed in certain areas, such as downtown Boulder and the University Hill commercial district.
Additionally, an exception to the height-limit would be any projects where at least half the building would be dedicated to permanently affordable housing.
This is a current issue that has drawn the City Council’s attention before, because approximately 60,000 people commute to work in Boulder, and many can’t afford to live there, according to the Daily Camera.
“The idea that supply is going to affect affordability in Boulder, I think, is misguided,” Councilman Sam Weaver said. “We are going to be difficult to afford for a long time, so we’re going to have to keep focused on affordable housing programs for both middle income folks and the lower class.”
If the Boulder city council ultimately supports the new height-limit decision, these rules will remain in effect until April 2017.