News and Insights

Together 4 Boulder Recommends Candidates Who Listen

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The 2017 Election of Boulder City Council members will happen on Tuesday, Nov. 7. The Council members are elected at-large, represent the entire city, serve for 2 or 4 years, and may serve 3 terms. This year’s roster includes 5 candidates endorsed by Together 4 Boulder (T4B).

T4B is a grassroots coalition of leaders from 20+ Boulder neighborhoods (including the East Boulder Leadership Committee) and environmental groups. T4B supports candidates committed to hearing community voices. The 5 City Council candidates T4B is endorsing this year are (alpha order): Cindy Carlisle, John Gerstele,
Mirabai Nagle, Sam Weaver, and Mary Young.

Candidate: CINDY CARLISLE

Cindy has been in public service since 1985 when she was first elected to Boulder City Council. She created the first Transportation Master Plan Committee, built early bike paths, helped develop the East Campus Research Park, and enacted the first “Bubble Zone” ordinance, which became a model for Denver and other cities.

She continued her community involvement in Costa Rica, as a Gates Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and in the Netherlands at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, and Boulder’s Campaign Finance Reform Initiative Organizing Committee. She was on the University of Colorado Board of Regents for 6 years, and since 2009, has been a board member and Officer of the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory.

Issues: Cindy’s top three issues are:

  • Affordability of Housing and Spaces for Small Business in Boulder to ensure economic diversity.
  • Public Engagement to ensure hearing all local voices.
  • Climate Change.

Candidate: JOHN GERSTELE

John is a life-long Boulder resident. He is an environmental and water engineer who owns and operates a small local business. He was a member and the chair of the Boulder Planning Board from 2014 to 2017 and a member and chair of the Boulder County Planning Commission from 2008 to 2013.

Issues:

  • Making community benefit a high priority in development.
  • Taking climate action to achieve the 2030 climate and emission goals, including municipalization.
  • Creating open, consistent, responsive City Government. He supports making it easier for resident voices to be heard.
  • Managing growth and sustainable land use: cooperation between City and County, sub-community input, improved public transit, and community-wide EcoPass.
  • Preserving existing and creating more affordable housing and commercial spaces.
  • Creating fiscal responsibility and economic resilience by preserving a strong capital reserve.

Candidate: MIRABAI NAGLE

Mirabai is a former resident of Thistle Affordable Housing, a current homeowner in Gunbarrel, a younger business owner, and a volunteer fire fighter. She sees local issues from several viewpoints and feels she can bring ideas that bridge many interests.

After graduating in business Administration from University of Colorado at Boulder, Mirabai worked at the Crocs corporate offices. She joined her family jewelry business in Boulder in 2011 and now owns one of their product lines.

Mirabai is a volunteer with the Sugar Loaf Fire Protection District. In 2014, she became a certified Emergency First and won “Fire Fighter of the Year.”

Issues:

  • Improving Public Process – A major component of Mirabai’s campaign. She would work on improving how and when the City incorporates public input to benefit the entire community.
  • Affordable Housing – Mirabai lived in Thistle Affordable Housing before buying a home with my husband and understands the issue first-hand.
  • Transportation –  Favors a regional approach that addresses transportation, housing, and jobs together. She supports providing shuttles to bus lines.
  • Energy and Climate Change – As a firefighter, she sees the effects of climate change directly and links solutions to building codes and transportation.
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Candidate: SAM WEAVER

Sam Weaver is President, CEO and a co-founder of Cool Energy, Inc., co-founder of  Colorado Photonics, and Co-founder and Board member of Proton Power, Inc.

He was a professional researcher in electrical engineering at CU-Boulder for 10 years. His 15-year involvement as a volunteer firefighter and his service on a County advisory committee brought him to City government. He has been on the Boards of the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association and the Colorado Clean Energy Development Authority.

Issues:

Sam brings environmental, technical, and business perspectives to governance in Boulder, focused on 3 vital areas:

  • Supporting a healthy environment for Boulder businesses.
  • Achieving aggressive carbon emissions reductions.
  • Creating a sustainable community for all people. He believes in balancing business, governance, regulation, and democracy.

Candidate: MARY YOUNG

Mary believes in putting community first and people above profit.

Her engineering career covered a range of assignments until 2008, when she entered the non-profit world. In 2012, she received a Rose Community Foundation fellowship to develop a transportation project that focused on the well-being of Latino elders.

Mary Chaired the City of Boulder Planning Board and was a member for nearly five years until her election to the Boulder City Council. She was Mayor Pro Tem from November 2015 through November 2016. She recently won the 2017 Multicultural Award for Government.

Issues:

  • Campaign Finance – Supports Boulder’s initiative to limit the influence of money in local politics and ensure that participation in the political process is affordable.
  • Energy – Supports continued exploration of a municipal utility.
  • Transportation and housing  – Supports City-wide EcoPass and bringing balance between Commercial development growth potential which currently outstrips residential development potential per current zoning.
  • Marijuana  – Supports creating effective and enforceable local laws.

To fully explore candidates’ backgrounds and stands on issues, check out their individual City Council election websites.

 

Eastpoint Project Offers More Transportation Options

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In any development, transportation solutions become a central part of the plan. This is especially true if the City has a transportation plan in place that the developers must consider.

Boulder City’s East Arapahoe Transportation Plan includes the section of Arapahoe Avenue next to the proposed Eastpoint development and Arapahoe Ridge. The Plan could potentially lead to protected bicycle lanes, exclusive bus lanes, regional Bus Rapid Transit service, and improved intersections along Arapahoe and Eisenhower.

To help fit this plan, Eastpoint Apartment developers included alternative transportation options in the project. These options will help reduce the need for people in the area to drive during peak hours. Options they included are biking, walking, and bussing.

Bike Transportation Options

Directing commuters to use biking options in the area could help reduce cars on Arapahoe. Each side of Arapahoe has a multi-use trail that connects with bike facilities, including the Foothills Parkway and Boulder Creek multi-use trails, and bicycle facilities along Folsom Street, 28th Street and 30th Street. This trail also connects with the bike lane on Arapahoe Avenue starting just east of 55th Street. The Eastpoint Project is also less than a quarter mile from a Boulder B-Cycle station on Arapahoe Avenue and 48th Street. The Boulder B-Cycle system has 40 stations throughout the City with over 300 bicycles.

Walk and Bus Transportation Options

Walk/Bus Options

It’s fairly easy and safe to get around on foot in the Arapahoe Ridge area. Residents of Eastpoint Apartments are within walking distance of Foothills Hospital, Eisenhower Elementary School and nearby retail and commercial points. Wide well-maintained sidewalks on both Arapahoe and Eisenhower plus crosswalks with signals make the area safer for pedestrians. The multi-use trails and sidewalks on Arapahoe and Eisenhower Drive offer pathways to bus lines on both Arapahoe and Eisenhower. The crosswalks with signals help provide safe access to bus stops and businesses on both sides of Arapahoe.

As part of the traffic management plan, the city is encouraging employers in the area  to be part of the solution to increased traffic. They are also encouraging Eastpoint Apartment developers to create their own traffic management strategies. Part of it is to provide an incentive to employees and clients to use alternative transportation instead of driving to their businesses or jobs alone in a car. Traffic solutions are always welcomed and supported by the local community. Watch for further developments with this housing project.

Total Rebuild for Arapahoe Ridge’s Eastpoint Apartment Complex

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The Arapahoe Ridge area will see big changes to the familiar Eastpoint complex at Arapahoe and Eisenhower in the near future. The buildings in the complex are about 43 years old—too outdated to refurbish. Developers plan to completely replace the complex with innovative buildings, underground parking, and more open green space. Construction should be finished by spring 2019.

Eastpoint Apartments

Buildings

The Eastpoint plan calls for a high density, multi-family residential complex of middle income housing. There will be 5 buildings instead of  the current 8. The new 3-story buildings will increase total apartments from 140 to 226. More affordable housing is a benefit to Boulder because it will allow more families to live in  Arapahoe Ridge. This is an area of Boulder where job opportunities are expanding.

The innovative, modern buildings all have flat roofs. About three-quarters of the roof surface will be covered with plants. The remaining quarter could be used for solar energy in the future.

Residents will enjoy a fitness center with a climbing wall, an indoor/outdoor pool, yoga room, and lounges. Add to that a dog park, and a network of bike- and pedestrian-friendly multi-use pathways.

Parking Underground Means More Open Space

Once rebuilt, Eastpoint will have about 30 percent more open space. This means about 6 acres on the 7-acre site will be open with no buildings.

Much of the gain in open space is because of the underground parking. All parking is under the buildings, except for 7 visitor spaces, which will greatly reduce the amount of paved areas. The underground garage has a large area for storing bikes. The top of the garage will be planted with a Zen Garden.

Open Space at Eastpoint
More Open Space in New Eastpoint Design

Underground parking is certainly more attractive, since it reduces paving and hides cars. However, the downside is that it allows has more parking spaces onsite. That will mean more cars and people on the road at Arapahoe and Eisenhower, especially during peak traffic times.

Modernization and a green plan for the Arapahoe Ridge Eastpoint Apartments will bring more affordable housing to the area. But that also means more people and cars on the move in a sensitive area. The next article talks a bit more about traffic management and transportation choices for this development.

Waterview Traffic on and off Arapahoe Avenue

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One of the big concerns that usually comes up for new building projects is what it will do to traffic. Zocalo’s Waterview project plans make cars less prominent on the site itself. But in spite of the best intentions of the plans, people in the area are concerned about how the project will affect traffic on Arapahoe Avenue. Will it cause more snarl-ups and delays during rush hour?

There will be 215 parking spaces in a parking building. Add another 180 parking spaces will be hidden inside or underneath various buildings. The picture shows where the parking spaces will be.

Parking and traffic at Waterview
Parking spaces at Waterview

The problem is that all those cars will all be going in and out of Waterview at the same point on Arapahoe. That means more cars involved in local traffic on that already congested Avenue.

According to Zacolo’s documents at the Boulder Planning and Development website, “During the morning peak-hour, . . , about 62 vehicles would enter and about 138 vehicles would exit the site. During the afternoon peak-hour, . . . , about 139 vehicles would enter and about 89 vehicles would exit the site.”

Zacolo figures that about 20% of traffic will be absorbed by bus, bike, and walking  options. The bus stops on Arapahoe Road are about 150 feet west and 0.15 miles east of the site. Both sides of Arapahoe Avenue have sidewalks and bike lanes. Waterview will have a path along the creek for walkers and bikers and an on-site bike share and car share station.

So, the hope is that the increase in traffic won’t be as big because more people will bus, bike, or walk instead of driving where they need to go.

Zocalo wants to help with Boulder City’s transportation and climate goals for East Arapahoe. Including transit options to people who live, shop, and work at Waterview could help meet those goals.

We don’t know yet what the overall effect will be on residents and businesses that are already in Arapahoe Ridge. We will keep you updated on how this project moves through the system.

New Arapahoe Building Project – Waterview

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A project that mixes living, shopping, and working could be built on the 5800 block of Arapahoe Avenue. Zocalo Community Development will work with Coburn Architecture and other local firms to build Waterview. The new site will have 10 three-story buildings on the 14.86-acre site. A potential issue is that there will only be one point for entering and exiting from Arapahoe Avenue. The question is if the new traffic will cause problems during rush hours. The picture shows where the enter/exit point will be on Arapahoe.

Overview of plan showing enter and exit point on Arapahoe
Waterview Project Plans showing enter/exit point

The living aspect at Waterview will have 60 studio apartments, 236 one-bedroom apartments, 32 two-bedroom apartments, and 12 two-bedroom townhomes. About 40% of the apartments will be affordable housing. The rest of the new buildings will be for offices and retail stores. Take a look at the picture to see where the residential, retail, and office spaces will be.

Living, Shopping, Working and Playing at Waterview

Zocalo wants to build a new neighborhood that will be friendly for bikers and walkers. The proposed site already has an open space, a creek, and a pond. Zocalo is planning to put in a path for walkers and bikers, and a golf course. They want to make Waterview an appealing eastern entrance into Boulder.

A central parking building will hold 215 parking spaces. The housing units will be built around the parking building so that it is hidden. There will be another 180 parking spaces outside the parking building in the retail and office areas. Those spaces will be mostly inside or underneath various buildings.

All those parking spaces means cars will show up to fill them. And that means more traffic on Arapahoe. The next article talks about how the new project might affect traffic.

This project is in review at the City of Boulder Planning and Development Services. Voice your support and/or concerns at the PLANNING BOARD PUBLIC HEARING Thursday, August 17, 2017 at 6 p.m. in City Council Chambers Municipal Building, 1777 Broadway (corner of Broadway & Canyon).

Boulder News: Arapahoe Ridge ‘Rock’ Park Renovation

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A renovation effort put forth by the Parks and Recreation Department began on May 1st of this year ‘Rock’ Park in Arapahoe Ridge.  The aim of this renovation is to improve the park as a whole by installing new infrastructure and upgrading playground equipment to meet current standards.  The project has just begun, but is scheduled to be completed by the fall of this year.

The first step in this renovation project is the removal and pruning of trees in the park and by public streets.  By removing any potential obstructions beforehand, the installation of new infrastructure is expected to go much smoother.  This also keeps the park from being closed at a later date, and is most cost effective.

Along with pruning for tree health, one notable tree in Arapahoe Ridge will be removed.  An Ash tree has become infested with Emerald Ash Borer, and will be removed to keep the infestation from spreading.

The park itself is not going to be closed off to the public during the renovation period, however.  The city has stated that they will make an effort to keep their impact low, although the public should be aware that some amenities may not be available during certain periods of the renovation.

The local community was integral in the planning phase of this renovation, with feedback on the rock structure itself being very strong.  With that in mind, the Parks Department moved forward with a plan that would have the least impact on the structure as possible.  The plan states that they will install a support to ensure the main cave area remain structurally sound over time, install a rubber surface to replace the pea gravel, and secure the boulders on the main structure through re-grouting.

Once complete, ‘Rock’ Park will be home to a brand new playground meant to highlight the rock structure the park is known for.  The Parks Department is also planning on hosting a celebration event for the completion of the project when that time arrives.  Further updates on the project can be found on the Arapahoe Ridge Park page on the city’s website.

Denver News: Clear Creek Crossing Development

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Ever since 2011, there has been an 80-acre site in Wheat Ridge that has gone unused.  It was originally to be the home of a 185,000 square foot Cabela’s store and showroom, but the retailer backed out of their decision to go forward building on that space.  For five years the land went unused until it was picked up by a Phoenix based real estate group called Evergreen Devco who are very excited about contributing to the area.

“It’s very well-located real estate being at the intersection of the two highways, and we love the visibility and access.  It’s an important piece of property for the city, and we want it to be sustainable for the community long-term,” said Evergreen’s Tyler Carlson.

Evergreen held a community meeting at the end of 2016 where they announced their tentative plans for the space, which was to be used for residential units, an office complex, and a Super Walmart.  Since then, Evergreen and the city have shared that Walmart may no longer be part of the plan.

Wheatridge’s city manager Goff said that “the biggest (change) is that Walmart is uncertain about whether they will be apart of the development now.  It’s just part of the current retail market.  The internet is taking over. Amazon is taking over.”  With that in mind, the city is looking for alternatives in case Walmart doesn’t come through.

Another change is in the amount of space intended for office and housing space.  Originally, 10 acres were to be used for housing and 30 for offices.  However, the revised plan now has 15 acres for housing and 25 for an office complex owned by a Denver area employer.

Construction is set to begin in the fall of this year, starting with “hook ramps” being built onto I-70, with buildings going up in 2018.  All that’s left is for the new plan to be approved by City Council and the city’s planning commission.

“It’s really not changing all that much from what we thought it was going to look like,” Goff said. “We’re excited it’s getting much closer to the finish line than it has been in a long time.”

Upcoming Events in June

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As this year’s kickoff to the 60th annual Colorado Shakespeare Festival, CU Boulder is putting on a performance of “The Taming of the Shrew”.  Opening on the 11th, this classic comedy takes place in New York during the 1940’s, following Kate, a world war 2 pilot just returned home.  She’s paired up with Petrucio, but the two end up in a hilarious battle of wits and night time dancing that eventually leads to a deeper understanding of each other.  Tickets for these events are on sale for $20, and patrons are also able to pre-order dinner to enjoy during the show from Boulder’s Savory Cuisines.

All month long, the Tebo Train is running down Pearl Street Mall.  Monday through Thursday, kids 10 and under, along with their parents, can enjoy a comfortable ride through the outdoor mall in a miniature train right out of a picture book.  The train is already making rounds, and is scheduled to go all the way through August, so there’s plenty of time to make it down and catch a ride.  The train departs and arrives right in front of Wells Fargo Bank.  Make sure to get there on time, as the last train of each day departs at 11:15AM.

The 14th of this month will be the second week of the annual Band on the Bricks in downtown Boulder.  This 10 week long outdoor concert event is a special tradition that few places besides Boulder can claim to have.  The variety of music is wide, and gives the public a great taste of what the local musicians have to offer.  Plus, local breweries also come out to contribute to the beer, wine, and margarita garden that opens at 5:30.  This year marks the 20th anniversary of the event, with the final day landing on the 40th anniversary of the Pearl Street Mall, so the lineup is poised to be one of the best.  Everyone’s free to attend and enjoy the music, but of course drinks and food will be charged.

Neighborhood Spotlight: Mapleton Hill

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Just north of downtown Boulder, Mapleton Hill is a haven for all types of families.  The architecture of the homes in this neighborhood alone can range from ones built in the early 1900’s, to the most modern designs, but are all tied together by the gorgeous tree lined streets.  The incredible views that made this neighborhood desirable 100 years ago remain, but with so much more added during that time.

Getting Around

Transportation

Mapleton Hills is ideal for the family who enjoys getting out.  With Pearl Street mall well within a comfortable walking distance, there’s hardly a need to drive to enjoy a day out.  Plus the bus line on Broadway couldn’t be more convenient.  Located so close to the bus station itself, just about every major bus line can be accessed right from the nearby road.  Of course Broadway is a great asset to drivers as well.  Whether the destination is close by or far off, being able to get onto a road like Broadway is invaluable to saving time.

Biking

The roads and sidewalks on Mapleton Hill almost seem to have been designed as much for bikers as automobiles.  The wide roads are quiet, flat, and made to be as safe as possible for everyone using the road.  It would take no time at all to ride out to the Boulder Creek Trail, or head up Boulder Canyon for a full day of riding in the beautiful mountains.  That’s not even mentioning all the trails and paths to explore up Sunshine Canyon.  There’s truly no shortage of variety for an active biker to enjoy.

 

Neighborhood Amenities

The largest, as well as most varied, amenity Mapleton Hills has at its fingertips is the Pearl Street mall.  This outdoor shopping utopia is brimming with shops, restaurants, and entertainment both local and regional.  It can be the perfect place to take the kids out for the day and have some ice cream, or go out for a more upscale dinner for a special occasion.  Most summer afternoons and evenings even have local street performers that put on fun and exciting shows for people of all ages to enjoy.  Walking a little further south is the main branch of the public library right beside Boulder creek as a picturesque area for reading to the quiet sounds of the water.  And, just a few blocks North, is the community shopping plaza to turn a day of errands into one easy trip.

 

Mapleton Hill in a Nutshel

The feel of Mapleton Hills is that of a secluded neighborhood in a small town, while at the same time being just a few blocks away from the heart of Boulder.  The homes have stood the test of time, as has the desirability of the location.  The views alone made it a much sought after neighborhood 100 years ago, but now it can offer so much more than that.  Between Pearl Street mall, and all the amenities in contains, and all the adventures waiting for be taken in the mountains, Mapleton Hills is a perfect fit for any family who loves what Boulder is.

Boulder News: Boulder Plot Approved for Development

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During the last 20 years there have been four separate proposals for development at the 20 acre space at McKenzie Junction.  This plot, surrounded by highway, first had an office and hotel project in 1998, a five building office park in 2000, and two separate multi-use plans in 2006 and 2015.  None were approved due to concerns about noise and the dangers of people settling in a space cut off by highways on all sides.

In April, a plan was approved by the Boulder Planning Board.  The same team who made the most recent proposal in 2015 came back with a new multi-use plan.

Called Diagonal Crossing, this plan will consist of 357 housing units, a quarter of which will be affordable housing, with 20 units given to faculty of Naropa University.  Additionally, three local nonprofits, Meals on Wheels, Studio Arts Boulder and Bridge House’s Ready to Work, have dedicated space allocated to them.

While the Planning Board has given its blessing, the city council must now approve to proceed.  During the next few weeks the council will have the opportunity to examine the proposal, ask questions, and possibly reject the project because previous concerns including, traffic, noise, are still factors.

The Planning Board raised these concerns when reviewing the project as well, but eagerness to develop the site seems to have increased over the last two decades.  “While this is not a perfect site, it’s not the worst site either,” Chairman John Putnam said.  He added that the access to trails, open space, and access to east Boulder and the Diagonal Highway could be very enticing.

Approximately 10 neighboring areas of the site came to the board with concerns and complaints about the development including Allison Management, Trammell Crow Residential, and Coburn Partners.  “It just doesn’t seem like a nice entrance into our Boulder town,” Gary Carmichael stated. “There’s just too much density on this, and it needs to be lightened up.”

One board member, David Ensign, also shared concerns about the project being the first thing people see coming into Boulder.  “We can talk a lot about the positive aspects of this, but I also know that as you’re driving in on the Diagonal, you’re going to see this very isolated pool of housing surrounded by these highways.  It doesn’t seem like something that is a gateway to me.”

“We have horses, cattle, dogs, kids,” Erin Harding said. “To hear that it’s going to be an active area 24/7 is very disconcerting to us, because that’s not our lifestyle out there. … The density is everyone’s huge concern.”  Many also noted that McKenzie Junction already suffers from traffic problems that this development would only exacerbate.

When the plan was proposed in 2015, many of the council members made it clear that the location rather than the plan was what made them believe the project wouldn’t work.  What might give this plan more of a chance than it had two years ago, according to board members, is the decrease in available housing.