County discusses budget; petitions for Boulder Airport withdrawn

Boulder City Council

On 5 September, the Council will:

• Hold a public hearing on the redevelopment of 2206 Pearl St. into a mixed-use “micro-apartment” community.

  The development would include just over 2,000 square feet of commercial space and 45 “efficiency housing units” of 300 square feet each. The proposed development would also include 18 parking garage spaces, 60% less than required, but would include a subsidized car-sharing vehicle, a transportation fund for residents without vehicles, bus passes for employees and residents, and new sidewalks at 22nd and Pearl streets, the application states.

  At a Planning Board meeting in April, some committee members expressed support for the project and its potential to promote sustainable, car-free living. Others raised concerns about affordability. Jorge Boone noted that the development does not alleviate the need for affordable housing in Boulder and expressed concerns that many of the units could be rented by wealthy individuals with a separate primary residence.

• Get updates on the Rocky Flats Stewardship Council, a regional group formed in 2006 to focus on the “post-closure care and stewardship” of the former nuclear weapons facility. The group is comprised of elected representatives from 10 county and municipal governments, three community organizations, and an individual community representative.

• Hold a final vote on the contents of the ballot for the Nov. 5 election, including rules for board and commission members, pay raises for the council and mayor, and the council’s authority to hold board meetings. Two citizen petitions related to the airport’s closure and redevelopment have been withdrawn from the ballot, organizers announced this week.

Boulder County Commissioners

There will be several work sessions on the 2025 budget during the week of September 2. On September 3 at 9:30 a.m., the meeting will focus on the general fund and include a number of departments such as community planning and permitting, housing, social services, parks and open space, and public works. The 1 p.m. meeting is for appointed department heads and elected officials and includes the assessor’s office, county commissioners, coroner’s office, and sheriff’s office.

On Sept. 5, the 9 a.m. meeting will focus on capital budgets and public health and include building services, recycling centers, street maintenance, transportation, information technology and public health. The 1 p.m. county administrator meeting will include the Parks and Open Space Department, the Community Planning and Permitting Department and the Office of Sustainability, Climate Action and Resilience.

A town hall meeting on the budget process will be held on Tuesday, September 24th from 5:30-7:00 p.m. at the Vista Ridge Community Center (2750 Vista Pkwy, Erie). Public comments on the budget will be accepted in person in the 3rd floor Commissioners’ Hearing Room (1325 Pearl St., Boulder) and virtually at 1:00 p.m. on October 22nd. Registration links and meeting details will be available in the Commissioners’ two-week advance agenda.

Lafayette City Council

On 27 August, the Council decided:

• Took a first look at the recommended 2025 budget. Proposed city spending totals $121.8 million, a 10% decrease from 2024. Revenues are expected to increase 2.5% from last year to $108.7 million, primarily due to water utility rate increases offsetting a projected revenue loss from the King Soopers move. The move to a separate office for the city attorney will add three additional full-time employees; the cost will be offset by a reduction in contract fees.

• Received an update on plans to wind down the Lafayette Urban Renewal Authority (LURA) as tax increment financing expires in October 2024. If county voters approve the creation of a Downtown Development Authority on the fall ballot, the transition will include regulatory changes, spending remaining funds, transferring services and agreements, and disposing of LURA property.

On 3 September, the Council will:

• Discuss a regional collaboration to increase the minimum wage with Boulder, Longmont, Louisville and the City of Erie. City staff will present the results of the citizen engagement effort and an economic analysis.

  The Boulder City Council discussed raising the minimum wage at a study session on August 22; Longmont discussed it on August 27. Louisville and Erie are scheduled to discuss the minimum wage on September 10 and September 17, respectively.

Louisville City Council

On 27 August, the Council decided:

• Met with Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) officials to discuss safety and security. The presentation focused primarily on fire and evacuation, including lessons learned from the 2021 Marshall Fire.

On 3 September, the Council will:

• Hold a preliminary vote on a proposal to impose a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. The measure is similar to Boulder’s 2017 ordinance.

• Discuss and provide direction on potential local regulations for psilocybin, including the zoning and regulation required to be ready for state licenses for centers offering psychedelic-assisted therapies. These licenses will take effect on January 1, 2025.

Louisville Revitalization Commission (LRC)

On August 21, the LRC approved up to $650,000 in financial incentives to relocate the Ironton Distillery from Denver’s RiNo neighborhood to 1303 Empire Road. The project would also include a restaurant, tasting room and event center.

The financial agreement includes a cost-share for a feasibility analysis of the project, reimbursement for improvements to public infrastructure at the site and a refund of a portion of the taxes collected by the company. The city estimates that the project will generate $165,000 in sales tax revenue annually.

All agenda items are subject to change. Karen Norback and Mark Cathcart contributed reporting.