Agenda Memo

City of Boulder City Council Agenda Item Meeting Date: May 7, 2026 Agenda Title Consideration of a motion to adopt Resolution 1379, amending the Rules of Procedure for the Beverage Licensing Authority, to update neighborhood boundary setting; and setting forth related details

Staff Contact  

Alisa Darrow, Licensing Manager, Finance Krista Morrison, Chief Financial Officer, Finance

Draft Motion Language Staff requests council consideration of this matter and action in the form of the following motion: Motion to adopt Resolution 1379, amending the Rules of Procedure for the Beverage Licensing Authority, to update neighborhood boundary setting; and setting forth related details.

Executive Summary The purpose of this item is to consider an amendment to the Beverage Licensing Authority (BLA) Rules of Procedure to allow staff to administratively establish petitioning boundaries for liquor license applications using established criteria. Currently, applicants must appear before the BLA to set these boundaries and then return for a second hearing on the license, creating unnecessary duplication of effort. This change streamlines the process by reducing applicants to a single BLA appearance, improving efficiency for both applicants and staff while maintaining transparency and due process.

Council Action Options Option

Outcome

Approve motion language as drafted

If the motion is approved staff will administratively perform boundary setting for liquor license petitioning.

Define and adopt a modified motion

Council would need to define any modifications or amendments to the draft motion language. This will likely require staff to bring back an amended version.

Deny the motion or take no action

If this motion is denied, BLA will continue to hear recommended boundaries for liquor license petitioning and approve them.

Refer back to staff

If council refers this item back to staff, additional options will be explored and brought back to Council.

Alignment with City Plans and City Council History Sustainability, Equity, and Resilience (SER) Framework and Citywide Strategic Plan Alignment SER Framework Goal Area This proposed amendment aligns with the City’s “Responsibly Governed” framework by promoting efficient, transparent, and accountable regulatory processes. By delegating the administrative task of setting petitioning boundaries to staff, the city reduces redundancy while maintaining clear standards and oversight. The change allows the Beverage Licensing Authority to focus on substantive decision-making, ensures consistent application of established criteria, and makes better use of limited public resources. At the same time, it enhances the customer experience by simplifying the process for applicants without diminishing public notice or opportunities for participation, reflecting a balanced approach to effective and responsive governance.

Citywide Strategic Plan This amendment also advances the City’s Priority Action to analyze core service levels, evaluate performance, and establish appropriate service targets. The current two-step process for setting petitioning boundaries and hearing liquor license applications is more complicated than necessary to meet statutory and local requirements, and results in longer waits by applicants since they have to wait for the monthly BLA meeting. By shifting boundary determinations to an administrative function, the City is right-sizing this service to better align with operational needs while maintaining compliance and public process. This change reflects a data-informed approach to improving performance, reducing processing time, and setting a more efficient and sustainable service level for liquor licensing.

Staff Notes None

Alignment with Additional City Plans None

City Council History City Council last approved changes to the BLA Rules of Procedure on August 3, 2023 related to legislative changes that separated Arts and Entertainment into two separate license types.

Analysis This item proposes amendments to the Beverage Licensing Authority (BLA) Rules of Procedure to authorize staff to administratively establish petitioning boundaries for liquor license applications, rather than requiring formal determination by the BLA. Under the current process, applicants must appear before the BLA to set petitioning boundaries and then return for a second hearing on the license application after petitioning is complete. This two-step process creates inefficiencies for applicants, staff, and the Authority. The proposed change would streamline the process by allowing staff to set petitioning boundaries administratively using established criteria, while preserving the BLA’s authority to hear and decide the application itself. Applicants that disagree with staff boundary setting may request that the BLA set the boundaries at the next available meeting. This amendment is expected to improve customer service by reducing the time and cost burden on applicants, who will only need to attend a single BLA hearing. It will also increase administrative efficiency by reducing duplicative staff work and allowing the BLA to focus on substantive licensing decisions. This change also aligns with the practices of most front-range communities, therefore reducing confusion and administrative burden for businesses. Overall, the proposed change maintains transparency and due process while modernizing procedures to better align with operational needs and service expectations.

Equity Analysis By eliminating a required second hearing, the change reduces time, cost, and logistical burdens that can disproportionately affect small business owners, first-time applicants, and those with limited flexibility for attending public meetings (e.g., hourly workers, caregivers, or applicants with language barriers). Streamlining the process can make

the licensing system more accessible and predictable, which supports more equitable participation in regulated business opportunities. At the same time, it’s important to ensure that administrative boundary-setting is applied consistently and transparently. Licensing Staff will create clear criteria, documentation, and an avenue for applicants or community members to raise concerns will help avoid unintended disparities and maintain trust in the process.

Fiscal Note Estimated Fiscal Impact Narrative The proposed resolution marginally increases Licensing staff time related to administratively setting boundaries for applicants, but reduces the amount of time required to support Licensing Authority meetings for Finance and City Attorney Office staff. This process will also reduce the license approval timeline, allowing new businesses to potentially open earlier than under the current process. Current Year Estimated Fiscal Impact Fund(s): General Fund Department(s): Finance/CAO Program(s): 1278PG Finance Liquor Licenses

Item

FY 2026 Estimated Impact

FY 2026 Budget

FY 2026 Net Change

Beginning Fund Balance

$61.2M

N/A

$61.2M

Total Forecasted Revenue

$206.7M

$0

$206.7M

Total Estimated Expenses

$205.2M

$0

$205.2M

Ending Fund Balance(s) After Reserves

$21.6M

$0

$21.6M

50.9

0

50.9

FTE

Three-Year Estimated Fiscal Impact: There is no anticipated long-term fiscal impact. It is possible that this change speeds up the time that businesses have

Item

FY 2026

FY 2027

FY 2028

Total Forecasted Revenue

$0

$0

$0

Total Estimated Expenses

$0

$0

$0

Net Estimated Impact

$0

$0

$0

Climate, Resilience, and Sustainability Considerations This policy change does not have significant climate or sustainability impacts.

Community Engagement This item was discussed at the March 18, 2026 Beverage Licensing Authority meeting. No public comment was given on the topic at this or subsequent meetings related to the proposed change.

Workplan Considerations This policy change is not anticipated to materially impact city staff existing workplans.

Next Steps for City Council If approved, staff will implement the change immediately.

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Attachments A. March 18, 2026 Beverage Licensing Authority Minutes B. Proposed Resolution 1379 C. BLA Rules of Procedure Redlined