Attachment A - Applicant Narrative 9-26-2026

To:

City Council

From:

Alison Rhodes, Director, Parks and Recreation Shihomi Kuriyagawa, Senior Landscape Architect, Parks and Recreation Jake Minden, Landscape Architect, Parks and Recreation

Date:

September 28, 2026

Subject:

Applicant Cover Letter — Landmark Alteration Certificate Application HIS2026-00219, Glen Huntington Bandshell, 1236 Canyon Blvd.

Dear Mayor and Members of City Council, On behalf of Boulder Parks and Recreation (BPR), I appreciate your consideration of this Landmark Alteration Certificate (LAC) application for proposed changes within the landmark boundary of the Glen Huntington Bandshell. As the LAC applicant, I want to address the concerns raised by the Landmarks Board regarding park maintenance and operational costs. I will also speak directly about why our team believes this design is the right long-term choice for the preservation of the historic bandshell and the vibrancy of Boulder Creek Park and downtown Boulder. Innovative and Intentional Design Process BPR and Planning & Development Services (P&DS) Historic Preservation staff approached this project using an innovative and collaborative process. The Glen Huntington Bandshell is Boulder's only locally landmarked outdoor theater, requiring any proposed design work within the landmark boundary to be rooted in a creative and highly thoughtful process. Staff followed a nine-step process described in Preserving Landscape Experience in Historic Outdoor Theaters, a national framework that investigates best practices for renovating historic outdoor theaters. Studying the Bandshell through this lens, staff, along with an experienced integrated design team, arrived at a proposed design that carries forward the historic character of the seating — its radial pattern, scale and location — while enhancing its accessibility and function to provide formal and informal seating. This investment will solidify the Glen Huntington Bandshell as a key feature in Boulder Creek Park and better integrate the Bandshell into its natural park setting. Maintenance and Operations The existing benches are past their useful life and are increasingly expensive to keep in safe, usable condition. Concrete bases have settled unevenly and are cracking, painted wood plank surfaces require recurring refinishing or replacement, and the tight 1-foot-6-inch spacing between rows makes routine upkeep, debris removal and repair labor-intensive and expensive. The proposed terraced lawn with integrated concrete benches results in an easier and more durable asset to maintain. As the project includes the replacement of park irrigation with a

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modern and efficient system and turf is being removed in other aeras of the project, staff do not anticipate an increase in water needed for irrigation. Funding and Long-Term Care This project is fully funded, and BPR is approaching this investment with a plan for what comes after construction. A park management plan for Boulder Creek Park is currently underway and will calibrate maintenance standards, staffing and lifecycle budgets to the level of investment this redesign represents. That plan allows staff to identify funding to ensure the elevated design quality proposed with the project will be maintained at the standard the community should expect. Seated Capacity and Flexible Programming Staff recognizes the proposed design reduces fixed bench seating from 600 seats today to approximately 230. This is an intentional tradeoff. The wider row spacing and terraced lawn sections open the space to picnic blankets, lawn chairs, portable chairs for more informal ticketed events, yoga mats and other uses, giving the city far greater programmatic flexibility across a much wider range of everyday and event use than the fixed benches allow today. The design also increases dedicated accessible wheelchair seating to approximately 20 spaces, spread across the front and back of the seating. The proposed benches are deeper than the existing benches, providing a more comfortable sit to a wide spectrum of users. Finally, this improvement connects the bandshell with the rest of the park, making the space more easily used outside of events. Park Safety The forthcoming park management plan will include a dedicated safety plan for the Bandshell and the broader park, developed jointly with the Boulder Police Department, Urban Park Rangers and the city's Safe and Managed Public Spaces (SAMPS) team. This coordinated approach will guide how the redesigned space — with its more open sightlines, expanded lawn and new gathering areas — is patrolled, programmed and kept safe and welcoming for the public. Having addressed these concerns and having confirmed that the improvements maintain the historic character of the seating, Boulder Parks and Recreation supports the proposed design. We respectfully requests council’s consideration of the criterion for landmark alterations and considers approval of this application.

Sincerely, Ali Rhodes Applicant Director, Parks and Recreation Department

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