Agenda Item Memo

City of Boulder City Council Agenda Item Meeting Date: July 23, 2026 Agenda Title Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP) Adoption: Consideration of one or more motions to: (1) approve or amend conditions of approval to the BVCP update made by the Planning Board; and (2) approve or amend conditions of approval to the BVCP update made by the Board of County Commissioners; and (3) approve or amend recommended amendments to the BVCP update made by the Planning Board, County Planning Commission, and Board of County Commissioners.

Staff Contact • •

Brad Mueller, Director, Planning and Development Services Kristofer Johnson, Comprehensive Planning Manager, Planning & Development Services

Draft Motion Language Staff recommends that City Council consider each condition of approval and recommended amendment and requests Council then take action in the form of the following motions: 1. Move to approve/amend the conditions of approval to the BVCP update made by Planning Board. 2. Move to approve/amend the conditions of approval to the BVCP update made by the Board of County Commissioners.

3. Move to approve/amend the recommended amendments made by Planning Board, the County Planning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners.

Executive Summary City Council met on June 25 to continue a public hearing and deliberate on approval of the major update to the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan. There are four approving bodies for the major update to the plan. The bodies completed their initial deliberations on approval of the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan on the following dates: • • • •

June 16: Planning Board June 17: Boulder County Planning Commission June 25: Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) June 25: City Council

Initial deliberations resulted in several conditions of approval and recommendations for amendments to the major update proposed by each of the four approving bodies. All applicable bodies must review and come to final agreement on each condition and recommendation to approve the plan. The other three bodies held public hearings to review the proposed amendments on the following dates: • • •

July 15: Boulder County Planning Commission July 21: Board of County Commissioners July 21: Planning Board

Attachment A: BVCP Amendment Tracking provides a summary of the outcomes of the first round of deliberation with Planning Board, the County Planning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners and identifies the outstanding items as of July 15, 2026. The Analysis section of this memo describes the conditions of approval and other recommended amendments Council will consider at this meeting. Note that this memo will be submitted before the July 15 Planning Commission meeting and before the July 21 Board of County Commissioners and Planning Board meetings. Staff will provide an update on any remaining outstanding conditions of approval and recommended amendments to City Council via HOTLINE and at its meeting on July 23.

Council Action Options Option Outcome Approve motion language as drafted to If all conditions of approval are approve remaining conditions of approval. reconciled, the plan update is adopted. Any outstanding recommended amendments would be adopted if approved by Council.

Define and approve modified motion(s)

Deny motion(s) or take no action

Council would need to define any modifications or amendments to the draft motion language. If any conditions of approval remain unreconciled, the plan update is not adopted. Any unreconciled recommended amendments may also require additional consideration by the other approval bodies. If any conditions of approval remain unreconciled, the plan update is not adopted. Council could ask other approval bodies to consider amending their conditional approval to remove any rejected conditions of approval. Any recommended amendments on which no action is taken by Council are rejected.

Alignment with City Plans and City Council History Sustainability, Equity and Resilience (SER) Framework and Citywide Strategic Plan Alignment SER Framework Goal Area The recommended Comprehensive Plan reflects all SER Framework goals due to integration of the SER Framework as the Plan basis and provides long-term policy direction to advance sustainability, equity and resilience outcomes. Citywide Strategic Plan The recommended Comprehensive Plan will continue to guide future updates to the Citywide Strategic Plan and inform annual work planning and budgeting decisions. Staff Notes N/A

Alignment with Additional City Plans The Comprehensive Plan provides the overarching vision, values and policies for the Boulder Valley and continues to guide subcommunity and area plans, department plans, Boulder Municipal Code updates, the annual budget and the Capital Improvements Program.

City Council History Initial Public Hearings City Council and Planning Board held a joint public hearing on the recommended update to the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan on June 4, 2026. The County Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners held a similar joint public hearing on June 11, 2026. The four bodies then continued their respective hearings and individually deliberated and took action on approval of the update to the plan on June 16 (Planning Board), June 17 (County Planning Commission), and June 25 (BOCC and City Council).  June 4, 2026: Joint City Council and Planning Board Meeting Memo: Item 4A City Council and Planning Board public hearing and consideration by each body of a motion to approve the major update to the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan To review conversations of the other three approval bodies, please refer to the following videos:  June 16, 2026: Planning Board Meeting (items begins at 9:05)  June 17, 2026: County Planning Commission Meeting (item begins at 2:00)  June 25, 2026: Board of County Commissioner Meeting (item begins at 2:28)  June 25, 2026: City Council Meeting (item begins at 0:08) Additional Public Hearings and Reconciliation of Conditions of Approval and Recommended Amendments Additionally, the County Planning Commission, BOCC and Planning Board held public hearings to reconcile conditions of approval and recommended amendments proposed by the other approval bodies on the following dates: • • •

July 15: County Planning Commission Meeting July 21: Board of County Commissioners Meeting July 21: Planning Board Meeting

Analysis The following analysis describes the conditions of approval and outstanding recommended amendments proposed by each body in the first round of deliberations that require review by applicable bodies. This analysis does not include recommended amendments that were not approved by another applicable approval body.

As noted in the Executive Summary, the conditions of approval and recommended amendments listed in this section are current as of July 15, 2026. The County Planning Commission will meet on July 15, and BOCC and Planning Board will meet on July 21 to complete their second round of deliberation. Pending the outcomes of these meetings, the list of outstanding conditions and recommended amendments that City Council will need to consider on July 23 may change. Note: The term “condition of approval” is used to describe an amendment an approval body conditioned its approval of the major update on, while “recommended amendment” describes an amendment to the major update an approval body recommends but does not condition the approval of the major update on. For all conditions of approval and recommended amendments, the plan language (as proposed by staff) is italicized. All strikethroughs are proposed removals of language while all text in red constitutes proposed additions.

Conditions of Approval Conditions of approval were made by Planning Board and BOCC. City Council and County Planning Commission did not propose any conditions of approval. The conditions of approval City Council will need to consider during the July 23, 2026 meeting will be added to the presentation slides and sent by staff via HOTLINE on July 22 after the completion of the second reviews by the other approval bodies. The following summarizes recent actions taken by City Council and next steps for other approving bodies on these conditions. Planning Board Conditions of Approval  Policy 82: Housing Diversity and Supply (pg. 70) “The city supports increasing the housing supply by promoting a full spectrum of more affordable housing types and price points, including as well as middle housing and middle income opportunities, throughout the city that enable people to remain in and join the community as their needs, incomes and household compositions change over time.” BOCC did not accept this exact condition language in the first round of deliberations, but instead proposed a different condition (included below). This condition was not accepted by City Council. 

Policy 79: Municipal Airport (pg. 69) “The city maintains the Boulder Municipal Airport as a safe environment for aviation, aviation-related businesses and special events, aviation-related research and

education, and business-related travel, scientific and research flights, recreation and tourism, flight training and vocational education, aerial fire-fighting, emergency medical flights, and medical and disaster-related support for the city and county. The city will help manage strives to minimize and mitigate noise and other impacts of airport operations via methods such as noise abatement procedures, land use tools, controls and partnership with the State and fuel providers to offer unleaded fuel. The city promotes the adoption of electric aircraft technology.is also forward-looking as aircraft electrification becomes reality. The city will continue to build relationships that allow the airport to be a valuable resource for a wider range of people in the Boulder community. The city will coordinate with the county to understand and address inequitable impacts of airport operations on the population that lives, works, plays, and goes to school in proximity to the facility. The city will coordinate with the county to provide education and outreach to residents most impacted by aviation lead, and to provide consistent regulations addressing noise and other airport influences, where possible.” This condition was accepted by the BOCC and not accepted by City Council in the first round of deliberations. It has not been reviewed by County Planning Commission as of the date of this memo. Board of County Commissioners Conditions of Approval  Policy 82: Housing Diversity and Supply (pg. 70) “The city and county supports increasing the housing supply by promoting a full spectrum of more affordable housing types and price points, including prioritizing middle housing and middle income opportunities, throughout the city that enable people to remain in and join the community as their needs, incomes and household compositions change over time.” This condition was not accepted by City Council in the first round of deliberations and has not been reviewed by Planning Board or County Planning Commission as of the date of this memo. 

Policy 102: Consultation with Federally Recognized American Indian Tribal Nations (pg. 75) “The city and county supports actions that encourage understanding and appreciation of American Indian Tribal Nations, their traditions, culture and our shared history in these ancestral lands known as the Boulder Valley. The city and county respects Tribal sovereignty and self-determination and follows federal and state consultation guidelines. The city follows a formal government-to-government consultation process to receive input on important topics with Tribal Nations.”

This condition was accepted by City Council in the first round of deliberations and has not been reviewed by Planning Board or County Planning Commission as of the date of this memo. 

Policy 103: Engagement with Local Indigenous Peoples (pg. 75) “The city and county acknowledge that local Indigenous community members and nations face distinct hardships and barriers rooted in historic and ongoing inequities. Their voices, knowledge, and priorities are central to shaping a more inclusive and just future for the Boulder Valley. The city and county are committed to strengthening and improving ongoing engagement with these community members in planning and decision-making processes.” This condition was accepted by City Council in the first round of deliberations and has not been reviewed by Planning Board or County Planning Commission as of the date of this memo.

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50 Years of Planning: Looking Back and Moving Forward (pgs. 14-17) BOCC proposed deleting this section as a condition of approval as they found it to be missing pieces of history the commissioners consider important, and includes, in their opinion, unsubstantiated claims. City Council did not accept this condition in the first round of deliberations and has not been reviewed by Planning Board or County Planning Commission as of the date of this memo.

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How the City and County Address Today’s Challenges (pg. 41) Community Connection, Education & Inclusion including expanding environmental education and youth engagement, strengthening volunteer participation, and supporting access and connection to ancestral homelands for local indigenous community members and federally recognized tribes. This condition was accepted by City Council in the first round of deliberations and has not been reviewed by Planning Board or County Planning Commission as of the date of this memo.

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Future Land Use Map (pg. 121) BOCC conditioned their approval of the plan on changing all areas designated as Neighborhood 1 within Area 2-Urban Edge of the Future Land Use Map to the Rural Lands designation as a condition of approval. This change would require minor edits

to the Rural Lands designation description (pg. 118) to reflect that the lands in Area 2-Urban Edge may be annexed and that an applicable future land use would be designated at that time. City Council did not accept this condition in the first round of deliberations and has not been reviewed by Planning Board as of the date of this memo. If a change to the Future Land Use Map is approved by the applicable bodies, staff propose the following edits also be approved: Rural Lands (pg. 119) What it is Rural Lands are the unincorporated areas of the Boulder Valley that are within expected to remain in the county’s jurisdiction and include a variety of land uses and county zone districts. Future use of these areas will be guided by county planning processes, the uses permitted by county zoning and policies in the comprehensive plan that intend to preserve the rural character of these areas, except that upon annexation, any annexed areas would be subject to city processes, zoning, and policies. Why it matters This designation reinforces the role of the county in the implementation of the goals of the comprehensive plan. Rural Lands include rural residential neighborhoods and acreages, support local agriculture and associated activities, sustain ecosystems and biodiversity, and maintain the cultural heritage of the Boulder Valley. These lands shape urban growth to maintain the city’s compact development pattern and provide a sense of place for both urban and rural areas of the community. Rural Lands seek to prevent urban sprawl and leapfrog, non-contiguous and scattered development in the Boulder Valley.

Recommended Amendments Recommended amendments were proposed by Planning Board, the County Planning Commission, the BOCC and City Council. The recommended amendments City Council will need to consider during the July 23, 2026, meeting will be added to the presentation slides and sent by staff via HOTLINE on July 22. The following summarizes recent actions taken by City Council and next steps for other approving bodies on these recommendations. Note that at the time of the City Council meeting, some of these recommended amendments may no longer be applicable if not approved by another approval body.

County Planning Commission Recommended Amendments  Policy 53: Local Renewable Energy Generation (pg. 63) The city and county support programs and opportunities for individuals, businesses and organizations to develop, use and share local renewable energy generation. City Council and BOCC accepted this recommended amendment in the first round of deliberations. If Planning Board accepts this recommendation, the amendment will be included in the major update to the plan. Board of County Commissioners Recommended Amendments  Policy 16: Out-of-City Utility Service (pg. 63) The city will consider providing limited water and sewer services to Area 2-Urban Edge only if consistent with the city’s annexation policies and Capital Improvements Program. City facilities located in Area 2-Urban Edge, Area 3-Rural Preservation or Area 3-Planning Reserve may be provided with limited urban services if consistent with this plan, or as otherwise necessary for the city to provide another urban facility and service to the city. Nothing within this plan prohibits the city from denying the provision of urban services to any property within the Boulder Valley for utility related reasons. In any case, the city may provide limited utility services when there are health and safety issues. City Council accepted this recommended amendment. If County Planning Commission and Planning Board accept this recommendation, it will be included in the major update to the plan. City Council Recommended Amendments  The Future of Housing (pg. 36) Context-specific infill and change in neighborhoods can sensitively introduce opportunities for various housing forms, such as duplexes, triplexes, rowhomes, small houses on small lots, cottage courts, backyard cottages (ADUs) and as well as multi-unit buildings near transit in areas like Neighborhood 1. City Council accepted Planning Board’s original edit and proposed adding “as well as” and “near transit” to the end of this policy statement. If County Planning Commission, BOCC and Planning Board accept this recommended amendment, it will be included in the major update to the plan. 

Policy 89: Fire Adapted Communities (pg. 72)

Fire Adapted Communities The city and county are committed to creating and sustaining a fire adapted community through a coordinated, region-wide approach to fire and wildfire resilience and prevention throughout the Boulder Valley. Strategies will address the full spectrum of fire and wildfire risk, including urban conflagration, while enhancing public safety, promoting equitable protection and supporting efficient and effective response and recovery. The city considers an integrated approach to wildfire risk, including emergency management planning and egress capacity, when evaluating development that affects residential density within mapped wildfire ignition zones. If County Planning Commission, BOCC and Planning Board accept this recommended amendment, it will be included in the major update to the plan.

Anticipated Fiscal and Workplan Impacts There are no direct fiscal impacts associated with the consideration of the major update to the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan. All work related to public engagement, technical analysis, policy development and intergovernmental coordination has been accommodated within existing appropriations and department budgets. While adoption of the Comprehensive Plan establishes a long-range policy framework intended to guide future land use, housing, transportation, environmental and infrastructure decisions over the next 20 years, implementation of specific policies or future capital improvements may have fiscal implications that will be evaluated separately through future budget, work program and development review processes. At this time, no additional appropriations are required as part of the proposed action.

Equity Analysis Equity is a foundational pillar of the updated comprehensive plan, beginning with the first policy, which establishes equity as a guiding principle for decision-making across all city systems. This policy emphasizes reducing disparities in access, opportunity, and outcomes for historically underserved communities, and it directs all planning, investment, and service delivery to be evaluated through an equity-focused lens. The plan affirms the city’s responsibility to ensure that the benefits and burdens of growth, development, and public investment are shared fairly among Boulder residents.

Climate, Resilience, and Sustainability Considerations The recommended plan includes multiple policies and land use choices that will have impacts on the community’s resilience and sustainability in the face of a changing climate. Many policies work in concert to support community resilience and sustainability.

Community Engagement The Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan update was supported by an extensive, multiphase engagement process designed to broaden participation and incorporate a wide range of community perspectives. Over approximately 18 months, the process included more than 70 engagement opportunities, combining both traditional and innovative methods to reach a diverse cross-section of the Boulder Valley community. Engagement activities included community open houses, a statistically valid survey, office hours, online feedback tools, several community “pop-ups,” and a formal community change request process. In addition, new approaches such as Community Hosted Conversations, playback improv sessions, and a Community Assembly were used to expand participation and elevate voices that have historically been less represented in planning processes. Staff used feedback from these engagement efforts to develop preliminary policy and land use direction, which was shared with and reviewed by policymakers in December 2025. Direction from policymakers helped inform the development of the draft plan, which was released for public review and comment on March 3, 2026, marking a major milestone in the update process. The draft reflected extensive prior engagement, advisory board input, intergovernmental coordination, and initiated a formal public review period. Throughout the March to April 2026 review and comment period, staff collected, reviewed, and synthesized input from community members, advisory boards, and the four approval bodies. This included 287 online form submissions and 220 emails, as well as input gathered through public comment, study sessions, open houses, office hours, online engagement and the Equity Review Group meeting. Feedback was analyzed and used to identify refinements to the plan, including updates to policies, the Future Land Use Strategy, and plan organization and language. The recommended Future Land Use Map and Planning Areas Map were posted for public review on May 4, and the full recommended major update to the comprehensive plan was posted for public review on May 18. These reflect targeted revisions in response to this feedback while maintaining the overall direction established in the draft. The recommended plan remains available for public review through the adoption process.

Next Steps for City Council If City Council does not accept any remaining Planning Board or Board of County Commissioners conditions of approval on July 23, a third round of deliberation and

reconciliation will be held in August. The following dates (subject to change) have been identified for the four approval bodies: • • • •

August 11: Planning Board Meeting (date to be confirmed) August 13: Board of County Commissioners Meeting August 19: County Planning Commission August 20: City Council

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Attachments A: BVCP Amendment Tracking PDF