Study Session Memo

City of Boulder City Council Study Session Summary Meeting Date: February 5, 2026 Agenda Title Consideration of a motion to accept the Dec. 11, 2025 Joint Study Session Summary regarding the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan Community Assembly Recommendations & Report

Staff Contact • • • •

Brenda Ritenour, Community Engagement Manager, Communication and Engagement Vivian Castro-Wooldridge, Community Engagement Senior Project Manager, Communication and Engagement Sarah Huntley, Director, Communication and Engagement Brad Mueller, Director, Planning & Development Services

Draft Motion Language Staff requests council consideration of this matter and action in the form of the following motion: Accept the December 11, 2025, Joint Study Session Summary regarding the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan Community Assembly Recommendations & Report on 15Minute Neighborhoods.

Presentation Summary The 43-member Community Assembly met over seven days between May and October 2025 to deliberate on the question: How, and where, can Boulder implement 15-minute neighborhoods? Three Assembly members presented highlights of their work and

recommendations to City Council and Planning Board at a joint study session on December 11, 2025. Leah Sprain, the lead Assembly facilitator from CU Boulder, and Brenda Ritenour, Engagement Manager for the City of Boulder, supported the discussion. The Assembly focused its learning and deliberation on the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan themes of Housing Choice and Opportunity and Inclusive Local Economy. Equity served as an organizing principle throughout the process. While the current comprehensive plan references 15-minute neighborhoods, it lacks a clear definition and implementation progress has been limited. The Assembly affirmed that Boulder should pursue 15-minute neighborhoods and developed a Boulder-specific definition based on a walking-speed radius that centers accessibility for people of all abilities, including mobility challenges; and with specific recommendations to improve safety, access and a sense of belonging. They explained that when people cannot see themselves reflected in the community or in the local businesses around them, it sends a clear message that this space was not meant for them. They also elevated access to public transportation by choosing mobility hubs as one of four essential elements in a 15-minute neighborhood, along with groceries and food access, a community center, and parks and green space. They also identified eight secondary features that further enhance these neighborhoods with a stronger sense of community and belonging. The Assembly also recommends that 15-minute neighborhoods be mixed-income and mixed-density, that commercial vacancies be addressed and home-based businesses allowed. These and other recommendations are intended to inform the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan update and related future efforts. The full Community Assembly report is available online.

Questions for Council and Direction Received Council and Planning Board were asked to provide feedback on the following questions during the joint study session: 1) Do City Council or Planning Board have feedback or concerns about which of the Assembly’s policy-level recommendations to integrate into the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan? 2) Do City Council or Planning Board have any feedback or concerns on implementation-related recommendations that are beyond the scope of the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan? City Council and Planning Board members appreciated and expressed gratitude for the work and recommendations of Boulder’s first Community Assembly. They described general support for the Assembly recommendations and asked staff to incorporate them into the comprehensive plan policies and future land use to the full extent possible. In

addition to advancing complete 15-minute neighborhoods, they also asked staff to consider policy approaches that support all neighborhoods moving along a continuum toward greater walkability and access to daily needs, rather than a binary designation. Other requests and suggestions directed to staff fall outside the scope of this plan update and are more appropriately addressed through future implementation efforts. These include: • •

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Identify priority locations for 15-minute neighborhoods, informed by the Community Assembly report. Develop clear metrics to define and evaluate 15-minute neighborhoods, and use those metrics to inform prioritization, sequencing and allocation of public investments. Review existing business navigator and support programs to assess how they could better support small and emerging businesses.

Do City Council or Planning Board have feedback or concerns about which of the Assembly’s policy-level recommendations to integrate into the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan? City Council and Planning Board’s feedback and concerns shared during the study session are summarized below. •

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Appreciation for the shift from a siloed approach to urban development towards a more holistic, integrated approach that links land use, transportation, economy and housing Interest in understanding existing barriers to establishing home-based businesses Broader implications for commercial viability and interest in whether the Assembly had discussed potential competition between home-based businesses and businesses in commercial centers Interest in strategies beyond a vacancy tax to reduce commercial vacancies citywide Appreciation for the strong emphasis on accessibility throughout the recommendations Appreciation for the focus on social infrastructure and community-building elements Recognition that the market struggles to deliver viable middle-income housing without public subsidy in reference to the Assembly recommendation that 15minute neighborhoods be mixed density Discussion of challenges related to an aging population and possible strategies to better balance community demographics

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Observation that water and energy considerations are not included in the recommendations Question about whether: a. homeownership versus renter status plays a significant role in fostering a sense of place b. the Assembly addressed tribal relations and land-back strategies c. evacuation route capacity was discussed in relation to increased density

Do City Council or Planning Board have any feedback or concerns on implementation-related recommendations that are beyond the scope of the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan? Council and Planning Board emphasized that the Community Assembly’s recommendations should not only inform the Comprehensive Plan update but also be a guide for related implementation efforts, policy development and future planning processes across the city. There was also an interest in better understanding the level of public investment required for successful 15-minute neighborhoods. Responses by the Community Assembly presenters The Community Assembly presenters responded to City Council and Planning Board questions that were within the Assembly’s scope (i.e. part of their learning, deliberations or recommendations). •

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Home-based businesses. The Assembly’s recommendation was largely driven by a desire to expand opportunities for more residents to participate in our local economy, benefit from economic activity closer to home and offer more affordable options than traditional commercial space. Commercial vacancies. The Assembly did not reach majority support on specific tools to address commercial vacancies, though options like a vacancy tax were discussed. However, there was unanimous agreement that reducing commercial vacancy is a priority that warrants creative solutions and active attention by the city. Business success and density. The Assembly recognized that business viability depends on having a critical mass of nearby residents. In the Boulder context, the Assembly recommends a mix of low-, medium-, and high-density housing in 15-minute neighborhoods rather than pursuing primarily high-density developments. Tribal relations. There was not sustained discussion in the Assembly on tribal relations and ideas such as land back. Dissent. The Assembly had opportunities to question the concept of 15-minute neighborhoods; and through learning and discussion the group agreed it was a

concept worth pursuing for the Boulder community. Minority positions were also possible on sub issues.

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