Attachment A - Change_Requests_for_Reconsideration

Special Meeting, February 12, 2026 · item 4A: Discussion of reconsideration of certain Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan community change requests due to recent action taken by the Board… · 10 pages

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Request #7 Address: Request Type: Property Owner Requested: Current Land Use: Proposed Land Use: Staff Recommendation:

0 Twin Lakes Road. Land Use Map Change No Public (PUB) Open Space- Acquired (OS-A) No, do not consider further under the new draft Future Land Use Map

Applicant Narrative: In concert with 6655 Twin Lakes Road and 0 Kahlua Road, the property qualifies for open space according to the County’s acquisition criteria. Parks and Open Space staff strive to acquire land that meets these criteria: - Land threatened by development that is near or adjacent to existing open space - Prime agricultural land -Wildlife habitat - Riparian and scenic corridors - Land that could provide trail connections. http://www.bouldercounty.org/os/openspace/pages/acquisitions.aspx According to the County description of the existing Open Space: In the 1960s, thanks to the nearby IBM plant and other commercial attractions, the Gunbarrel residential area grew up around the lakes. The lakes have been central to the Gunbarrel community from the beginning. http://www.bouldercounty.org/os/parks/pages/twinlakes.aspx As the community has grown, the need for additional open space to accommodate additional residents has grown with it. So has the need to better protect remaining natural values under siege from encroaching development on private land has grown with it. Now is the time to protect this parcel and expand the existing Open Space. This request is submitted with parallel requests for the adjacent properties at 6655 Twin Lakes Road (9.97 acres), and 0 Kalua Road (6.08 acres), which are located directly south of 6655 Twin Lakes Road. The two southern parcels are currently owned by Boulder Valley School District (the “BVSD parcels”). Thus, including this 3.97-acre 6650 parcel, the County, City, and community have a rare chance to expand Gunbarrel’s magnificent Twin Lakes Open Space by a total of 17 acres. All three proposed properties are currently publicly owned. This unique opportunity for the 2015 BVCP Update is made possible by the County’s purchase of 6655 in 2013, and the fact that BVSD has stated it has no plans to use 6650 or 0 Kahlua for School District purposes. For more details on this Land Use Change Request, see item 1F from the 2015 Comprehensive Plan Update, and items 10-12 from the 2020 Update.

Screening Analysis: CRITERIA #1 – CONSISTENCY WITH COMPREHENSIVE PLAN GOALS Accessible & Connected, Economically Vital, Environmentally Sustainable, Healthy and Socially Thriving, Livable, Responsibly Governed, Safe

Yes

CRITERIA #2 – WITHIN THE POLICY LEVEL SCOPE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

Yes

Is the request within the policy level scope of the Comprehensive Plan?

CRITERIA #3 – CAPACITY FOR TIMELY ANALYSIS Can the scope of the impact of the potential change be accommodated within the Comprehensive Plan update process and timeline?

Yes

CRITERIA #4 – CONSISTENCY WITH PROPOSED PLAN DIRECTION Is the request consistent with the latest Comprehensive Plan policy and new draft Future Land Use Map direction?

Yes

Staff Recommendation: No, do not consider further under the new draft Future Land Use Map Staff does not recommend further consideration of this request within the context of the new draft Future Land Use Map. The request is generally inconsistent with the most recent draft policy and land use map direction. The parcel is in Area II (the area designated for urban services) and has been intended for annexation into the city since the 1970s. Urban services (i.e. water, wastewater, stormwater, roads, etc.) are available near the parcel. While the site has clear value to the adjacent neighbors for its scenic quality and other resource values, neither the county nor city has found the site to meet their respective criteria for open space designation or acquisition for broader community benefit.

Request #8 Address: Request Type: Property Owner Requested: Current Land Use: Proposed Land Use: Staff Recommendation:

6655 Twin Lakes Road Land Use Map Change No Low Density Residential (LR) Open Space- Acquired (OS-A) No, do not consider further under the new draft Future Land Use Map

Applicant Narrative: The property is ideal for open space according to the County’s acquisition criteria: Parks and Open Space staff strive to acquire land that meets these criteria: • Land threatened by development that is near or adjacent to existing open space • Prime agricultural land • Wildlife habitat • Riparian and scenic corridors • Land that could provide trail connections. http://www.bouldercounty.org/os/openspace/pages/acquisitions.aspx According to the County description of the existing Twin Lakes Open Space: In the 1960s, thanks to the nearby IBM plant and other commercial attractions, the Gunbarrel residential area grew up around the lakes. The lakes have been central to the Gunbarrel community from the beginning. http://www.bouldercounty.org/os/parks/pages/twinlakes.aspx As the community has grown, the need for additional open space to accommodate additional residents has grown with it. So has the need to better protect remaining natural values under siege from encroaching development on private land. Now is the time to protect this parcel and expand the existing Open Space. This request is submitted with parallel requests for the adjacent properties at 6650 Twin Lakes Road (3.95 acres) and 0 Kalua Road (6.08 acres), which are located directly south of 6655 Twin Lakes Road. The two southern parcels are currently owned by Boulder Valley School District (the “BVSD parcels”). Thus, including the 9.97-acre 6655 parcel, the County, City, and community have a rare chance to expand Gunbarrel’s magnificent Twin Lakes Open Space by a total of 17 acres. All three proposed properties are currently publicly owned. See our Land Use Change Requests 1E in the 2015 Comprehensive Plan Update, and items 10-12 in the 2020 Update, for additional details on this request.

Yes

CRITERIA #2 – WITHIN THE POLICY LEVEL SCOPE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

Yes

Is the request within the policy level scope of the Comprehensive Plan?

CRITERIA #3 – CAPACITY FOR TIMELY ANALYSIS Can the scope of the impact of the potential change be accommodated within the Comprehensive Plan update process and timeline?

Yes

CRITERIA #4 – CONSISTENCY WITH PROPOSED PLAN DIRECTION Is the request consistent with the latest Comprehensive Plan policy and new draft Future Land Use Map direction?

Yes

No X No

X No X

Request #9 Address: Request Type: Property Owner Requested: Current Land Use: Proposed Land Use: Staff Recommendation:

0 Kalua Road Land Use Map Change No Public (PUB) Open Space - Acquired (OS-A) No, do not consider further under the new draft Future Land Use Map

Applicant Narrative: In concert with 6655 Twin Lakes Road and 6650 Twin Lakes Road, the property qualifies for open space according to the County’s acquisition criteria: Parks and Open Space staff strive to acquire land that meet these criteria: • Land threatened by development that is near or adjacent to existing open space • Prime agricultural land • Wildlife habitat • Riparian and scenic corridors • Land that could provide trail connections. http://www.bouldercounty.org/os/openspace/pages/acquisitions.aspx According to the County description of the existing Open Space: In the 1960s, thanks to the nearby IBM plant and other commercial attractions, the Gunbarrel residential area grew up around the lakes. The lakes have been central to the Gunbarrel community from the beginning. http://www.bouldercounty.org/os/parks/pages/twinlakes.aspx As the community has grown, the need for additional open space to accommodate additional residents has grown with it. So has the need to better protect remaining natural values under siege from encroaching development on private land has grown with it. Now is the time to protect this parcel and expand the existing Open Space. This request is submitted with parallel requests for the adjacent properties at 6655 Twin Lakes Road (9.97 acres), and 6650 Twin Lakes Road (3.97 acres), which are located directly south of 6655 Twin Lakes Road. The two southern parcels are currently owned by Boulder Valley School District (the “BVSD parcels”). Thus, including this 6.08-acre 0 Kalua Road parcel, the County, City, and community have a rare chance to expand Gunbarrel’s magnificent Twin Lakes Open Space by a total of 17 acres. For more information on this Land Use Change, please refer to item 1G in the 2015 Comprehensive Plan Update, and items 10-12 in the 2020 Update.

Yes

CRITERIA #2 – WITHIN THE POLICY LEVEL SCOPE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

Yes

Is the request within the policy level scope of the Comprehensive Plan?

CRITERIA #3 – CAPACITY FOR TIMELY ANALYSIS Can the scope of the impact of the potential change be accommodated within the Comprehensive Plan update process and timeline?

Yes

CRITERIA #4 – CONSISTENCY WITH PROPOSED PLAN DIRECTION Is the request consistent with the latest Comprehensive Plan policy and new draft Future Land Use Map direction?

Yes

No X No

X No X

Request #30 Request Type: Current Policy # or Text Section: Staff Recommendation:

Policy or Text Change 2.07 Delineation of Rural Lands No, do not consider further

Applicant Narrative: Under Community Identity & Land Use Pattern 2.07 Delineation of Rural Lands Change: "The Boulder Service Area includes urban lands in the city and lands planned for future annexation and urban service provision." to: "The Boulder Service Area includes urban lands in the city and lands that may be annexed into the city in the future if there is an interest by the residents of those Area II areas." Also under 2.07 add this paragraph: "c) Area II Area II lands provide a buffer between Rural Area III lands and Urban Area I lands. The majority of the residences in Area II are zoned County Rural Residential with either Low Density Residential or Very Low Density Residential Land Use Designations in the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan. The rural character of these Area II land will be preserved." Reason: There has been very low interest in annexation into the City of Boulder from residents in Area II over many years. The residents in Area II prefer a more rural, less dense community and not a busy, dense, urban way of life that is confined to city living. This is why many of them have chosen to live outside City of Boulder boundaries in more rural, quiet, and less bustling neighborhoods. If the City of Boulder needs or wants to grow it should do so within its own boundaries and not impose that growth on surrounding unincorporated areas. Also, Area II lands provide a buffer between urban Area I lands and rural Area III lands.

Yes

CRITERIA #2 – WITHIN THE POLICY LEVEL SCOPE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

Yes

Is the request within the policy level scope of the Comprehensive Plan?

CRITERIA #3 – CAPACITY FOR TIMELY ANALYSIS Can the scope of the impact of the potential change be accommodated within the Comprehensive Plan update process and timeline?

Yes

No X No

No X

CRITERIA #4 – CONSISTENCY WITH PROPOSED PLAN DIRECTION Is the request consistent with the latest Comprehensive Plan policy and new draft Future Land Use Map direction?

Yes

No X

Staff Recommendation: No, do not consider further Staff does not recommend further consideration of this request. Annexation into the City of Boulder requires the property owner’s initiation through a property owner petition; under state law the City cannot forcibly annex an Area II property. Existing Comprehensive Plan policy already reflects this principle; however, staff recognizes that this could be clarified and that community concerns regarding forced annexation may be relieved by doing so. The Comprehensive Plan does not anticipate rural-character preservation in Area II as these lands are already developed at a suburban scale. Lands intended for long-term rural preservation are specifically designated as Area III-Rural Preservation. Staff does not recommend the policy be changed to consider Area II a Rural Preservation Area.

Request #32 Request Type: Current Policy # or Text Section: Staff Recommendation:

Policy or Text Change 1.17 Annexation No, do not consider further

Applicant Narrative: Under 1.17 i. Change the following sentences: "Although interest in voluntary annexation has been limited, the city and county continue to support the eventual annexation of Gunbarrel. If resident interest in annexation does occur in the future, the city and county will negotiate new terms of annexation with the residents." to: "Although interest in voluntary annexation has been limited, if resident interest in the annexation of Gunbarrel does occur in the future, the city and county will negotiate new terms of annexation with the residents." Reason: Over many decades, the interest from residents of unincorporated Gunbarrel for annexation into the City of Boulder has been very low to none. The protection of the rural character of the Gunbarrel area is very important to the citizens of Gunbarrel and higher density and urbanization are of little interest to them. The Area II and Area III lands in Gunbarrel do not need to be annexed into the City of Boulder. The Gunbarrel community can work together with the City of Boulder and Boulder County to further the policies of the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan while also protecting the rural character of Unincorporated Gunbarrel. Requests for annexation of Unincorporated Gunbarrel into the City of Boulder should come from the citizens of Unincorporated Gunbarrel and not be dictated by the City of Boulder.

Yes

CRITERIA #2 – WITHIN THE POLICY LEVEL SCOPE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

Yes

Is the request within the policy level scope of the Comprehensive Plan?

CRITERIA #3 – CAPACITY FOR TIMELY ANALYSIS Can the scope of the impact of the potential change be accommodated within the Comprehensive Plan update process and timeline?

Yes

CRITERIA #4 – CONSISTENCY WITH PROPOSED PLAN DIRECTION Is the request consistent with the latest Comprehensive Plan policy and new draft Future Land Use Map direction?

Yes

No X No

X No X

Staff Recommendation: No, do not consider further Staff does not recommend further consideration of this request. The City and County continue to support the eventual annexation of Gunbarrel. Gunbarrel contains major employment centers and already adjoins city-served infrastructure, including water, sewer, and multimodal transit corridors, making it a logical candidate for service integration. Annexation would remain entirely contingent on initiation by the residents of Gunbarrel. This approach maintains the Plan’s long-term aspirational guidance for urban expansion while respecting the community’s rural character and the principle of voluntary annexation.