Call-Up Agenda Memo

City of Boulder City Council Call-Up Agenda Item Meeting Date: September 3, 2026

Agenda Title Consideration of a Site Review Amendment to allow for redevelopment of the Frasier and Mountain View United Methodist (MVUMC) properties at 350 & 355 Ponca Place to establish a joint campus. The project proposes a new 55-foot tall, four-story independent living building with 96 apartment units and a below grade parking structure, a new private drive generally in the location of the existing Ponca Place rightof-way, and demolition of a portion of the MVUMC building. A new addition to the MVUMC building is proposed following construction of the independent living building. Reviewed under case number LUR2025-00056.

Staff Contact • •

Brad Mueller, Director, Planning and Development Services Chandler Van Schaack, Principal Planner, Planning and Development Services

Executive Summary The purpose of this item is for the City Council to consider whether to call up the Planning Board’s decision on an application for a Site Review amendment for a proposal to redevelop the Mountain View United Methodist Church (MVUMC) property at 355 Ponca Pl. with a new, 175,633 square foot addition to the Frasier retirement community at 350 Ponca Pl. The proposed four-story, 55-foot addition would contain 96 independent living apartments with two levels of underground parking. The proposal includes demolition and remodel of a portion of the existing church building, removal of existing surface parking lots on both 350 and 355 Ponca Pl., and vacation of the existing Ponca Place right-of-way. Reviewed under case number LUR2025-00056.

On August 25, 2026, the Planning Board held a hybrid meeting and voted 5-2 to approve the application with conditions as recommended by staff. The 30-day call up period concludes on September 24, 2026. City Council is scheduled to consider this application for call-up at its September 3, 2026 meeting. Note that, as part of the Consent Agenda of the September 3, 2026 City Council meeting, CIity Council will also be asked to consider first reading of Ordinance 8756. If adopted, Ordinance 8756 would vacate the Ponca Place right-of-way involved in this site review. Planning Board’s approval of this site review is conditioned upon adoption of an ordinance that vacates Ponca Place. If City Council calls up this site review application, staff recommends that the second reading for Ordinance 8756 be scheduled as a public hearing together with City Council’s hearing on this site review application. The staff memorandum to Planning Board, recorded video, and the applicant’s submittal materials, along with other related background materials and written public comments, are available in the Records Archives for Planning Board. The recorded video from the hearing can be found here: August 25, 2026 Planning Board Hearing. The applicant’s submittal package is provided in Attachment A. The draft minutes for the meeting are provided in Attachment C.

Council Action Options Option

Outcome

Call up the application

To call up the application, council must pass a motion. Suggested motion language: Motion to call up Site Review application #LUR2025-00056. If called up, the item will be scheduled for a public hearing at a future council meeting within 60 days of the date of call-up.

Do not call up the application No council action is needed. Decision of the lower body stands.

Planning Board History At the public hearing on August 25, 2026, the Planning Board held a quasi-judicial hearing to review the proposed Site Review amendment described above. Following staff and applicant presentations and a public hearing, the Planning Board voted 5-2 to approve the Site Review application with conditions through the following motions: On a motion by M. McIntyre, seconded by C. Hanson Thiem, the board voted 5-2 (L. Kaplan and ml Robles dissenting) to approve Site Review application #LUR2025-00056

with conditions as recommended by staff in the staff memorandum and adopting the staff memorandum as findings of fact, including the attached analysis of review criteria as amended by the Planning Board with following motions: 2) On a motion by K. Nordback, seconded by M. McIntyre, the board voted unanimously (7-0) to add a condition that the project will provide welcoming and inviting signage, to the satisfaction of staff, that makes clear that Ponca Place remains publicly accessible. Motion passed. 2) On a motion by C. Hanson Thiem, seconded by M. Lord, the board voted 4-3 (M. Roberts, M. McIntyre, L. Kaplan dissenting) that as a condition of approval, the plans be modified to provide short-term bicycle parking for the Mountain View United Methodist Church at 50% of requirement for ‘religious assemblies’ in B.R.C. 9-9-6(e). Motion passed. The disposition of approval is provided as Attachment B.

Public Input Process Consistent with Section 9-4-3, Public Notice Requirements, B.R.C. 1981, staff provided notification to all property owners within 600 feet of the subject location of the application, and signs were posted by the applicant indicating the review requested. Staff has received extensive written comments from neighboring property owners, primarily in opposition but also in support of the proposed project. Primary concerns expressed by residents include 1) building height and massing along Sioux Drive, (2) safety for children and pedestrians along the Sioux corridor and near schools, (3) housing affordability and accessibility, (4) parking and traffic overflow into surrounding streets, and (5) long-term neighborhood compatibility and property values. The applicant held a series of voluntary neighborhood meetings with residents, a summary of which can be found on page 13 of the Applicant’s written statement (Attachment A). Written comments received by the city are included as Attachment G to the Planning Board packet.

Analysis – Alignment with Relevant Portions of Boulder Revised Code The staff memorandum to Planning Board that includes staff’s analysis, along with the meeting audio, and the applicant’s submittal materials are available on the Records Archive for Planning Board.

Fiscal Note Review of this project is part of the P&DS team’s standard workplan, and its impacts are incorporated into the annual revenue forecasting as part of the Budget office’s annual budget development. Therefore, review of the project will not have a meaningful fiscal impact outside what has already been included in the approved budget. Current Year Estimated Fiscal Impact Fund(s): 2120FD Department(s): Planning & Development Services Program(s): All P&DS programs

Item Beginning Fund Balance Total Forecasted Revenue Total Estimated Expenses Ending Fund Balance(s) After Reserves FTE

FY 2026 Budget

FY 2026 Estimated Impact

FY 2026 Net Change

$18,200,885

$0

$0

$15,179,491

$0

$0

$17,735,173

$0

$0

$12,646,701

$0

$0

122.65

0

0

Three-Year Estimated Fiscal Impact

Item

FY 2026

FY 2027

FY 2028

Total Forecasted Revenue Total Estimated Expenses Net Estimated Impact

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

Next Steps for City Council The City Council may call up the application. If the application is called up, the City Council will be the decision-maker on the application and will review it at a future public meeting. If the application is not called up, the Board’s decision is final.

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Attachments Attachment A: Applicant’s Plan Set and Written Statement Attachment B: Planning Board Disposition Attachment C: Draft Planning Board Meeting Minutes