Study Session Summary Memo

City of Boulder City Council Study Session Summary Meeting Date: April 16, 2026 Agenda Title Consideration of a motion to accept the March 26, 2026, Study Session Summary regarding the review of the draft Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan.

Staff Contact • •

Amelia Harvey, Project Coordinator, Planning & Development Services 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: Motion to accept the March 26, 2026, Study Session Summary regarding the review of the draft Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan.

Presentation Summary Staff provided an overview of the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan update process to date, highlighting key milestones and the overall approach. The presentation summarized community engagement efforts, emphasizing the breadth of outreach and incorporation of diverse perspectives. Staff also walked through the structure and major components of the draft plan, including land use and policy framework updates. You can read the full study session memo here.

Questions for Council and Direction Received Below is a summary of City Council and Planning Board direction related to three key questions staff presented. 1. Do Planning Board and City Council find that the draft plan aligns with community feedback collected during the update process? City Council and Planning Board members generally expressed strong alignment between the draft plan and community input gathered throughout the update process, with a few specific perspectives noted: • • •

There was near-unanimous consensus that the draft plan successfully aligns with community feedback collected during the update process. One member specifically commended the plan for incorporating Community Assembly recommendations. One member expressed concern that the draft plan does not reflect the needs or interests of local indigenous community members and formally recognized tribes.

2. What elements of the draft plan do Planning Board and City Council strongly support or find critical to success? Council and Board members expressed support in the following areas: •

•

•

•

•

Broad support for the plan’s overall approach, including its flexible, high-level framework rather than rigid, prescriptive policies; simplified, function-based future land use designations with a proposed transition area that recognizes how some designations interact with each other; and transparency in acknowledging tradeoffs and competing community values. Strong support for envisioning access to more housing opportunities (type, supply and affordability) citywide, alongside general enthusiasm for 15-minute neighborhoods, with some recognition of implementation challenges. Support for strengthening integration of different components of the built and natural environment, including land use and transportation natural infrastructure, biodiversity and food systems. Support for elevating Greenways to its own future land use designation so these areas may receive more attention as they provide an important range of services to the community. Positive feedback on the plan’s community engagement process and equity focus.

•

Endorsement of innovative policy concepts that support the economy and community vibrancy such as the night economy, visitor economy, and social infrastructure.

3. What elements of the draft plan do Planning Board and City Council recommend for refinement or revision? City Council and Planning Board members identified several areas where additional refinement or clarification would strengthen the draft plan: Land Use Map and Designations •

•

Continue to refine the future land use map and designation definitions to better reflect existing conditions (e.g., areas of higher density housing as Neighborhood 2) Ensure the future land use map reinforces the goals of 15-minute neighborhoods and transit-oriented development (e.g., locate adequate population and density to support these outcomes).

Implementation and Accountability • Provide clearer guidance for downstream implementation (e.g., Citywide Strategic Plan, departmental plans, zoning, code and regulations), including how policies translate into actions and metrics in the future and how zoning misalignments, both in Title 9 and the Zoning Map, with the new land use framework can be addressed expeditiously. • Consider including guidance for tracking policy execution and outcomes, including council vs. staff decision-making roles in the development and approval of the Citywide Strategic Plan and Department Plans. • Emphasize urgency in implementation, especially for equity, ecological, climate and housing-related goals, and include stronger commitments to evaluation and reporting. Policy Clarity, Consistency and Usability • Revisit how content is organized across topics and sections, ensuring related policies (e.g., climate, water, biodiversity) are grouped cohesively and that the structure is intuitive for users. • Calibrate policies to a consistent level of specificity, centering values rather than operational specifics and providing reason when operational details are necessary.

•

Refine ambiguous language, remove or clarify whimsical or subjective terms (e.g., “joyful” in transportation policies – instead consider something like “accessible”).

Housing and Affordability • Strengthen the link between more housing opportunities (supply and type) and housing affordability, particularly for middle-income households. • Address risks of gentrification and displacement, especially in higher-density areas, and consider tools beyond cash-in-lieu to support mixed-income communities. Transportation and Mobility • Strengthen multimodal transportation policies, emphasizing access, safety, and quality of experience. • Address parking more comprehensively, acknowledging its role in access and economic vitality while planning for long-term shifts now that it is no longer required to be provided. • Ensure transportation systems support all users, including seniors and nondrivers, and enable full participation in community life. Environmental and Natural Systems • Incorporate stronger, more direct language on climate urgency, water supply, biodiversity, and ecological resilience, including fire and fuel management. • Consider elevating the role of ecosystems to be more balanced with the human-centered approach in the plan n. • Integrate guidance for emergency communication for both neighborhoodscale emergencies and community-wide disasters. Straw Poll Results for Areas of Mixed Opinion Two informal straw polls were conducted during the discussion to gauge general sentiment on key topics. • The first topic focused on the use of the phrase “neighborhood character” in the plan (Policy 24). The group determined to not eliminate the concept entirely, but to define the term clearly, perhaps use another phrase or refocus the policy on community processes and subcommunity planning. • There were suggestions to increase Neighborhood 2 density along transit corridors, community hubs, parks, and high-demand areas (Broadway, University, South Boulder, Bear Creek). The group did not achieve overall consensus on this direction. Staff will carefully review the future land use map to see if strategic and limited changes are warranted.

Next Steps for City Council Staff will review and synthesize the feedback received from Planning Board and City Council. In parallel, staff will continue to review community feedback and comments received from city advisory boards and county policymakers. Revisions will be incorporated into the draft plan where appropriate and feasible. Staff will identify preliminary policy and future land use revision recommendations at the April 13th 4-Body Meeting. At this meeting, staff will also share key community and board feedback from the draft plan engagement window that influenced the recommendations. Below is an overview of upcoming milestones: 1. April 6: Deadline for community feedback on the draft plan. 2. April 13: Deadline for 4-Body feedback on the draft plan. 3. April 13, 5-8 p.m.: 4-Body Meeting to discuss the draft plan and preliminary recommendations for revisions 4. May 18: Recommended plan released 5. June 4: Joint City Council and Planning Board Public Hearing 6. June 11: Joint Boulder County Board of County Commissioners and Planning Commission Public Hearing

Digital Accessibility The City of Boulder is committed to digital accessibility. Some content may not be fully accessible due to technical limitations or issues. For alternate formats or accommodations, please visit Accessibility | City of Boulder or contact accessibility@bouldercolorado.gov.

Attachments No attachments