Call-Up Agenda Memo

City of Boulder City Council Call-Up Agenda Item Meeting Date: October 15, 2026

Agenda Title Concept Plan Review for the proposed redevelopment of the Boulder Medical Center properties at 2750 Broadway, 1233 Balsam Ave. and 1310 Balsam Ave. The proposed development includes a four-story multifamily building on the 2750 Broadway site containing 160 units, three-story multifamily building on the 1233 Balsam site with 30 units, and a three-story multifamily building on the 1310 Balsam site with 33 units. The proposal would require a Rezoning of the 2750 Broadway site from Business – Transitional 2 (BT-2) to Business – Community 2 (BC-2). The proposal would also require a Height Modification to allow for the buildings to exceed the 35-foot height limit. Reviewed under case number LUR2026-00007.

Staff Contact • •

Brad Mueller, Director, Planning & Development Services (P&DS) Chandler Van Schaack, Principal Planner, P&DS

Executive Summary The purpose of this item is for City Council to consider whether to call up the abovereferenced application for review and comment at a public hearing. On September 29, 2026, the Planning Board held a hybrid meeting and reviewed and commented on the proposal. The 30-day call up period concludes on October 29, 2026. City Council is scheduled to consider this application for call-up at its October 15, 2026, meeting. The staff memorandum to Planning Board, recorded video, and the applicant’s submittal materials along with other related background materials are available in the city archives

for Planning Board. The recorded video from the hearing can be found here: September 29, 2026, Planning Board meeting (item starts 7 minutes into the video). The applicant’s submittal package is provided in Attachment A. The draft minutes for the meeting are provided in Attachment B.

Council Action Options Option

Outcome

Call up the application

To call up the application, council has to pass a motion. Suggested motion language: Motion to call up Concept Plan application #LUR2026-00007. Called-up 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. Feedback provided by the lower body stands.

Planning Board History At the public hearing on September 29, 2026, the Planning Board heard presentations by staff and the applicant and asked questions following each presentation. 13 members of the public spoke during the public comment portion of the hearing with the majority expressing opposition to the project based on concerns over potential traffic impacts and neighborhood compatibility issues. Several people expressed support for the proposed project overall. The Planning Board discussed three key issues at the public hearing: 1. Is the proposed Rezoning of the 2750 Broadway site from BT-2 (BusinessTransitional 2) to BC-2 (Business – Community 2) consistent with the Rezoning criteria found in Section 9-2-19(e), B.R.C. 1981? 2. Is the proposed concept plan consistent with the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP) land use map and, on balance, with the goals and policies of the BVCP particularly those that address the built environment? 3. Does the Board have feedback on the conceptual site plan and building design?

Regarding Key Issue One, six out of seven board members felt that the requested Rezoning of the 2750 Broadway site from BT-2 to BC-2 would be consistent with the Rezoning criteria found in Section 9-2-19(e), B.R.C. 1981. Board members generally agreed that Rezoning to BC-2 is necessary to bring the site into compliance with the underlying “Community Hub” BVCP land use designation. The six board members who

expressed support for the Rezoning also expressed support for the applicant’s request for a Land Use Code change to expand the "Business Community (BC) Area Subject to Special Use Restrictions" (per Appendix N, B.R.C. 1981) to include the 2750 Broadway site, which would allow for a 2.0 Floor Area Ration (FAR) for the project where a 1.5 FAR would otherwise be allowed without the Land Use Code change. The one board member who opposed the requested Rezoning and Land Use Code change mentioned the project being “excessive” and referenced public comments in opposition to the request. Regarding Key Issue Two, six out of seven board members felt that the proposed project would be consistent with the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP) land use map and, on balance, with the goals and policies of the BVCP particularly those that address the built environment. Board members cited the definitions of the Community Hub and Neighborhood 2 land use designations as well as other BVCP goals and policies in support of their findings. One board member found the project to be inconsistent with the BVCP based on the issues described under Key Issue One. Regarding Key Issue Three, the Planning Board primarily discussed the 2750 Broadway site and building design with only minor comments for the other two buildings. Six board members generally agreed that the proposed building is too long and too massive and expressed a desire to see the building broken up, at least visually, into two buildings with distinct architectural styles. Most board members expressed the desire for more meaningful variations in roof form and pitch as well as an expansion of architectural vocabulary and use of higher quality materials and architectural detailing. Additional points mentioned and/or supported by multiple board members included: For 2750 Broadway: • The need to address and mitigate safety impacts on 13th Street, which is a designated “Neighborhood GreenStreet.” Some board members expressed a desire to see the garage access moved to Balsam Avenue. • The need to emphasize bicycle and pedestrian access off Balsam and 13th Street and to relocate bicycle facilities off of the Broadway frontage. • The need to redesign the on-site open space to better meet the Site Review criteria for buildings requiring a height modification, including increasing the size of courtyards, providing additional at-grade open space where possible, improving visibility and useability of open space, and incorporating open spaces into the public realm. For 1233 & 1310 Balsam Ave.:

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Several board members agreed that the applicant should explore reducing front yard setbacks in order to provide more useable open space at the rear of the buildings.

Following the key issues discussion, the board voted 7-0 to approve a motion to refer this application to the Design Advisory Board with emphasis on the site review criteria as noted by staff and in comments from the Planning Board regarding site and building design from the September 29, 2026, meeting, at the appropriate time as determined by staff.

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 have been posted by the applicant indicating the review requested. Staff received several phone calls and written comments from neighboring property owners asking for additional information and expressing concerns about the proposed project. Primary concerns expressed by residents include traffic, parking impacts and noise as well as concerns regarding building scale. Written comments are included as Attachment C to the Planning Board packet.

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

Next Steps for City Council City Council may call up the application. If the application is called up, City Council will hold a public hearing, review and comment on the application at a future public meeting.

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Attachments A: Applicant’s Plan Set B: Applicant’s Written Statement C: Draft September 29, 2026, Planning Board Meeting Minutes