Boulder County Commissioners · Public hearing
Public hearings: Boulder County Housing Authority Plan; Boulder County Housing Authority Moving to Work Supplement to Annual Plan; McWhinney
September 17, 2026
Commissioners approved BCHA's 2027 housing plans and conditionally approved the McWhinney barn and earthwork project.
Commissioners Levy and Stolzman met on September 17, 2026. Loachamin was excused. In the morning, the board heard public comment on pesticide spraying, a septic permit dispute, Gold Hill noise, and Vance Brand Airport. The board then sat as the Housing Authority and approved the 2027 Annual Plan and the Moving to Work Supplement, both by unanimous voice vote. In the afternoon, the board held a land use hearing on the McWhinney earthwork and barn project near Allenspark and approved it 2-0 with added conditions on grading and grazing.
Agenda and votes
Call to Order
9:00 a.m. Morning Session
- 2.aGeneral Public Comment SessionThe board took 45 minutes of public comment. Speakers raised pesticide spraying, a septic licensing dispute, Gold Hill noise, Vance Brand Airport, and a personal harassment complaint.
- 2.bPublic Hearing on Boulder County Housing Authority PlanHousing Division Manager Kelly Schulz presented the BCHA 2027 Annual Plan. The board took public comment and voted unanimously to accept the plan.passed 2-0, 1 absentto accept the Boulder County Housing Authority Annual Plan as presented and discussed on the official record.Moved by Ashley Stolzmann, seconded by Claire LevyStolzmann: yesLevy: yesLoachamin: absent
- 2.cPublic Hearing on Boulder County Housing Authority Moving to Work Supplement to Annual PlanSchulz presented the Moving to Work Supplement, including new medical deduction and voucher rules. The board took public comment and voted unanimously to approve it.passed 2-0, 1 absentto approve the Moving to Work Supplement to the Housing Authority Annual Plan as presented and discussed on the official record.Moved by Ashley Stolzmann, seconded by Claire LevyStolzmann: yesLevy: yesLoachamin: absent
1:00 p.m. Afternoon Session
- 3.aPublic Hearing on McWhinney Earthwork and Barn (Docket LU-26-0010/SPR-25-0066)The board heard a land use case for a barn and earthwork on a 20-acre parcel near Allenspark. The board approved the project 2-0 with added conditions on grading and grazing.passed 2-0, 1 absentto conditionally approve Docket LU-26-0010/SPR-25-0066 in accordance with staff recommendations, commitments of record by applicant, and with additional conditions as discussed and contained within the official record.Moved by Ashley Stolzmann, seconded by Claire LevyStolzmann: yesLevy: yesLoachamin: absent
Conversations by topic
Housing and land use
Housing Division Manager Kelly Schulz presented the BCHA 2027 Annual Plan. She listed 11 goals, covering voucher expansion, self-sufficiency, home ownership, and carbon reduction. She reported 177 eviction-prevention applications received in 2026, with 98 approved.
“So far in 2026... they had received 177 applications.”
Schulz presented new Moving to Work activities for 2027. These include a flat 26 percent income rent calculation for elderly and disabled households instead of full medical-expense documentation, extending project-based voucher portability from 24 to 36 months, and a lottery system for new vouchers.
“most households... under this, we would be proposing for the elderly and disabled folks that they would pay 26 percent of their adjusted gross income.”
Schulz said the agency will simplify student income reporting by excluding scholarships, grants, and financial aid from countable income. She also proposed letting households self-certify assets under 50,000 dollars instead of submitting full documentation.
Voucher holders Nancy Marquez and Trishana Pye asked how the ending Emergency Housing Voucher program will affect their families, since utilities and childcare costs are not covered by their vouchers. Executive Director Suzanna Lopez Baker said BCHA is working with HUD to convert EHV holders to a more stable voucher.
Planner Wesley Jeffries presented the McWhinney land use case for a barn and 3,485 cubic yards of earthwork on a 20-acre forestry-zoned parcel near Allenspark. Staff raised concerns about excess fill near a wetland and a driveway that does not meet county road standards.
Commissioner Levy asked that the applicant's grazing plan be made a binding condition of approval to protect the wetland from overgrazing, instead of a hard fence line proposed by county staff. The applicant, Sabina McWhinney, agreed and said a fence would block her rotational grazing plan.
Vance Brand Airport landing fees
Resident Edward Ruskis asked the county to keep pressing Longmont's Vance Brand Airport process on landing fees. Commissioner Stolzman said city council is moving toward landing fees but must first calculate costs to meet FAA rules, so the process is slow.
Pesticide and herbicide spraying on public land
Several public commenters, including Test McDonald, Daryl Monley, and Leslie Forrester, asked the county to stop spraying synthetic herbicides such as indaziflam on open space to control cheat grass. Commissioner Levy responded that she has read independent research on the chemical and on cheat grass, and does not support the spraying.
Septic and vacation rental licensing dispute
Allenspark property owner Edward Yagi said the county illegally charged septic and vacation rental licensing fees to at least 41 taxpayers with no legal basis. Commissioner Stolzman said Public Health has revised its process so licensed owners should not face the same problem, and the county still owes an answer on fee refunds.
Public safety
Gold Hill resident Chris Hill said two businesses are drawing large crowds and causing traffic, parking, and noise problems beyond what the small town can handle. Commissioner Stolzman said residents should call the sheriff's non-emergency line for noise enforcement, and Commissioner Levy said Code Enforcement has opened an investigation.