Growth Controls

Growth ControlsGrowth ControlsThe Boulder ExperienceThe Boulder Experience

Boulder, ColoradoBoulder, Colorado

24 square miles 24 square miles between the mountains between the mountains and realityand reality

95,000 population95,000 population 30 minutes from 30 minutes from

DenverDenver Research / technologyResearch / technology Natural settingNatural setting

Growth Management TechniquesGrowth Management Techniques

Comprehensive PlanningComprehensive Planning Joint city-county plan for Boulder ValleyJoint city-county plan for Boulder Valley Area I – built area within cityArea I – built area within city Area II – rural/suburban subject to annexationArea II – rural/suburban subject to annexation Area III - ruralArea III - rural

ZoningZoning Housing permitsHousing permits

Initially 2% limitInitially 2% limit Now 1% growthNow 1% growth

Growth Management TechniquesGrowth Management Techniques

Blue LineBlue Line No city utilities to westNo city utilities to west 5,750 feet5,750 feet

Open Space & Open Space & Mountain ParksMountain Parks 0.5% sales tax for land 0.5% sales tax for land

purchasespurchases 42,000 acre controlled 42,000 acre controlled

by cityby city

Growth Management TechniquesGrowth Management Techniques

Jobs-Housing BalanceJobs-Housing Balance 1.2 jobs per resident1.2 jobs per resident Re-zone or down-zone commercial and Re-zone or down-zone commercial and

industrial landindustrial land Purchase Purchase

commercial and commercial and industrial landindustrial land

Curtail future job Curtail future job growthgrowth

Growth Management TechniquesGrowth Management Techniques

Water supplyWater supply Superior, ColoradoSuperior, Colorado

Height limitationHeight limitation 55 feet55 feet Height of a mature Height of a mature

cottonwood treecottonwood tree

Growth Management TechniquesGrowth Management Techniques(Informal or Not Enacted)(Informal or Not Enacted)

Exclude “unwanted” businesses or Exclude “unwanted” businesses or developmentdevelopment

““Big box” prohibitionBig box” prohibition Chain business prohibition Chain business prohibition Head taxHead tax RoadsRoads

Positive OutcomesPositive Outcomes

Preserved open space and Preserved open space and farm landfarm land

Created high densityCreated high density Fostered good designFostered good design Maintained healthy Maintained healthy

commercial areascommercial areas Preserved property valuesPreserved property values Provides neighborhood Provides neighborhood

retail and servicesretail and services

SprawlSprawl

Not in Boulder!Not in Boulder! Not in the greenbelt!Not in the greenbelt! Everywhere outside of itEverywhere outside of it

PopulationPopulation

Increasingly wealthyIncreasingly wealthy Increasingly older (skewed by the college Increasingly older (skewed by the college

students)students)

HousingHousing

Housing affordabilityHousing affordability BoulderBoulder $350,000$350,000 Denver Denver $262,000$262,000

Affordable housing programsAffordable housing programs Preference in issuing permitsPreference in issuing permits Affordable housing requirementAffordable housing requirement $160,000 gets you a 400 square foot condo. $160,000 gets you a 400 square foot condo.

A parking stall is extra.A parking stall is extra.

HousingHousing

What is happening in the market?What is happening in the market? Families are not moving into BoulderFamilies are not moving into Boulder Buyers are singles or couples with no childrenBuyers are singles or couples with no children Young and old populationYoung and old population Neighborhood schools are closingNeighborhood schools are closing Housing is booming beyond the greenbeltHousing is booming beyond the greenbelt Workers can’t afford to live in BoulderWorkers can’t afford to live in Boulder Companies are increasingly attracted Companies are increasingly attracted

elsewhere to have access to employeeselsewhere to have access to employees

TransportationTransportation

Few roads lead to BoulderFew roads lead to Boulder Traffic congestion is a growing problemTraffic congestion is a growing problem Parking Parking isis a problem a problem Commuter rail is focused on getting Commuter rail is focused on getting

Boulder residents to Denver, and not Boulder residents to Denver, and not getting workers to jobs in Bouldergetting workers to jobs in Boulder

Boulder’s isolation is making it increasingly Boulder’s isolation is making it increasingly undesirable as a business locationundesirable as a business location

Retail OpportunitiesRetail Opportunities

Boulder residents pay more for goodsBoulder residents pay more for goods Places like Pearl Street do not meet local Places like Pearl Street do not meet local

shopping needsshopping needs People leave town to shop at big boxes People leave town to shop at big boxes

and malls in neighboring communitiesand malls in neighboring communities People leave town to shop high-end goodsPeople leave town to shop high-end goods Fewer regional residents shop in Boulder Fewer regional residents shop in Boulder

than once didthan once did

Retail OpportunitiesRetail Opportunities

Market Market shareshare

RevenueRevenue

Figure 3 - Retail Sales by City by Fiscal Year (Thousand $)

0

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2,500,000

3,000,000

3,500,000

4,000,000

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002* 2003

Boulder Broomfield Lafayette Longmont Louisvi lle Superior

Boulder

Broomfield

Longmont

Louisville

Lafayette

Superior

Economic HealthEconomic Health

Businesses leavingBusinesses leaving Ball AerospaceBall Aerospace Intrado SoftwareIntrado Software StorageTekStorageTek Horizon OrganicsHorizon Organics Leopard CommunicationsLeopard Communications Allegro CoffeeAllegro Coffee ExabyteExabyte

Economic HealthEconomic Health

No longer the single entrepreneurial placeNo longer the single entrepreneurial place ““If we had it to do over again, we would never If we had it to do over again, we would never

put it in Boulder”put it in Boulder” ““Boulder celebrates the entrepreneur, but if Boulder celebrates the entrepreneur, but if

you are actually successful, you become you are actually successful, you become public enemy number one”public enemy number one”

““nine ideas come out of private industry for nine ideas come out of private industry for every one coming out of the university or every one coming out of the university or federal labs”federal labs”

Is There a Better Way to Grow?Is There a Better Way to Grow?

No place is an islandNo place is an island Promote infill and redevelopment, but still Promote infill and redevelopment, but still

allow growthallow growth Recognize economic realitiesRecognize economic realities