Tuesday, October 27 City Council Meeting: Boulder Junior Academy Area Plan

On Tuesday evening, the City Council will vote on the latest version of the Boulder Junior Academy Area Plan. This version contains the Planning Board's addition of an FAR cap of .65 for the "Flex- Zone" portion of the site, which corresponds to about 155,000 sq. ft. of build-out on the entire site, and the removal of some language related to design elements in the redevelopment principles. (We were pleasantly surprised by the large turnout from the neighborhood for the October 1 Planning Board meeting. Thank you to everyone who came and spoke and offered support by staying with us throughout the hearing.)

The Junior Academy item has been put on the Council's Consent Agenda for Tuesday, which means there will be no Public Hearing prior to the Council's vote. It is our view that the item deserves a Public Hearing for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the recent revelation of campaign donations (both accepted and declined) to Planning Board and Council members by parties with a financial stake in the outcome. One City Council member has reported that she has accepted significant funds from the developers of the Junior Academy for her campaign for re-election. Friends of Mt. Sanitas assert that this compromises the Council member's ability to be objective, and we will ask that the Council member recuse herself from ruling on the matter. Two other Council members were offered the funds but refused them (see the Daily Camera article about this topic at this link: http://www.dailycamera.com/election/ci_13585672).

It only takes one City Council member to request that the item be taken off the Consent Agenda and given a Public Hearing later in the evening. Therefore, we are asking you to please come (again!) and address Council during the Public Participation portion of the meeting (6:00-6:45 p.m.) and ask for a Public Hearing on the Junior Academy Area Plan. Emails to Council may also be effective (Council@bouldercolorado.gov). If, with your help, we are successful at persuading at least one Council member to pull the item, Friends of Mt. Sanitas will then address Council during the Public Hearing with a brief presentation to let them know our deep disappointment with the Area Plan process, a process which has only deteriorated with time. Unfortunately, we can't estimate when that testimony might take place, except to say that it will be after all of the other Public Hearing items are finished that evening.

Should the Council vote to approve the Area Plan, Friends of Mt. Sanitas will continue to advocate for the best interests of the community through Concept and Site Review. Your continued involvement will be crucial in helping to shape the final outcome. You have been amazingly involved and engaged so far and we sincerely appreciate it. Your letters to Council have been moving and eloquent and have helped us focus our efforts. The Area Plan is only a recommendation, and we will continue to make the important case for an acceptable, compatible outcome.

Thank you many times over for your support during this particularly arduous phase!

Read the Daily Camera's coverage here, and its Editorial Board's reaction here.