Neighborhood Meeting Date changed from January 13 to January 20th

We changed the January neighborhood meeting date to accomodate Sarah,  a web designer who has been working on rejuvenating/refreshing/redoing out web site. Jerrie and Jenny met with her recently and we are excited to have her present her ideas and what she has done so far for your review and feedback.  Location has not yet been decided..more information to come.

Walkable Neighborhoods Equals More Community Participation

Hill Neighbors shared this link. Fascinating and worth a read!!

http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/kbenfield/walkable_neighborhoods_have_hi.html

We're Going Hyperlocal!!!

Sarah McClain is building a Goss-Grove hyperlocal website as a prototype.

Jenny Devaud and I saw the first work up and it was impressive. She will be presenting more developed version at our January 20 neighborhood meeting. You don't want to miss it.

It includes a feed from the police department and fire department so that you'll be able to follow what is happening almost as it's happening. A real estate feed, a Flickr feed, all city notices that include Goss-Grove in them. A feed from our blog, history, profiles . . .

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO!!!!!! EASY AS 1-2-3

1. Label all your Flickr photos taken in the neighborhood with "Goss-Grove".

2. Send me (jerrie@jerriehurd.com) the URL's for all your blogs so that we can create a neighborhood blogroll.

3. Come to the January 20 meeting and see what this is all about. Usual time 6 p.m. We are arranging a place where she can project the website onto a wall.

ECO Pass Update!!!! Need Help!!!!

We are getting ready to move forward on getting those who are interested in the Goss Grove Neighborhood Eco Pass signed up. For the initial pass, we're starting with just one block in the hopes that we'll get it going successfully. Once this block is done, we hope to be able to add additional blocks. If you live between 18th & 19th Streets and Canyon and Goss, you are eligible to sign up.

I am looking for a volunteer or two who would be willing to help me in this process. I have had to leave for the month of November to help my parents as my dad recovers from surgery. I need someone who would be able to make copies of the letter that will be sent to everyone on our block and then to stuff them in envelopes for the mailing. All of the cost is covered by GO Boulder, but it has to be done at specific locations in Boulder which means I won't be able to take care of that. I also need someone who would be able to collect the checks as people sign up. Residents would have the option to either mail or drop off the check at your house. I would make the deposit once I return.

Please let me know if you are available to help with either or both of these tasks. I look forward to making this program successful for our neighborhood!

Thanks,
Mindy Hurd
303-325-4764
gossgroveneco@gmail.com

Upcoming Artistic events from our very own

We Are A Neighborhood of Artists!!!!!

Here's your chance to support your neighbor and appreciate that we live in a neighborhood of artists--among other things.
Mary Hey is included in this art show--Opening November 11.

And there's more!!! Jess Steinitz who also lives on Grove Street will be performing with Vox Feminsta

Vox Feminista Presents Live From Planet Earth: Uh-Oh!

Where: Old Main, CU Campus
When: Friday, Nov. 19 at 8pm (doors at 7:30)
Cost: $12-30 sliding scale (based on whatever you can afford). Tickets sold only at the door.

Join Colorado’s own radical theater troupe for the launch of a homegrown cruise ship, the USS Denial. Bearing an assortment of delusional Americans, the show snaps a big picture of looming disaster and opportunity as this ship of fools faces melting icebergs, exploding oil wells, economic meltdown, illegal Mexicans, legal marijuana, queer mermaids, and the wrath of Nature.

Live from Planet Earth: Uh-Oh! is Vox’s latest show as they begin their 21st year of splitting sides and blowing minds. Vox is here to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.

Additional Upcoming Performances:

Sat Nov. 13, 20 & 27 at the Mercury Cafe in Denver (2199 California St.)

Fri & Sat, Dec. 3 & 4 at the Nomad Theatre in Boulder (1410 Quince Ave.)
Fri & Sat, Dec. 10 & 11 at the Nomad Theatre

(all shows start at 8pm)

YOU NEED TO GO--Pick your city meeting!

LISTEN UP!!!!! This newsletter came from the city today. I'm told that we need to have representation at the three citizen input for Comprehensive Plan meetings listed in the first item. Call or email me ASAP and tell me which meeting you'll cover. We need about 2-3 people each night.

Jerrie 303 444 3475 or jerrie@jerriehurd.com

NEWS

Monday, Oct. 25, 2010
Contact:
Sarah Huntley, Media Relations, 303-441-3155

City of Boulder News Briefs

Community input sought for Comprehensive Plan

The City of Boulder is seeking community input on changes to the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan, which is the guiding document for development, redevelopment and social and environmental policies for the Boulder Valley. The comprehensive plan will be a focus topic at the next three Boulder Matters meetings:

· Thursday, Oct. 28, 5 to 7 p.m.
East Boulder Community Center, 5660 Sioux Drive
Comprehensive Plan break-out session: 6:15 p.m.

· Saturday, Nov. 6, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Foothills Elementary School, 1001 Hawthorne Ave.
Comprehensive Plan break-out session: 11:15 a.m.

· Wednesday, Nov. 10, 5 to 7 p.m.
West Senior Center, 909 Arapahoe Ave.
Presentation: 5:30 p.m.

The community is asked to weigh in on desired changes to the comprehensive plan policies, Land Use Map, and the process for reviewing potential Planning Reserve proposals. Presentation participants will have the opportunity to use clicker technology to instantly register their preferences during the presentation, as well as opportunities to provide written and verbal feedback to city and county staff. Input gathered at these meetings will be used to develop potential updates to the comprehensive plan, which will then go to through a review process with the city’s Planning Board, the county’s Planning Commission, City Council and the County Commissioners in spring 2011. The Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan goes through a Major Update process like this one every five years. For more information, go to www.bouldervalleycompplan.net or contact Chris Meschuk at 303-441-4293.

Orientation to Family Child Care Workshop Offered Oct. 26

The City of Boulder's Division of Children, Youth and Families (CYF) is offering a workshop to help participants determine if becoming a licensed family child care provider is the right profession for them. The costs and benefits of licensing, Colorado’s rules and regulations and the steps required to become licensed will be discussed. This class will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 26, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Children, Youth, and Families Building, 2160 Spruce St. in Boulder. Cost is free to City of Boulder residents.

For more information and to register, call 303-441-1912 or go online to www.bouldercolorado.gov/cyfhhs/rt. CYF is a division of the Department of Housing and Human Services.

Halloween Carnival for kids Oct. 29 at South Boulder Recreation Center

The South Boulder Recreation Center will host the “Creatures of the Night” Halloween Carnival from 3 to 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 29. The South Boulder Recreation Center is located at 1360 Gillaspie Drive. This indoor event is open to all children ages 1 to 7 (older siblings are also welcome) and admission is $5 per child. There will be carnival games, crafts, snacks, prizes and a wizard bounce house. All participants are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes. To register, visit www.BoulderParks-Rec.org and click the “Halloween Carnival Oct. 29” link, or pay at the door.

Coot Lake walkway improvements and shoreline stabilization work to begin Nov. 1

The City of Boulder’s Parks and Recreation Department is scheduled to begin walkway improvements and shoreline stabilization work (to help prevent erosion of the shoreline) at Coot Lake on Monday, Nov. 1. Coot Lake is located at 5600 N. 63rd St. (adjacent to Tom Watson Park). The project is anticipated to take three to four weeks. Shoreline stabilization work will include replacement of the existing rock walls on either side of the fishing pier with a reinforced, stable surface.

The Coot Lake parking lot will be closed during construction. Visitors are asked to park at Tom Watson Park and use the crosswalk across 63rd Street to access the lake. A lakeside walkway detour will be provided. For park improvement updates, visit www.BoulderParkNews.org.

Insider tip: Good times to swim and dive at South Boulder Recreation Center

Sundays from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. are great times to swim and dive at the South Boulder Recreation Center (1360 Gillaspie Drive). Swimmers and divers looking for a quieter time to enjoy the pool are encouraged to visit during this time – when two lap lanes and the diving board are open for use.

Admission to the recreation center also includes access to the cardio/weight room, gymnasium (dependent on availability), hot tub, dry sauna and all drop-in classes. For a full schedule, visit www.BoulderParks-Rec.org

Forwarded by Jenny Devaud

Pick Your Way to Participate!!

I'm forwarding this message because it offers a variety of ways to get involved with Boulder planning. Pick your favorite and let your voice be heard!!!
Jerrie

Hello!

Thank you so much for participating in the focus group discussion for the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan Update. The discussions were fantastic and we learned a lot about the issues you care about. It helped us revise the papers and have better recommendations for moving forward.

We are starting our third phase of the update process which focuses on getting more input from community members on the recommendations. A major outreach effort titled “Boulder Matters: Harvesting Ideas” is being planned to consolidate public outreach on a number of Planning Department projects, including the BVCP update. Several events are scheduled at different times and locations from mid-October through mid-November to provide people a variety of opportunities to get information, engage in discussions and give feedback. Here is a link to the meeting dates, locations and focus topics: Boulder Matters

These meetings are family-oriented and planned to be a lot of fun. Please feel free to pass this information on to your members.

Each event will provide input opportunities and breakout sessions on:

• Boulder’s Energy Future
• Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan
• SmartRegs
• Post WWII Historic Preservation Survey
• Bear and Mountain Lion
• Waste Reduction
• Solar Gardens
• Urban Gardens
• Energy Efficiency

The last 3 meetings will have a primary focus on the comprehensive plan update.

The final briefing papers will be available on the website next week (by October 27) and the public comment period will go through November 19. The five briefing papers are on:

• Community Design / Urban Form
• Social Sustainability
• Economic Sustainability
• Local Food & Sustainable Agriculture
• Energy and Climate Action

We welcome you or your organization to provide suggestions or comments to staff and decision-makers about the recommendations. If you would like us to provide materials for a group discussion or have a staff member attend one of you meetings, please contact me and we can make arrangements.

Thanks again so very much for your help. We hope you will attend one of the Boulder Matters meetings!

Warm Regards,

Jean

Jean Hagen Gatza, AICP

Sustainability Planner

City of Boulder, Colorado

gatzaj@bouldercolorado.gov

303.441.4907

October 21st Meeting Minutes and Election Results

Goss-Grove Neighborhood Association

Minutes of October 21, 2010 meeting

Eight neighbors and two visitors gathered at the home of our co-chairs, Jerrie and Jon Hurd.

Officer election

The co-chairs, Jerrie and Jon Hurd, the treasurer, Michele Bishop, and the secretary, Maria Krenz, were unanimously reelected for another year.

Treasurer’s report

We made $73.34 from the garage sale, and spent $14.75 for flyers and refreshments. Current balance is $736.08.

Bike and car share programs

Rich Points from Community Cycles updated us on the activities towards making Goss-Grove a car-lite neighborhood. They are working with CU and Naropa to have students who will rent in the neighborhood make a pledge to live car-free while here. There will be incentives for them, including helping them find work nearby. They envision a 3-5 year campaign.

There will be a walk-through in the neighborhood with the Transportation Department to explore how to redesign the medians to let bikers move through where our streets are blocked for car traffic. Jerrie will notify the neighbors of the date.

The next bike clinic in the neighborhood will be Sunday, April 17, 2011.

Karen Warminghouse from eGo CarShare explained the program. It offers an alternative to personal car ownership or a way to pare down cars in the household. The number of car-share vehicles available in Boulder has increased, including a truck parked at McGuckin. If you have a car that you use seldom, you can loan it to CarShare. You still have the use of it when you need it, you get usage credit, and CarShare will cover the insurance and maintenance.

Rezoning issues

Several neighbors went to a meeting with planning staff, including GGNA representatives, Jerrie Hurd and Mary Hey. The staff was very responsive. Of the three possible maps for RMX-1 zoning, we chose the largest, with some additions on the north side of Goss. The staff understands that we want to preserve the character of the neighborhood and are not looking for historic status. We envision a stable neighborhood where young families can buy a home and modify it to work for them.

The first step will be the revision of the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan. The staff hopes that it will happen by Spring 2011.

Community Garden

Michele Bishop attended the organization’s meeting. We are doing well with two leaders and fourteen plots. Water has to be turned off by October 31 or before, depending on the weather. Plots need to be cleaned out by November 15^th. Renewals are due by February, all current gardeners will receive a notification. There is some maintenance work needed in the garden, but whether we can receive the materials needed depend on the funding of the organization.

Respectfully submitted,

Maria Krenz, Secretary

Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow and YOU

Election of officers is tomorrow. YOU need to have your voice heard. Maybe you need to think about stepping up to become one of the organizers of this organization. At the very least, you need to show up (Jon and Jerrie's yellow house 2010 Goss Street) at 6 p.m. to eat gumbo and other goodies, discuss the last city meeting, vote and get to know you neighbors better.
See you tomorrow.

Election of Officers Thursday

It's time to elect new officers. We don't have any Tea Party Candidates running (that I know of) but we do need a quorum in order to make this official. Also we have several issues to discuss including a debrief of the last meeting with the City of Boulder. Always worth a discussion.

What's more we will have shrimp gumbo to eat and other goodies that are always added to the table.

Come join your neighbors and vote!

Thursday, October 21, 6 p.m. Jon and Jerrie's yellow house 2010 Goss Street.
See you there!!!

Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow and YOU

Last chance reminder
Tomorrow, Wednesday, October 13, Creek Room Boulder Public Library!
City planners will be there with maps and things to discuss the possible land use changes that affect our neighborhood. We voted to support this. A mailing went to all property owners including those from out-of-state and out-of-country. Let's not let them have the last word. That means you and your words need to show up!
Got it?
See you there.

Message About ECO Pass

I wanted to get the word out to anyone who is interested in helping with getting the Neighborhood ECO pass program going for Goss Grove. I've met with Karen Worminghaus, the director of eGo Carshare and a NECO pass coordinator, for some ideas and went to the meeting for neighborhood coordinators a couple of weeks ago. Karen and I are planning on meeting with Rich Points tomorrow afternoon at 1:00 p.m. to discuss a plan for getting the surveys completed and pledges made. Rich is also interested in helping since this ties in well with the Car-Free/Car-Lite campaign.

I know it is really last minute, but if anyone is interested get in touch with me. Meeting is at the eGo Carshare office. 1919 14th St., Suite 330D, in the Colorado Building.


Thanks!
Mindy Hurd
303-325-4764

October 13 Meeting--All Property Owners Will Be Notified

According to Louise Grauer, senior planner, the city will notify all property owners in the Goss-Grove area of the meeting Wednesday, October 13, regarding possible land-use changes. That means members of the neighborhood association need to be in attendance to make sure our voices are heard, since we are the ones who have drafted the memo of support and have been paying attention to this issue from the first.

Also means this meeting, October 13 6 p.m. at the Boulder Public Library Creek Room is essential. Don't miss this one. Don't even think about missing this one.

Scroll down and you'll find a blog entry with the agenda and maps. That's the info that's being mailed out.

Beautiful Community Garden and Park

Thank you Nicole, Josh, Jon, Jerrie, Chris, Kris, Jenelle and Michele for coming out to make our Garden and Park the most lovely of all the Growing Gardens.  We cleaned up everything beautifully and so quickly with so many helping hands. No more scheduled cleanups for this growing season, so I will look forward to seeing you doing your final harvesting and next year!  Thanks for being a lovely community of gardeners.  Jenny

We Have Neighbor in Open Studios

Check out Jerrie Hurd's Open Studio this weekend and next. Here's the info . . .

Jerrie Hurd’s Homo Sapiens Unadorned

An Open Studio/ #66 of Boulder’s Open Studios

When: October 2,3 and October 9,10 --Noon to 6 p.m. each day

Where: 2010 Goss Street, Boulder—follow signs to studio in back

Directions: From Canyon in downtown Boulder, turn south on 21^st Street. A block later, 21^st Street turns and becomes Goss Street. You are looking for little yellow house with big-big house numbers 2010.

New Snow Removal Info From City

This came from the city today. It's in governmentese but contains new info about snow removal regs with good links.

Following up from the April Weekly Information Packet (WIP) item on sidewalk snow removal, http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/files/City%20Council/WIPS/2010/Apr_8/2B.doc

issues and opportunities were explored further. Some changes are proposed as a result that impact both city practices and regulations. Both are discussed in a Sept. 21 Council memo:

http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/files/Clerk/Agendas/2010/09_21_2010_Agenda/Snow_removal_memo_and_ord.pdf

Any code change requires two readings by the City Council. First reading is Sept. 21. Staff will follow up on questions identified at first reading. The public hearing and second reading are currently scheduled for Oct. 5.

We welcome comments from the Goss Grove neighborhood about this proposal. The proposed ordinance:

· clarifies that the requirement for prior notification is specific to abatement and not required prior to issuance of a summons,

· more clearly defines that the minimum notification required prior to abatement is one notice per snow season,

· revises the cutoff for the end of a snowfall from midnight to 5 a.m. to eliminate the extended grace period currently allowed for snows ending after midnight,

· clarifies that enforcement action can be in the form of a summons, abatement, or both, and

· increases the administrative fee for abatement cases from $25 to $50 to more accurately reflect city costs.

Feedback from you and your neighbors, as always, will be appreciated. Please also know that outreach efforts are expected to be significant with implementation.

Thanks,

Mo Rait

City of Boulder

Public Works Department

(303) 441-3227

Meetings October 13 AND 21 Both Important!

Listen up!!!!

We have two important meetings coming up. Below you'll find info on meeting with City of Boulder over proposed land use changes in our area, including maps!! Don't miss that one.

Then because we have elections and other neighborhood business, we are going to also have our regular meeting (with Shrimp Gumbo) at 6 p.m. October 21 at Hurd House 2010 Goss.

TWO MEETING. BOTH IMPORTANT!!

The following is the City of Boulder's Agenda:

Goss Grove Neighborhood Meeting

Wednesday October 13

6-8 p.m.

Boulder Creek Meeting Room

Main Library

AGENDA

1. Introductions

2. Questions and Answers

1. Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP) process for land use designation changes
2. The preliminary CU Master Plan for area between Arapahoe and Boulder Creek
3. Naropa future plans

3. Three options for possible land use designation change in the Goss-Grove neighborhood (over)
   
   Three Preliminary Options for a Land Use Designation Change to Mixed Density Residential
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

A photo collage featuring the Goss-Grove Community Gardens will be part of the Grand Opening of the CU Art Museum and new Visual Arts Complex, September 24. The gardens, of course, are a distinguishing feature of our neighborhood, thanks to the continued efforts of Jenny Devaud, Michelle Bishop and others.
The collage by Jerrie Hurd will be part of a larger instillation on one wall of the complex.
Grand Opening will begin at noon with tours of the new building. Performances will begin at 3 p.m. Reception with music on the plaza starts at 4:30 p.m.

Free Bike Clinic Successful!!

Rich Points and Community Cycles rolled into Goss-Grove Neighborhood Saturday afternoon, September 18, with a free bike clinic. Perhaps most impressive is the fact that they walk the talk--everything, tent and all, arrived via pedal power. Then for four hours, they fixed bikes, pumped up tires and talked the merits of cycling.
At the same time, Michelle Bishop and others from the neighborhood handed out free lemonade, tea and fliers about Goss-Grove. It was a cooperative effort that benefited all. Thanks goes to Rich and Community Cycles for suggesting the event. Big thanks to Michelle for making the fliers and setting up the neighborhood booth.

GET YOUR BICYCLE FIXED!!!!!

Community Cycles Rolling Bike Clinic coming to Goss Grove
Saturday Sept 18, Noon - 4p.m.
West side of Snow Lion Apts

Rolling Bike Clinics (RBCs) are bicycle powered mobile bike shops designed to fix broken bikes in neighborhoods in Boulder.

Volunteer bike mechanics load our large capacity bike trailers with all the tools and parts needed for a mobile bike shop. We then ride to a neighborhood, set up shop and fix bikes for a day.
http://communitycycles.org/programs/rolling-bike-clinics.html

Ride On!

This is compliments of Rich Points. Some of you will remember him from our last Goss-Grove Neighborhood meeting.
Support him.
Thank him.
Get your bike fixed.
Check out Community Cycles http://CommunityCycles.org

Yard Sale Cancelled

Due to lack of interest, the yard sale for this year is cancelled.  In order to really call it a neighborhood event, we would need to have at least five families who would like to participate.  Maybe next year!

We Have Neighbors In Fringe Festival--Check IT OUT!

Pickpocket Theatre presents MOXIE at the 2010 Boulder International Fringe Festival.
Written by Teresa Sparks (23rd and Goss) and Alana Eve Burman (16th and Grove).
Starring Alana Eve Burman.




We open Thursday the 19th of August! Get your tickets now (by clicking on the posing Alana, above)!

A silent movie. A newsreel. An office farce. Don’t miss the show our mothers are calling “adorable” and our fathers tell us is “historically inaccurate.” Quick, hilarious and immaculately rehearsed, Moxie will answer all of your questions, provided those questions are “Does Edward R. Murrow approve of Howdy Doody’s divorce?” and “Should pinup girls know aikido?” and “Is oracular rochambeau a viable decision-making process?” Whew! Fame is a rough town.

$15 general admission
$12 student/senior

The 19th and 25th are 2-for-1 nights, so bring a friend!

8/19 6:00 PM*
8/20 7:30 PM
8/21 6:00 PM
8/25 6:00 PM*
8/26 8:30 PM
8/28 7:00 PM
* nights are 2-for-1

Playing at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA), 1750 13th St., Boulder, CO.

Tickets for Moxie are available at the door, or in advance at http://boulderfringe.com/2010festival/program-details.aspx?id=25

Love,
Teresa and Alana

Program Council Says Working on Noise!

August 9, 2010

Dear Boulder Community Members:
The University of Colorado at Boulder will be hosting its annual New Student Welcome festivities on August 19-22nd, 2010. These activities are CU's way to welcome new students to the University and to Boulder. As a part of the weekend, Program Council will be hosting a concert on Farrand Field on Saturday August 21st starting at 6:30pm. The performance will run no later than 10:30pm. Additionally, sound check will begin around 2:00pm with some intermittent sound during the afternoon.
In the fall of 2008 the University received feedback regarding sound levels in the community from the two outdoor concerts held on Farrand Field. Since the first concert, CU has been working to address the issues raised to ultimately reduce the impact these concerts have on our Boulder neighbors. In the summer of 2009 a "sound test" took place to see if the sound equipment could be reconfigured and therefore more contained within the field, and the reconfiguration did significantly decrease the sounds levels projected to the neighborhoods that had been impacted last fall. During the 2009 concert, the University only received one sound complaint, and sound was much better managed because of the sound test. This year we will be using the same methods to manage the sound beyond the field.
For the August 21st concert, Program Council will be working in close association with the CU Police Department and the City of Boulder's Environmental and Zoning Enforcement Office to manage this event. We will ensure that the sound does not exceed the campus policy of 85 decibels at the edge of campus. We will be taking continual decibel level readings throughout the evening. The levels will be recorded to ensure that we are within appropriate sound levels.
On the evening of August 21st, if you feel overly impacted by the sound, please direct your calls to 303-492-7704. Finally, if you have any concerns or questions about this letter, please feel free to contact the Program Council office at (303) 492-7704.
It is CU's hope to provide concerts like these in order to keep students engaged in activities on campus, while also balancing this goal with the needs of our neighborhoods. This is especially important during this first weekend as we welcome the Class of 2015 to campus. For a complete listing of all New Student Welcome events, please visit http://www.colorado.edu/inthemix.

Thank you,

Justin Greenstein Deb Coffin
Program Council Student Director Associate Vice-Chancellor of Student Affairs

Goss-Grove Neighborhood Association By-Laws

BYLAWS FOR THE GOSS-GROVE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

I.  PURPOSE

            The Goss-Grove Neighborhood Association (hereafter the Association) is established by the residents of the Goss-Grove Neighborhood in order to promote the common interests and welfare of the neighborhood and its residents.  The Association’s areas of concern shall include but are not limited to matters affecting the quality of life in the neighborhood and the larger community. 

II.             BOUNDARIES

The boundaries of the Association are as follows: One-half block south of Canyon Boulevard on the North (but not including within the boundary either side of Canyon), Arapahoe Avenue on the South (including within the boundary the north side of Arapahoe but not the south), 23^rd Street on the East (including both sides of 23^rd street), and Fifteenth Street on the West (including both sides of Fifteenth Street).

Changes in boundaries are subject to the approval of the Association. 

III.           MEMBERSHIP

A.   RESIDENT MEMBERS

Membership is open to all residents within the boundaries of the Association.

B.    NON-RESIDENT MEMBERS

Membership is open to all property owners, business licensees, and non-profit organizations within the boundaries of the Association.  In addition, Boulder High School may designate one representative to be a member of the Association.

IV.           VOTING

All resident members of the Association who are eighteen years and older are entitled to vote on all matters.  All non-resident members shall have one vote per organization on all matters.  However, there shall be only one vote per person, so that resident members who also own businesses or additional property within the neighborhood shall not be allowed to vote more than once.  It shall not be a requirement that the Boulder High School representative member be over eighteen in order to vote. 

No proxies shall be taken.

Voting shall generally be by voice vote, but may be by secret ballot upon request of any member prior to the vote. 

V.             OFFICERS

The Officers of the Association shall be a chair or two Co-Chairs, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.  The officers shall preside over all meetings, planning sessions, and activities of the Association.  All officers must reside within the Association boundaries.

The duties of the officers shall include but not be limited to the following:

Chair or Co-Chairs:  Preside over and facilitate all meetings and activities.  The Chair/Co-Chairs shall be the official spokespersons for the Association.  The Chair/Co-Chairs may designate other members to facilitate meetings and act as spokespersons.  The Chair/Co-Chairs may act on behalf of the Association on ministerial matters as may be necessary in between membership meetings. 

Secretary:  Keep minutes of all Association meetings; notify members of meetings and other Association activities.

Treasurer:  Maintain the financial records of the Association.

VI.           ELECTIONS

Officers shall be elected annually in October.  No officer shall serve for more than three consecutive terms.  Elections to fill vacant positions shall occur whenever a vacancy exists.

VII.         COMMITTEES

Committees to address specific concerns, issues, or events may be established as necessary.  All committees shall have Chairs.

VIII.            MEETINGS

General meetings of the membership shall be held not less than quarterly, usually in January, April, July, and October.  All members shall be notified of upcoming meetings by written notice at least two weeks prior to such meetings.  Additional meetings may be called by the Chair/Co-Chairs as necessary, so long as two weeks notice and an agenda are provided to all members.

All decisions must be reached by a majority vote.  A quorum is reached when two officers are present and attendance of voting members is greater than 50% of the average voting member attendance of the last two general meetings.

IX. FUNDING

The Association shall seek contributions and grants, and engage in other fundraising activities as needed.  Membership dues are not required.  Decisions concerning basic operating expenses shall be made by consensus of the Officers.  Any expenditure over $100 shall be approved by the voting membership.

X.            AMENDMENTS TO BY-LAWS

Any amendments to these By-Laws must be approved by two thirds of a quorum at any regular or special meeting. 

X.            DISSOLUTION

The Association may dissolve itself by the membership voting to do so.

The Bylaws are adopted by the following vote of those present on this  14th day of _July_, 2010

Signed:___Jerrie and Jon Hurd_______________________________________

            Acting Co-Chairs

Walk the New SODA Project

This is short notice, but there is a South of Downtown SODA walk tomorrow July 22 4-7 p.m.
Here's the link with more info: http://www.boulderdowntown.com/visit/south-of-downtown-area-soda/15thstreetd This is the project that will turn 15th Street into a Main Street--walkable, bikable, shopping, etc is the way they are describing it.
Some of us are going to show up there at 4 p.m. to see what it's all about. Love to see you as well.
Jerrie
Chair
Goss-Grove Neighborhood Association

GGNA neighorhood meeting minutes for July 14, 2010

Goss-Grove Neighborhood Association


Minutes of July 14, 2010 meeting

Twelve neighbors gathered. Our co-chairs, Jerrie and Jon Hurd once again graciously hosted and fed us.
The minutes of the April 13, 2010, GGNA meeting were approved.
The revised bylaws were approved and will be posted on the blog site.

Bike program

Rich Points from Community Cycles presented his idea that the Goss-Grove neighborhood would be an ideal starting point for creating a car-free area in Boulder. He proposed to start with a PR campaign that maintains an attitude of pro-bike rather than anti-car. He agreed that this is a long-range (at least 4-5 years) project and needs to involve Naropa and CU students. We noted that permanent resident of Goss-Grove are already using bikes and public transportation more than their cars, but encouraged Rich to “dream” further. Marty Crigler agreed to be the liaison with Rich.

Parking permits

There are currently 340 resident permits, 440 visitor hangtags, and 34 commuter permits assigned to Goss-Grove’s NPP Zone. Up to four commuter permits are allowed per block. The problems neighbors are having with noisy and rude Boulder High students seem to be with those who park without a permit. No further action was recommended for the moment. Mary and other neighbors have met with the BHS principal about the problems, and will meet again with him in August.

Rezoning issues

Mary Hey recapped our last meeting with Jessica Vaughn and Louise Grauer of the City Planning Staff. Since then on May 25 Jerrie and Mary attended the City Council meeting. In preparation, Mary sent the 3/29/10 memo approved by GGNA and called Council members. The memo was well received. Before we can be considered for RMX-1 zoning, the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BCVP) land use designation must be changed to MXR. At the meeting the Council voted to include Goss-Grove as an area for Planning Staff specifically to study for possible redesignation.

The next event will be a Council Meeting on plans for SoDA currently planned for August 3rd, but the date may change. The Council’s next consideration of the changes in RH zoning is planned for September 7, but date may change. Prior to September 7, Jessica Vaughn and Louise Grauer are planning a walk-through of Goss-Grove that would include members of Council and Planning Board .

How would the proposed new RH2 zoning affect us?

-The new rules would allow continue to allow high-density development while lowering parking requirements for new development.

-Dorms, shelters, mobile homes, fraternities, sororities, restaurants, B&Bs, day shelters, and large convenience stores would still be allowed.

We are asking for RMX-1 because we want to protect the residential feel of our neighborhood, not have more density and more commercial. Goss-Grove clearly matches the definition of that zone. RMX-1 zoning would make it easier for single-family homes to be enlarged or built, which would help attract young families to Goss-Grove and increase neighborhood stability.

The co-chairs appointed Mary Hey to be GGNA representative with the city regarding the rezoning issues.

Community Garden

Michele Bishop and Jenny Devaud are overseeing the community garden. There is a “weedathon” once a month. Come even if for 15 minutes, the garden is a great way to meet your neighbors!

Yard Sale

The date of the yard sale will be Sunday, August 22nd, starting at 9:00 am. Stephen Haydel volunteered to coordinate the event and take care of advertising. There is a “to do” checklist that either Roseanne or Jerrie has. Michele will see whether we can get drinks donated, but we will not sell food.

Our blog

News and minutes are posted at http://goss-grove.blogspot.com. The blog serves the neighbors as well as those who want to know more about GGNA. Send photos and stuff related to the neighborhood to Jenny Devaud for posting. Jenny and Jerrie are in charge of the blog.

CU future plans

The university has long-term expansion plans, not into our neighborhood but between the university and the south side of Arapahoe. Nevertheless their plans will have an impact on the neighborhood.

Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan 2010 Major Update

The City is convening focus group meetings to get feedback on draft revisions to the entire BVCP. Because this affects Goss-Grove and our efforts to rezone, we were asked to send a representative to participate those meetings. Jerrie will represent GGNA there.

Next meeting: Thursday, October 21. We will have elections at that meeting.

Respectfully submitted,

Maria Krenz, Secretary

This sounded like a sufficiently interesting idea that I invited Rich to our July 14 quarterly meeting and he is coming. Means we will have a full agenda (see below). Need everyone to come out. Have some gumbo. Talk about rezoning, Rich's idea for community cycles, changes in by-laws. This could be an important meeting.
July 14 (Wednesday) 6 p.m. 2010 Goss (Hurd House) with gumbo and great neighbors!
See you there.

Hi,
My name is Rich Points, I'm the executive director of Community Cycles http://CommunityCycles.org. We're Boulders only non-profit community bike shop. We have a wide range of grass roots bicycle advocacy programs and activities. I'm writing to pitch an idea I've had for Goss/Grove for a long time which is to make it a car-free or car-lite neighborhood.

First a brief background. I moved to Boulder and Goss/Grove in 1998 to attend grad school at Naropa. I parked my truck and began biking and walking everywhere I went, within a year I was car-free. Since then I've benefited in many ways by getting around primarily by bike. I lived in several apartments over five years and now live in north Boulder. Since then I've increasingly worked to help more people reap the benefits of a bicycle based lifestyle. My time living in Goss/Grove was seminal and I know it has been for others too, I think it has the potential to reach even more people.

The idea of creating a car-free cul-de-sac in Boulder has been with me for a long time and Goss/Grove seems like an ideal starting point. Here is a brief overview of what I have in mind:

• Make connections with housing coordinators at Naropa and CU to funnel interested students into Goss/Grove.
• Start with a PR campaign to say that we're creating a bike-centric Goss/Grove. Housing coordinators, Press releases, fliers, websites, outreach, word of mouth...
• Create ties with orgs like Boulder Car Share, Community Cycles, Naropa bike shack, CU bike station, student groups, city of Boulder...
• Open air bike repair station near community garden.
• Maintain a tone of pro-bike as opposed to anti-car.

The first three years would follow this simple formula to see if there's an interest from the community. Over that time we can explore ways to improve bicycle infrastructure both in and around the neighborhood. I could say more but in the interest of brevity I'll stop here.

For a long time it's been nothing but an idea, I'd like to set it into motion. I realize this might seem invasive coming in with this big idea when I don't currently live there. So I wanted to pitch this to you and hear your thoughts and concerns first.

I'd like to propose a partnership with Community Cycles and the Goss/Grove Neighborhood Association to work on developing and executing this campaign. If it is something you're interested in I'd like to create a new Community Cycles program and devote resources to make it happen.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Ride On!

--
Rich Points
Community Cycles Executive Director
http://CommunityCycles.org
Rich@CommunityCycles.org
720-565-6019 (W)
303-589-0597 (C)
Donate your old car to Community Cycles
http://communitycycles.org/get-involved/donatecar.html
Volunteer orientations are held 6p.m. on the 4th Tuesday of each month.

Community Garden Clean-up July 8th, 6 - 8 p.m.

Please come out and enjoy time with your neighbors and friends while beautifying our Community Park and Garden flower beds.  As it is hot out during the day, we'll meet at 6 p.m. and work until we're done, usually well before the scheduled 8 p.m. ending time.  If you can only make it for 15 minutes, we still appreciate seeing you!  Community gardeners, this work is so appreciated and goes towards your required four hours of working for the community good.  Thanks in advance!  Jenny, 1935 Grove St, plot 12

Mark Calendar--July 14 Next GGNA Meeting

Our quarterly regular neighborhood meeting is coming up--July 14. I believe that's Bastille Day. Might have to find a French flag or serve French wine.

Here's the agenda:

Start 6 p.m. at Hurd House 2010 Goss with shrimp gumbo and whatever else you bring.

1. We talked about some changes to the by-laws but never actually voted on them. I'll get the changes on the blog before the meeting for you to consider. Nothing big, mostly housekeeping kinds of things.

2. Need to formally vote Mary Hey as GGNA Re-Zoning Chair. She's already been doing the work, needs to have the title, I think. No committee--that suggests extra committee meetings, which no one needs. The Chair can report at regular meetings and call on people as needed for various meetings, responsibilities, etc.

3. Mary Hey and Jerrie Hurd will report on the re-zoning issue.

4. Garage Sale? If we're going to have one this summer, we will need a Chair for that, too. Rest of the officers are stretched with the re-zoning issue.

5. Discuss using blog for information. Is that effective? Desirable?

6. We will invite local police officer/environmental officer to speak to us. Other suggestions as well?

ANY OTHER ITEMS WE SHOULD ADD?
email me: jerrie@jerriehurd.com

CU Plans Re-do of Family Housing Along Boulder Creek

Twice Goss-Grove representatives have been invited to voice concerns at planning discussions about the redevelopment of student housing along Boulder Creek. Jon and Jerrie Hurd spent the morning of May 19th on Campus listening to the Urban Land Institute, a nonprofit program that offers expert advice in urban planning, discuss possibilities with CU Planning Staff and stake holders. We are considered a stake holder.

There will need to be lots of flood mitigation done in this area. The day care facility will be moved out of area because of flood concerns. Other than that, no decisions have been made.

The most likely possibility would be one of the following or a combination:

• Using the area for more recreation, including building a 3000 seat stadium for soccer.
  
• Putting a conference center at Arapahoe and Folsom.
  
• Replacing the existing student housing with a mixed use plan including retail along Arapahoe and some classrooms.
  
• Increasing the density of student housing, also with a mixed use plan and some high-end units that would be leased to non-students (alumni).

As Goss-Grove's representatives, the Hurds expressed concern for traffic and parking. The City of Boulder representative stated that Arapahoe will NOT be widened, but they do have plans to turn that street into a walkable corridor. CU offered multiple plans for handling parking including incorporating Car Share into the plan. Most of those plans seemed adequate, but not generous. They are basically looking at 1.1 car spaces per housing unit.

The morning included a walk through the area under discussion as many of the Urban Land Institute Planners were from out of town.

City Planners expressed desire to have more student housing on campus to relieve neighborhoods like ours.

If you have questions, the North Creek Project is discussed on CU's website.

CU Party Registration Report

Jon Hurd attended the follow-up meeting at CU about registering off-campus parties. They tried this program for 4 weeks at the end of the school year, feel it was a success and will continue it next fall.
Here are the statistics they handed out from the pilot project:
14 registered parties
1 party 4/16-4/17
3 parties 4/23-4/24
0 parties 4/30-5/1 Finals Weekend
10 parties 5/7-5/8
1 party received a complaint.
No registered parties received a second complaint and required police response
8 parties were on the Hill; 3 near Table Mesa; 3 in East Aurora
The one that received the complaint was on the Hill

HOLD THE TROOPS!!!!

The SODA (south of Downtown) vote at city council has been postponed. Remember, we were going to show up en mass to support city planning staff on this issue, as well as the down-zoning of Goss-Grove because they are related issues. Still want to do that, but you can take June 1 off your calendar. We'll need you in July or August when this has been rescheduled. Watch your e-mail and this blog for new date.

Call to Action--June 1

As you know, Goss/Grove is up for a rezoning and as a neighborhood organization we've forwarded a memo supporting City Planning Staff's recommendation that this area be down zoned. Those of you who made our last neighborhood meeting will remember the discussion we had with two members of the planning staff about that issue--Jessica Vaughn and Louise Grauer.

Related is the project called SODA (South of Downtown). It is also up for rezoning and the staff has recommended that it be down zoned. SODA is coming before City Council June 1.

Seems logical that we should support staff on both of these down-zoning recommendations as both have impact on our neighborhood, especially those of you who live near the 17th-15th Street end of Grove. It has come to my attention that there is opposition to down-zoning the SODA area, so I'd like to see us show up in good numbers to the June 1 meeting to speak in support of the staff recommendation and the fact that I think we generally feel that everything south of Canyon should be down zoned.

So this is the call to action. You need to put June 1, 6 p.m. at City Council Chambers, on your calendar and show up.

Questions?
Jerrie Hurd
303 444 3475
jerrie@jerriehurd.com

Memo Concerning Re-zoning of Goss-Grove Adopted by Nieghborhood Association and Forwarded to Boulder City Council

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Goss-Grove Neighborhood Association

Response to Proposed Zoning Changes in RH-2

Introduction

The Goss-Grove Neighborhood Association (GGNA) represents the neighborhood bounded by Arapahoe, Canyon, 15^th Street, and 23^rd Street. When we refer to “Goss-Grove” or “our neighborhood,” that is the area we are referring to – the neighborhood adjacent to Goss and Grove streets.

We have followed the RH-2 zoning discussion to the best of our ability, reviewing the documents issued over the past year. We have read the definitions of RH-2 and RMX-1 found in the City Code, considered city planning staff recommendations to Planning Board, and talked about our cumulative decades of living experience in Goss-Grove.

After careful consideration, we support staff recommendations in the 11/19/09 report, “Residential High-2 Zone District Report” (below, simply “the report”). We ask that the City consider changing zoning for our neighborhood to RMX-1, as staff recommended on pages 3 and 49 of the report.

City Code

What does the City Code say about RH-2 and RMX-1? It says the RH-2 zone district is intended to be a high density residential area primarily consisting of a variety of attached units, where complementary nonresidential uses may be permitted (§9-2-2(c)(1)(F), B.R.C. 1981). The RMX-1 zone district, on the other hand is intended to be a less dense area with a variety of single-family, duplexes, and multifamily units (§9-5-2(c)(1)(D), B.R.C. 1981).

The RMX-1 description fits our neighborhood, just as it fits the other historical neighborhoods that surround downtown. Approximately half of the dwelling units here are classified as “detached single-family,” a much higher ratio than any other of the RH-2 districts.

Planning Staff Recommendations

In its analysis of the entire RH-2 zone, the report states that “variations in character of the subareas may suggest solutions that are specifically tailored to particular neighborhoods” (p.1). Recognizing that there is no blanket fit for resolving issues in each of the subareas under consideration, the report further states that in the Goss-Grove subarea “[t]he increase in density would likely continue to alter the single-family residential character found in this neighborhood” (p.3).

Staff specifically recommends in the report that our “South of Canyon” neighborhood be considered for RMX-1 zoning. The report here is worth quoting at length. “The key issues in this neighborhood include the preservation of existing character, a lotting pattern that discourages consolidation for larger developments, the presence of the 100-year floodplain, and the possibility of losing historic resources that add uniqueness to the city. All are counterintuitive to a high density residential district.”

They go on to say, “The BVCP indicates that the MRX land use designation is intended for older downtown neighborhoods that have a variety of housing types and densities. The intent of the RMX-1 zone district is to permit a variety of residential land uses that maintain their existing densities, while still allowing renovation or rehabilitation. Both of these district intents are consistent with the existing development pattern in the South of Canyon Boulevard neighborhood” (p.49).

Planning Board at its 1/21/10 meeting barely discussed planning staff’s proposal to change our neighborhood’s zoning to RMX-1, and seemed to demonstrate scanty knowledge of the area. We feel that more than a cursory look at planning staff’s proposal is called for, and here offer our insights to help promote further consideration.

Living in Goss-Grove

Density

Goss-Grove has been a high-density zone for at least 30 years, beginning even before HDOZ. In those decades there has been substantial development. The neighborhood was eclectic and the land was cheap back then. Developers seized the opportunity to buy up lots, take down old houses and create multi-unit housing, and to infill. One neighbor remembers a 1970s Daily Camera article about density in which a city official described Goss-Grove as a “sacrifice zone.” That’s apparently how we ended up with Section 8 housing at 2003 Grove, with its attendant problems, and the Boulder Community Treatment Center (a halfway house for prison inmates). A rash of development in the 1980s filled in virtually every vacant lot left.

Currently we have a density of 21 dwelling units per acre, according to the report. However, if one considers only multi-family developments, there are almost 30 dwelling units per acre – developments that have “maximized or exceeded their development potential” (p.27). Our neighborhood is full of people, mostly because of extreme development along Canyon and Arapahoe, and we feel that it has done its part in absorbing density for the city.

Location

The center of Boulder (if you type “Boulder” on MapQuest.com) is about 50 feet south of 19^th & Grove. We who live down here are well aware of that. On foot it takes 10 minutes to get to McGuckin Hardware or the post office or Whole Foods or the library, 15 minutes to CU or the Pearl Street Mall, 25 minutes to the Boulder Medical Center, and 5 minutes to the Boulder Creek Path or the Farmer’s Market. Walking and biking are clearly the easiest way to get around town from here, giving us one of the main advantages of downtown living. Bus routes regularly travel down Arapahoe and Canyon, and we are 5 minutes walk from the bus station. Pocket parks that divert traffic make for pleasant walking.

Who Lives in Goss-Grove?

At the January 21^st Planning Board meeting, Chair Adrian Sopher, referring to the Goss-Grove neighborhood, said something like, “What single-family character? If it’s 80-90 percent non owner-occupied, what are we being asked to protect?”

According to the report, 10 percent of the properties in Goss-Grove are owner-occupied (p.22). But because 50 percent of the dwellings are single-family houses, we have many professionals -- artists, scientists, retired people, architects, professors – as well as service workers, small-business owners, and university staff -- who have chosen to live in the neighborhood. Some have lived here for many years, much as in the case of the RMX-1 zone in Whittier. The presence of a number of adult, long-term renters provides added stability to the neighborhood, dampening crime and other problems here. People commit to settle down here because even if it’s crowded, the single-family character makes it an attractive place to live.

And we have lots of students. In recent years, more Naropa University students have moved in, a welcome addition to the neighborhood. Because they are committed to doing community service, some have joined with the neighborhood association on clean-up projects. The resident manager at the Snow Lion (the dorm at 1900 Goss) has participated in neighborhood meetings, and has been very responsive to any concerns we have voiced about the dorm. Many CU students move to Goss-Grove because it is generally quieter down here, and much less stressful, than living on the Hill. City noise ordinances have contributed greatly to maintaining respect between students and families.

What Is Our Vision for Goss-Grove?

For many years, Goss-Grove neighbors have worked to improve the neighborhood, which has attracted more families and people committed to living here. To that end we have promoted regular neighborhood meetings and cleanups, an annual neighborhood yard sale, and social events. Several years ago we established a community garden in the pocket park at 20^th & Grove, with the help of Growing Gardens. Neighbors contributed hundreds of dollars and many hours of sweat equity to build the raised garden plots, plant flowers, and paint the posts along the sidewalk. Those plots are so popular with renters that they are all scooped up by March.

We envision for Goss-Grove a modest and stable downtown neighborhood that attracts responsible students, families, single professionals and workers looking for a low-key and convenient place to live within the core of downtown Boulder. Most recently, we have become a neighborhood that is being discovered for it’s walkable lifestyle by retiring baby-boomers and young single professionals — both of whom immediately remodel and upgrade the homes they buy. For that reason, it holds promise as an area that will be increasingly desirable because of its location and increasingly an asset to the downtown area with its diversity and liveliness.

Why Not Rezone Goss-Grove RMX-1?

The planning staff did an exhaustive review of the RH-2 subareas in the report, and an excellent job of arguing for an RMX-1 zoning designation for Goss-Grove. Why did the Planning Board give short shrift to the staff’s work? We’d like to lay out some of the Planning Board’s objections to rezoning, as we have understood them, and to provide our view of how to address them. Our solution to virtually all of those objections is to redraw the map.

The current “Goss-Grove Subarea” as drawn doesn’t make sense. First, the area north of Canyon has never been called “Goss-Grove,” and that nomenclature is simply confusing. Second, it makes no sense to talk of a single zoning area divided by a major corridor with intense development on both sides of the street. This seems especially so when the platting north of Canyon is completely different from the platting south of Canyon, as a quick look at the map on p. 7 of the report will show. Both of those decisions – the name, and the conflating of two disparate areas – have created unnecessary confusion in trying to understand what kind of zoning should be applied in our neighborhood.

The core of Goss-Grove (the blocks adjacent to Goss and Grove, from 15^th to 23^rd streets, and the north side of Arapahoe) is categorically different from the intense development along Canyon. Consequently, we would like to suggest granting RMX-1 zoning to at least the core area. This area coincides almost exactly with the Goss-Grove NPP Zone (1/21/10 Planning Board Agenda #5a, p.5).

We want RMX-1 zoning for the following reasons:

1. We continue to want to maintain the character of our neighborhood to the extent possible, and RMX-1 zoning would help us achieve that.

2. The platting of Goss-Grove matches that of other RMX-1 zones.

3. The small lots here do not lend themselves to large developments, for the reasons articulated by planning staff in the report (p.27).

4. We already have a halfway house for criminals and Section 8 housing; the neighborhood can’t handle a day shelter or overnight shelter, and we would like to see them prohibited.

5. Parking is already a strain. More efficiency units would add to that strain, as would the revised RH-2 regulations granting reduced parking requirements for new development.

Objections from Planning Board, with Responses

We have yet to see the minutes of the 1/21/10 Planning Board meeting, and as the discussion of Goss-Grove at that meeting was sketchy, we don’t know exactly why the proposed rezoning of our neighborhood to RMX-1 was dismissed so easily. But from the minutes of the 11/19/09 meeting we can deduce the following Board concerns (5A, p. A4):

Analysis seems slanted toward preservation as opposed to the future. Why not use landmarking instead of rezoning to preserve the neighborhood?

Our goal is indeed preservation – of the vibrancy of our neighborhood, not just the buildings. Neighborhoods become vital when individual homeowners invest in and maintain their properties, and the historic value of this area is one thing that attracts that kind of investment. Our desire for preservation is not about nostalgia or the landmarking of individual houses (which can be a disincentive to a buyer); it’s about sustaining the livability and the attractiveness of the neighborhood.

There would be too many nonconforming uses if RMX-1 is granted.

Redrawing the map along the lines we suggest (and perhaps rezoning the half-block of each side of major corridors to higher densities) would eliminate all of the existing nonconforming uses, except for the Naropa dormitory at 1900 Goss.

What about Naropa?

At its 1/21/10 meeting, the Planning Board voiced strong support for meeting the needs of Naropa. For future development, Naropa wants the ability to build more dormitories, own more administrative space, and create parking for its students. Here are some suggestions for addressing those needs:

1. The Snow Lion dorm was created out of an apartment building formerly called the Chequer Plaza. It would be grandfathered in under a change to RMX-1. What about future dormitories? There are numerous apartment buildings suitable for such a purpose in the neighborhood already, particularly along Canyon Boulevard.

2. More administrative space can similarly be found along Arapahoe, if our proposed map is accepted.

3. Parking is a perennial issue in Goss-Grove, and building parking in the core of the neighborhood is inappropriate under any scenario. As it is, the neighborhood is often completely parked up. Naropa creating parking on its own property south of Arapahoe makes more sense, or doing more to encourage use of the frequent bus service on Arapahoe.

Also, it’s important to remember that Naropa has three separate campuses: the Arapahoe Campus, the Nalanda Campus near 63^rd and Arapahoe, and the Paramita Campus at 3280 30^th Street. Goss-Grove is supportive of Naropa, but our neighborhood should not be expected to bear the full weight of Naropa’s needs.

Summary

Planning staff did a sensitive and accurate job of describing Goss-Grove, better than we perhaps could have done. In fact, the 11/19/09 report is more responsive to our neighborhood concerns than any document that we can recall having come out of the City over the past 30 years. It has been frustrating to then have the Planning Board cursorily brush past the staff recommendation to rezone our neighborhood to RMX-1.

We believe that rezoning Goss-Grove to RMX-1 is in our interest and in the long-term interest of the City. The future of Boulder depends on a dynamic downtown area. It took over a hundred years to create the Goss-Grove neighborhood, one of the oldest in the city, and historical neighborhoods such as ours once lost are lost forever. The eclectic and colorful mix that is the core of Goss-Grove, with its flowers and pocket parks and community garden, deserves its place in the historic downtown ring. We have unbegrudgingly (for the most part) carried more than our share of density, but we are now asking the City to put on the brakes.

We support planning staff’s thoughtful recommendation that we be considered for RMX-1 zoning.

Goss-Grove Neighborhood Association

Approved March 29, 2010