Many of you received a letter today from Sheila Horton, Executive Director--Boulder Area Rental Housing Association.
She is gathering people to appear at the City Council Meeting May 24 6 p.m. in opposition to the change in land use. She claims in the letter that owner-occupied property owners are few and misinformed about what will happen to the value of their land and that very few of us have ever shown up for meetings. NOW is the time to show up and be counted.
Following is response Mary Hey drafted answering objections from the Landmark Board. She does good work.
To: Planning Board and Boulder City Council
RE: Goss-Grove: proposed land use designation of MRX
Sent: May 7, 2011
Dear Members of Council and Planning Board,
We are writing to reiterate our support for changing Goss-Grove’s BVCP land use designation from HR to MRX. We spelled out our arguments in favor of that change in detail in the attached March 29, 2010, memo (“Goss-Grove Neighborhood Association Response to Proposed Zoning Changes in RH-2”), which you all received last year. Our reasoning for wanting MRX remains the same. This letter responds to objections expressed by opponents of the change.
First, we disagree that Goss-Grove is a place for increased density. Our neighborhood has been zoned high-density for over 40 years, and over that time density has increased dramatically. Vacant lots were filled, old houses were torn down to create multi-unit dwellings, back yards were in-filled, and properties were subdivided. Further densification would be achievable only through destruction of existing properties. It would put further pressure on scarce parking resources and the livability we treasure, and jeopardize the stability we now enjoy.
Additionally, during the past ten years, the University has been building housing to locate more students on-campus. The current focus for development is what CU is calling “North of Boulder Creek,” 23 to 28 developable acres between campus and Arapahoe that in part directly abuts Goss-Grove. Currently CU has 595 residential units there and proposes to more than double (and possibly quadruple) that number by 2030 (see “Affordable Housing Task Force Overview of University Housing in Boulder, 3/2/11,” attached). One can easily imagine what even the most modest scenario will do to the traffic on Arapahoe in this already congested part of town. A downzoned Goss-Grove can provide a small buffer between this massive development and the rest of downtown.
Lastly, and perhaps most important, MRX is simply the proper zoning designation for Goss-Grove. Planning staff’s 11/19/09 “Residential High-2 Zone District Report” (attached) says it well:
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).
We can live with the current density. It would be hard to live with more.
Second, we disagree that rezoning to MRX will adversely affect landlords. Several landlords have come forward to support rezoning Goss Grove as beneficial to their property interests. Here’s why. A large number of detached single-family houses were purchased very cheaply in the 1970s and 1980s as investment properties, providing years of lucrative return. Now, however, when owners look to sell their fully depreciated properties, turning them over as rentals will be difficult. High housing prices in our centrally located neighborhood no longer favor selling them as investment properties. Downzoning the area will make the neighborhood more attractive generally and make those same properties easier to sell to families who wish remodel and to live in them.
Third, we disagree that landmarking individual houses serves the interests of the neighborhood or the city. The houses and lots in Goss-Grove are notably small (none is larger than 2,500 square feet, we believe, and many are closer to 1,000), because this is an old working class neighborhood. A main reason we live down here is because we love old houses and the character of the neighborhood, which we are intent on preserving. Landmarking might prevent further densification, but it would not allow the neighborhood to flourish.
Landmarking of a very small house is a major disincentive to a homebuyer, adding layers of restriction that can make remodeling difficult if not impossible. And many of the houses down here desperately need remodeling, not only to preserve them but to allow them to expand to meet the needs of contemporary families. Landmarking very small houses absolutely defeats our goal of inviting young families to lay down roots invent their own vibrant vision of life in Boulder.
The “BVCP 2010 Major Update: Site #9, Goss Grove Neighborhood” (attached) summarizes the policies relevant to changing our land use designation to MRX (p. 9) and clearly lays out the case for such a change. Some of us have been trying to save this neighborhood for decades, and we are grateful finally to be heard.
–Goss-Grove Neighborhood Association (GGNA)
