Neighborhood Dessert/Wine and Meeting, January 31st

Note the date change!  January 31st, 7 p.m.,  1919 Grove Street
For those of you who have never attended,  please come!  We'd love to meet you!

Agenda:

1.   Lexi Winer of the CU Student Government Director of City and Neighborhood Relations would like to visit with us to discuss student/resident relationships, joint projects, etc.
2.  Michele Bishop and I, long time garden leaders for the Community Garden at 20th and Grove, would like to transition the Garden from being under the umbrella of Growing Gardens to being a Goss Grove Neighborhood Association project in parnership with the Transportation Department (which has been de facto the case anyway).  Growing Gardens has been notified that is our intent; we need to discuss as a neighborhood whether there are any reasons NOT to do so.  Growing Gardens is demanding more and more from us and gives us essentially nothing;  all the fees go to them, none to us.  We could do alot with $700/year to keep up the Garden and do our own improvements!
3.  Chris Schutze, a very talented carpenter and craftsman in our neighborhood has designed a Little Free Library that he has offered to build for us.  He would like to show up his design and we would like to discuss location.  Transportation Department has offered to help  with install if needed in the Community Garden.
4.  Discuss brochure (that Jenny will have by then) for neighborhood.
5.  Refresh on street mural?  Who/when/if?

Other items?
Let Jenny know at jenny.devaud@gmail.com

Meeting Minutes: October 18, 2012 , including election results

The meeting was convened at 7 p.m. by co-chair Mary Hey. Eight neighbors were present plus two city staff to talk about the Arapahoe reconstruction project.  Awesome poppy seed cake  and still warm cookies were provided. 

Minutes from last meeting were approved.

Bryant Gonsolves, City of Boulder Transportation Manager, and Noreen Walsh, Senior Transportation Manager, discussed with us the Upcoming construction project on Arapahoe. We had a chance also to give our input and experience.  You can find all kinds of information (history, plans, who to contact, comment form)  here. The new road surface will be concrete.  All the sidewalks will be widened to 6' (except in cases where big trees prevent this, or lack of space, such as by Folsom and Arapahoe by Subway or gas station).  Paving will take place summer 2014 and will take 10 weeks.  One lane will be closed; only eastbound will be allowed.  A storm drain has to be constructed down the center of the road and the road has to rebuilt all the way to its foundation.  Underneath all that asphalt is actually a concrete roadway! 

We gave input on the light placement.  Those of us who were there voted for the stop light to be moved to 21st where most people cross anyway.  Our input was that the light does not really give a time advantage anyway since it doesn't turn until all the traffic is stopped anyway.  We also proposed a pedestrian island where there is currently a third lane that is not used (it's not a turn lane).  You can leave comments on the link which is provided above. There will be another public meeting Jan/Feb 2013. We'll get mailings.

The proposal that Neighborhood Parking Zones be reviewed every 5 years has passed the first hurdle.  It still has to go before City Council, but it looks like that will be what comes out of this. Most neighbors wanted this.

The Community Garden is finishing up its season.  We had a very good group of gardeners who showed up to weed and maintain all the flower beds that all the neighborhood enjoys.  Currently, only the gardeners are taking care of the Park and flower beds adjacent to the Community Garden.  We'd like to see more community volunteerism.  It's a great way to contribute, does not take much time, and makes you feel good.  Usually 3-4 plots open up every year.  If you want a plot, it's time to put in a request to Growing Gardens. 

Projects for 2013.  We discussed various projects which have been raised.  Of course, for something to happen, someone needs to have the passion/initiative to lead it. 

• Little Library.  This is part of a nationwide movement for neighborhoods/individuals to build very small libraries for free take/leave books.  You can read about it here There is one up on 6th close to Chatauqua, which is completely adorable.  We could put it in the Community Garden by the benches, or in front of someone's house.  The Transportation Dept has approved placement in the Garden, but there is concern about vandalism.  We do have a location in front of someone's house, too, if we decide Garden is not the right place.  We could also trial it in the Garden.  Chris, one of our talented and creative neighbors, has volunteered to design and build it.  Jenny is spearheading this effort to get it off the ground in Spring 2013. 
• Kiosk for Community Garden:  Oh my gosh, has this one been on the list forever.  The idea is to have a welcome arch/kiosk as the entrance to the Community Park/Garden.  Wade, who attended the meeting is a builder/carpenter, and he agreed to a one hour brainstorm on this, along with a couple of other people we have in mind.  Plan is to have meeting sometime in January/February 2013.  Jenny to call meeting.
• Meditation Garden:  This is another idea that has been floating about, especially since Naropa is part of our community.  The park at 19th St might be a good location. Jerrie has volunteered to have some discussions with Naropa, as it would be great to have a community project with them. 
• Street Mural Maintenance:  We want our beautiful street mural to stay beautiful! Mary will follow up with Jan on what needs to be done. 
• Neighborhood Brochure:  Be great to have one to pass out to new neighbors.  Jenny wrote one before and has located it.  She'll update it and bring to next meeting for review and comments.
• Other Projects: we do not have sufficient passion for within the volunteer community that attended:  Social events:  These are great but need to be planned by individual neighbors.  There have been several impromptu events around. Neighborhood Cleanup:  Things look pretty good. We see the mural upkeep as important but no one had enthusiasm for organizing a separate cleanup.  Hispanic history in Goss-Grove:  Loren brought up the rich history of the African-American and Hispanics in Goss-Grove.  In recognition of this, an Hispanic group is proposing to the City to rename Canyon Park (across Canyon from us, on 21st) to Emma Martinez Park.  Emma was the reason that that spot of land is a park!  It was going to be developed into apt buildings, but Emma stood up first to save the children's playground and then to have it become a full park.  Loren would like to introduce a motion for the neighborhood to support the renaming at the next meeting.

We have let police visits to the meetings lapse because frankly, we have very little crime here. 

And finally, election results!

First, we thank Mary and Maria for their service as co-chairs over the last year, including the delicious desserts and wine at their home.  This last year was a challenging one for us with all the zoning and we made it with critical help from Jerrie, Michele and others.  We also thank Jerrie as treasurer and Michele as our loyal secretary.

The new officers for the next year are:

Stephen Haydel and Jenny Devaud, co-chairs
Jerrie Hurd:  treasurer
Michele Bishop:  secretary
Diane has offered to provide desserts for our meetings.  Yummy and thank you!

Be sure and thank each of them for volunteering for this service.  Goss Grove is the oldest neighborhood association in Boulder.  Without the volunteers who step up to lead this organization, we would not have the zoning we have, the parking program, a community garden, a street mural or any of the other things you all enjoy.  Think about how you can step up and help out in this community.

Don't know Stephen or Jenny?  Jenny has been a garden leader for the last several years.  She rides her bike every day to Ball Aerospace where she works on physics problems.  She writes poetry and plays flute in her spare time. 

Stephen is often seen in an orange cycling jersey.  He's a software engineer, currently employed but seeking new opportunites!  He also promotes bike races, loves bikes and all things bikes.
They have a little black dog named Portia.  Jenny calls her Pork Chop, with love. 

We hope to see many more of you at our quarterly meetings!  They will continue to be at 7 p.m. and will be wine/ dessert affairs.  We'll let you know when the next one one.  You can contact us by email at jenny.devaud@gmail.com or stephen@haydel.com.
.

Goss Grove Needs Your Vote

TIRED of political ads, yard signs, debates etc.
Here's a place where you can see your vote in action!

Join your neighbors this Thursday at 7 p.m. to elect new officers. It's GGNA election time and quarterly meeting. See you at 1919 Grove.

 Same deal -- dessert potluck and wine, plus a lively discussion about a new chair or co-chairs and other officers. More agenda items coming.

Wonderful display on the history of our neighborhood!

Hello Neighbors.




Last night Loren and I went to see the exhibit about the history of

our neighborhood, on display at the Boulder Public Library, downtown

locale, in the exhibit hallway.



It is really worth seeing. It reminds us that our neighborhood history

has strong roots in Mexican American (Chicano/a) history. It was

really powerful to be there with Hispanics who grew up in this

neighborhood and hear them tell stories of how the women ran the

households and stood on the porches watching over the neighborhood and

all its kids. Stories of how the salt miners from New Mexico settled

right here in our very own homes.



The photos are great! I encourage you to go take a look and to

remember those who nurtured this neighborhood before we did. It makes

me love this little enclave of Boulder culture all the more.



Hope you are all having a beautiful fall.



Warmest Regards,

Andrea Montoya.

Party Postponed--Sorry!

Jon and I need to postpone the neighborhood party. Sorry.
It was to be this Monday--Labor Day to celebrate our downsizing . . .
BUT we have 2 sick dogs . . .
Both will be OK, but getting the place clean and keeping it that way with one bloody ear and other problems you don't want described--just isn't going to work for us.
Promise another time for that pulled pork and champagne!!!!
Enjoy Labor Day!

We Are Soooooo Celebrating!!

Time to celebrate winning our downzoning issue.

Time to celebrate the end of summer

Time to celebrate living in Goss-Grove

Time to celebrate being the best neighborhood

Time to celebrate because it's time to celebrate!

Where: Jon and Jerrie Hurd's backyard--2010 Goss Street (little yellow house with the big-big dogs who are not invited)

When: Labor Day--September 3 starting at 5 p.m. until we run out of food and/or beer

What: Jon and Jerrie will provide pulled pork and brats and a bottle of champagne and ice and . . .

YOU bring whatever else you want to eat or drink

Come one--come all.

RSVP: jerrie@jerriehurd.com 

303 444 3475

We Are SOOOOO Downzoned!!!

Boulder City Council approves Goss Grove downzoning

By Erica Meltzer Camera Staff Writer

Posted:   08/07/2012 09:41:24 PM MDT

Updated:   08/07/2012 09:51:19 PM MDT

The Boulder City Council on Tuesday night unanimously approved a rezoning in Goss Grove that is designed to preserve the existing mix of multi-unit and single-family housing and prevent more apartment buildings from being built in the central Boulder neighborhood.
The area will be downzoned from high-density residential to mixed residential, which will make it harder for multi-unit buildings to be built there.
The area targeted for rezoning lies roughly between 16th and 23rd streets and between Arapahoe Avenue and Canyon Boulevard, though the boundaries snake around property lines to pull in or exclude additional lots.
Nearly two dozen residents attended the City Council meeting to express support for the rezoning. They said the mix of long-term residents in single-family homes and students in rental properties is just right and that if more apartment buildings are built in the area, it will be harder for the "anchor families" to set the right tone.
One property owner asked to be excluded from the downzoning because his two rental properties are surrounded by apartment buildings.
Naropa University, which lies just outside the downzoned area, expressed opposition to the rezoning in a letter. Naropa officials said the measure will make it harder to create more student housing for the Buddhist university.
An amendment to exclude the property owner was defeated 5-4. The council members then voted unanimously to approve the downzoning.
Several City Council members said they want Naropa to stay in central Boulder and want to work with the university to meet its needs.

New Naropa Letter--Better!

Naropa still doesn't like the rezoning proposal but will not actively oppose it. That's the good news. The bad news would be for us to relax and not show up at the meeting TOMORROW night at 6 p.m. There are still others who are actively opposed. Council needs to understand the depth of our support. This is the finish line. We can't stop until we're over it.

August 4. 2012

Mayor Matt Appelbaum

City Council Office

P.O. Box 791

Boulder, CO 80306

Dear Mayor Appelbaum and members of the Boulder City Council,

We are writing to follow up on our letter of July 27, 2012 in which Naropa University expressed its  opposition to the proposed zoning change in the Goss-Grove area to RMX-1. As stated in that letter, that zoning change will make it very difficult for Naropa to advance  future development proposals which would allow the University to expand its administrative and residential needs in a compact way minimizing automobile use and maximizing an urban campus experience for our students. 

Following the submission of our position statement, Tom Hast, a member of the Naropa Board of Trustees and longtime Boulder resident, spoke with Louise Grauer, who suggested that we meet with her, along with Susan Richstone and Jessica Vaughan from the planning staff. That meeting took place yesterday together with incoming Naropa President Charles Lief and Director of Facilities Aaron Cook..

We would like to state for the record that we greatly appreciated both the tone and the content of our discussion. It was clear to us that the planning staff wants to understand Naropa’s views on planning and zoning issues and wants to engage in dialogue with us as we embark on a significant campus master planning exercise beginning in the near future.

We continue to believe that the proposed downzoning in the Goss-Grove area is an overly extreme means by which neighborhood concerns may be addressed and that the current requirement for robust examination of proposed developments through a comprehensive use review is a tool which would continue to serve the needs of both Naropa and the neighborhood we share. That being said, we understand that you are at the culmination of a long process, which, unfortunately we have not been party to since we expressed our view in early 2010.

While we have not changed our position since that letter was written, we have decided not to publically oppose the measure at this time.  We don’t believe that it is in Naropa University’s or the City of Boulder’s best interest for Naropa to make any statements at the Council meeting or to the Daily Camera regarding the zoning proposal. Yesterday’s story in the Camera was based on our letter of July 27 and not on any new contact with the reporter.  We are taking this position in recognition of all the hard work the planning staff has put in over the past few years on this proposal, as well as by the members of the Goss Grove neighborhood, our neighbors, and we trust that any specific proposals that we bring forward to the staff for consideration will be viewed in the same cooperative and creative light as our discussions yesterday led us to believe.

Sincerely,

Charles G. Lief, President

Naropa University opposes Goss-Grove neighborhood rezoning: Daily Camera article

Article from Daily Camera Sunday, August 4th.  My perspective is that their position is rather disingenuous on several fronts. Realistically,  where could Naropa build a new dormitory within the rather small proposed zone (when plenty of available real estate is literally one block further north)?  I sincerely doubt that they were "completely taken by surprise" that zoning discussions were occurring.  Several Naropa staff are on the Goss Grove email list.  Goss-Grove has much more diversity than Naropa perhaps realizes. I doubt that in the proposed zone that Naropa is the primary presence.  Those that oppose the rezoning seem to forget that we did not have the choice to stay in the same zone as it will no longer exist.  Naropa is a fine neighbor, but they are acted a bit more entitled that I think is warranted. 
Jenny Devaud, 1935 Grove St

Boulder's Naropa University opposes Goss-Grove neighborhood rezoning

Zoning change would make it more difficult to build multi-unit buildings

By Mitchell Byars Camera Staff Writerdailycamera.com

Posted: 08/04/2012 02:00:00 PM MDT

If you go What: Public hearing on Goss Grove re-zoning When: City Council meeting begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Where: Council Chambers, 1777 Broadway More info: Visit bouldercolorado.gov

Officials at Naropa University are opposing Boulder's proposal to rezone the Goss-Grove neighborhood, saying the new rules would make it harder for the university to expand near its main campus on Arapahoe Avenue.
Boulder City Council is set for a public hearing Tuesday on the zoning change, which would downgrade parts of the Goss-Grove neighborhood from high-density residential to mixed residential, or RMX-1, a change that would make it more difficult for multi-unit developments to be built in the area.
In a letter to City Council dated July 27 and made available in the council's agenda packet Thursday afternoon, Naropa officials wrote that they "strongly object to the proposed downzoning of the area to RMX-1."
Louise Grauer, a senior planner with the city, told the Camera in June that the university was on board with the zoning change in 2010. But Grauer said Thursday it appears the facilities manager she talked with in 2010 never consulted with the university's policymakers before leaving the school. Naropa was not notified directly by the city because its property is not in the area designated for rezoning.
"For that reason, the facility manager did not talk to policy people," Grauer said. "That person left after getting ill and there was no follow up."
Officials with Naropa did not return calls for comment Friday, but Grauer said she did discuss the rezoning with them on Wednesday after the city received the letter.
"It is so difficult to talk in hypotheticals," she said. "But it was a productive meeting."
Naropa's main concern centers around the rezoning's effect on the school's ability to expand near its main campus at 2130 Arapahoe Avenue, south of the Goss-Grove neighborhood. The university also has office buildings at 2111 Arapahoe Ave. and an apartment building at 1900 Goss Street. None of those buildings are in the area proposed for rezoning, but dorm buildings are not allowed in RMX-1 zones, which could hamper any attempts by the school to expand.
"Naropa needs to have the opportunity to grow our central campus by adding additional, suitable, properties that are within close walking distance for our students, staff and faculty," officials wrote in the letter. "If the Goss-Grove neighborhood is rezoned to RMX-1, it will make such expansion cost-prohibitive if not impossible.
"We believe that we are probably the largest presence and employer in the Goss-Grove neighborhood and would thereby be the most impacted by the proposed zoning change."
Grauer said that Naropa would still be able to buy existing apartment complexes and lease them as student housing as is. But she added that Naropa's expansion into the Goss-Grove neighborhood needs to be looked at as a separate issue from the rezoning.
"That's a bigger issue with the city, and I hope they will work with us to find the best solution," Grauer said. "They can continue to oppose the rezoning, that's their prerogative. But maybe expanding in the middle of this neighborhood is not the best thing."
The area that is proposed to be rezoned lies roughly between 16th and 23rd streets and between Arapahoe Avenue and Canyon Boulevard, though the boundaries snake around property lines to pull in or exclude additional lots.
"We think we've picked a boundary that best preserves the character of the neighborhood, which is our goal, Grauer said.
This process started in 2008 when the City Council instructed planners to take another look at the RH-2 zone, one of several high-density residential zones in the city and the current zoning of the Goss-Grove neighborhood. The zoning included a number of requirements -- a maximum unit size of 800 square feet, a minimum lot size of 6,000 square feet as well as an allocation of 3,200 square feet of lot size per unit, and excessive parking requirements -- that made developing multi-unit projects difficult.
The proposed change to the RH-2 zone does away with the maximum unit size, reduces the parking requirements and allows one unit for every 3,000 square feet, which would allow a developer to put two units instead of one a 6,000-square-foot lot.
Grauer said a majority of the residents in the Goss-Grove area want to make it harder for multi-unit projects to be built, so the city began working on rezoning the area.
Despite a request from Naropa to take the item off Tuesday's agenda, City Council will have a public hearing on the rezoning and then decide to approve or deny the change.
"We think it should go forward," Grauer said. "We've been working with the neighbors for over two years. They're anxious to move forward."

Dear Neighbors,

Please keep those letters to Boulder City Council coming! I know many of you
have written, but if you haven't already, here's the address:
<council@bouldercolorado.gov>. Our letters could make the difference between
winning and losing our rezoning Goss-Grove to RMX-1and preventing more
large-scale development down here. A simple letter is fine.

And please come to the August 7th Council meeting to support Goss-Grove! We
need to be there around 6:30, at the Municipal Building on Broadway & Canyon
(or creek path), second floor. I will be calling for a show of hands of
supporters, so your presence is really important. Talk it up with your
neighbors and come, if at all possible. This is the last slalom pole, the
last hurdle, the last lap -- and neighborhood support is crucial.

The Council has a huge agenda, so only a few of us should speak. Please let
me know if you'd like to, so we can coordinate a bit. I'm at
maryhey@earthlink.net, or 303.442.3638.

Here's looking forward to the champagne,
Mary Hey

__._,_.___


P.S.  If you want the nitty-gritty of the rezoning issue, google 'boulder
city council agendas' and click on 'packet'.  That's the Council's backup
materials for the August 7th meeting.  Then search the pdf for 'goss grove'
to head right into our issue.

Minutes of July 2012 Meeting

Goss-Grove Neighborhood Association Minutes of July 19, 2012

The meeting was convened at 7:00 by co-chair Mary Hey.  19 neighbors were present. Naropa’s new director of facilities & operations, Aaron Cook, also attended.

Zoning: The August 7th City Council meeting will address granting a portion of Goss-Grove RMX-1 zoning designation.  Mary reviewed the years-long process.  Neighbors are encouraged to attend the council meting in support, and email the council before the meeting. In Boulder, citizen participation is important to Council so please show up. 

Charlie Kane, owner of two houses in the new zoning designation, spoke about removing his property from the zone.  He believes they do not belong.

Parking:  Plan-Boulder, eGo Carshare, and Community Cycles are proposing a reduced parking requirement for new construction in Goss-Grove.  Attendees were interested in inviting these groups to the next scheduled meeting and talking about their suggestions.  Mary will invite them.

Neighborhood Parking Permit program: The City asked for feedback on issuing commuter permits in the various NPP zones, giving three options.  We voted for option #3, to extend commuter permits for 5 more years, to 2017.

Coffee Shop: A new coffee shop for the southwest corner of 19^th and Arapahoe was approved by the city through special use review, necessary since the property is zoned residential.  The owners immediately changed the stated plan and applied to increase the hours of operation and the size of the shop, while keeping the number of parking spaces the same.  That application was subsequently withdrawn.  No action from GGNA is necessary.

Civic Area Project:  Citizen input open houses are beginning to plan a future civic area that is envisioned to go from 9^th to 17^th and Arapahoe to Canyon.  This includes some of Goss-Grove and will impact Goss-Grove.  Go to < bouldercivicarea.com> for more information to see what’s up and how you can participate.

Pro Cycling race:  Stage 6 of the Pro Cycling race will be in Boulder on Saturday, August 24.  The route will encircle Goss-Grove.  Inbound from Golden will travel east on Arapahoe to Folsom, then take Canyon up Boulder Canyon.  The race will come back through town and take 17^th south to Arapahoe then Broadway to 13^th then Baseline up Flagstaff.  17^th will be closed and Arapahoe, Folsom, and Canyon will be closed temporarily.  We have a great chance to see this event twice from the comfort of our neighborhood and have a party, if someone plans it.

Arapahoe Road Reconstruction: The city is beginning to design a project to improve Arapahoe from Folsom as far west as the money will allow (approximately 17^th Street). The city is holding open houses with more information.  Go to www.bouldertransportation.net and hit “Projects” for more information.

New Business:  Jenny would like to start a “little library” at the 20^th street pocket park.  This would be a box where people could share books informally.  Other ideas for projects were put forward to the next meeting.

The next regular meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 18, 2012.

            Agenda items include:

            - Election of new GGNA officers

            - Boulder Police will be invited to tell us about crime in our area

            - People listed in “Parking” item above will be invited

Minutes submitted by Michele Bishop, GGNA Secretary

NOW! If you care, you show up NOW!

Our last hurdle on our long journey to neighbor hood rezoning will be this 

Tuesday, August 7. That¹s when City Council could give final approval to RMX-1 for Goss-Grove.  The meeting is at the Municipal Building at Broadway & the creek path. We are up first on the agenda, following the preliminary business that starts at 6:00.  We need to be there in force. 
Given all that¹s come before, this should be easy.  But it¹s not.  At the last moment, Naropa has objected and seems ready to derail the rezoning because they think it could interfere with their future expansion. That is why it¹s so important for a lot of us to show up on August 7th with our neighbor flags flying.  After all, we¹re the ones who live here! 

Also, it¹s very important to send emails to members of City Council, supporting RMX-1 for Goss-Grove. If you write to council@bouldercolorado.gov your email goes to all nine members, plus to city planning staff and other people who have signed up for the "hotline," and will show up in the Council¹s packets.  Any of these are good things to mention: it¹s a great neighborhood, there¹s plenty of density already, I love the (neighbors, the parks, the community garden, the mural, the sense of community), we¹ve worked hard to make it a nice place to live.  And this is essential: I support RMX-1 zoning for Goss-Grove, if, indeed, you do.  

In case, that's not clear, let me put it simply--SHOW UP NOW IF YOU CARE ABOUT GOSS-GROVE AND THIS ISSUE. THERE WON'T BE ANOTHER CHANCE!!! IT'S NOW!!!

Keeping the Neighborhood Beautiful

How does that Garden and Park at 20th and Grove stay so beautiful?  Thank the folks in this photo (plus Diane and Jon!) for last night's work.  Daniel, Bobby, Steve, Josh, Michele, Rigo, Janelle, Jenny and Nicole all came out to pull weeds, trim spent blooms, water. They make it happen.  Hope you join us next time, Thursday, August 23rd, 6 - 7:30 p.m. (and if not that one, Thursday, September 27th, 6-7:30 p.m.).  Let's raise a toast to volunteers, every single one in every single way. 

Oh, and Portia, the black pup in front, came out to cheer us on.  And thanks, Stephen, for the photo!

One More Reason To Be There Thursday!

Ok, if the last blog post didn't list enough reasons
1 rezoning
2 coffeeshop parking
3 Plan Boulder parking ideas
etc. etc. etc.
HERE's ONE MORE reason to be at the Goss-Grove Quarterly Neighborhood Meeting Tomorrow at 1919 Grove 7 p.m.
City just sent a letter saying they want to change the commuter part of the parking plan in our neighborhood!
WOW! It's all about parking!
Park yourself at the meeting. Besides, we have FUN, FUN, FUN and there's often dessert. I'm bringing strawberry cupcakes.

Big Agenda--Really Big!!

Neighborhood Association Quarterly Meeting is this Thursday!!!! We're talking July 19 at 1919 Grove (Mary Hey and Maria Krenz's home) at 7 p.m. This one is big--we have issues on the table that have the potential to change our current lifestyle--(trust me--not overstated)
1. Final City Council Vote on re-zoning issue. This is the one we've been working on for years. This is the final push. You need to know what's happening and where to show up to voice your support, etc. etc.
2. Coffee shop planned for 19th and Arapahoe has asked for a 75% reduction in parking. Principles met with Mary Hey and Jerrie Hurd last week and left lots and lots of info for us to look at--most of it good/all of it interesting. That info will be available at meeting.
3. Plan Boulder, Community Cycles and eGo Carshare want to reduce parking requirements in Goss-Grove in their continuing effort to make our neighborhood an example of car-lite. We need to decide if we want to be their example, etc. etc.
4. Plus the usual agenda items that are part of keeping a neighborhood running--never small.
YOU WANT TO BE AT THIS MEETING AND THE COUNCIL MEETING AUGUST 7th THAT DETERMINES THE REZONING.

We Headlined Daily Camera Today!!!!

You may want to note that the Goss-Grove re-zoning story was today's headline for Daily Camera
Check it out.
http://www.dailycamera.com/news/boulder/ci_20873771/proposed-rezoning-boulders-goss-grove-aims-preserve-status?IADID=Search-www.dailycamera.com-www.dailycamera.com

I think the story is balanced. I also noted that just below our headliner is a story about 30 new high-density/commercial buildings already slated to begin construction in Boulder in the next two years. I think that adds to our argument that Goss-Grove ought to be rezoned to favor the current mix of houses and apartment buildings. Enough is enough.
Also note that you can add comments to the on-line story. Might be good idea.
Jerrie Hurd

Arapahoe Avenue Reconstruction

Assume everyone got the postcard from the city about a project they're calling "Arapahoe Avenue Reconstruction" that takes in everything from Folsom to 17th Street and possibly includes moving stop light between 21st and 22nd. There will be an open house about this, seeking public input, Thursday June 21st from 5-6:30 p.m. at West Senior Center 909 Arapahoe Ave. This is just FYI in case you didn't get the postcard or it got lost.

Mark Calendars for August 7--Final on RMX-1 Zoning

The Boulder City Council agenda came out (it's at http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=464&Itemid=260) and -- hold onto your hat -- it's 350 pages long.    You should look at it.  We are item 3G, and who knows when the "first reading" of our ordinance will come up.  If Council has read their packets, maybe they'll just zip through saying yes and no rapid-fire to other agenda items and get to us quickly.  The meeting starts at 6:00, then there's 45 minutes of public open mic, and then the numbered list begins. I assume 3G means we're "G" under #3

As a neighborhood organization we're assuming it's not important to go.  IT IS important to go to the public hearing, which the new agenda says will be on August 7 (not the June 19th we advertised).  We will be rallying the troops and laying on the guilt for that one. Plan on it. However, that might be our last journeys to the microphone in support of RMX-1, and a crowd of neighbors will be meaningful for that reason alone. YOU don't want to miss the end of this long-long-long fight. See you August 7 (assuming the date doesn't change again) Happy Summer!!!

Why We Pay More For Walkable Neighborhoods

Check out this Atlantic Monthly Article. Very Interesting.

Instinct probably tells you that you’ll pay a lot more to live in a downtown apartment, above a grocery store, next to a bar strip and within walking distance of your work place than you will to settle into a comparable home in a bedroom community outside of the city. As this model of compact urban living grows more popular – and every new housing projection reaffirms that it is – walkable places are also growing more expensive.

Just how much more expensive, though, may shock you. New research from the Brookings Institution has created a five-tiered scale of walkability for metropolitan neighborhoods, from completely non-walkable places (exurban residential communities where everyone gets around by car) to mixed-use, dense and amenity-rich neighborhoods where you may not need a car at all (think, in the Washington, D.C., region, Dupont Circle and Georgetown).

Brookings researchers Christopher Leinberger and Mariela Alfonzo wanted to put hard numbers to the difference between these places. Looking at the Washington, D.C., region, they've calculated that moving from a Level 1 to a Level 2 walkable neighborhood (from a non-walkable place to a slightly less non-walkable one), you will wind up paying $301.76 a month more in rent for a similar home. If you’re really moving up in the world – from, say, that car-dependent exurb to a Georgetown flat – that means the premium to live in a walkable urban community may run you as much as $1,500 a month.

“It is mindboggling,” Leinberger says. "These were much more dramatic results than I would have guessed going into this. It also shows our lack of understanding and why it’s important to measure this phenomenon, because we need to better understand how do we create Dupont Circles, and also how do we mitigate the downside?”

On the other side of the equation, all of this means that truly walkable urban communities are much more economically vibrant than their drivable suburban neighbors. For each step up this walkablity ladder (which was constructed using both Walk Score and the Irvine Minnesota Inventory of urban design dimensions linked to walkability), a store is likely to boost its retail sales by 80 percent, in part thanks to all this sidewalk traffic. The value of your home is likely to go up by $81.54 per square foot. Average rent per square foot of office space, meanwhile, goes up $8.88. (These are all, by the way, correlations, not causal explanations, although Leinberger expects that urban researchers will prove that link eventually.)

If you own that office space, or a home, or a retail shop in one of these walkable neighborhoods, all of this is great news.

“I am both the bearer of good news and the bearer of bad news,” Leinberger concedes. These neighborhoods are the economic drivers of their cities, often accounting for a disproportionate share of public revenue relative to their land mass. But today, only the wealthiest among us can afford to live in them. That will remain the case until we create many more Dupont Circles – enough to finally bring the supply of walkable urban neighborhoods in line with the demand of all the people who want to live in them.

These numbers all speak to a fundamental change in demand in our cities.

“It wasn’t that many years ago that walkable urban places had a price penalty associated with them, not a price premium,” Leinberger says. “That’s the structural shift. And when you have a structural shift, it’s important to change your public policy to take it into consideration.”

Those “walkable urban places” he’s talking about did not necessarily have people walking around in them 20 years ago (“Maybe they were running around because they were fearful of being mugged,” Leinberger says). These were the inner-city neighborhoods that middle-class city-dwellers abandoned decades ago. Over time, they deteriorated. They became the cheap places to live. And now that trend is reversing.

Today, amid all this talk about walkability, Leinberger and Alfonzo wanted to bring an almost scientific precision to one of the core beliefs of urbanism: the idea that cities will be stronger going into the future if they eschew “drivable suburban” for “walkable urban” development.

“We urbanists have lots of opinions, but nothing that would be provable principles,” Leinberger says. He quotes the physicist Geoffrey West, who once observed that urbanists have none of the kind of underlying principles that can be tested and proven like scientists do. “He had a line that was a real slap in the face, which was that urbanists are where physicists were before Kepler.”

(Johannes Kepler is the guy who figured out in the 17^th century the laws of planetary motion.)

“So this is one attempt,” Leinberger says, “to bring that level of rigor to our field.”

He is also hoping that urban planners and business leaders will bring this hard data to their arguments with skeptics of walkability – and why we need much more of it.

Photo credit: Shutterstock/Christian Mueller

Keywords: Washington, DC, economic development, Suburbs, Walkability

Emily Badger is a contributing writer to The Atlantic Cities. She also writes for Pacific Standard, and her work has appeared in GOOD, The Christian Science Monitor, and The New York Times. She lives in the Washington, D.C. area. All posts »

Meet a neighbor: Michele!

You are sure to find Michele in the Community Garden!  Look for a friendly face who is happy to talk about veggies and anything else you might want to talk about.  We are lucky to have her in this community!

Michele came to Boulder with her parents when she was three years old and didn’t leave until she followed her husband to Syracuse, Texas and back to Boulder.  She left again to attend Duke University to get a graduate degree in geology.

She remembers fondly her childhood in small-town Boulder, a safe and very kid friendly place. Every Wednesday morning during the summers they showed children’s movies at the Boulder Theater and the Fox, which was at the time next to the Boulder Theater.  The admission was the top or and empty container from a Watts-Hardy Dairy product. 

Boulder hosted the annual Pow-Wow Days and rodeo. It started with Arapaho and Cheyenne dances at the band shell in Central Park, followed by a parade on Pearl Street to the pow-wow grounds and a rodeo at where today the YMCA and Whole Foods are located!  Michele played the clarinet in the marching band and even got to ride in one of the floats.

Michele and her husband Joe rented the home at 1705 Arapahoe in 1970 and bought it in 1976. They owned two bicycle stores, The High Wheeler and The Alternative Transportation Company. Joe was a bike racer and Michele officiated at races. The Morgul Bismarck loop and memorial race was named after their cat Morgul and their business partner’s dog, Bismarck.

Michele later divorced but has lived at 1705 Arapahoe except for a 7-year stint in Houston working in her field of petroleum geology. Currently she works for a consulting firm in Boulder.

She loves her home, the community feeling of the neighborhood, the ability to walk everywhere, and know her neighbors.

She became active in the Goss-Grove Neighborhood Association in the early 1980s, and served as co-chair with different people for a total of six years. She was also treasurer and is on her second round as GGNA’s secretary. Michele considers herself a neighborhood activist and has attended many, many meeting on our behalf. She got to know over the years several city managers, city staff, transportation department staff, representing neighborhood concerns.  She is currently also co-chairing with Jenny Devaud our neighborhood community garden at the 20^th street pocket park.

Michele likes to think “a good community is everybody’s responsibility, so we all need to pitch in.”

Minutes-What We're Thinking/Doing

Goss-Grove Neighborhood Association Minutes of April 19, 2012

The meeting was convened at 7:00 by co-chair Maria Krenz.  Five neighbors were in attendance.  The minutes of the January 19 meeting were approved.

Agenda items included zoning, the garden, announcements, and goals for 2012.

Zoning: The major topic was rezoning much of our neighborhood to RMX-1, to coordinate with the land-use designation change approved by the City last year.  The walk-through with city and neighbors was reviewed, as well as earlier meetings of stakeholders. Neighbors were encouraged to attend the May 3^rd Planning Board meeting to voice support for RMX-1 zoning designation and the map proposed by planning staff last year.  If Planning Board approves the zoning change, the next step will be to seek approval from City Council in June.  The first reading will be June 5^th, and the second reading will be June 19^th.  June 19^th will be a public hearing and there will be a chance to speak.

Community Garden: Co-leaders Jenny and Michele talked about a seed swap, weeding work events, and signs for the garden. 

Announcements:

-The Sustainable Neighborhood group that Maria was attending turned out to be exclusively about energy and not livability.

-There is a new yogurt shop on 15^th & Grove, and plans for a coffee shop on Arapahoe and 19^th.

-The street sweepers come through Goss-Grove three times a year: spring break,

summer, and at Thanksgiving.  Good info if you want move your car during sweeping.

-To report a street light out or blinking, call 303-571-3608 with the number on the pole and the street address of the nearest property.

-The new flood plain maps can be seen at http://www.bouldercolorado.gov, Floods.

-To report grafitti, go to the Boulder Police site to file an online report with picture, or call 303-413-7177.

-There is a new Residence Hall Director at Snow Lion named Amy.

2012 ideas:

-Talk to Naropa/Snow Lion about joint neighborhood projects

-Have a summer progressive porch party

-Think about having another yard sale?

-Create and distribute a new Goss-Grove brochure

-Look into reviving the Community Garden kiosk idea

The next scheduled meeting is Thursday, July 19^th, 2012, at 1919 Grove Street.

                                               

                                                Minutes submitted by Michele Bishop, GGNA Secretary

Upcoming events!! Mark your calendars!

June 5th, City Council, first reading of ordinance to change Goss-Grove
zoning from high density (RH-2) to mixed density (RMX-1), Council chambers.
No public hearing.

June 19th, City Council, second reading and public hearing on Goss-Grove
zoning, Council chambers. There will be opportunity to speak to the issue.

July 19th, 7:00 p.m., Goss-Grove Neighborhood Association quarterly meeting,
dessert potluck, 1919 Grove Street.

You can also find these on the sidebar for important upcoming events on the Goss-Grove blog!

Furniture Needed

Unanimous--Medium Density! Next Lap!

Boulder City Planning Board voted unanimously to support the rezoning of Goss-Grove to medium density from high density May 3rd. Thanks to all those who came and spoke in our behalf. The board seemed to be impressed at the neighborhood support. We're down to the last lap---or two! No time to let up but we do seem to be building momentum.

Coming into the home stretch, there is a first reading of the proposal before City Council on June 5th, but with no public input. Then June 19th there will be a public hearing before City Council. We will want to also show up and speak at that meeting. Put it on your calendar, however, these meetings have a way of shifting. If the date changes we'll let you know.

Meanwhile, cheers, high five, hip-hip-hooray, wow, wowser, wonderful, good job, celebrate and then CARRY-ON, meaning get those dates on your calendar!

Thursday, Thursday, Thursday . . .

This is your second reminder.

IT'S THAT IMPORTANT!!!!!

May 3, Thursday, Planning Board is meeting at Council Chambers (Broadway and Canyon) at 6 p.m.
They will be making a decision that will affect us--that's you and me!

They need to hear from us about the rezoning of Goss-Grove. They need to know how we feel so that someone from another zip code doesn't sway the decision because he/she shows up and YOU don't.

Enough with the guilt trip. Here's the straight scoop---this meeting is guaranteed to be boring and this meeting is guaranteed to be important.

Want fuller info---see the blog entry below.
SEE YOU THERE!!!!!