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