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Why should the citizens of Boulder vote on annexations?

Annexations are permanent additions of land to the City of Boulder and expansions of Boulder’s city limits. They are essentially irreversible, convert open land to urban development, increase costs to the citizens, and require expansions of the City’s infrastructure and services. Because the implications of annexations are so significant, it makes sense for the citizens to make these decisions. However, under Boulder’s current procedures, whoever happens to be on the City Council when an annexation is submitted gets to make the decision. Boulder’s charter provides for direct democracy as an alternate path for the citizens to legislate, and in this situation it is completely appropriate. And, contrary what some believe, except in very unusual circumstances, the City has no obligation to annex any of the land surrounding Boulder.

Have Boulder citizens made major land use decisions in the past?

Boulder has a long history of citizens making the major land use decisions. For example, the Blue Line, that restricts city water service to below a certain altitude, the 55’ Height Limit, funding for the Open Space program, and the Danish Plan for growth management were all put in place by the citizen votes. Boulder citizens have also voted on detailed land use issues that allowed development to proceed, like the height exemption for Crossroads of a few years ago, or the provision of city water to NCAR and the Flagstaff House.

What properties would be subject to this initiative?

The major annexations that are already under discussion would be subject to citizen vote: the Flatirons Property/C.U. South (approx. 300 acres, south of US 36 and Table Mesa), “Hogan-Pancost” Property (30+ acres total, southwest of the East Boulder Community Center), and the Palmos Big Box site (23 acres, east of US 36 and north of Jay Road). This initiative would also require a citizen vote for the City to expand into the hundreds of acres of land east of US 36 across from North Boulder, an area that the current Council has been discussing, or to annex any of the many rural properties the owners of which would like to develop to urban densities to increase their value. Somewhere between two and six smaller development proposals would also likely be voted on. Most annexations would not be voted on, including those currently in process and those that have no significant impact.

What are the potential effects if these properties were annexed?

All annexations create burdens on the City’s infrastructure and ability to provide services, but some more than others. Given the City’s constrained budget situation that has stressed city services, the nearly $300 million deficit in funding Boulder’s transportation plan, the fact that at the present time growth other than some retail does not pay its own way, and the loss of open lands to development, it is critical that the citizens who face these burdens and impacts be the final check on expansions of the city limits.

Aren’t people’s concerns about these annexations really NIMBY type issues?

Almost all of the annexations that would be voted on under the initiative have major significance to various parts of the City. For example, CU South could add thousands of auto trips and increase the already significant flood dangers from South Boulder Creek. Development of the Hogan-Pancost property could affect the ground water table throughout that area. Adding a big box on the east side of US 36 in North Boulder would dramatically increase traffic in the area, require major street improvements, and potentially open up hundreds of acres for development. It should be up to the citizens to decide if the tradeoffs required for these annexations are worth it.

What is the City Council’s recent history on land use decisions?

Recent Councils have not had a great record on land use issues. For example, the Council’s attempts to promote the Crossroads Urban Village delayed the 29th Street redevelopment by years, accentuating the downturn in sales tax revenue. The Council purchased the Pollard property at 30th and Pearl for the Transit Village at a price about 50% above market without knowing that the train platform couldn’t be located there. The Council bought part of Valmont Butte for a fire training center and bio-solids composting facility in 2000 and then abandoned the idea in 2005, leaving the costs to be borne by the citizens. The Boulder Transit Village planning process, now under way, is nearly 2 years behind schedule, and the Council is still struggling to give the project well defined goals and objectives. Recent annexations at Boulder's north east edge at both Kalmia and Jay near 47th will allow dense development at the periphery of the City where there is no transit, no shopping and no other services.

Doesn’t the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP) protect us?

Annexations are legislative decisions made by the Council alone. The BVCP only provides guidance as to the density and use of the parcel, along with some very general policy guidelines. And its value in this role is becoming uncertain. For example, recently annexed parcels on Kalmia and Jay were changed from low density to medium density, leading to dense development at the periphery of the city where there is no transit, no shopping and no other services. And the BVCP land use designations can be now changed by a simple vote of the Council and Planning Board. In addition, Boulderites must depend on the County Commissioners, who are the other party to the BVCP Intergovernmental Agreement, to enforce the Comprehensive Plan if the Council fails to follow it; the citizens have no such power.

Doesn’t making an annexation decision require knowing a lot of information and details?

Any annexation proposal will still have to go through review by the City staff and Planning Board, and the Council will have to approve the annexation agreement, which defines the proposed zoning and other terms, before it comes to a vote of the citizens. So all the information will be available, and most of the technical issues will have been resolved. The decisions that will come to the voters will be one of basic values – do you want the amount and type of development that is being proposed, given its costs and benefits? Annexation by Vote will stimulate a broader discussion about how much the City should expand, and whether taxpayer dollars should be spent on growth or on services for existing citizens.

Boulder Speaks Out
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This web site is paid for by Citizens for Annexation By Vote - Sue Anderson, Treasurer

Last Modified 5/3/06 10:52 AM