The plan has been approved by City Council, City Planning Board, Boulder County Board of County Commissioners and the County Planning Commission. 

This week, the City of Boulder and Boulder County approved the new Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan, effective immediately, establishing a shared vision for Boulder Valley’s future and marking the completion of a two-year planning process. The plan was approved by City Council, Boulder Planning Board, Board of County Commissioners and the County Planning Commission following extensive community review and discussion.

Originally approved nearly 50 years ago, the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan serves as the community’s long-range guide for land use, housing, transportation, climate action, economic vitality and other key priorities. The plan undergoes a major update every 10 years to ensure it reflects evolving community needs and provides the policy and future land use framework that will guide decisions to help support a vibrant, resilient and welcoming community.

“I’m proud of what our community accomplished together through this process,” said Boulder City Manager, Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde. “The approval of this plan marks an important milestone for the Boulder Valley. It gives us a shared vision for the community we aspire to be — one that preserves what makes Boulder special and creates opportunities for future generations. It gives us a framework for tackling challenges, building on our strengths and making thoughtful decisions as we face an uncertain future. It also reflects the enduring partnership between the city and county. This collaboration has helped protect the balance between the city and its surrounding rural areas, which has shaped Boulder’s character and quality of life for decades.”

“Thank you to everyone who took the time to share comments, questions and suggestions on the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan,” said Boulder County Commissioner Claire Levy. “The process was designed to give everyone in the Boulder Valley a voice in shaping their community's future, balancing growth, protecting local character and guiding future decisions that shape the communities we live in. We are very pleased that this updated plan continues to emphasize that urban levels of development should be within the city, which protects the rural character and open spaces in the unincorporated parts of the county.”

The major update began in 2024 and was one of the most inclusive and creative planning efforts in the Boulder Valley's history. Community members participated through more than 75 engagement opportunities, including open houses, workshops, office hours, online engagement, pop-up events, a statistically valid survey and focused outreach with community organizations and underrepresented groups as well as public hearings. Thousands of comments helped shape the final plan.

The process also introduced new ways for community members to participate. Boulder’s first-ever Community Assembly brought together a diverse group of community members who reflected the demographics of the Boulder Valley to learn about, discuss and develop recommendations related to 15-Minute Neighborhoods. Those recommendations helped shape the future land use map and several plan policies. Community members also shared stories through the Voicing Boulder platform and participated in community conversations and arts-based engagement activities through the Experiments in Public Art: A Boulder Future program.

The result is a plan grounded in a shared community vision:

"Our community works together to ensure everyone belongs, to create opportunities for all and to sustain the health of the Boulder Valley for future generations."

Reflecting community input, the approved plan supports a greater supply and diversity of housing options throughout the city. It encourages and supports neighborhoods that are more mixed income, connected, walkable, bikeable, close to nature and resilient to future hazards and challenges while maintaining the qualities that make the Boulder Valley distinctive.

Community feedback also helped create new and strengthen existing policies related to:

  • Climate action and resilience
  • An inclusive local economy
  • Travel options
  • A multicultural and multigenerational community
  • Stronger local food systems

Together, these policy updates and reimagined future land use strategy will guide growth and change across the Boulder Valley over the next 20 years.

While approval marks the completion of the update process, it also begins the next chapter. The Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan establishes a shared framework for future decision-making across the city and county. Implementation will occur over time through future plans, programs, projects and policy decisions.

The approval of the plan represents an important milestone, and community involvement will continue as the city and county work to implement the vision outlined in the plan.

A user-friendly web-based version of the approved plan will be available this fall. To learn more about the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan and view the approved plan, visit ABoulderFuture.org.

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