North Boulder Subcommunity Plan

Latest Information

City staff are recommending an amendment to the North Boulder Subcommunity Plan to reflect the Transportation & Mobility Department's North Broadway Reconstruction Project. This recommendation will go to Planning Board on Nov. 5 and to City Council later this year. 

The North Broadway Reconstruction Project will provide long-term pavement maintenance and improve safety and comfort for people using all modes of travel through this section of roadway from Violet Avenue to US 36.  Planning and design for the project began in 2016 and will continue until complete.

Background

In August 1995, the city adopted the North Boulder Subcommunity Plan (1995 Plan). The 1995 Plan envisions a “beautiful, diverse, inclusive and adaptive” North Boulder and has shaped the area there today.

• North Boulder Subcommunity Fact Sheet
• North Boulder Subcommunity Update Project Map
• North Broadway Market Study

However, some key elements from the 1995 Plan have not been fully realized. In 2013, the city launched a plan update with a focus on the North Broadway area and invited the community to participate. During this process, community members indicated strong support for the 1995 Plan’s overarching vision and policies. City Council also requested a focused, action-oriented plan update. 

As a result, the city developed an Action Plan to advance those items from the 1995 Plan that have not been fully realized and reflect current community values. Some action items are carried forward from the 1995 Plan (with refinements) and some are new, but all actions are consistent with the 1995 Plan.

This Action Plan does not amend the 1995 Plan. It acts as an implementation guide for the next five-plus years. The city will continue to evaluate the responsiveness of the 1995 Plan and this Action Plan in relation to community priorities and development trends.

Action Plan Process and Completion

The city finalized the North Boulder Subcommunity Action Plan in October 2014.

• Action Plan Snapshot: 2014 North Boulder Subcommunity Action Plan
• Appendices: North Boulder Subcommunity Action Plan

Community Engagement

In addition to focused conversations with community members throughout the project, the city hosted three public events:

• October 2013 kickoff open house to introduce the project, identify issues, opportunities, and community priorities. 
  • Oct. 30, 2013 Market Study Preliminary Findings
  • Oct. 30, 2013 Open House Display Boards
  • Oct. 30, 2013 Open House Presentation
  • Oct. 30, 2013 Open House Public Feedback
• 2013 Community Feedback Summary
• April 2014 community workshop with small group discussions around possible action items. 
  • April 24, 2014 Nobo Plan Focus on North Broadway Presentation
  • April 24, 2014 Nobo Plan Key Choices & Action Items
  • April 24, 2014 Nobo Plan Village Center Discussion
• September 2014 open house to present the draft Action Plan.

City Council

• The Sept. 17, 2013 information packet provided City Council the project scope and schedule with opportunities for feedback. 
• In May 2014, City Council received an information packet with updates about the market study, community feedback, and proposed next steps, including preliminary policy choices, flood-related issues and timing. Council expressed their support for the approach and preliminary action items and provided ideas for refinement of the action plan.
• On Oct. 7, 2014 , City Council received and accepted the final Action Plan.

Planning Board and Transportation Advisory Board

The Planning Board and Transportation Advisory Board helped shape the project at various meetings.

• Sept. 8, 2014 Transportation Advisory Board Meeting Materials
• Aug. 28, 2014 Planning Board Meeting Materials
• Feb. 20, 2014 Planning Board Meeting Materials
• Aug. 15, 2013 Planning Board Presentation
• Aug. 15, 2013 Planning Board Memo
• June 6, 2013 Planning Board Memo

Next Steps

1. City staff has already begun working on some of the action items and will continue this work, including Action Item 2.3 (US 36 and Broadway mobility hub). GO Boulder staff will be conducting outreach with community members, RTD, CDOT, and Boulder County around concepts for this area.
2. Staff will use the Action Plan to propose work plans and prioritization of funding requests for implementation.
3. Staff will provide updates about the status of the Action Plan implementation to Planning Board and council every two years.
4. A future, Village Center-focused North Boulder Subcommunity Plan update will be developed once the outcomes from the Fourmile Canyon Creek flood mapping and mitigation process are more certain (see page three of the Action Plan for more detailed description of the September 2013 flood’s impacts on the project).

North Boulder Videos

Inside Boulder News - NoBo Corner Library Grand Opening

This is a video segment from the April 11, 2014 episode of Inside Boulder News. For more videos, visit: BoulderChannel8.com