[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6345584,"mediaKeyId","2248811-638cf4dc83f6ac3712524274d1b6f658","parentId",2248811,"title","Boulder council hears broad public comment on divestment, declines immediate overhaul of investment policy","audioSeconds",3208,"startMs",8892000,"endMs",12100000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2248811-638cf4dc83f6ac3712524274d1b6f658&start=8892&end=12100","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2248811-638cf4dc83f6ac3712524274d1b6f658/thumbnail_8892000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6345584/Boulder/Boulder-County/Colorado/Boulder-council-hears-broad-public-comment-on-divestment-declines-immediate-overhaul-of-investment-policy","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6345584-2338f458067211e3478b8dd9125fe106/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157139&Signature=ktbLrSTCv9PG~GwG22wHTMEnz1Fv2TaO9j0-JhjMJaoN8r99g8immqFFYL3Nq3EU1R86mevmrYcVkBx1uE825H2w-lojsp-CQ-FRnIqs6TrBFEZ9o9Ch9P6Q6IUpRaG2P9yW0KclZsJVzB7URsgqm2iwWKI61A07nlbe5RXDMgo40BdZQIgntdo2BBFWqUDYKP5jWr162dEb3f46U5R87u4FQ4uEzDxm6VIrvq9qOLFYn-jtr1K76BtVo-b32XLS52XbD1vntQRWZ6~PwwP0eqLRfNyndCUDEadQoZ1EPhtKAmE~lF3lnPxnRcfsqcUm68YFyxSAXdjKBNctcnh6Zg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Boulder City, CO","date","2025-02-07T16:00:44Z","article","Councilmember Taisha Adams on Thursday asked the Boulder City Council to reopen a review of the city’s investment policy to consider tighter restrictions, including further limits on weapons-related investments and additional values-based screens.

The request followed more than an hour of public comment in which dozens of residents urged the council to divest from companies they said profit from war and human-rights abuses. Speakers named firms such as Caterpillar, Toyota, Microsoft and Cisco as examples; others framed the request in terms of climate and ethical investing.

Adams said the update would build on prior council work and recent state and international events. “Given the current state of our climate, our commitment to the climate, and…concerns about weapons investment, I’m asking we revisit our protocols and deepen our commitment,” Adams said during the agenda item introducing the request.

Council discussion was wide-ranging. Several members flagged practical limits: Interim Chief Financial Officer Joel Wagner said the city’s investment manager uses industry classification codes (Bloomberg classifications) and that the city does not currently hold identified manufacturers of large weapons. Council members also said a full review could require staff time, legal review and public engagement.

Council did not adopt a formal motion to change the policy at the meeting. Instead members expressed a range of positions. Councilmembers Lauren Folkerts and Nicole Speer said they supported deliberation but wanted a staged approach; Mark Wallach and others said continual “purification” of the portfolio is open-ended and requires prioritization with other work-plan items. Several council members, including Ben Marquis and Mark Wallach, voiced concern that the item overlaps with national foreign policy debates and could be divisive.

On a separate but related item, council gave clear direction for staff to return with an emergency-capable amendment to administrative procedures to allow the city manager to temporarily suspend privileges at city facilities when individuals create disruptive or unsafe conditions in civic meetings. Council also directed staff to adhere to existing rules on presentations at council meetings (no unscreened slide decks or videos shown from the public podium) and to publicize that practice.

City staff characterized the investment-policy request as likely to require legal review and a discussion about the scope of any exclusions (for example, whether an exemption for “weapons used for national defense” should remain). Staff estimated that removing the national-defense carve-out could be handled on a short timeline if council limited the scope and did not require broad public engagement; a fuller community process would take more time.

Adams and other supporters said the request reflects both local values and climate goals; opponents said the topic risks long, resource-intensive debate with uncertain benefit. No ordinance or immediate regulatory change was adopted February 6.

Council members said the council’s work plan and limited staff capacity make timing a factor; several asked that the item be scheduled for future council consideration or for inclusion in the next work-plan cycle. Staff indicated they would return with options and legal analysis if the council asked them to pursue specific draft language or rule changes.

The full discussion followed a lengthy public-comment period on February 6 in which dozens of residents — including local hoteliers, nonprofit leaders, and residents — urged divestment, or argued against the change on timing and fiscal-stewardship grounds.

What happens next: Council asked staff to bring back a proposal to expand existing temporary-suspension authority for the city manager to additional city facilities (considered for rapid or emergency implementation) and instructed the city clerk’s office to enforce the current rule limiting in-meeting slide or video presentations from the public. Staff will report back with legal analysis and draft language for council review.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","February 6, 2025 City of Boulder City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Councilmember Taisha Adams on Thursday asked the Boulder City Council to reopen a review of the city’s investment policy to consider tighter restrictions, including further limits on weapons-related investments and additional values-based screens.","taxTitle","Boulder, Boulder County, Colorado","taxId",3386,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6345578,"After executive session on meeting management, Boulder council directs staff to expand temporary-suspension authority and enforce presentation rules",103,287000,390000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2248811-638cf4dc83f6ac3712524274d1b6f658&start=287&end=390","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2248811-638cf4dc83f6ac3712524274d1b6f658/thumbnail_287000.jpg","/articles/6345578/Boulder/Boulder-County/Colorado/After-executive-session-on-meeting-management-Boulder-council-directs-staff-to-expand-temporary-suspension-authority-and-enforce-presentation-rules","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6345578-4a63303b457be314cb1c67a0cb98c36f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157139&Signature=jbDCSeDLeW4KMJhCrFOePXmdZyvYY2EFHxPF8VwQJBPSsvBeXuKvpa4sdIuYI7RImlkVmQZtNe-fO1~Lgy4s9QxDliuLIPePSrJeJUlfu6itJxJrtZJ5HTr6N71SOEC1ve5cUNuQy8HkCvWuWzjjTlD8LSWfYY9HTINhimMD9qirtAEUoh4OgLHlxjGiectCSOx6~SmS~z-txDKUH57aqBZp6eDGa6SfT35pFwXJN-ZUtsA1d7mStIDDXbQ2CD8B8pwXUS1doEy9ytRqhXdA-NpGTrGAO240xRutfsZGQJttYASU3h3qbFyAVW8P3lTK2Rtmf0DlmkfrtVO5LFxB1w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Boulder City Council convened a virtual executive session at the start of its Feb. 6 meeting under Colorado Revised Statutes §24-6-402(4)(b) \"for a conference with the attorneys for the city for the purpose of receiving legal advice on specific legal questions regarding meeting management and the First Amendment.\"

The motion to enter executive session passed by roll call, 8–0. Council met in the executive session and reconvened in the regular meeting; no council action or vote took place during the closed session beyond the authorized legal consultation.

Afterward, during the open-meeting portion, council discussed operational options for reducing disruption at public meetings. Staff and attorneys briefed council on existing authority: the city manager currently may temporarily suspend privileges to use certain recreation, park, senior and youth facilities for persons violating code provisions; that suspension authority did not automatically apply to all city-owned facilities (notably council chambers and related civic spaces). City attorneys and managers proposed extending that temporary-suspension authority to additional municipal facilities to provide a non-criminal administrative tool for addressing repeated or extreme disruptions during public meetings.

Council members generally supported bringing back an emergency-capable administrative amendment so the city manager could, in certain circumstances, temporarily suspend an individual’s privilege to use specific municipal facilities. A majority of council indicated support for staff to prepare such language on an accelerated schedule; staff will return with draft language and legal analysis for council review. Council also directed the city clerk to enforce an existing rule preventing unscreened slide decks and videos from being shown from the public podium and to publicize that practice.

Councilmembers discussed alternative approaches including stricter limits on public-comment topics and frequency; those possible changes were not adopted and will require further council deliberation. Several council members emphasized reliance on established procedures and on law enforcement only when there is an immediate physical-safety threat; staff said physical removal or arrest remains an option in cases of violent behavior.

What was decided: Council requested staff return with draft administrative language (potentially as an emergency measure) extending the city manager’s temporary-suspension authority to additional city facilities and to publicize the immediate enforcement of existing presentation rules at council meetings. No ordinance was adopted at this meeting.","Council held an executive session under CRS 24-6-402(4)(b) for legal advice about meeting management and the First Amendment, voted 8-0 to convene, then directed staff to return with emergency-capable administrative language extending city manager authority to suspend facility access and to enforce existing rules on public presentations.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6345581,"Boulder creates Lodging Business Assessment Area to boost tourism marketing, funds to be industry-led",2366,6475000,8841000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2248811-638cf4dc83f6ac3712524274d1b6f658&start=6475&end=8841","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2248811-638cf4dc83f6ac3712524274d1b6f658/thumbnail_6475000.jpg","/articles/6345581/Boulder/Boulder-County/Colorado/Boulder-creates-Lodging-Business-Assessment-Area-to-boost-tourism-marketing-funds-to-be-industry-led","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6345581-b7e8b82c65e78bea42cf6b47128adf0f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157139&Signature=KKT~DH9gOrtW3YkU~LCAelXmFd06DLWuxMhAvTfITge1pZUCRoZbAhm6XIyVcVguDaOEbwXmhMOWH-f3ZfkmoR3pJwtpd~18fej9l2c9F5gseUZ9wN2tCyG554Xtk8QJpp60pbmNE3FuJi-8E6NxFpDZpGqWjXx7eYIcHL5-f9XF4yhEc3sPMMYr9DkgiCsa5MS7ge~5wbefwCTJxWOlX8b8n5RnrWhtNI2g3b1GbjZwDrC-cqMEvnOWsUQJI-bYY6tMEsAoXsR283RAYM9YrSaev2Kmv1AEN-8Ud~Wqwdh~spFsGIh7nQcd2FGOafxBYtYO4rZYtdPChvQopP7m5Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Boulder City Council on Thursday adopted ordinance 86-83 to create a Lodging Business Assessment Area (ELBA), a tourism-improvement district that will assess lodging revenues to fund destination marketing and sales.

VisitBoulder led the industry-driven effort; Charlene Hoffman, VisitBoulder CEO, told council the proposed 2% assessment is expected to generate about $2.1 million in the first year (based on historical revenue) and would be paid by visitors. The assessment would add roughly $4 per night on a $200 room. VisitBoulder and the lodging community said the funds would be used to market off-peak and shoulder seasons, raise the city’s profile for conferences, and support the local hospitality economy. The ELBA board will include hotel industry representatives and city seats to ensure coordination with city priorities.

Proponents said the ELBA will help Boulder compete regionally — particularly as new large hotel and conference supply arrives, including the Limelight Hotel and Conference Center — and will allow VisitBoulder to pursue larger meetings and events that can fill multiple hotels and boost sales and accommodations taxes. Dozens of hotel general managers and VisitBoulder board members testified in support of the measure during the public hearing.

Opposition at the hearing was limited; one commenter urged a higher visitor fee to reflect other markets. Council discussed alignment with city strategic goals and confirmed that ELBA funds will be managed with industry participation but include city representatives. The ordinance passed unanimously on roll-call vote.

Implementation: With the ordinance in place, VisitBoulder and the ELBA board will finalize a first-year budget and program plan focused on marketing and sales; implementation is intended to be immediate with the ELBA’s first-year spending decisions made by the industry board in coordination with city representatives.

Fiscal note: Councilmembers and VisitBoulder noted the assessment is distinct from an accommodations-tax increase: the ELBA assessment is intended as a self-funded tool for marketing and sales to grow hotel occupancy and thereby increase city tax revenues; it is paid by visitors and does not require direct city budget appropriation.","The council unanimously approved ordinance 86-83 to establish a 2% Lodging Business Assessment Area (ELBA) to fund VisitBoulder marketing and sales efforts, with the charge paid by visitors and governance shared with city representatives.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6345582,"Boulder renews 10-year cable franchise with Comcast; shifts PEG fee to revenue share",1196,5256000,6452000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2248811-638cf4dc83f6ac3712524274d1b6f658&start=5256&end=6452","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2248811-638cf4dc83f6ac3712524274d1b6f658/thumbnail_5256000.jpg","/articles/6345582/Boulder/Boulder-County/Colorado/Boulder-renews-10-year-cable-franchise-with-Comcast-shifts-PEG-fee-to-revenue-share","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6345582-15f7c3e06400dd331cbcc3b3527da6ed/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157139&Signature=UQCgYBJydBV8618TZiBEYSJnkkSSUKg~ca9GPqZhCbOs881TnxB5ed~eDeNGSfkVelKk5DzgFNbiyNfF6CiCZo3jOLIAYqus7rx7rO7zsN-w~yhzRGzodX52E8ss8wU-THl9jS71XUpnURwGDRYWwtTnY-4NZ1dzusz-Zgxlv-Ajvu-JPZDpSvslDfLDBEH6DcsttItw9sIDVL9K2Yt4hfmAEU2wvTrBg89F8eVktN0Ej-Bn~H3CsRU2~ESrigHgVI3vtkKLzsqfUoFyrHPvHthh1kv0Hir2PXWP9YzWoyyswe4nyj1RJLCDhfggPXY83mY9M6NZYXOAaysub4nLCA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Boulder City Council on Thursday approved ordinance 86-81 renewing the city’s cable-franchise agreement with Comcast of Colorado for a 10-year term running March 1, 2025, through Feb. 29, 2035.

Carl Castillo, chief policy adviser, said the renewed agreement preserves customer-service and technical standards the city can regulate under federal law, continues a 10-year term, and retains the city’s 5% franchise-fee cap. The council also approved a change to how public-education-and-government (PEG) support is collected: rather than a per-subscriber flat fee Comcast collected from customers, the renewed agreement ties the PEG payment to a share of Comcast’s cable gross revenue (0.48%).

Staff and the council said the change is intended to stabilize PEG funding as traditional cable subscriptions decline even while Comcast gross revenue overall remains higher (because customers now buy multiple services). In 2023 the city collected about $50,000 under the legacy per-subscriber PEG fee; applying the new revenue-share formula to 2023 revenues would have yielded roughly $80,000.

Andy Davis, Comcast director of government affairs, said Comcast coordinates with the city on permitting and restoration and complies with construction and maintenance standards. Mark Garcia, senior civil engineering manager for planning and development services, described city inspection and restoration processes that apply to Comcast construction activity.

The renewal passed on roll-call vote and will allow the city to continue collecting franchise fees and PEG funds for Boulder Channel 8 and Boulder’s education channel. Councilmembers voiced appreciation that the agreement preserves consumer protections while adapting PEG funding to industry changes.

What’s next: The franchise takes effect March 1, 2025, and staff will continue to administer inspection, permitting and PEG funding procedures under the terms of the renewed agreement.","Council approved ordinance 86-81 renewing Comcast's cable franchise through 2035 and replacing a per-subscriber PEG charge with a revenue-based PEG fee to stabilize funding for Boulder Channel 8.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6345583,"Boulder adopts state-aligned ADU rules aiming to expand accessory dwelling unit construction",1416,3790000,5206000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2248811-638cf4dc83f6ac3712524274d1b6f658&start=3790&end=5206","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2248811-638cf4dc83f6ac3712524274d1b6f658/thumbnail_3790000.jpg","/articles/6345583/Boulder/Boulder-County/Colorado/Boulder-adopts-state-aligned-ADU-rules-aiming-to-expand-accessory-dwelling-unit-construction","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6345583-cbce00d51b4d39f3eb6dda066184cb0d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157139&Signature=cMSon~DkHtSln1-kZWBj0uAqxdnsPvC6Z9oMtxFAY2QK8HUPY5ZalfaIe4pGrGApDXEs-Un0Zuzo~16F3GrVG3yzSuX-DaQ8Qd4~JSREJ6qwZqbaX08TLbHFSUvjO9sFTL7OU6ZkGlKUgXUkqUbnoWMFOcG4WdFgo0GRjy1nCzbFGL4l4CgdpRDb4CuCxgU0-LXIk6cX8CrKXKJE56Ls3TUmX62dfO9hf~CjJKAXKx9HiM1dgUOvJ-AuO51qQT9F1xk6uQ1b1jQVF-ItcHRcHMhdLic8B3-14gvRHwRvN5kikYjTtfsygoYPUn-Fc5Xs4baQoakLI8M-Weio66VrJg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Boulder City Council voted unanimously Thursday to adopt ordinance 86-50, revising the city’s accessory dwelling unit (ADU) regulations to comply with recent state requirements and to position Boulder for a state ADU incentive program.

The ordinance changes remove a 5,000-square-foot minimum lot-size requirement for most ADUs, eliminate an owner-occupancy requirement for market-rate ADUs, expand where ADUs are allowed in more zoning districts, and establish an administrative approval pathway consistent with House Bill 24-1152. The code also sets a minimum maximum floor area for attached ADUs at 750 square feet and allows at least 750-square-foot ADUs regardless of house size. For detached ADUs, the code sets a maximum height of 20 feet and building coverage limits so rear-yard ADUs are similar in scale to detached units in low-density neighborhoods.

Lisa Hood, principal city planner, told council the changes are needed so the city qualifies as an “ADU-supportive jurisdiction” under the state program; jurisdictions that meet the law’s standards may compete for grants that provide up to $15,000 per ADU to assist construction, preapproved plans, or technical assistance. Hood said Boulder’s previous code edits (adopted in 2023) already led to an uptick in ADU construction: 37 ADUs have been completed and occupied since September 2023 and 21 were in permit or construction at the time of the presentation.

Councilmember Lauren Folkerts asked whether height limits remain. Hood said the state bill is silent on height; Boulder retains a 20-foot height limit for ADUs. Councilmember Nicole Speer asked whether staff would pursue available grant funds; Hood said staff would coordinate with housing and human services to explore grant application logistics.

Public testimony included a resident who asked for clarity on how prior PUD (planned unit development) restrictions would interact with the new law. Hood said the ordinance voids prior PUD prohibitions on ADUs while acknowledging that PUDs can also include other site-specific size limits; ADUs must still meet applicable zoning limits such as height, floor-area limits and bulk requirements.

After a roll-call vote, council adopted ordinance 86-50 without any recorded no votes.

Why it matters: Aligning local regulations with state law preserves Boulder’s eligibility for competitive state funding and removes several regulatory barriers that staff say have already begun to increase ADU production in the city.

What’s next: Staff said they would follow up on grant-application logistics and provide additional implementation details to council as needed.","Council approved ordinance 86-50 to align local ADU rules with Colorado House Bill 24-1152, removing some lot-size and owner-occupancy barriers and establishing administrative approval to qualify for state ADU grants.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Boulder council hears broad public comment on divestment, declines immediate overhaul of investment policy

After executive session on meeting management, Boulder council directs staff to expand temporary-suspension authority and enforce presentation rules

Boulder creates Lodging Business Assessment Area to boost tourism marketing, funds to be industry-led

Boulder renews 10-year cable franchise with Comcast; shifts PEG fee to revenue share

Boulder adopts state-aligned ADU rules aiming to expand accessory dwelling unit construction