[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-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],{"_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",6707518,"mediaKeyId","2366871-59c591094b2bf276d68959aac8bdee38","parentId",2366871,"title","Residents urge Boulder council to strengthen renter protections, tax vacant homes and oppose bill cutting tipped wages","audioSeconds",1487,"startMs",1745000,"endMs",3232000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2366871-59c591094b2bf276d68959aac8bdee38&start=1745&end=3232","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2366871-59c591094b2bf276d68959aac8bdee38/thumbnail_1745000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6707518/Boulder/Boulder-County/Colorado/Residents-urge-Boulder-council-to-strengthen-renter-protections-tax-vacant-homes-and-oppose-bill-cutting-tipped-wages","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6707518-6554a71a4257002b486d4142fa4da0d4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174032&Signature=EaeC~m2ExHgsvioxXN5f-dj-fg9BcKAXiUKeOgKUSU9CUGCs0yp3G82~H3qpL51NnPBOphHzSaT31L1VCpQ-PJnKZrsSj5wWxqFCQR0KUQT57EVDgVxN6abwZF36gBzUuTpdixc23DoDx5-q1AGVWYdFlHZPqphqco2-6PYlKpqV0xLwbssyEqRe58HaP6Yf2~Tjca0qF-ctAIGyUAm-liTSAxreajdl0Ki~6sHllyojdfciQzCW1e2b2y3jk4KYkHPzPw1fopdUxMzTmWYmjeROFhS-LNGyRqV8vxeUZrdONcn3~J3swrCrSRys3cjTaiA4n3l6YKGbAqXlMQZGnA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Boulder City, CO","date","2025-02-21T04:31:01.073Z","article","During the meeting's public-comment period, a series of residents urged Boulder City Council to study and adopt stronger renter protections, to tax vacant properties and to oppose state legislation that would lower hourly wages for tipped workers.

Multiple speakers asked council to expand the city's Tenant Advisory Committee (TAC) beyond its current membership and meeting frequency, and to study tenant protections modeled on Tacoma, Washington's relocation-assistance requirement for rent increases larger than 5 percent. \"We should tax vacant homes and fund protections,\" said one commenter who said thousands of houses in the area sit empty and could be detected by water-usage data.

Jonathan Lamar, a resident who asked council to commission a city study, said the proposal should \"expand the tenant advisory committee from 5 members to 7, expand tenant protections against eviction, and tax the roughly 4,000 vacant homes that are currently sitting in Boulder.\" Several other speakers, including Jackie Richardson and Myla (Mila) Sikorsky, described the 2020 \"no evictions without representation\" ordinance as effective but incomplete and urged council to pursue additional measures such as a tenant bill of rights and stronger eviction protections.

A number of commenters asked council to oppose House Bill 251208 (referred to in testimony as HB251208/HB251208), legislation they said would lower pay for tipped workers. \"It will cost workers $2 an hour, which is up to $4,000 per year,\" said Aidan, who urged council to oppose the tipped-worker wage bill. Myrna Morales and others said the proposed change would disproportionately harm women, immigrant workers and workers of color.

Speakers also asked the council to explore a relocation-assistance requirement for large rent increases and to fund tenant services via a tax on vacant residential properties. Several said the local eviction-defense program has been effective at preventing evictions and urged the council to extend its reach.

City staff said they would respond to public commenters after the open-comment period; Deputy City Manager Chris Metzuk noted staff were aware of a separate water-main incident that had flooded a resident's basement and that utility staff are tracking the claims process.

No formal action on the tenant proposals occurred at the meeting; councilmembers and staff acknowledged the requests and discussed possible study sessions, noting that some options may be limited by state law.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","February 20, 2025 City of Boulder City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Multiple residents used public comment to ask council to expand the tenant advisory committee, explore a tenant bill of rights or relocation-assistance policy for rent increases over 5%, and to pursue a tax on vacant residential properties; several speakers also urged council to oppose a state bill to reduce tipped wages.","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},6707522,"Council adopts East Boulder form-based code and amends subcommunity plan, preserves site-review option",4829,5583000,10412000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2366871-59c591094b2bf276d68959aac8bdee38&start=5583&end=10412","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2366871-59c591094b2bf276d68959aac8bdee38/thumbnail_5583000.jpg","/articles/6707522/Boulder/Boulder-County/Colorado/Council-adopts-East-Boulder-form-based-code-and-amends-subcommunity-plan-preserves-site-review-option","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6707522-361f39f04d7b5f2a39a6679fddaffdbb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174032&Signature=eI09l8gnybQK-Bp4h7mVeyF~MGdRdaQCS6OT6IIcyYWmCGSd9BGNVeLv6tmffdsm5Oz9USVneZDj~9LaH8PIOspqhgv3-vIJ6sHSgqEM8eJ4RPGiWXBvHRsRdoQW13syoPNMPAkxr2B86F0S9t6xkbGdrnJSr6MnEoCr0S30mHPwppUB13CX6ZVgqINLeAES21YG8cPieIV-wFIaWNEbZjzZINmuJkrJTz8w5bgMr2Ao7R7RCyy7uz--GpYQajcPrPrWv0QHm1gZDf80mEWJain2rj-eroSsDqvb-x5mprldaU7o19IJqjnu96pNWvuefbtb~CQIKbeJJH1rrSrRlw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Boulder City Council on Thursday approved changes to the East Boulder Subcommunity Plan and adopted a form-based code for parts of East Boulder intended to guide redevelopment in the area east of Foothills and north of Arapahoe.

The council passed two separate items: a narrowly targeted amendment to the East Boulder plan and an ordinance (86 69) implementing form-based code standards for the plan's identified areas of change. Both measures passed 8-1.

\"The form-based code is only triggered if a property is proposing a substantial change,\" said Christopher Johnson, comprehensive planning manager. Staff told council the code will only apply when projects meet specific thresholds (for example, additions that increase floor area by more than 60% or large facade or roof replacements) and that any property large enough to use site review may opt out of the form-based path and use the citywide site-review process instead.

Johnson said staff recommended changes after additional outreach with property owners and stakeholders to increase flexibility. Among the changes: allowing production-business space to be incorporated into a main building or provided in a separate on-site structure for projects larger than 15,000 square feet, removing a requirement that site-review projects still meet form-based standards, and loosening some prescriptive design standards to allow more architectural flexibility.

\"Maintaining the production business space standard is important,\" Johnson said, describing it as a way to keep light industrial and maker space that community members identified as at risk in the area's evolution. Staff told council a fee-in-lieu or other alternative compliance mechanism could be explored later but was not ready to implement as part of this ordinance.

Councilmembers asked for continued monitoring of Flatirons Business Park and other East Boulder sites to ensure the plan encourages high-quality employment uses and housing as market conditions change. Mayor Aaron Brockett and several councilmembers emphasized the change is intended to provide optionality: property owners may continue existing uses or choose to redevelop under the new code.

Planning board had recommended approval. After discussion in which one councilmember dissented, the council voted to approve the subcommunity plan amendment and the ordinance adopting the form-based code; both passed on roll-call votes of 8 to 1.

Staff said the map in Appendix L will be updated to identify where the form-based code applies and that follow-up implementation steps may include additional incentives or a potential fee-in-lieu option for production business space.","Council approved amendments to the East Boulder Subcommunity Plan and adopted a new form-based code for parts of East Boulder while adding an explicit opt-out so qualifying projects may choose site review instead.",{"_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},6707528,"Boulder City Council adopts 2024 International Building Codes, citing safety and simplification",2613,4531000,7144000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2366871-59c591094b2bf276d68959aac8bdee38&start=4531&end=7144","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2366871-59c591094b2bf276d68959aac8bdee38/thumbnail_4531000.jpg","/articles/6707528/Boulder/Boulder-County/Colorado/Boulder-City-Council-adopts-2024-International-Building-Codes-citing-safety-and-simplification","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6707528-a0746e4cf01eab35fd7e6db86acb685e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174032&Signature=QNUfIBgSrbqoeKse1J-MUhJg1CpZcF09CFN8RUF~1W2Xoa9F2sXNGxnILvDKyfClAe64D0ZwofpcLnRGZByDSAuq1MltK-zVUBUZPX~xxTAgR1eTQdC3dXC~vlJj2HK75FQGCJ6nnjNgzfhrnexgGOcUZi3-ZK11314zNgGInJ8YKfY84YaLR9p7j4suHObvlRjLV0sCelb39d4sLA2QseHPD2kp79vS2lv0rR~zzR8IQqNW6FfaVRrhy3PHE2VQ0hx~ShT8BXapt9DCN30CdlqRiwbln6gkAJQPcirFEKJmoYxe6USqhQNNrDx~HUNa4vUB3vKyqWFy0Y9bDtYK8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Boulder City Council on Thursday unanimously adopted ordinance 86 84 to update the city's building and safety rules to the 2024 editions of the International Code Council family of codes.

The change, presented by Rob Adrian, chief building official for Planning and Development Services, brings Boulder's building, mechanical, plumbing, fire and related codes into alignment with the latest national standards and eliminates a number of local amendments that staff said had added complexity and cost. \"We really recommend that the City Council adopt ordinance 86 84,\" Adrian said during the presentation.

Staff told council the updates are meant to reduce unnecessary local variations, improve clarity for builders and homeowners, and address specific safety gaps. Key changes highlighted by staff include requiring permits for replacement windows and siding so that work in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) can be reviewed for noncombustible materials; exempting small, low decks and larger small storage sheds in mobile-home parks from permitting to reduce disproportionate enforcement impacts; raising the allowable size for unpermitted storage sheds from 80 to 120 square feet; and removing a local requirement that panel upgrades include arc-fault breakers, a change staff said removes a frequent, costly barrier to home electrification and EV charging.

Adrian also pointed to other technical updates in the 2024 codes: allowance for newer refrigerants (A2L), a lower minimum ceiling height (6 ft. 8 in.) for habitable basements and attics in existing buildings to ease conversions and ADU creation, and new guidance on temporary emergency uses of buildings that staff said could speed reuse after disasters.

\"Our goals were to adopt the codes with as few local amendments as possible to reduce complexity,\" Brad Mueller, director of Planning and Development Services, told council. Mueller said staff also used the city's racial equity instrument in the review and cited examples where code changes were intended to reduce disproportionate cost or enforcement impacts on lower-income households.

Councilmembers asked staff about outreach and potential cost impacts; staff said two public office hours drew industry and resident participants. After deliberation, Councilmember Lauren Marquis moved to adopt the ordinance; the roll call vote was unanimous and the ordinance was amended and passed at the meeting.

Councilmembers and staff said they will continue outreach and will present the wildfire interface code (WUI) separately after more community engagement because of its cost implications for homeowners.

The adopted ordinance updates local references to the international residential code, international building code, international fire code, property maintenance code, plumbing, mechanical and fuel gas codes, and adopts by reference national electric code provisions with local adjustments.

Supporters said the updates lower administrative hurdles and clarify inspections and permitting for common retrofit and small-scale projects; critics who spoke in public comment cited isolated concerns about specific retrofits and the city's contracted retrofit programs.

The ordinance takes effect as provided in the enactment language; staff said they will publish guidance on the most consequential changes and engage contractors and community groups on implementation.","Council voted unanimously to adopt ordinance 86 84, updating local codes to the 2024 International Code Council family and removing several local amendments intended to lower compliance costs and advance wildfire resiliency.",{"_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},6707513,"Votes at a glance: key outcomes from the Feb. 20 Boulder City Council meeting",6877,3541000,10418000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2366871-59c591094b2bf276d68959aac8bdee38&start=3541&end=10418","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2366871-59c591094b2bf276d68959aac8bdee38/thumbnail_3541000.jpg","/articles/6707513/Boulder/Boulder-County/Colorado/Votes-at-a-glance-key-outcomes-from-the-Feb-20-Boulder-City-Council-meeting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6707513-134c068bcd082cf7fdcd7604013e12f6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174032&Signature=JYT~EelMAQn5b04Z9EHe2CN8MqI1Eaj40K6fEgvI0vWgjC6osb6EPlcPqPMaHOMuW1haBaJlwsvxmmuDrmR0~FRFq9J34xVhCYb-0ZS-53iEBX64H2S3vpEAqScd4t5UZF4MGdlt7y50xAGBAA~ehMjm13yyLQyiOAWqF~8BeGNUrQobyLNb97POOG-g7ixe4EHai18C0hE5ShBjZ2Bcni8K0jIy7~nfJbt4reNuIXoQxQLgfqF8RxOLyH8O3FN5huSpM4Wb2VJuj6imHk4b6IZG~pU-rqcZGkcS91iTwLz~A-MGM63GTR~34z3UAe5axAaXmgYMngDld-lrjeFkfA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At its Feb. 20 meeting, Boulder City Council recorded several formal actions on ordinances and agenda items. Key outcomes:

- Consent agenda (items 3a through 3e): Approved unanimously on roll call. The consent agenda covered routine items listed under item 3 on the agenda.

- Concept plan at 355 Ponca Place / Fraser Retirement Community (call-up item 4a): Council voted to refer the concept plan to the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) and the Design Advisory Board (DAB) for additional review; both referrals carried unanimously.

- Concept plan at 1120 Eighth Street (call-up item 4b): Council voted to refer the proposal to the Design Advisory Board for further design review; the vote passed with council support (recorded votes reflected an affirmative result).

- Ordinance 86 84 (Title 10, adoption of 2024 International Codes): Amended and passed unanimously (roll-call vote) to update building, mechanical, plumbing, fire and related codes.

- East Boulder subcommunity plan amendment and form-based code (items 5b): Council approved a limited amendment to the East Boulder Subcommunity Plan (vote 8-1) and separately adopted ordinance 86 69 to move the form-based code into chapter 9-14 and adopt standards for parts of East Boulder (vote 8-1). The ordinance includes an opt-out to site review and provisions on production-business space and design flexibility.

Meeting minutes and staff memos list each motion and roll-call tally; staff will publish final ordinance language and updated maps as part of implementation steps.","Council approved consent agenda items, referred two development concept plans to advisory boards and passed two ordinances including the 2024 building-code update and East Boulder form-based code.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents urge Boulder council to strengthen renter protections, tax vacant homes and oppose bill cutting tipped wages

Council adopts East Boulder form-based code and amends subcommunity plan, preserves site-review option

Boulder City Council adopts 2024 International Building Codes, citing safety and simplification

Votes at a glance: key outcomes from the Feb. 20 Boulder City Council meeting