Boulder planners present draft comprehensive plan update; TAB urges measurable targets, mobility hubs and clearer values

City planning staff presented the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP) major update to the Transportation Advisory Board on Sept. 8, asking for input on policy direction, land‑use categories and how transportation and mobility should be represented in the 20‑year plan.

Why it matters: The BVCP sets the highest‑level vision for the city and influences subsequent department strategic plans, budgets and land‑use decisions. The update will inform transportation investments and the city’s approach to multimodal access, hubs and future land use.

What staff presented: Steven Rejo, transportation planning manager, introduced Sarah Horn, senior city planner, and Tess Shorn from Planning and Development Services. They described the update as a “50‑year” reassessment (major update) that seeks to simplify about 26 existing future‑land‑use categories into roughly 13, organized into four classes: neighborhoods, hubs (local, community and regional), networks (parks/greenways/open space/rural lands) and institutions. Staff said the team is mid‑process, has solicited more than 5,000 community responses to date, and plans additional outreach and a mailed statistically valid survey in September.

Board feedback — measurable outcomes and policy stance: TAB members generally supported explicit multimodal priorities and Vision 0 safety goals but pressed staff for measurable targets and clearer shared values to guide trade‑offs. Member Michael said the plan should name trade‑offs — for example, that slowing car travel on arterials may be necessary to improve bus reliability, protected bike lanes and safer crossings — and should include quantifiable metrics so future readers can tell whether the city has made progress.

Mobility hubs and land use: Staff described local, community and regional “hubs” intended to concentrate accessible services, transit, micromobility and people‑serving businesses. Board members urged that hubs include schools, recreation centers and parks (not only shopping centers) and noted the need for connectivity inside private developments (for example, Table Mesa shopping center) so users arriving by foot or bicycle can continue safely through sites that were designed primarily for cars. Staff said the land‑use mapping and a public mapping workshop (planned Sept. 9) will identify gaps where hubs and missing services are desired.

Accessibility and equity: Members asked for the plan to focus on “accessibility” as much as “mobility,” highlighting needs of older adults, people with disabilities and households with limited incomes. Board members also recommended emphasizing transit sufficiency (frequency, reliability, coverage) rather than mere presence of service.

Policy implementation and timelines: Staff outlined the process: current outreach and policy shaping, a public review draft early next year, joint Planning Board/City Council study session Dec. 11, presentation to boards in March, and hoped final adoption in July 2026. Staff reiterated that the comprehensive plan is intentionally high level (the “what” and “why”) and that department strategic plans and implementation documents will translate policies into specific actions and measurable targets.

What to watch: Staff asked TAB members to continue providing input, to help refine measurable outcome statements and to participate in upcoming engagement including the mapping workshop and the mailed survey. No formal action or vote was taken by TAB on the BVCP update at this meeting.