Planning Board calls up Gunbarrel Tech Center site review over unbuilt multiuse path

The City of Boulder Planning Board on March 18 called up a site review amendment for a proposed two‑story, ~66,000‑square‑foot industrial/office building on a vacant parcel in the Gunbarrel Tech Center (addressed as 0 Homestead Way) to review a proposed multiuse path connection and related easement and bridge issues.

Board members said the planned connection along the western edge would provide neighborhood access to Winchester Circle but questioned whether the developer can or should be required to construct a bridge across irrigation ditches and obtain approvals from private ditch companies. Senior planner Lisonbee Blaine and transportation review engineer Tom Pankow told the board that staff did not require the applicant to build the bridge because it would need ditch‑company approval, would be expensive to engineer and permit, and would connect only to private property north of the site rather than to a broader accessible network.

Why it matters: the path is shown in the city’s Transportation Master Plan (TMP) and the low‑stress walking and biking network; whether it is built now affects neighborhood connectivity, pedestrian and bicycle access to Winchester Circle and the wider network, and the city’s future public‑works planning.

Board discussion and staff explanations

Board member Kurt asked why the proposed west‑edge, southwest‑to‑northeast connection — shown on the TMP and in site plans — was not a required construction item. Lisonbee Blaine said staff had several reasons: the connection primarily serves neighborhood access rather than a major commuting link; it would require an engineered bridge, ditch‑company approvals and likely a public‑works project; and the receiving trail is a crusher‑fine recreational surface that is not maintained in winter and therefore is not an accessible commuting route.

Tom Pankow, the city review engineer for transportation and floodplain, said the bridge would face two main hurdles: receiving ditch‑company approval and the high cost of engineering, permitting and constructing an accessible path to tie into the Boulder Lehi Hand Ditch multiuse path. He said an existing bridge about 1,300 feet to the west provides a crossing but creates a long, roundabout pedestrian route.

Mark Garcia, civil engineering senior manager, told the board a scenic easement exists on the other side of the ditches that limits improvements; he said such easements generally prohibit paving or the kind of improvements that would be required for an accessible multiuse path.

Legal and practical limits on requiring off‑site improvements

Brad Mueller, director of planning, and City Attorney Laura Witt told the board the city cannot compel an applicant to acquire or build off‑site improvements on private property or force third parties (such as ditch companies) to grant easements as a condition of site review. Staff advised that reserving a public access easement on the subject property is possible; that would preserve the right to build a connection later if the city or other parties provided funding and approvals.

Applicant response and prior outreach

Applicant representative Robert Van Pelt of RVP Architecture said the applicant engaged with the ditch company in early conversations but did not pursue bridge construction after transportation staff considered it nonviable. The applicant said it would agree to provide a public access easement on the site for future construction but did not commit to building a bridge now.

Unauthorized bridge and public safety

Staff told the board that an unauthorized “social” bridge across one ditch was built by volunteers and will be removed for safety and because it lacks ditch‑company approval. Staff said residents would still have a roundabout pedestrian route to the Cottontail and Reservoir trails and to Winchester Circle, but acknowledged that the existing informal paths are eroded and heavily used by bicyclists.

Board action

After discussion about the legal limits on making off‑site improvements a condition of approval and questions about future city investment, the board voted to call up the site review amendment for full planning board review during the call‑up period that expires March 19, 2025. The call up preserves the board’s opportunity to examine the easement, path alignment, and any recommended conditions in more detail.

What happens next

Staff and applicants said any future construction of a bridge or multiuse path across the ditches would require ditch‑company approvals, wetlands and permitting reviews and a funding decision by the city; staff indicated the most likely near‑term step is to reserve a public access easement on the subject property so a future public‑works project could pursue construction.

Ending

The board’s decision to call up the item keeps the pedestrian connection and the easement question under active review; it does not require immediate construction. Staff said they will return materials addressing the legal and practical pathways for future construction if the board requests them during the call‑up review.