Boulder planning board denies use review for 1836 Nineteenth St., approves site‑review amendment for existing house

The City of Boulder Planning Board on June 17, 2025 denied a use review application (LUR2023‑00010) to recognize the existing building at 1836 Nineteenth Street as a detached single‑family dwelling, while approving a site‑review amendment (LUR2022‑00044) to formalize existing setbacks for a rear deck and to require public ditch and flood‑control easements.

The two decisions reflect divided views on whether reusing the one‑story, four‑bedroom brick structure as a single detached home is consistent with the city’s land‑use rules for RH‑2 (high‑density residential) zones and the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP). Board members voting to deny the use review said the RH‑2-specific use standard — that a detached dwelling be allowed only in areas “where detached dwelling units predominate” — is not met here. Board members voting to approve the site review said the proposed physical modifications are appropriate and that easements and flood‑control conditions mitigate site risks.

The building was originally approved in 1983 under a Planned Unit Development (PUD P‑83‑64) and a special review to operate as a group care home for eight people with developmental disabilities. That special review has lapsed; staff and the applicant said the property currently has no established use under city records. The applicant, owner Brent Groman and architect/agent Elizabeth Smith of Fanas Architecture, told the board they prefer adaptive reuse of the existing structure to avoid demolition and construction waste and to preserve the building near downtown and transit.

Staff presentation and findings Shannon Mueller, planning staff, told the board the site is “a little under 7,000 square feet” and that the Boulder and Left Hand Ditch crosses the southeast corner of the lot. Staff recommended approval of the site review amendment and the use review in memo analyses, concluding the site review amendments (including formalizing the deck setbacks and requiring public ditch and drainage easements) met site‑review criteria. Staff also evaluated the application under the RH‑2 specific use standards that were adopted in 2019 to limit new detached dwelling units in areas intended for higher‑density development.

Key issues raised during deliberations included whether detached dwellings “predominate” in the area, how the site’s history (a former group care home) factors into the analysis, and practical constraints such as on‑site parking and flood‑plain setbacks. Board members and staff also discussed whether future changes to parking minimums being considered by city council could affect feasible reuse options for the site.

Applicant’s position Elizabeth Smith, the project architect, and owner Brent Groman described efforts to pursue a duplex…