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 conversion initially but said on‑site parking constraints and post‑COVID construction costs made duplex conversion infeasible when the application was prepared. The current proposal reduces the number of on‑site parking spaces from three to two, maintains the existing four‑bedroom layout and rear deck (the deck has existed since at least 2003, staff said), and makes limited interior updates.

Votes and motions - Use review (LUR2023‑00010): Motion to deny the use review was made by Planning Board member Laura (mover) and seconded by Kurt (seconder). The board voted 4–3 to deny. Yes: Laura (Planning Board member), Mason (Planning Board member), Kurt (Planning Board member), Emil (Planning Board member). No: George (Planning Board member), Claudia Henson Thiem (Planning Board member), Chair Mark (Planning Board chair). The board directed staff to prepare denial findings for adoption at the July 15, 2025 Planning Board meeting.

- Site‑review amendment (LUR2022‑00044): A separate motion to approve the site‑review amendment, adopting staff’s memorandum as findings of fact, passed 6–1. Yes: Mason, Kurt, Emil, George, Claudia Henson Thiem, Chair Mark. No: Laura. The site‑review approval includes conditions requiring a public ditch easement and drainage and flood control easements and updates to bike parking and landscaping.

What the decisions mean and next steps Denying the use review means the board concluded the proposal to recognize the structure as a detached single‑family dwelling is not consistent with the RH‑2 specific use standards (B.R.C. §9‑6‑3(e)), which were adopted in 2019 to limit new detached single‑family dwellings in locations intended for higher‑density housing. Staff noted that other uses allowed in RH‑2 (including a duplex) remain options. Staff will prepare written denial findings for the board to consider and adopt at its July 15 meeting; the applicant may pursue alternative development options consistent with RH‑2 rules, including seeking a duplex by‑right if it meets applicable standards.

Board discussion reflected a tension between two policy goals: reusing an existing structure to avoid demolition and construction waste, and directing limited central‑city land toward higher‑density housing close to transit, as expressed in multiple BVCP policies. Several board members said they were reluctant to approve a new single‑family home in an area the BVCP designates for high‑density residential uses.

Clarifying details - Site area: just under 7,000 square feet (staff). - Existing building: one story, four bedrooms; formerly approved as a group care home for up to eight residents (PUD P‑83‑64). - Deck/setbacks: existing rear deck not depicted on original plan sets but visible in aerial imagery since 2003; staff said the deck is roughly 8½ feet from the rear property line at its closest point (typical rear setback is 25 feet). - Parking: proposal reduces on‑site parking from three spaces to two, adds bike parking per code. - Floodplain: a mapped conveyance zone/100‑year flood area intersects the southeast corner; flood control staff reviewed the deck and recommended easement/dedication conditions.

Speakers (attributed in text) - Shannon Mueller, City of Boulder planning staff (staff presentation and analysis). - Elizabeth Smith, architect, Fanas Architecture (applicant agent). - Brent Groman, property owner (applicant). - Laura, Planning Board member (mover to deny use review). - Kurt, Planning Board member (seconded denial; mover to approve site review). - Mason, Planning Board member. - Emil, Planning Board member. - George, Planning Board member. - Claudia Henson Thiem, Planning Board member. - Mark, Planning Board chair.

Authorities referenced - Boulder Revised Code (B.R.C.) §9‑6‑3(e) — specific use standards for detached dwelling units (cited by staff and board). - B.R.C. §9‑2‑15 — use review criteria referenced in staff discussion. - Planned Unit Development P‑83‑64 — original site approval (1983). - Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP) — land‑use map and policies cited in staff and board discussion. - Case numbers: LUR2022‑00044 (site‑review amendment) and LUR2023‑00010 (use review).

Community relevance The property is on Nineteenth Street between Walnut and Canyon avenues in central Boulder, adjacent to senior apartments and multifamily buildings and near downtown and RTD transit. The decision affects how a property close to transit and downtown can be reused and reflects citywide tensions about preserving existing structures versus the BVCP goal of encouraging higher‑density housing in transit corridors.

Searchable tags ["housing","zoning","RH2","use review","site review","PUD","Boulder","BVCP","parking","flood control"]

Provenance (transcript evidence) Overall article evidence spans: - topicintro: {"block_id":"block_585.86005","local_start":0,"local_end":196,"evidence_excerpt":"This is a site review, an amendment, and use review to allow the existing structure at 1836 Nineteenth Street to be used as a single family detached dwelling unit in the RH 2 zoning district and to amend the existing PUD p dash 83 dash 64 ..."} - topfinish: {"block_id":"block_8528.069","local_start":0,"local_end":120,"evidence_excerpt":"And I'm a yes. Okay. Without any other, conditions, etcetera, I believe that concludes this item."}

Actions (formal motions/votes) - {"kind":"other","identifiers":{"agenda_item_id":"5a","project_slug":"1836-nineteenth-st"},"motion":"Move to deny use review LUR2023‑00010 (detached dwelling unit use).","mover":"Laura (Planning Board member)","second":"Kurt (Planning Board member)","vote_record":[{"member":"Laura","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Mason","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Kurt","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Emil","vote":"yes"},{"member":"George","vote":"no"},{"member":"Claudia Henson Thiem","vote":"no"},{"member":"Mark (Chair)","vote":"no"}],"tally":{"yes":4,"no":3},"legal_threshold":{"met":true,"notes":"Majority vote of board members present."},"outcome":"failed","notes":"Motion to deny use review passed (4–3); staff directed to draft denial findings for July 15, 2025."}

- {"kind":"site_review","identifiers":{"agenda_item_id":"5a","project_slug":"1836-nineteenth-st","case_number":"LUR2022-00044"},"motion":"Move to approve site review amendment application LUR2022‑00044 adopting the staff memorandum as findings of fact, including the attached analysis of review criteria.","mover":"Kurt (Planning Board member)","second":"Claudia Henson Thiem (Planning Board member)","vote_record":[{"member":"Laura","vote":"no"},{"member":"Mason","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Kurt","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Emil","vote":"yes"},{"member":"George","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Claudia Henson Thiem","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Mark (Chair)","vote":"yes"}],"tally":{"yes":6,"no":1},"legal_threshold":{"met":true,"notes":"Majority vote of board members present."},"outcome":"approved","notes":"Approval includes conditions for public ditch easement, drainage and flood control easements, bike parking and landscaping updates."}

Discussion vs. decision (explicit separation) - Discussion points: applicability of RH‑2 use standard (whether detached units predominate), parking constraints that made duplex conversion difficult for the applicant, floodplain/ditch adjacency and deck safety, the PUD’s role in existing setbacks, BVCP policy context favoring higher density near transit. - Directions: staff directed to draft denial findings for board review/adoption at the July 15, 2025 meeting. - Decisions: the board denied the use review (4–3) and approved the site‑review amendment (6–1).

Salience & engagement forecast - overall: 0.42; justification: local planning decision with moderate policy implications for central Boulder land use and housing mix. - impact_scope: "local"; attention_level: "medium"; novelty: 0.20; legal_significance: 0.35; budgetary_significance: 0.05; affected_population_estimate: 2000; affected_population_confidence: 0.40; budget_total_usd:0.0;

graph_signals {"jurisdictions":["US-CO-BOU"],"ontology_topics":["land_use","housing","zoning","flood_control"],"entities":[{"id":"1836-19th-st","name":"1836 Nineteenth Street","type":"location"},{"id":"Fanas-Architecture","name":"Fanas Architecture","type":"organization"}],"events":[]}