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Residents Urge Board Not to Shorten Demolition Cooling‑Off Period for Four Arapahoe Bungalows
Summary
Residents and Historic Boulder speakers told the board during non‑agenda comment to preserve the full 180‑day demolition cooling‑off period for four bungalows near the Presbyterian Manor, saying the extra time has in the past allowed viable preservation alternatives to emerge; staff scheduled a Feb. 25 hearing on those four applications.
Several residents and preservation advocates used the Landmarks Board's open‑comment period Feb. 4 to urge the board not to shorten demolition cooling‑off periods that can give community groups time to seek alternatives to demolition.
Fran Mandel Sheets told the board she was "really concerned that this board is becoming a board of demolition rather than a preservation board," pointing to a recent decision elsewhere to cut a stay from 180 to 150 days and saying the full 180‑day period has helped save buildings in the past by giving time for alternatives to appear.
Catherine Barth and others said the longer stay allows tours, research and creative reuse ideas to develop; Barth cited examples in other U.S. cities with longer protections and asked the board to be "not so willing to give away days in that hundred and eighty." Leonard Siegel of Historic Boulder said the four Arapahoe cottages meet standards for a historic district and that Historic Boulder would assist with relocation or other preservation strategies if needed.
Staff updated the board that four demolition applications (addresses cited during the meeting) have been scheduled as public hearing items for Feb. 25, with a staff memorandum to the board planned by Feb. 20 to support that agenda. The Feb. 25 hearing will be virtual and will consider whether to initiate designation or issue demolition permits for the four properties.
What happens next: The Feb. 25 public hearing will give the board a formal opportunity to consider stays of demolition or designation for the four properties; interested parties may present evidence and comment at that hearing.
