Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Housing Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Boulder staff outline changes to meet Prop 1/2/3 fast‑track review requirement
Summary
City staff told the Planning Board that Colorado’s Prop 1/2/3 affordable‑housing fund requires a local fast‑track review option (90‑day approval timelines) for qualifying projects and recommended removing planning‑board call‑ups and some automatic public hearings to meet the deadline and retain eligibility for state funding. Board members pressed for transparency safeguards and suggested evaluating a lower local threshold for expedited review.
City planning staff briefed the board on Proposition 1/2/3 and the state requirement to provide a 90‑day fast‑track review for certain affordable housing projects in order for Boulder to remain eligible for state funding. Lisa Hood explained that the fast‑track applies to projects where at least half the units are affordable under the state definition and that the state requires a 90‑day approval window for multiple application types. "The projects that can get this type of funding . . . would need to have the fast track review and applications are approved within 90 days," staff said, adding that the city has already seen the state fund projects and that failure to create a compliant fast‑track could forfeit local eligibility for that funding stream.
Staff recommended code changes designed to speed timelines—primarily removing automatic planning‑board public hearings and call‑up opportunities for qualifying projects and relying on administrative (staff) decisions with an appeal route. Board members said they understand the goal but emphasized the need to preserve transparency and public accountability; Chair Laura Kaplan asked, "how do we maintain a level of transparency and accountability if we are eliminating discretionary reviews?" Staff pointed to the minor‑use review changes made in 2024 as a precedent that shortened city review times and suggested post‑implementation retrospectives to monitor outcomes.
