A History of Lafayette's Growth Management Amendment Part Four
Another unnecessary exemption
A HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE’S MANAGED GROWTH AMENDMENT
PART FOUR - ANOTHER UNNECESSARY EXEMPTION
2006
ONE YEAR BEFORE THE AMENDMENT RETURNS TO THE VOTERS COUNCIL WANTS ANOTHER EXEMPTION
Per the language of the managed growth amendment, the voters would be asked to approve it for another six-year period in 2007. If the amendment was approved 1500 permits, 300 of them permanently affordable would be available.
In 2006 the city council wanted another exemption from the permit caps. Former city councilor Jeff Monica (with whom I had co-chaired the Vote for Both campaign) and I were unsuccessful in our attempts to convince city hall not to ask for this exemption.
BACKGROUND: BLIGHT STUDY IN 2002
In March and April of 2002, the city conducted another blight study, this time for three areas.
The Countryside Village Shopping Center where the now vacant Albertsons and Walmart were located. (Now the Flatirons Church)
The Lincoln Plaza Subdivision which had vacant lots on the north side of Waneka Parkway.
The Coal Creek Technological Center on the south side of S Boulder Rd.
I have a copy of this blight study.
These areas were added to the Urban Renewal District and became the South Boulder Rd Revitalization Area in June 2002.
REDEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRYSIDE VILLAGE SHOPPING CENTER
EMPTY STOREFRONTS
The Walmart building in the Countryside Village Shopping Center had been abandoned in favor of a new location on 287. There was a non-compete clause that would prohibit any similar business from buying the old location, so it sat empty for years.
Albertsons, located in the same shopping center, later wanted to move to a new location and the city bought the building in order to facilitate a move to a new building in a new shopping center, now called the Waneka Marketplace. Albertsons eventually left Colorado and abandoned this new location which is now Sprouts (formerly Sunflower) and Goodwill.
Albertsons also had a non-compete clause. The city leased part of the building to Hunter Flooring for a few years.
MIXED-USE PROJECT
The city council and staff determined they wanted this shopping center to become a mixed-use development. They had no developer planning to build, they just had this idea they wanted to pursue and they decided they should rush to get an exemption from the permit caps even though 1500 would become available the following year.
As we know, nothing ever came of this idea and those two big box stores were combined to become the Flatirons Church.
UPDATE ON PREVIOUS EXEMPTIONS AS OF 2006
Only 70 of the 250 affordable permits had been pulled since they became available in 2001.
The Boulder County Housing project, (now Josephine Commons) had not begun since being exempted in 2000.
Not one new mixed-use project had been built in the Urban Renewal District since being exempted in 2000.
TWO COUNCILORS VOTE NO ON BRINGING THIS EXEMPTION TO THE VOTERS
Councilors Bensman and Phillips cast no votes, the exemption goes to the voters
BALLOT TITLE
Question No. 2C - Residential Growth Management
Shall chapter VI, section 6.10 of the charter be amended for the purpose of mixed use redevelopment (combination of commercial and residential buildings) by allowing an exemption from residential development restrictions in the countryside village shopping center (the old Albertson’s area), including four acres of Boulder County vacant land, which area is all within a portion of the Lafayette Urban Renewal Area in the vicinity of South Boulder Road, subject to conditions to be enacted by Council ordinance regarding duration of the exemption and limits of the number of dwelling units?
It was approved by the voters.
2007
MANAGED GROWTH AMENDMENT BACK TO THE VOTERS
BALLOT TITLE
Question 2A – Residential Growth Management
Shall Chapter VI, sections 6.10 through 6.15 of the charter, related to restrictions on residential growth, be extended for an additional six (6) year period and all dates in the sections adjusted for such extended period?
It was approved by the voters.