Building Moratorium Hits Niwot

BOULDER, CO - Boulder's Board of County Commissioners enacted a six-month moratorium on new applications for proposed development in the Niwot Rural Community District today. A public hearing will be scheduled sometime in October to give the commissioners a chance to receive feedback that will guide decisions on whether to terminate, extend, or otherwise amend the moratorium, according to a press release from the County Commissioners' Office.

Community members set the review in motion by raising concerns about density and design parameters that caught the attention of the County Land Use Board. The last set of regulations for the area were written in 1993, and they have seen no revisions for the last nine years. During that time, the area has experienced widespread changes in development patterns, community needs, and population growth, and the commissioners intend for the moratorium to provide a pause while those regulations are reviewed and amended.

“Niwot is a beautiful community and we believe the area’s uniqueness and special character are important to preserve, “said Board of County Commissioners Chair, Cindy Domenico in a statement. “Current regulations are nearly a quarter of a century old and we think that residents and businesses of Niwot should have an opportunity to voice their opinions and create more clarity around their community’s future design and development. By putting a temporary pause on proposed applications, we can make sure that Niwot continues to be the place we know and love.”

County Land Use Staff plans to analyze both mixed-use development and appropriate development intensity in particular. Neighborhood concerns include the level of residential development allowed, density and design parameters, and consideration of the proper residential-retail-office-use mix. The six-month timeframe set in motion today allows for roughly two months for studies, community outreach, and staff meetings; two months for drafting, referral to interested third parties, and public review of those drafts; one month to notice and conduct Planning Commission hearings; and one month for Board of County Commissioner hearings.

Notice of any public hearings on the matter will be published in the Longmont Times-Call and Daily Camera newspapers, and posted on the county’s website at www.bouldercounty.org.

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