Twin Lakes group asking for Open Space designation for neighborhood fields

The fields south of Twin Lakes Open Space are quietly doing their thing; growing green grass, hosting nests for meadowlarks, supporting voles and mice and the things that eat them, such as raptors and foxes. Kids are racing over mounds and dips at the mini BMX track, people are walking their dogs and admiring the view of the Flatirons.

Nothing has changed on the surface, but the long-term fate of the fields is still unsettled and the fight over the status of the land is bubbling back to life. Thursday night the Boulder Planning Board will hear a request by Twin Lakes Action Group, TLAG, to change the land use designation to Open Space. A zoning change would prevent the fields from being developed into affordable apartments by the Boulder County Housing Authority.

TLAG and BCHA battled for control over the land for two years during the last full update of the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan. Ultimately, there was no change in the zoning, leaving the land use undecided.

TLAG is asking for the change to Open Space as part of the mid-term update of the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan or BVCP. The group wants to permanently preserve the land it fought hard to protect during the 2015 BVCP update. TLAG Chairman Dave Rechberger said it's even more important to have official Open Space now because Gunbarrel has grown by an estimated 1265 people since the last BVCP update.

"In the last five years we had 550 dwelling units put in," Rechberger said. "That's a big change at an average of 2.3 people per unit. Because of those changes, that put us over the defined carrying capacity of Gunbarrel defined by the same staff. That's the point at which services, etc., are being degraded by density of population. If you're going to keep building, you've got to give us more Open Space."

During the 2015 BVCP update, the Boulder County Housing Authority wanted to upzone the north field, which it owns, from low to medium density. Boulder Valley School District, which owns the south field, requested a zoning change to mixed density residential. Increasing the building capacity would make it more cost effective to develop the land for affordable apartments.

That's still the goal according to BCHA Deputy Director, Norrie Boyd, who wrote a letter to the planning board to state the agency's opposition to the TLAG request. "BCHA is not in support of this application, which is inconsistent with any foreseeable use of the property by BCHA. Furthermore, BCHA sees no compelling reason to alter the designation to Open Space on a property not identified for acquisition by either the Boulder County Parks and Open Space or City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks departments," Boyd wrote.

Boyd said that the Housing Authority isn't seeking a zoning change of its own during the mid-term update, but the agency still wants to create affordable housing at the site to serve people who can't afford to live in the pricey Boulder area, especially now. "It's crystal clear in the current public health emergency - when we're seeing large numbers of families in pain and unable to pay their rent after just a month of income loss - that much more quality affordable housing is needed in our community, and we remain 100% committed to helping provide it," Boyd said.

Thursday's hearing will determine whether TLAG can get into the mid-term update process at all. No decision will be made that night by the planning board on a zoning change. This first step is to decide if TLAG's request meets the criteria for a mid-term update. The county staff is arguing that it does not, primarily because of the time and resources it would take.

A staff recommendation letter states that changes to the BVCP may only occur in the mid-term update if they do not involve significant city and county resources to evaluate and that the TLAG proposal "is not a minor change."

TLAG's Rechberger questions that argument, "If we don't have the resources to do this, why are you doing this BVCP mid-term update at all?" He said that Gunbarrel's growing population makes the need for Open Space even more important now and that the fields meet the criteria for Open Space; the land serves as an important wildlife corridor used by species of special concern, includes sensitive wetlands, is adjacent to existing Open Space, is considered prime agricultural land and is a scenic corridor.

If the planning board agrees that the proposal is worth considering for the mid-term update, it will move on to Boulder City Council, the Boulder County Commissioners and the Boulder County Planning Commission.

A related item will also be considered at the planning board meeting. TLAG member and neighborhood resident Donna George will be requesting an update to the official land use designation map. She said there is an error that has Twin Lakes Open Space listed as Open Space-Other when it should be Open Space-Acquired.

The acquisition history shows that Boulder County bought the property in 2002 from Boulder and Left Hand Irrigation Company. The ditch company still operates the water storage vessel and water delivery system while Boulder County Parks and Open Space has recreational rights to the water.

George wants the planning board to make sure the land use records are accurate, simply for that reason. But she also said the designation of Open Space-Acquired is important to legitimize the value of the area, which is one of the most heavily used Open Space properties in the county.

"It is Open Space and they need to say it's acquired. They are wishy-washy, saying this is just something we bought from the ditch company and people were already walking around," George said. The map designation matters, she said, because it recognizes the value of the area which is adjacent to the fields that she wants to see protected.

The public can comment or watch the Boulder Planning Board virtual meeting on Zoom. The link to the meeting will be posted on the board's website along with the agenda and information packet.