Cities talk minimum wage; Boulder airport petitions withdrawn

Boulder City Council 

On Sept. 5, council will:

• Hold a public hearing for the redevelopment of 2206 Pearl St. into a mixed-use “micro-apartment” community. 
  
  The development would include just over 2,000 square feet of commercial space and 45 300-square-foot “efficiency living units.” The proposed development would also have 18 parking garage spaces, 60% less than what is required, but would feature a subsidized carshare vehicle, a transportation fund for residents without a vehicle, bus passes for employees and residents, and new sidewalks on 22nd and Pearl streets, according to the application. 
  
  In an April planning board meeting, some board members expressed support for the project and its potential to promote sustainable, car-free living. Others expressed concerns about affordability, with Jorge Boone noting that the development doesn’t alleviate the need for affordable housing in Boulder and expressing concerns that many of the units might be rented by wealthy individuals with a separate primary residence. 

• Receive an update on the Rocky Flats Stewardship Council, a regional group formed in 2006 with a focus on the “post-closure care and management” of the former nuclear weapons plant. The group consists of elected officials from 10 county and municipal governments, three community organizations and an individual community representative.

• Take a final vote on ballot content for the Nov. 5 election, including rules for board and commission members, increasing council and mayor pay, and authorizing council to hold executive sessions. Two citizen petitions related to decommissioning and redeveloping the airport were withdrawn from the ballot, organizers announced this week.

Boulder County Commissioners 

During the week of Sept. 2, there will be several 2025 budget work sessions. On Sept. 3 at 9:30 a.m., the session will focus on the general fund and will include a range of departments such as community planning and permitting, housing, human services, parks and open space, and public works. The 1 p.m. session is for appointed department heads and elected officials and will include the assessor’s office, county commissioners, coroner’s office and sheriff’s office. 

On Sept. 5, the 9 a.m. session will focus on capital budgets and public health and will include building services, recycling center, road maintenance, transportation, information technology and public health. The 1 p.m. session for the county administrator will include the parks and open space department, community planning and permitting department and the Office of Sustainability, Climate Action and Resilience.

A town hall on the budgeting process will be held Tuesday, Sept. 24, from 5:30-7 p.m. at Vista Ridge Community Center (2750 Vista Pkwy, Erie). Public comment on the budget will be taken at 1 p.m. Oct. 22 in-person at the Commissioners’ Hearing Room, 3rd floor (1325 Pearl St., Boulder) and virtually. Registration links and meeting details will be available in the commissioners’ two-week advance agenda. 

Lafayette City Council 

On Aug. 27, council:

• Got its first look at the 2025 recommended budget. Proposed city spending totals $121.8 million, a 10% decrease from 2024. Revenue is projected to increase 2.5% over last year, to $108.7 million, primarily due to water utility rate increases, offsetting a forecasted loss of revenue from the King Soopers relocation. A switch to an in-house city attorney’s office adds three full-time employees to the city; costs will be offset by a reduction in contracting fees. 

• Received an update on plans to wind down the Lafayette Urban Renewal Authority (LURA) due to the October 2024 expiration of the tax increment financing. If district voters approve the creation of a Downtown Development Authority, on ballots this fall, the transition will include code amendments, spending remaining funds, transferring services and agreements, and disposal of LURA-owned property.

On Sept. 3, council will:

• Discuss a collaborative regional effort to raise the minimum wage in tandem with Boulder, Longmont, Louisville and the Town of Erie. City staff will share results of community engagement efforts and an economic analysis.
  
  Boulder City Council discussed raising the minimum wage at an Aug. 22 study session; Longmont’s discussion was Aug. 27. Louisville and Erie are scheduled to discuss minimum wage Sept. 10 and 17, respectively.

Louisville City Council

On Aug. 27, council:

• Met with officials from Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) to discuss safety and security. The presentation focused primarily on fire and evacuation, including lessons learned from the 2021 Marshall Fire. 

On Sept. 3, council will:

• Take a preliminary vote on a proposal to implement a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. The measure is similar to Boulder’s 2017 ordinance.

• Discuss and give direction on potential local regulations for psilocybin, including zoning and regulation needed to be ready for state-issued licenses for centers providing psychedelic-assisted therapy. Those licenses will begin Jan. 1, 2025. 

Louisville Revitalization Commission (LRC)

On Aug. 21, the LRC approved up to $650,000 of financial incentives for the relocation of Ironton Distillery from Denver’s RiNo neighborhood to 1303 Empire Road. The project would also include a restaurant, tasting room and event center.

The financial agreement includes cost-sharing for an analysis of the project’s viability, reimbursement for public infrastructure improvements to the site and a rebate on a portion of taxes generated by the business. City staff estimates that the project will bring in $165,000 per year in sales tax revenue.  

All agenda items are subject to change. Karen Norback and Mark Cathcart contributed reporting.