Boulder City Council Candidate Forum Q&A August 30, 2017

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1 Presenting Sponsor: Media Sponsor: Boulder City Council Candidate Forum Q&A August 30, 2017 This information is provided as a public service, for informational purposes only. The information presented does not imply endorsement or support of any of the linked information, services, products, or providers. The materials are presented without any representation or warranty whatsoever regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information. WE BUILD COMMUNITY THROUGH BUSINESS l 2440 Pearl St. Boulder, CO l info@boulderchamber.com l

2 Matt Benjamin Matt Benjamin Website: Facebook: facebook.com/mattbenjaminfuturefirst/ of Boulder s economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Councilmember to maintain a vibrant economy? With an unemployment rate of 1.8%, it s hard to improve on what is virtually full employment. The biggest threat to our local economy right now is the cost of office and retail space. This is driving a lot of small businesses out of Boulder and hurting the diversity of our business sector. As property values continue to increase, small businesses will be squeezed the same way low and middle income families are being squeezed out of Boulder. We are already seeing this happen on Pearl Street and other surrounding areas. Turning current and building new space that is truly affordable for office and retail will help maintain economic diversity. Another threat that is related is the lack of affordable housing. Some businesses are choosing to relocate out of Boulder in order to be closer to where their employees live. As housing costs continues to rise we may become victims of our own success. I strongly support affordable housing across an economic spectrum in order to keep the business that we cherish here in Boulder. What do you believe are the most pressing human service needs in the City of Boulder and why? Housing is the most pressing need in Boulder. The housing crisis is affecting just about every group across the city. From low/middle income individuals and families who can t afford to live in Boulder to those that live on fixed incomes and can t afford the rising property taxes. With a surging economy marked by an unemployment rate of 1.8%, there is simply not enough housing for those that work here. The skyrocketing housing market has disproportionately affected middle class families. They are being forced out and we aren t building enough affordable inventory to draw them back. This is also having a adverse impact on the number of children under the age of 18 in Boulder. In turn this will affect Boulder Valley School District and its schools west of 28th. I will focus on slowing the annual loss of the inventory of affordable housing and aggressively pursue community land trust as a mechanism to establish actual permanence within our affordable housing market. people in our community? We have an obligation to help those in the greatest need; bottom line is the city is their safety net. The economic and societal effort we make to improve the lives of those in need is emblematic of the character of our community. The City needs to work harder to provide affordable housing across the entire economic spectrum. We need to provide more homeless shelters year-round to provide them with a constant source of security. We have around 300 homeless families register with BVSD. We must make sure that these children know that there is hope and opportunity for them to have a bright future. Food equity is a huge part of helping underserved communities, and the schools carry this load during the school-year - annual programs need our support. Childhood obesity disproportionately affects these groups and we can help limit the huge economic costs of healthcare by providing healthy food and teaching good eating habits. this project be accelerated and how should it be developed? This large central property has the potential to add great value to the community. Some public trust has eroded with council and a project of this scope serves as a great opportunity to build back public trust. We can do this by taking in public comment and using some of the recommendations from the Public Participation Working Group. There is enough space for us to focus on more than one city priority and as it s city owned land, this should be extremely affordable for occupancy. Affordable housing, mixed use, renewable energy, bicycle centric areas and central/open public space should be included in the design. I do think this project should be accelerated but only with the mindset of achieving our larger goals, not just to check a box. This is 8.8 acres in central Boulder and needs to be done right the first time. The public trust and excitement is key to making this a success. Do you support the Transportation Master Plan s goal of increasing the mode share of bicycles from 10% to 30% by 2035 to achieve the community s environmental and livability goals? If so, what concrete steps do you propose to achieve this and how do you anticipate doing that while maintaining safety for cyclists and motorists alike? I support increasing the mode share of bicycles, but we need to completely rethink the transportation Master plan as in many ways it is already obsolete. At over 3 years old, this plan does not adequately address and/or make recommendations on the explosive growth of electric and autonomous vehicles in the next years. In fact, the Master Plan mentions electric vehicles only once and doesn t even use the words autonomous vehicle. This transportation revolution will happen long before 2035, so thinking about exclusively bicycle goals beyond that is ignorant. This paradigm shift will force us to reevaluate how bicycles, mass transit and personal vehicles all exist together. We should not be investing in infrastructure changes that we will change again within the next decade. As a city council member I will facilitate the transportation experts to derive solutions that meet our city goals that prepare Boulder for the future of transit. address the impacts of our in-commuting workforce? I support focusing on efficient land use and zoning. We have many areas that do not support enough density or need to be zoned for housing. We should not put pressure on neighborhoods until we can objectively show that we have maximized the zoning efficiency in and around the center of Boulder. One of the biggest examples of this is the geographic center of Boulder, east side of Foothills between Arapahoe & Pearl. This is a majority warehouses and the land is so valuable the price for renting is astronomical. With a large amount of businesses over off of Pearl & Foothills it makes sense to re-zone some of these warehouses and parking lots to housing and to build affordable housing developments. This would minimize a huge amount of in-commuters. Boulder cannot house all of the 65,000 in-commuters, so I would also work closer with the County and our sister cities to developing strategies that increase public transportation routes. including specifically the challenges regarding the success of huge visitation. Would you prioritize either protection or recreation on a hypothetical new property? Conservation is the priority of Open Space. The increasing recreational demand means we have to take a closer look at the levels of environmental impacts. Boulder has some very sensitive areas of Open Space and recreation should not impact them negatively. Areas with a lower environmental sensitivity should be given greater latitude to develop recreation. It is vital that the OSMP lay out a strategy that directs people to recreation sites and provides infrastructure to meet those needs. The massive visitation and degradation on Chautauqua could have been managed better if we were proactive. We must look to the next heavy-use areas (NCAR and Sanitas) and plan for increasing impacts. A hypothetical property should be based on what is needed. If it s recreation, then purchase open space that has minimal environmental sensitivity. If the goal is protecting a sensitive area that is under threat, then we should understand it will not be developed. Do you support Boulder s drive to municipalize its electric utility? If so, what are the limits on taxpayer dollars and time you are prepared to spend to achieve that goal and, if not, how do you propose to achieve Boulder s renewable energy goals? First and foremost I support Boulder s efforts to reach our climate goals of 100% renewable energy by I have supported the drive to municipalize, but I am concerned that the Muni itself has become the goal. I have always viewed the Muni as one of many avenues to reach our goal. I will be hard pressed to continue to support the Muni if it s cost dramatically exceed the voter approved $214Million and/or our projected time table draws out beyond The Muni should not distract us from implementing several solutions large and small to accomplish our goals. I will push for Boulder to provide a local renewable energy incentive for residential and commercial buildings. We should add a renewable energy requirement to our leading Net Zero program for commercial development. These are concrete steps that get us closer to our goal while we anticipate what the PUC and courts decide about the fate of our Municipal electric utility. What transportation solutions would you suggest to ease congestion, especially resulting from 49,000 in-commuters, specifically those that drive alone? Would you favor solutions to improve roads and parking; bus or other transportation; cycling and walking, or some combination thereof? How would you fund transportation improvements? Do you favor higher parking costs and other disincentives to driving? Based on city data there are roughly 65,000 people and 49,000 vehicles commuting daily into Boulder. The solution to ease this congestion is a combination. We need to rethink our Transportation Master Plan to focus on the transportation revolution to electric and autonomous vehicles within years. The last thing we should do is spend money now on a problem that will either not exist or will be completely different in the next decade. One solution that will help prepare for the next decade is to decouple pedestrian/bicycle movement from that of vehicles. A prime example is that of the hill and the traffic on Broadway from Baseline to University. There are 10 traffic lights and one underpass in 1.7 miles. We should look at additional under or overpasses for pedestrians and bicycles to increase their safety and movement. The Chautauqua pilot program this summer was a huge success and should be implemented daily in the summer. Despite Boulder s reputation as a green community, we shape our built environment and transportation systems for lower impact? In many ways the Transportation revolution I have mentioned brings with it an energy revolution. Some recent studies point to between 7,000 and 10,000 electric vehicles in Boulder in less than 10 years. We can make a loose estimate that the average battery will hold 30 kw of electricity. By 2028 we will have roughly 300 MW of stored electricity moving throughout Boulder. There are a plethora of creative solutions that leverage this new abundance. We have every ability and reason to plan for this future and that means we can start taking steps now. We should partner with our newest neighbor, Google, to explore and analyze the transportation and energy revolution. Google is the backbone of autonomous vehicles and will be crucial in shaping the future of Boulder. This partnership should provide insight on how to prepare policy, infrastructure and management to prepare for this new future. 1 2

3 Matt Benjamin Do you support Boulder s inclusionary housing ordinance requirements to produce permanently affordable housing? Should the requirements include permanently affordable middle income housing? And, what do you think is the appropriate mix of permanently affordable rental versus ownership units? We should aim to increase our middle-income housing inventory. We have done a good job in the past few years building up permanently affordable housing stock so it s time to keep balance in the economic diversity of our overall housing inventory. The middle class is being squeezed out of Boulder and these working families are essential to the vibrancy of our businesses and schools. Before changing the percentage mix of affordable versus ownership units we have bigger priorities. First modify our Cash in lieu program so that we are no longer creating a financial incentive to buy out of and dilute our housing goals. We also need to slow the loss of affordable units from our inventory. I strongly support studying and implementing community land trusts to stabilize the affordable housing inventory. If we don t stop the hemorrhaging of the units we will be building in pursuit of our affordable housing goals in perpetuity. Accessory dwelling units otherwise known as granny flats have been considered as one option for expanding affordable housing options in established neighborhoods. Please explain your position on whether or not ADUs are an appropriate affordable housing tool for our community? First of all I don t like the term granny flats. We have a tremendously active population of people over the age of 60. Many of them can run, bike and ski circles around their middle age counterparts. Plus in this town these units are valuable to more than other groups like researchers on sabbatical and artists to name a few. Let s stick with the term ADU s. I support the use of ADU s as a tool for addressing affordable housing. These units are more than just affordable places to live. They also offer a means of auxiliary income to many in Boulder who are on fixed income and struggling to keep up with our increasing property taxes. To avoid the same frustration and fear we had centered around Co-Ops, I will work hard to engage these neighborhoods in a constructive conversations align their needs with that of the rest of our community. What s your vision for Boulders growth and development over the next 20 years? There are really three parts to growth and development: commercial development, residential development and transportation. Balanced communities recognize that these three pillars of growth and development must be planned for and implemented in lockstep with each other. As soon as one of them gets out of sync the others will suffer. We are seeing this uneven shift here in Boulder. Our commercial development has gotten ahead of our housing and our transportation system lags even further behind that. We must put our efforts into our housing and transportation solutions to get them back on par with our commercial development. We have a transportation revolution coming in the next years that we must prepare for. In many ways the future of transportation will likely become the driving force of what, how and where we develop in the years to come and not the other way around like it is today. and joint problem solving to address this issue? This years report from the Public Participation Working Group identified a lot of problems and laid out some very good strategies. This report needs to be taken seriously in order for us to lower the temperature and reduce the polarization that is crippling our community. In particular the 9 steps to public engagement offers a compelling mechanism from which we can build trust and foster and inclusive public process. I will support sub community plans to help align neighborhood and City goals. By focusing on areas of agreement we build a foundation of trust that sets us up for success when we face more challenging issues. What is the most important issue to you in Boulder and what kind of leadership will you provide for addressing it? Effective Governance is the most important issue in Boulder.. It is the umbrella from which all the issues we have discussed either succeeds or fails. Effective governance starts with building trust and accountability within the community. In order to build back that trust, city council must take the time to listen, engage and facilitate public participation on the issues facing our community. This takes time, and with the City s current agenda we don t provide adequate time for it to be fruitful. This means that we have to choose quality issues over quantity to foster the changes needed for an inclusive community and democracy. We need to resist the national polarization and remember that change percolates up, it doesn t trickle down. As a Boulder City Council member what kind of legacy will you look to leave? Many Native American cultures planned for seven generation out. We struggle to plan for two years out. Protecting and preparing our environment and community for future generations is the greatest legacy any of us can leave behind. In the 21st century, change happens much faster than ever before. As a result, our future seems to arrive sooner than many of us expect. It is in this modern reality that my time on council will be spent putting our future first. I want my legacy on council to be remembered for preparing Boulder for tomorrow and bringing back trust and accountability in local government. I will be a balanced participant and independent thinker as I collaborate on crafting policy for our future generations. Website:ElectEricBudd.org eric@electericbudd.org Facebook: ElectEricBudd Eric Budd Besides being in love with Boulder, tell us who you are and what the most compelling reason is for why you're running for City Council? Hi, I m Eric Budd and I m running for Boulder City Council because I believe we need bold, progressive leadership to fight climate change, to honestly face our critical housing and transportation challenges, and to become a more welcoming community with broader participation in local decisions. With Boulder s high housing prices, many of my peers have made the hard choice to purchase homes and start families elsewhere. But Boulder is my community, and I plan to stay here by making efficient, low-cost, healthy, and creative choices that match my lifestyle with my values. Over the last seven years I have become more and more involved in our community: I ve worked as a project and product manager for technology companies in the Boulder area I worked on a connected toy startup helped kids learn engineering analyzed B-cycle bike sharing system usage to understand how a system of bikes help people get around the city delivered an Ignite Boulder talk on creative housing options in the city completed the 2015 Ironman Boulder served on committees for Community Cycles and Better Boulder, worked with the Boulder Community Housing Association President of Newland Court Condo Association to successfully lead homeowners through a difficult restoration I currently chair the City of Boulder Landmarks Board. of Boulder's economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Council member to maintain a vibrant economy? Boulder has one of the most productive and successful economies in the country for a city and region of its size. Our success often means that we spend little money to attract new businesses, which is atypical, but need to spend additional money to ensure it s economical for businesses to stay, develop, and thrive. It s important for our city to use an array of options in addition to our public housing program allowing more infill in the city center and enhancing transportation for those who live outside the city to keep the area affordable. We need to provide strong local and regional transportation, and to invest in our amenities like open space, parks, schools, and internet infrastructure to ensure Boulder is a place where people can live, work, and play. What do you believe are the most pressing human service needs in the City of Boulder and why? There are a number of causes for housing instability in Boulder. We have continued challenges to support people who have lost housing or are facing domestic violence. We need a social safety net that focuses on helping people get the help they need, exit homelessness, and into stable housing. We can accomplish these through supporting our housing voucher program and building basic transitional housing. We need to focus on better serving people that want help, and provide basic but critical services for health care and mental health to get people on a path to stability. Our services also need to consider additional support for organizations providing shelter from domestic violence and emergency family assistance. people in our community? Many of our human service needs in the city are supported by our strong nonprofit and faith community. As we have seen this year, Boulder Outreach for the Homeless Overflow (BOHO), a nonprofit serving our homeless population downtown, discontinued operations even with significant support from the city. It s important that we develop sustaining, supported organizations to provide critical support in the city while recognizing that human services need a regional strategy. The City of Boulder should work with the county to provide support for these services as much of the burden has been placed on faith-based organizations which have a limited capacity to serve our great need. 3 4

4 Eric Budd Eric Budd this project be accelerated and how should it be developed? The BCH site is in a prime location along Broadway near downtown and should be a place where Boulder can build a significant amount of housing. Due to its walkable, bikeable, and very transit-accessible location adjacent to downtown and nearby retail, as well as North Boulder Park, the site should support a denser development more easily than other parts of the city. The primary focus should be to provide significant amounts of both market-rate and permanently affordable housing, with a mix of smaller, modest units specifically to accommodate families. There may be opportunities for light commercial use as well. The project is currently in the Phase II feasibility stage, with site-specific design starting in I would like to see the schedule accelerated, but given the large and important nature of this site, I m not sure that s realistic for city planning to achieve at this point. Do you support the Transportation Master Plan's goal of increasing the mode share of bicycles from 10% to 30% by 2035 to achieve the community's environmental and livability goals? If so, what concrete steps do you propose to achieve this and how do you anticipate doing that while maintaining safety for cyclists and motorists alike? Yes, we need to take stronger steps to achieve our mode share goals that also make better, more efficient use of our limited space in the city. Boulder needs to develop a map for a city-wide bike network, continuing use of underpasses, and an increased focus on separated bikeways. Boulder s multi-use paths have been a great benefit, but on-street bike facilities need to be a priority for Boulder to meet its goal of 30% bike mode share by More on-street bike facilities will reduce the burden on our multi-use path system and improve safety for pedestrians by further separating them from cyclists. We can also help pedestrians by giving more priority and protection at the city s most dangerous intersections and ensure that redevelopment in Boulder promotes walkable neighborhoods. address the impacts of our in-commuting workforce? Adopt a city-wide Ecopass for employees to reduce single-occupancy vehicle trips inside Boulder and regionally. If we cannot get adequate support from RTD, I think we need to investigate working regionally to create an additional regional transit authority to serve Boulder county and adjacent in-commuting towns. Work with corporations to reduce their transportation footprint by offering incentives like parking cash-outs and alternative transit options for larger companies to reduce stress on our roads and local impacts from in-commuting. Pursue opportunities to house more of our workforce by adding housing units allowing density bonuses for people earning middle and lower incomes on transit corridors, give residents the option to build granny-flats for additional units, and look at parts of the city where we may allow by-right development of townhomes and duplexes. including specifically the challenges regarding the success of huge visitation. Would you prioritize either protection or recreation on a hypothetical new property? The city has largely bought open space available near our growth boundary and needs to consider how to direct OSMP to better manage its resources from increased demand going forward and plan to address the demand imbalance for trail/recreational use which will continue to outpace our current land used for those purposes. We need to determine guidelines for how much recreation we should permit and how to manage regional demand for the city s open space system. We should build on the success of Boulder s open space program by making our trails sustainable and by making new purchases strategically to preserve vulnerable land, improve connections between existing open space and through the region. Our new purchases should lean toward prioritizing recreational uses and we should consider trails on new land to disperse impacts of recreation on our current system which faces increased pressure from population growth in the Front Range. Do you support Boulder s drive to municipalize its electric utility? If so, what are the limits on taxpayer dollars and time you are prepared to spend to achieve that goal and, if not, how do you propose to achieve Boulder s renewable energy goals? I support continuing and completing the effort for municipalization. I believe given Colorado s regulatory structure, pursuing a municipal energy utility is currently Boulder s best option to democratize, decentralize, and decarbonize our energy system to reach 100% renewable energy by I realize the legal battles will be long and the earliest projected cut-over could be If the utility occupation tax fails to pass in 2017, I am committed to not diverting funding from the general fund. I m greatly interested in the response from the PUC to better determine how long we ll be in litigation and whether that s worth the cost for the city. If the tax fails, we need to be pragmatic and pursue additional ways to decarbonize our electric system by promoting our solar strategy, using renewable programs offered from Xcel, and pushing for aggressive changes at the state legislature. What transportation solutions would you suggest to ease congestion, especially resulting from 49,000 in commuters, specifically those that drive alone? Would you favor solutions to improve roads and parking; bus or other transportation; cycling and walking, or some combination thereof? How would you fund transportation improvements? Do you favor higher parking costs and other disincentives to driving? The strongest steps Boulder can take are to adopt a city-wide ecopass including residents and employees, to develop a map for a city-wide bike network with a plan to reduce gaps in our system, and to use more parking districts. For new investment in the city, we need to prioritize funding other transportation options, including buses, bike infrastructure, and ride-sharing. Higher parking costs for employees should be bundled with a parking cash-out model so that changing transportation modes can bring a financial benefit. The city should consider a transportation maintenance fee to fund transportation projects as the city as a whole benefits from these investments. To plan for the longer term, we need to change our land-use patterns to reduce parking minimums while investing in alternative transportation options and planning for a future that includes more ride-sharing and autonomous vehicles. Despite Boulder s reputation as a green community, we shape our built environment and transportation systems for lower impact? Land-use must be a part of the equation to help reduce Boulder s per-capita carbon footprint. Improving our lower-carbon transportation options like biking and transit will require that a greater number of people can use a system effectively for their needs. Currently, much of Boulder is poorly served by transit because of the first or last mile distance, as well as low frequencies of service. We need to give people more incentives to use transit which would help us run more frequent buses. We can also focus on building smaller housing with shared walls that are more relatively affordable and have intrinsically lower energy consumption and lower embodied energy, particularly due to Boulder s new aggressive energy efficiency standards. On the personal vehicle side, we also need to move forward with the city s new standards for electric vehicle charging to reduce carbon emissions from people who drive. Do you support Boulder s inclusionary housing ordinance requirements to produce permanently affordable housing? Should the requirements include permanently affordable middle income housing? And, what do you think is the appropriate mix of permanently affordable rental versus ownership units? I support the inclusionary housing ordinance, particularly for those at the lowest end of the income scale. Many of our lowest-paying jobs in the city will simply not pay enough for these employees to find adequate housing and we need to ensure a diversity of incomes and people in Boulder. As the income scale increases into middle-income categories, we need to look at market solutions to help address our housing needs to avoid subsidizing a significant percentage of our housing and save subsidies for people that need it most. We need to focus on adding housing options that provide compact, livable places to serve middle class people and families. Rental-to-ownership ratio could mirror the rest of the city 50% / 50%. However, we need to address problems with our current system for ownership, including better handling of the case where a person s income increases greatly after purchasing a deed-restricted home. Accessory dwelling units- otherwise known as granny flats - have been considered as one option for expanding affordable housing options in established neighborhoods. Please explain your position on whether or not ADUs are an appropriate affordable housing tool for our community? Accessory dwelling units have the opportunity to be a win / win / win for our community. ADUs can be a win for homeowners to generate additional income on their land, a win for renters providing additional options to rent a small unit or an entire home, and a win for the city tax base by providing incremental additional property taxes without much additional investment in services required. Boulder s existing ADU ordinance needs to be updated to allow more homeowners to build an ADU while minimizing impacts on existing neighborhoods. Effective options we may employ are: increasing the number of ADUs we d allow, remove off-street parking requirements, and allow more flexibility on ADU size. We need to move forward on allowing ADUs given the broad support in the city and the real benefits they would provide. What s your vision for Boulders growth and development over the next 20 years? We need to accept that Boulder will grow and change, but we need to be diligent to change in ways that remain true to our values and culture. When people talk about the character of neighborhoods, we need to remember that character is more than the built environment it also includes the lives and culture of the people who live there. Our current direction is a place where few can afford to live and we need to change that. We ve surrounded the city with an incredible open space system which has provided huge benefits and now it s up to us to address the tough realities. I see Boulder maintaining the environment and great amenities while consistently moving forward to make better use of our land and transportation systems to ensure Boulder remains an open and accessible place to live and visit. and joint problem solving to address this issue? We need to focus on working on our biggest challenges and the areas that we can find the most agreement. Because change in areas related to low-density residential neighborhoods, open space, and the growth of our economy are so significant, we need to have a broad process to get input from people in the city, particularly those who are under-represented in our city government and public processes people who rent, people who are younger, and people of color. We need to bring people from all parts of the city together in our public process to understand and gain empathy in order to reach consensus, and look for opportunity to move forward on options for which we can build coalitions. I m very committed to bringing people together and ensuring that I will represent all people and viewpoints in the city. 5 6

5 Eric Budd As a Boulder City Council member what kind of legacy will you look to leave? Climate change is the central issue of our planet and we re not going to see climate progress from the federal level. We need to continue to take strong action to achieve 100% renewable energy, reduce our emissions from our transportation as well as commercial and residential development and we need to move quickly. Housing is a central issue for my generation I want to be remembered as someone who pushed hard to make sure that young people, families, and the middle class can afford to live and stay in Boulder. On city council, I ll push forward on housing policy that keeps Boulder accessible, gives transportation options to all people, and protects the quality of life that Boulder residents love. I ve lived in Boulder long enough to become part of the culture and people, but still bring the benefit of an outside perspective. I ve developed a great appreciation for the decisions that have been made to make Boulder a great place. I m young enough to understand the challenges that are coming up, fighting climate change, working on our serious issues on affordable housing. Now I d like to bring that perspective to serve Boulder at the next level as a member of Boulder City Council. Website: jan@janforboulder.com Jan Burton Besides being in love with Boulder, tell us who you are and what the most compelling reason is for why you re running for City Council? My name is Jan Burton, and I moved to Boulder 9 years ago after the death of my husband. I became involved in several music non-profits, and I was encouraged to run for City Council in the last election. I m an environmentalist, an outdoors person, a business person, a gran, and a life-long learner. I m running for Council because I have had two years on the Council to learn, and I now have a better view of what needs to be done to improve governance of the City and accountability to our citizens. I hope to win a 4-year seat so I can make a difference in the Council and in the City. I will bring a practical, common-sense approach to solving the problems of this community. In addition, my entrepreneurial background gives me that kind of mindset to opportunities within the city, whether it be economic, environmental, transportation, or the arts. Plus, I ll be the budget watchdog. of Boulder s economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Councilmember to maintain a vibrant economy? We are blessed with a dynamic, diverse economy and employment base. Our employers are environmentally-conscious, committed to the ethos of Boulder, and tolerant of our demands. I would stay out of the way of the Chamber, the Boulder Economic Council, and our businesses, and let them get on with what they are doing in this strong economy. I would continue with the economic vitality programs we have done as a city to encourage our start-ups and businesses. I would continue to focus on developing the Hill and supporting our businesses. Sales tax is the biggest source of revenue for the city. YTD, we are growing at.9%, as opposed to a 5.11% growth across Colorado municipalities. So, we have reason for concern. A large source of our decline is retail grocery. Part of this is the exit of Walmart, but it may have to do with the sugary drink tax, or with our neighboring cities building more shopping for their citizens (our commuters). Whatever the source of decline, we need to monitor our sales tax revenue and budget accordingly. One of the biggest issues for our employers is the cost of housing for their employees. Regularly, their employees travel from outside the City and even the County to afford their housing. In addition, cost-of-doing-business has increased, and those costs must be passed on. This is a concern that must be dealt with. City fees and taxes must generate value to the community to justify their costs to our businesses. One of my priorities is to improve cost-of-living issues for all income levels. With the recent exit of Walmart, we lost a grocery provider to lower income levels. I have asked the City and the Chamber to recruit Aldi as a lower cost, environmentally-friendly alternative. The City must always consider that we need shopping choices for everyone. What do you believe are the most pressing human service needs in the City of Boulder and why? The cost of housing, transportation, and overall cost-of-living are the biggest concerns from a human service perspective. Many people on lower or limited incomes have trouble making ends meet, even working multiple jobs, and 7000 of our residents live under the Federal Poverty level. This disproportionately impacts our Latino community. Homelessness is on the rise, caused by the fact that we don t have enough low-cost housing. Mental health care is also an area of huge concern. We ve seen our Police force become our de-facto social workers. people in our community? We have learned that there is trickle down to our affluence and skyrocketing housing costs. The City of Boulder must allocate more money (and we have authorized it) to our excellent regional service providers to provide more services to our citizens. In addition, we must get more serious about increasing affordable housing. We should ensure we alleviate our own taxation and fees that get passed down to renters and businesses, which then get passed down to the ultimate consumer. We need to recruit an affordable grocer like Aldi to replace Walmart. 7 8

6 Jan Burton Jan Burton this project be accelerated and how should it be developed? Debt service is $2.825 million/year. This is a considerable expense. However, the Boulder Community Hospital is the tenant there through 2019, so they are paying the utilities and rent through that time (utilities are $1M/year). We need to do full and complete community involvement to determine the best use of the land and draw up the best plans for the entirety of Boulder. It should be a high priority, and I believe it should be a model mixed use area where people can live, work, shop, and go to school, and it should be tied in to the entire Broadway corridor plan. Affordable housing for all levels should be the highest priority, and we should be creative about addressing different housing types: micro-units, coops, co-housing, etc. Do you support the Transportation Master Plan s goal of increasing the mode share of bicycles from 10% to 30% by 2035 to achieve the community s environmental and livability goals? If so, what concrete steps do you propose to achieve this and how do you anticipate doing that while maintaining safety for cyclists and motorists alike? I would have to see the trend lines to determine if 30% is achievable. We re currently at 10%, and more men than women/families commute by bike. There would need to be more north south routes, preferably not on main car thoroughfares, for families to feel safe. We should make this a bigger priority. The promotion or electric bikes could be beneficial for everyone, especially older people and women. It will be interesting to see what happens with the current e-bike promotion going on in Boulder County (I plan to buy one, and two of my friends have already purchased). Safety concerns are real. As someone who has recently been hit while on my bike, I have become very observant. We need non-distracted and considerate car and bike riders, and we need to ensure the left-hand turn lanes are protected at key intersections. I would consider a small bike licensing fee, educational programs around laws and safety, and using Community Cycles or another organization to promote safe biking. Oh, and if we could just get rid of some of these beastly hills, we might get more riders. address the impacts of our in-commuting workforce? Coming right out of our Transportation Master Plan: Three ingredients work together to provide the fertile ground necessary for a Transportation Demand Management Plan to be effective in providing individuals with transportation choices. These ingredients include 1) land use with a sufficient mix and density of land uses in the right places; 2) place making and attractive urban design which integrates with our transportation system, and 3) a comprehensive transportation system that provides multiple choices and is seamless between modes of travel. We have begun to execute this plan at Boulder Junction, and I believe it will be a fine example of land use, housing, and transportation (when we really make it a hub). Some of our biggest employers are located along Arapahoe, but we have done nothing to execute against the vision. In fact, the planning of transportation and land use within the City are still separate. We need to demonstrate action by completing a plan for the Arapahoe Corridor (into the County and neighboring towns) that truly integrates land use, housing, and transportation. Rtd needs to get on-board, but we need to be open to consider more flexible transportation options than buses, and we need to acknowledge that cars are still most people s choice. Picking on car drivers in non-productive. We need to be open to density along the corridor, limit or charge for parking, and offer transportation alternatives. including specifically the challenges regarding the success of huge visitation. Would you prioritize either protection or recreation on a hypothetical new property? We all love our Open Space. We have sufficiently surrounded our City with a stunning moat of environmental, recreational, and agricultural value of 45,000 acres (before the recent acquisition of the Boulder Valley Farm). Open Space Mountain Parks (OSMP) is commencing a Master Plan, something that has never been done before, to address the future strategy and use of the most valuable asset in the City of Boulder. It is time to begin spending more money on management of our assets rather than acquisition. We need to protect the land from fire, inappropriate use, and potential over-use. As an OSMP volunteer raptor monitor, protection of land and species is a very high priority for me, but we must balance that with recreational use of all types in areas where the land can sustain it. I believe that by getting people on the land, especially when they are young, they will respect it, value it, and help to steward it. Let s not get in religious battles; let s listen to each other and truly come up with a balanced plan. The skyrocketing usage associated with the huge population increase on the Front Range is a concern, so we must plan how to manage that. We should look at spreading usage among multiple properties, plan with the county and other cities/counties, and put the right management plans in place, including the possibility of charging out-of-city residents for parking or usage. I can t respond to a hypothetical property usage, but I can say that for the recent acquisition of the Boulder Valley Farm, it has been a long-term ranching operation. There is wetland; there are eagles and other species that we should protect. But, it has been an operational ranch for many, many years, and it has oil and gas operation on-site, so let s be realistic. Should we get in a fight to make it a Habitat Conservation Area? We should use an operational ranch to educate young people (and adults) about where their food comes from*, and we should run trials to grow sustainable crops for people, rather than animals. We should encourage recreation on the site, and we should tie it in to a coordinated county and city-owned Open Space paths that can be used by all, without having to drive. (*16 Million Americans think chocolate milk comes from brown cows. I m sure none of those people live in Boulder). Do you support Boulder s drive to municipalize its electric utility? If so, what are the limits on taxpayer dollars and time you are prepared to spend to achieve that goal and, if not, how do you propose to achieve Boulder s renewable energy goals? Climate change is the biggest problem faced by humanity. Moving to the use of 100% clean energy is of paramount importance for Boulder, Colorado, the U.S., and the world. I have supported the goals of renewable energy and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and I have supported the goals of the muni project. However, I am a realist and have not been satisfied with our progress. We have been slowed to a crawl from legal and regulatory challenges, and in the meantime, we are not progressing toward a more energy-efficient future. I support the community being able to vote on the three ballot measures, so we can see if they still support spending the kind of money we need to spend to continue this effort. I will be closely watching the PUC decision in September to see how difficult and time-consuming the effort will continue to be. We ve spent 7+ years and close to $20M, and we re asking the voters for another $16.5M to get to a go/no-go decision. Then, we ll have hundreds of millions of dollars of separation costs, stranded costs, and condemnation. Will other cities be able to model what we ve done? I doubt it and question if the solution to clean energy for the country will be accomplished by each city municipalizing. If we get a discouraging decision from the PUC or if the voters decide not to support the utility occupation tax, I would encourage the City of Boulder to work with Denver, Aurora, and other cities in Colorado on a common solution that could have a greater impact on climate change. We should also encourage our legislators, and the entire state legislature, to apply pressure to Xcel to switch to clean energy much faster to encourage the PUC to make renewables a higher priority. This is much more realistic approach, at a lower cost, to achieve REAL change. In addition to working with other cities and the State of Colorado on our electric generation, we should look to solar farms, the transportation sector (see below), and our buildings, and land use as ways to improve our emissions targets. What transportation solutions would you suggest to ease congestion, especially resulting from 49,000 in-commuters, specifically those that drive alone? Would you favor solutions to improve roads and parking; bus or other transportation; cycling and walking, or some combination thereof? How would you fund transportation improvements? Do you favor higher parking costs and other disincentives to driving? We haven t seen an increase in bus ridership in over 20 years, and my discussions with potential bus commuters aren t fruitful. We will need to work with our largest employers with in-commuters to develop some creative alternatives for their employees: Uber, van-commuting, driverless cars, etc. I believe we need to widen some roads like Arapahoe to accommodate current needs, and we need more park n ride options for those who would ride a bus. Of course, we need Rtd bus routes to operate more often, but we won t get that until we get more density. So, land use reform is a key to the puzzle. For Boulder, I am a huge fan of electric vehicles. We need to put a priority on them as gasoline cars become a greater and greater percentage of our emissions. We should set an aggressive goal of eliminating gas vehicles by 2040 and put the plans and metrics in place to accomplish it. Things we could do include: 1) convert the city s fleet; 2) build more charging stations; 3) educate the public about electric vehicles, ranges, etc.; 4) engage with automobile dealers and manufacturers to get more models stocked in Boulder; 5) work with local businesses to get them to adopt and promote EV s, encourage them to build charging stations for their employees and customers; 6) promote shared EV s by providing central charging depots for Uber, Lyft, etc. I would recommend one full-time employee to manage this, and I would encourage the Environmental Advisory Board to become more engaged and accountable for the success of the program. Also for Boulder, we must continue to invest in safe biking. I would build more north-south bike routes and encourage electric bikes. I would do a PR campaign on e-bikes, featuring older residents and women and promote safety. Despite Boulder s reputation as a green community, we shape our built environment and transportation systems for lower impact? The Danish Plan promoted a dense urban core, surrounded by green space. We have surrounded our city with green space (Open Space), and we have controlled our height limits, but we have since allowed zoning laws to decrease density and allow for larger homes on bigger pieces of land. We should take environmental issues more seriously regarding the built environment, allowing for more dense in-fill (like ADU s, duplexes, triplexes, split lots), which will allow more people to bike, walk, and take the bus. We should build more mixed use and higher density developments on our major transit roads like Arapahoe and Broadway, and we should encourage smaller living quarters like micro-units. We need to do more education about the original strategy of a dense urban core and get more buy-in to the concept of density. 9 10

7 Jan Burton Jan Burton Do you support Boulder s inclusionary housing ordinance requirements to produce permanently affordable housing? Should the requirements include permanently affordable middle income housing? And, what do you think is the appropriate mix of permanently affordable rental versus ownership units? I do support the inclusionary housing requirements, at the level Council agreed on earlier in the year (12%). I feel it s the right balance of adding cost to development (which will get passed on) and building a fund for affordable housing. I have my doubts about including it for middle income housing. I fear it will add too much cost to a normal person s dwelling. I call it clearing out the middle because new middle income workers won t be able to afford it. We will have people on the extreme high income level and on the very low. Wiping out the middle: is that what we want? You want data? From the study: A 5% middle income inclusionary housing obligation represents an additional cost of $9-$12/square foot for most project types, which would represent an increase of 37-54% over the cost of satisfying Boulder s existing 20% inclusionary requirement. Folks, that is real money. Who will pay for this? Some people think the developers will pay. No, that will not happen. The developers will pass the cost to the renters, thus making housing even more unaffordable for our workers. The study went on to say: A new 5 percent requirement could be absorbed by a 10-15% decrease in land values. Who here thinks land values will decrease by that amount? The report cautions that if developers are not able to afford sites, housing production could be constrained for a period until values recover. There you have it. Supply and demand does impact housing prices. So, I am not supportive of adding more cost to our workers who are already burdened by high cost of living. One more thing: we could do a simple thing to expedite affordable housing through the arduous planning process. If we cut the process from 1.5 years to 3 months, the carrying costs and risk would be lessened, and the developer could pass the cost savings to the renters/homeowners. Accessory dwelling units otherwise known as granny flats have been considered as one option for expanding affordable housing options in established neighborhoods. Please explain your position on whether or not ADUs are an appropriate affordable housing tool for our community? ADU s are a great in-fill option for our community. They add incremental housing in smaller units, managed by homeowners on their own property. For the property owner, an ADU can provide income, helping many people stay in their home. In addition, for older homeowners, they can rent to someone who can help them on the property or even move into the ADU and rent their main home (or let their kids move in). For the renter, they have an opportunity to live in a neighborhood setting, and the renters typically integrate successfully into the neighborhood. Studies show that car usage is lower among ADU dwellers, so parking and traffic do not become issues. Environmentally, they are a dream, driving up density slightly without the negative side effects of large developments. 62% of our citizens supported ADU s in the Boulder Valley Comp Plan study. They are absolutely an appropriate affordable housing tool that should be mainstreamed into the community. And for those people who suggest they should be deed-restricted, I don t understand that concept at all. This country was founded on individual property rights. Let s not screw things up by making it too complicated. What s your vision for Boulders growth and development over the next 20 years? As with everything, there should be balance in growth and development. We all feel negative about the current level of development, but it was at a standstill during the economic downturn. On balance, we have still grown.7% over the past 10 years (housing units), under our growth limit of 1%. The City has done an admirable job in controlling growth, as dictated by the Blue Line, the Danish Plan, and by City charter. It s why we all love Boulder so much. Surrounded by Open Space, limited by growth and height limits, it still feels like a small town (albeit growing in the past few years, and strangled with traffic at times). But, compared to surrounding communities, we have managed the growth superbly. The downside of our excellent growth management is that we are unaffordable and completely non-diverse. So, we must decide what we want to be. Do we want to be an elderly, wealthy white community or a thriving diverse community? If we want to become more diverse and affordable, we will have to make decisions that increase the availability of housing. But in a balanced way. Regarding the jobs/housing imbalance, I believe most people support having jobs in our community, as evidenced by our Community Surveys. We are lucky that we have businesses that can still afford to base their operations in Boulder. We just spent $4M developing the 2015 Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan. We need to prioritize activities to move toward execution of that plan. It should be a measured, well-thought-out plan, executed over time. And it should include a view of the entire county and beyond regarding housing and transportation. and joint problem solving to address this issue? I just met with PLAN Boulder to review their Housing Strategy. While I didn t agree with everything in the plan, we came to a large degree of consensus. I will request the City to analyze some of their recommendations, and I hope to support them in making something happen. While I know they will not endorse me in this election, there is no reason we shouldn t work together to accomplish what we do agree on. The City recently hosted a group to analyze pubic involvement. While I don t agree with all their recommendations, I can find some things to latch onto. We really must work together if we re going to achieve our environmental goals (especially). Finally, I d like to address the notion of change. Most people detest change. All of this is about change management. It s a tough cultural and social issue that is not easy to solve. We should involve some of our best leaders in the community and try to get more broad representation from people who don t normally participate in the process. What is the most important issue to you in Boulder and what kind of leadership will you provide for addressing it? Housing is the most important issue. I will continue to study the subject, read books, meet with all sides on the issue, and try to become more knowledgeable. I will try to get Council to simplify our codes and processes, and I will support initiatives and developments that focus on affordable housing. I am passionate about providing housing first for our un-housed, especially families with kids, and I will be looking to clear the roadblocks. As a Boulder City Council member what kind of legacy will you look to leave? After two years, it s very difficult to say what my legacy could be. I try to listen actively more than talk. I act on citizen issues and try to hold the city accountable. I am a budget and expense watchdog, and I believe in good governance. I will continue to focus on using our tax dollars to pay for the basics: firemen, police, fixing the roads and bike lanes, flood and safety plans. I will push that we become more efficient in our operations and that we spend money on the right things. I support the arts and want the arts to become a bigger priority for the City. I will commit to putting in the work, being a balanced and common-sense thinker, acting with 100% integrity, and mentoring any young person who gets on Council. I won t overstay my welcome

8 Ed Byrne Website: byrneforcouncil.com Ed Byrne Besides being in love with Boulder, tell us who you are and what the most compelling reason is for why you re running for City Council? Boulder must continue to evolve. We need to crowd source our wisdom, which will require new outreach methods insisting upon attendance at public hearings will not suffice. Council members should be approachable and they should have well-established relationships with a diverse mix of community members, through extensive and varied types of community service. What we need in a Council member: Relevant experience and expertise - assistant city attorney [municipal prosecutor, zoning, planning, OS/RE], Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) [environmental and resort town challenges]; co-chair, North Boulder Subcommunity Steering Committee [principles of Neighborhood primary self-sufficiency], Chamber CAC Chair, DBP Public Policy Committee Chair, Foothill SIT Chair What City Council should be: A policy-making board of directors, not a management team immersed in day-to-day operations. Council s highest priorities should be: -Fiscal accountability -Neighborhood and Regional outreach -foster more hope, less fear re: Boulder s future -public/private partnerships -civil discourse of Boulder s economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Councilmember to maintain a vibrant economy? Good jobs are essential to our quality of life. They enable workers to compete in the housing market and great employers support civic culture and many Boulder amenities. Limiting job growth, without making meaningful distinctions, can diminish Boulder's overall quality of life. Taking a more regional view, Boulder can become more of a "point guard," distributing opportunities among our regional neighbors that don't work for us. What do you believe are the most pressing human service needs in the City of Boulder and why? Workforce housing - our community s long term environmental sustainability and economic resiliency depends upon ready access to skilled, creative and motivated employees. Homelessness our support for our motivated homeless, trying to recover from devastating life changes should be a community priority. Affordable health care unfortunately, Boulder can only impact this at the margins. Transportation infrastructure people need to be able to get where they need to go effectively, efficiently, and without undue delays people in our community? As a compassionate community, Boulder has developed, supported and implemented excellent services for the motivated homeless. I support the Letter of Intent from Bridge House that was accepted by the City on 5/25/2017 and look forward to implementation of the Bridge to Home service strategy they have proposed. EFAA and Community Food Share should continue to receive strong support from the City. Boulder may make principled distinctions in the level and continuity of services provided to our homeless verses transients traveling through Boulder. Emergency shelter must be provided year-round to deter camping in unsanitary conditions. Health Care will require flexibility and adaptability as we wait to see what happens to the ACA and Colorado s Exchange. We need to plan for the worst (ACA is repealed and the CHE fails for want of federal funding) and hope for the best. this project be accelerated and how should it be developed? The BCH site should be developed sooner than later. It provides us with an opportunity to create a diverse mix of affordable and mixed income housing, plus offices that should include City and County departments with aligned responsibilities and expertise. Boulder s need to address daunting challenges (housing, transportation, human services, recreational access, etc.) on a more regional basis will only increase. Consultation with the neighborhood is very important, but with the ongoing carrying costs, we need to develop the general parameters needed to prepare an RFP, and then use the RFP award process to fine-tune the project. Until we have a sense for what the private sector, in partnership with the City (and County) can finance and build, we re spinning our wheels. Do you support the Transportation Master Plan s goal of increasing the mode share of bicycles from 10% to 30% by 2035 to achieve the community s environmental and livability goals? If so, what concrete steps do you propose to achieve this and how do you anticipate doing that while maintaining safety for cyclists and motorists alike? Bicycling is pretty well supported by Boulder s transportation infrastructure today, and many of our VMTs are created by in-commuters, so I m skeptical we can attain a 30% mode share. If our streets become parking lots, we may become like Barcelona where motor scooters swarm like red blood cells in clogged arteries. We will have widespread revolts before that level of congestion is acceptable. At-grade separations can be tried on streets wide enough to be reduced from 4 lanes to three lanes with a shared turning lane, but not on streets with existing concrete, landscaped medians. We tried that on Folsom between Spruce and Arapahoe and it failed. Public education, incentives, and recognition, coupled with market-priced parking may move the needle, but people will need to embrace cycling for its many health and quality of life benefits to hit 30%. address the impacts of our in-commuting workforce? Boulder does not need to build any new housing units that do not appeal directly to our in-commuters. They are in our workplaces, so we should ask them what types of dwelling units, with which amenities, they would rent or purchase to move back to Boulder and stop commuting. Then we should build them. Our single use zone districts need to be re-mixed to form more complete neighborhoods. This will require close coordination with existing residential and non-residential neighborhood representatives. We can t mandate outcomes; consensus about land use changes to reduce vehicle trips can only be achieved because the neighborhoods want the changes to occur. In-commuting will only become more frustrating. The opportunity to imagine, develop and approve strategically located mixed use density to offer people a viable alternative to in-commuting requires curb appeal and voluntary buy-in, not punishment. including specifically the challenges regarding the success of huge visitation. Would you prioritize either protection or recreation on a hypothetical new property? Public access is a good in its own right, leading to greater support of the City's efforts and expenditures on Open Space lands, so it should be equally balanced with preservation. We should shift more of our Open Space tax revenues towards operations and management of the recreational opportunities available to everyone who contributes to them. Siting, design, approval and development of attractive new trails will relieve some of the pressure on our existing world-class trail options. Do you support Boulder s drive to municipalize its electric utility? If so, what are the limits on taxpayer dollars and time you are prepared to spend to achieve that goal and, if not, how do you propose to achieve Boulder s renewable energy goals? I am concerned that we will never be able to afford the price we may be required to pay Xcel to purchase their aging, increasingly irrelevant infrastructure. It would help if we had won a few of our lawsuits along the way. The costs to date, coupled with the delays, which seem to stretch well beyond the horizon, make it increasingly unlikely that buying out Xcel will be fiscally responsible. In any event, Boulder's voters must be given an opportunity to vote up or down on municipalization when all the facts are known. I will wait to see what Council decides to put on the ballot before taking positions, but my sense is that Boulder's citizens are becoming more interested in pulling the plug on this endeavor, even while they resent Xcel s our way or the highway approach to development of more creative, energy-saving, carbon-footprint-reducing innovations. Our tax receipts fund most of the community benefits we all appreciate. We must carefully balance the risks and rewards associated with any specific potential employer, or any proposed expansion of existing ones. The BCH site will allow co-locating of the in-house expertise of both government organizations in ways that will encourage cooperation and innovation

9 Ed Byrne Ed Byrne What transportation solutions would you suggest to ease congestion, especially resulting from 49,000 in-commuters, specifically those that drive alone? Would you favor solutions to improve roads and parking; bus or other transportation; cycling and walking, or some combination thereof? How would you fund transportation improvements? Do you favor higher parking costs and other disincentives to driving? I ve seen in-commuter estimates ranging from 49,000 to 65,000. We first need to agree on the magnitude of the challenge. In my response to Q#6, I suggested several ways to address the last mile challenge that keeps people driving SOVs into Boulder every day to work. The RTD routes established decades ago do not meet the current trip patterns of our residents and workforce, but changing them is very difficult. I support a county-wide EcoPass funded by a property tax, but it is not clear Boulder County voters will pass it. Everyone wants the other guy to take the bus, so they can drive where they want to go. Increasing the cost of parking and use of other driving disincentives feeds frustration and can harm the economy we should be careful to provide better solutions before increasing people s pain. Despite Boulder's reputation as a "green" community, we shape our built environment and transportation systems for lower impact? As noted above in Q#6 and Q#9, the most important change we can make in our built environment is creation of more complete residential and non-residential neighborhoods. Village and subcommunity centers that create walkable, primarily self-sufficient neighborhoods are the best way to reverse the auto-dependent sprawl it has taken us 60 years to create. When we can work, shop and play closer to where we sleep, we will reduce our carbon footprint and become a more environmentally sustainable and economically resilient community. New technologies (home offices, dark fiber, Uber, Lyft, self-driving vehicles, solar on every south-facing rooftop, better batteries, etc.) may help reduce our footprint. Finally, we need to capture in-coming vehicles at the edge of town by offering nimbler, less expensive mobility options within Boulder. Do you support Boulder s inclusionary housing ordinance requirements to produce permanently affordable housing? Should the requirements include permanently affordable middle income housing? And, what do you think is the appropriate mix of permanently affordable rental versus ownership units? Our current inclusionary housing residential and non-residential requirements and cash-in-lieu (CIL) fees are close to what Boulder s current real estate market can bear. CIL works because it benefits from a multiplier effect created by the state and federal housing subsidies and tax incentives they attract. Where such subsidies and incentives fall short is with the development of middle-income housing, Boulder s greatest housing challenge today. With state law prohibiting mandated local rent control, only city-owned rental units can reasonably be expected to remain permanently affordable. However, 50% of our housing stock in Boulder is rental today. Home ownership is the most important wealth-building option for most people. This must be taken into account. For this and other reasons, regional transportation/ housing solutions must urgently be explored. Boulder cannot meet this challenge alone. Accessory dwelling units otherwise known as granny flats have been considered as one option for expanding affordable housing options in established neighborhoods. Please explain your position on whether or not ADUs are an appropriate affordable housing tool for our community? ADUs should be permitted more widely. Some of Boulder s most underutilized assets are our existing empty bedrooms. I have proposed the following revisions to Boulder s existing ADU regulations: - allow creations of ADUs in detached accessory structures in the RL-1 and RL-2 zone districts - incorporate the City s OAU provisions into the ADU regulations, eliminating the need for separate rules - eliminate the two-person ADU occupancy limit (zone district and building code occupancy rules will apply) - eliminate the neighborhood area restriction and waiting list rules - eliminate the one off-street parking space requirement or modify the variance standards What s your vision for Boulders growth and development over the next 20 years? My hope and belief is that Boulder will continue to evolve in surprising and delightful ways, encouraging more of our in-commuters to move back to carefully designed, higher density, village and subcommunity centers that will enhance our quality of life. The total number of residents will increase, but not beyond the number of current residents and employees who already occupy Boulder every workday. Transportation and energy innovation, coupled with cooperative regional planning, will reduce the carbon-footprint of our existing commuter-shed. Reconfiguration of our single-use land use enclaves into more complete neighborhoods will gradually unwind our failed 60-year auto-dependent sprawl experiment. Entrepreneurial innovation will continue and Boulder will be a better place to work, live and raise a family than it has ever been. and joint problem solving to address this issue? Our democracy cannot survive in an environment suffused with tirade-driven, bumper-sticker logic. Uncivil discourse scorches the podium and drives reasonable -often younger, diverse and family - voices from the room. Social media can help, but it is no panacea. Responsible decision-makers must acknowledge those who attend hearings, and those whose community DNA is not represented in the room. The recommendations in the Public Policy Working Group's report hold some promise, but right-sizing process to specifically suit the issues being addressed will be critical. There is nothing more likely to discourage participation than process for its own sake. As a trained mediator and co-founder of the Boulder County Bar Association's first Alternate Dispute Resolution committee (1986), I hope to help improve the tenor and substance of our public hearings, so that more people will be satisfied with the outcomes, even when they don't agree with them. We will then have one set of rules that permit accessory units to be located within a principal structure or an accessory structure (including tiny homes) in all of Boulder s residential zone districts, while preserving the size, setback, parking and design rules that currently apply to ADUs and OAUs

10 Cindy Carlisle Website: Cindy Carlisle Besides being in love with Boulder, tell us who you are and what the most compelling reason is for why you're running for City Council? I'm a long-term Boulder resident, CU grad, mother of two children born and raised here, a twice elected official--boulder City Council and University of Colorado Regent--and, with many, many others, have invested time, energy, and money into making Boulder the attractive and alluring community it is. I'm running because I think Boulder stands at a crossroads with two clear choices: traditional progressive values and greater trust in government on one hand and an adherence to the principles of big money--more for me-- and dwindling trust in government on the other. I think current government isn't listening to the community about issues from affordability to climate change to community participation in government. Boulder's success in attracting business and the jobs/population imbalance have led to the city's decline in retaining and welcoming diverse economic populations. Boulder's residents have clearly stated through various self-imposed taxes that they want strong action against climate change. Boulder's citizen working group, PPWG, concluded that government needs to listen to its citizens and that will necessitate a culture change in government practice. If elected, I'm committed to listening to our community on these and other compelling issues that--together-- we may better manage our city. of Boulder's economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Council member to maintain a vibrant economy? The first component of Boulder s future economic vitality is continuing stability of the University, federal labs, city and county governments, and Boulder Valley School District. The second is a diverse society not limited to, but comprising-- all ages, ethnicities, educations, and artistic abilities, with a strong field of small businesses supporting and generating not only community life, but more small businesses of all kinds from shoemaking to pharmaceuticals--making up the creative thinking of the entirety. These components, which comprise a community, can only thrive if the city has adequate affordable space for living, learning, creating, doing business, starting businesses. Lack of affordability leads to an out-migration of diverse small elements like Perry s Shoes, university professors, and young workers who live in less expensive towns and in-commute. If elected, I d work hard to change zoning and land use regs to help provide a greater degree of affordability for the little guys. What do you believe are the most pressing human service needs in the City of Boulder and why? The safety net for homeless families because of the number (almost half of the homeless population in our community are families with children), and because this situation has a ripple effect for the children, impacting their physical and mental health and life-long patterns for achievement and employment. Housing for low-income residents who pay a very large portion of their income for housing and are therefore economically stressed and dependent on services (like effa). Physical and mental health care for disadvantaged populations because this (in addition to lack of housing) is one of the major factors leading to homelessness. people in our community? As described in the city s Homeless Strategy, our role is to support basic needs services as part of a continuum including both emergency support to help individuals and families in crisis and prevention to help people on a path toward long-term self-sufficiency, health and well-being. The City s focus on coordinated intake and navigation of services to help people get back on their feet quickly is a sound approach based on best practices. It will enable us to provide a strong safety net for those in need and enhance the overall quality of life for all residents in our community. On Council, I will work to 1) maximize efficiency and effectiveness of city resources in reducing homelessness and 2) encourage staff to play a leadership role in crafting regional solutions so governmental entities throughout the county are doing their part. Let s make sure that whatever we do, we make the situation in Boulder better. this project be accelerated and how should it be developed? The site is not vacant. TRU Care hospice operates in the hospital a needed community service and good interim use. The Brenton Building across the street is undergoing an $8 million energy retrofit and renovation and will provide office space on completion. Because of the size of the site (8.8 acres), its assets (>350,000 square feet of building space and a 5-story garage), and the consequences of its development for the city and the adjacent neighborhoods, decisions about its development must be made with robust public involvement. Given the lack of affordable housing in Boulder and our city s need to preserve income diversity, housing should be a top priority for the site. We must take the time to examine all options and make sound decisions. Do you support the Transportation Master Plan's goal of increasing the mode share of bicycles from 10% to 30% by 2035 to achieve the community's environmental and livability goals? If so, what concrete steps do you propose to achieve this and how do you anticipate doing that while maintaining safety for cyclists and motorists alike? As a long-time bicyclist, I support an increase in the mode share of bicycles, and many concrete steps can be taken to achieve that e.g., constructing more underpasses, providing more racks throughout the city and on buses, maintaining and expanding our system of bike paths and lanes separated from street traffic, and keeping designated lanes clear). Our Transportation Master Plan is to be updated in , and the goal should be to prevent an increase in congestion and in emissions with the aim of reducing both. I ve not investigated the methodology that led to the current 10 to 30% goal, but I know that bicycles can make an important contribution. In my prior experience on Council, we successfully identified specific projects and brought them to completion. The new Master Plan must include goals AND specific projects and include a robust public participation process from the beginning. address the impacts of our in-commuting workforce? With 60,000 in-commuters, having these people and their families live in Boulder if they wished to -- would require a doubling of Boulder s population. So, I d focus on transportation policies and programs for dealing with the in-commuting population with van pools, carpools, peripheral parking lots and electric-powered shuttles from remote parking. This, of course, costs money. I d turn to the people creating the problem assessing capital costs to the developers/businesses creating the traffic. Some in-commuters, again, if they wished, could occupy new residential development if we follow policies in the BVCP update and rezone some of the commercial/industrial land to mixed zoning. including specifically the challenges regarding the success of huge visitation. Would you prioritize either protection or recreation on a hypothetical new property? My vision is embodied in the citizen-approved Charter and Council-approved BVCP -- to preserve natural areas, water resources, fragile habitat, floodplains, and lands for passive recreation and agricultural production. I believe it is our responsibility to sustain that full array of Open Space purposes for future generations. Doing this in the face of limited land AND financial resources, plus a growing population and demand for recreation, will be a challenge -- one that must be addressed in the upcoming OSMP Master Plan. The planning process must confront trade-offs and hard choices and openly engage the public and accurately assess costs. OSMP surveys show that Boulderites want BOTH conservation AND recreation. For any new property, whether protection or recreation is prioritized will depend on the experts analysis of the land s values/resources and recommendations and an assessment of its best use within the system. Personally, I want to continue enjoying the trails, but also believe we must err on the side of conservation and sustain the habitat that so many native and migrant species depend upon. Do you support Boulder's drive to municipalize its electric utility? If so, what are the limits on taxpayer dollars and time you are prepared to spend to achieve that goal and, if not, how do you propose to achieve Boulder's renewable energy goals? We simply cannot clean up our energy supply by continuing with Xcel they have committed too much of their equity to coal-fired and natural gas plants to back out without a real push by the Legislature, and that is unlikely. So, we need to stay the voter-approved course to municipalization until we either succeed or find out we can t, but never sign another 20-year franchise with Xcel. The millions in profits we ve sent to Xcel will do more work in achieving our climate change goals if they are spent locally. Regarding costs, we should be able to source electricity generated by renewables at costs comparable to Xcel s costs, because wind is already cheaper than coal and solar is getting close. If we find out we cannot pursue a Muni, we should push to convert Colorado to a system of competitive energy supplies where customers can choose their sources at competitive rates. This system is being used widely in other states (including Texas) now. What transportation solutions would you suggest to ease congestion, especially resulting from 49,000 in - -commuters, specifically those that drive alone? Would you favor solutions to improve roads and parking; bus or other transportation; cycling and walking, or some combination thereof? How would you fund transportation improvements? Do you favor higher parking costs and other disincentives to driving? The appropriate way to deal with people s actions that impose costs on our community is to charge user fees. Since the state controls gas taxes and tolls, the only relevant fee here is parking fees. Technology systems for parking fees are well-developed and in use in Boulder (at the Library, CU, and Chautauqua). Such systems have proven effective and efficient (e.g. in Santa Clara County/Stanford) and could be effective if used with perimeter parking for in-commuters. Partnering with Google, Apple, and others to 17 18

11 Cindy Carlisle Cindy Carlisle begin experimenting with autonomous electric vehicle shuttles, ride services and delivery services, could accelerate their use, reduce congestion, and increase everyone s ability to get around. I m hoping the Chamber s October 18 session will provide concrete examples of ways we can proceed. New and emerging technologies will both shape how we move around as individuals and have major implications for Boulder s transportation planning. Despite Boulder's reputation as a "green" community, we shape our built environment and transportation systems for lower impact? reduce in-commuting, especial in single-occupancy vehicles. get IBM to go 100% renewable like other high-tech companies. Google figured it out; why not IBM? build net-zero buildings and continue to facilitate and incentivize energy retrofits in existing homes and commercial/industrial buildings. get a real mix of uses in our neighborhoods where housing, offices and services (like grocers, repair shops) are nearby by better planning, rezoning, and land-use decisions. continue working on waste reduction and recycling. ratchet up the carbon-reducing modes in our transportation plan with universal eco-passes, more electric vehicles and charging stations, more circulator buses/shuttles and bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly paths/walkways, and begin experimenting with autonomous vehicles in partnership with Google, Apple and others. We need an updated Transportation Master Plan that sets ambitious goals, up-to-date measurement systems, is funded by fees that affect behaviors, and includes specific projects to achieve the goals. Do you support Boulder's inclusionary housing ordinance requirements to produce permanently affordable housing? Should the requirements include permanently affordable middle income housing? And, what do you think is the appropriate mix of permanently affordable rental versus ownership units? Yes. The city s stated goal is to maintain economic diversity, so let s do that. We are in a hole --losing more middle- and low-income residents each year and we ve got to stop digging that hole deeper. I support increasing the inclusionary housing requirements to something approaching 50% and include both low and medium income units. I know that our community will be more vibrant and fulfilled when a range of people from service workers to teachers and CU professors can afford to live here. The jobs-housing linkage fees at $12/ft2 are less than 10% of the real cost of providing affordable housing for the average workers. If this were increased, we could fund more affordable housing and discourage spec developers. I think we would do well to have more owner-occupied units, but accomplishing it will be complicated and difficult because of state regulations. Ideally, I d like to see a mix. Accessory dwelling units- otherwise known as "granny flats"- have been considered as one option for expanding affordable housing options in established neighborhoods. Please explain your position on whether or not ADUs are an appropriate affordable housing tool for our community? I support ADUs in theory, but the reality is complicated because we don t have proper regs in place to protect their intent. ADU s may provide a small number of affordable rental units but they are temporary. When a house + ADU sells, the sale price will increase and without rent control, the ADU will no longer provide affordable housing. At the time of sale, ADUs become a windfall for the owners that get to have them under our existing rules. Increases in the number of ADUs must be considered in a neighborhood context with full public participation. We need to invest in developing sub-community plans as described in the updated BVCP, so residents, neighbors, businesses, land owners and city come together and define the vision, goals and actions desired for each part of our city based on its unique character. Plans must define changes desired, needed, and appropriate for the broad array of services, businesses, transportation/access, and housing affordable for economically diverse residents. What's your vision for Boulders growth and development over the next 20 years? Boulder is still of a size where governance can be done on a first name basis where residents know the names of their elected representatives and can talk to them. We don t want to lose that. Growth and development should be limited to the extent necessary to preserve the quality of life we ve all invested in. Based on the BVCP survey, that means we need to make sure we can see the mountain views, ensure affordability, and sustain our beloved Open Space system. As we address our climate change goals, we ll see multiple changes in our transportation system. That will provide opportunities for gentle infill, and if we can create the kind of inclusive planning processes envisioned in the updated BVCP so that residents have a real say in shaping the future of their neighborhoods, our town will be able to grow in a way that does indeed preserve the quality of life we all treasure. and joint problem solving to address this issue? I support the Public Participation Working Group s report and recommendations (PPWG) for changing the culture and listening to the public. Implementation of the PPWG requires Council leadership, and I am committed to that. I am committed to engaging citizens in conversation, making sure that their concerns are sought from the beginning, and promoting collaboration and decision-making WITH people. Examples of improvements I will champion: (a) Our development review process is so flawed that any development of any size turns into a food fight. Defining a planning process that creates more certainty, reduces the time staff and developers spend in a lets-make-a-deal process, and openly engages the public early is a must. (b) On Council, we used to invite knowledgeable people to come and testify and ask them questions. We actually paid attention to them! We should tap multiple experts to inform our community decisions on issues ranging from our energy future to affordable housing and social services. What is the most important issue to you in Boulder and what kind of leadership will you provide for addressing it? The most important issue to me is that of community. I have a track record of listening to and working with Boulder's citizens, including the university's students, staff, and faculty. If elected, I'll carry that strong commitment into office and, to start, work diligently to put the public participation working group's recommendations into practice. I think current government isn't listening to the community about issues from affordability to climate change to community participation in government. Boulder's success in attracting business and the jobs/population imbalance have led to the city's decline in retaining and welcoming diverse economic populations. Boulder's residents have clearly stated through various self-imposed taxes that they want strong action against climate change. Boulder's citizen working group, PPWG, concluded that government needs to listen to its citizens and that will necessitate a culture change in government practice. If elected, I'm committed to listening to our community on these and other compelling issues that--together-- we may better manage our city

12 John Gerstle Website: johngerstleforboulder.com John Gerstle of Boulder s economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Councilmember to maintain a vibrant economy? Boulder s economy has been described as a pyramid, with employment by Federal Labs, CU, County and City representing much of the triangle. In the past, small service businesses and entrepreneurial ventures formed much of the rest of the pyramid; however today development and tech businesses are taking over much of that portion of the economy, and local small service and entrepreneurial ventures suffer from economic downturns. Specific action is required to protect our small businesses to maintain a diverse and resilient economy. This must be a focus of our City policy documents, from the Comprehensive Plan to the Land Use Code. I envision the Boulder Chamber of Commerce playing an important role as a partner with the City in identifying and developing effective actions. I expect that these actions might include arrangements for the preservation of affordable space and accommodations required for these businesses and services. Tools to preserve affordable commercial space could include programs as diverse as: landmarking local businesses themselves and providing tax credits to landlords who extend long-term, reasonable-cost leases; requiring smaller and thus more affordable commercial spaces in new developments; ensuring displaced businesses have the right of first refusal for affordable spaces in new developments; and several other policy options. What do you believe are the most pressing human service needs in the City of Boulder and why? The most pressing human service needs are related to the impact on low wage earners of the cost of living in Boulder. For too many, housing takes an unacceptably high percentage of income, so that affordable housing is a critical need. Homelessness is one symptom of how difficult it can be to find affordable housing in Boulder, and continuing the City s focus on a programmatic approach to moving people out of homelessness is critical. Improving the state of emergency support services and integrating the provision of those services would create a more accessible and efficient system for quick response for those in need. people in our community? The City of Boulder s role in addressing human service needs is provide funds, policy initiatives and leadership in developing collaborative solutions for Boulder s low income/marginalized population. Boulder should support County-wide efforts, including the regional housing plan, addressing homelessness, and enhancing coordination of service providers by providing input on lessons learned from our City programs related to affordable housing, homelessness and emergency services. this project be accelerated and how should it be developed? The project should not be accelerated and it should be developed based largely on community input. The Boulder Community Hospital site is not entirely vacant. There is an important medical Hospice facility located there, and there are also other facilities that provide key health services to the Boulder community. Plans to refurbish one of the buildings on the site for temporary uses have already been announced. The City Council intends to involve the larger community in plans for using this site, and several planning initiatives have already been started. I support continuing to develop an excellent plan that makes maximum use of this unique site. It is an opportunity that is unlikely to come along again, and we should do the absolute best with it that we can. Do you support the Transportation Master Plan s goal of increasing the mode share of bicycles from 10% to 30% by 2035 to achieve the community s environmental and livability goals? If so, what concrete steps do you propose to achieve this and how do you anticipate doing that while maintaining safety for cyclists and motorists alike? I believe the real goals of the Transportation Master Plan should be to improve mobility, reduce congestion and decrease emissions. Increasing the mode share of bicycles is one of a number of ways to achieve those goals. I have never seen the calculations that produced the 30% goal by 2035, so I do not know if that is the right objective, but I support providing more bike routes, lanes and paths of adequate size for safety of bicyclists, and improved maintenance of biking infrastructure. The Transportation Master Plan should be updated periodically with funding identified in the Transportation CIP to fund this infrastructure and its maintenance. address the impacts of our in-commuting workforce? I support a focus on dealing with in-commuters more efficiently. To accommodate this population with housing would require doubling or tripling the population of Boulder, which is unacceptable. I would support remote parking and shuttles, van pools, better bus service and user fees. I would support a requirement for users to pay for all parking. I would also support a community-wide Ecopass for all residents, and would also support a requirement for Boulder employers to provide an Ecopass to all employees working in Boulder. Money is the best incentive/disincentive and there is fairness in charging the source of the problem in order to change behavior, and to raise funds for the provision of alternative transport measures. including specifically the challenges regarding the success of huge visitation. Would you prioritize either protection or recreation on a hypothetical new property? My vision is that, on the 50th anniversary of the citizens of Boulder voting to tax ourselves to create Boulder s Open Space program, existing eco-systems and large blocks of habitat are preserved for the next 50 years. Achieving this vision will require careful management of the growing visitation to Open Space, currently approaching 6 million visits per year. This vision includes acknowledgement by all of us who love to visit Open Space that we all have impacts, even the least and most careful of us, and that we may have to restrict ourselves in some ways to preserve this iconic treasure that makes Boulder what it is. Active management of the growing use of our Open Space is essential if we are to avoid a Tragedy of the Commons situation, in which overuse results in degradation and destruction of the resource we have worked so hard to protect. Without knowing the location size and habitat of a hypothetical new acquisition, it is impossible to hypothetically prioritize protection or recreation. Boulder has already adopted its Open Space Acquisition Plan (in 2013) and is moving ahead with the development of the Open Space Master Plan. Do you support Boulder s drive to municipalize its electric utility? If so, what are the limits on taxpayer dollars and time you are prepared to spend to achieve that goal and, if not, how do you propose to achieve Boulder s renewable energy goals? I do support Boulder s effort to municipalize our electric utility. We are at a critical point where the cost of wind is cheaper than coal and solar is getting close. If we can keep the costs of becoming a municipal electric utility within a reasonable range, we should have cleaner energy at comparable prices and reliability to Xcel. If the cost of municipalizing turns out to be too great, we should press to convert Colorado to competitive energy supply, where customers can choose their energy suppliers, a system that is common in other parts of the US and elsewhere, and to increase the statewide renewable energy requirements that all electric energy suppliers must meet. What transportation solutions would you suggest to ease congestion, especially resulting from 49,000 in-commuters, specifically those that drive alone? Would you favor solutions to improve roads and parking; bus or other transportation; cycling and walking, or some combination thereof? How would you fund transportation improvements? Do you favor higher parking costs and other disincentives to driving? We currently have around 100,000 residents of Boulder, 97,000 jobs in the city, and 30,000 Boulder residents working in Boulder. This means significant traffic congestion impacts from workers driving into Boulder. I would support improved bus service, remote parking with better transit and/or shuttles, van pools, delivery services, and charging for all parking. We should also have a city-wide Ecopass system, and require all employers to provide Ecopasses for employees working in Boulder, as well as charging employees for parking facilities, so that the cost is made clear and obvious both to employers and employees. Despite Boulder's reputation as a "green" community, we shape our built environment and transportation systems for lower impact? There are a number of measures we can implement to lower the carbon impact of our built environment and transportation systems: require new development to be net zero; combine jobs, services and housing in careful mixed development based on area or neighborhood plans; transition to the use of electric vehicles; implement incentives and disincentives to shift to alternative modes of transportation, which have been described in above questions; require servers for big tech companies to run on renewable energy sources. The City should also develop and incentive program to encourage the improvement of energy performance of existing housing, and establish a community-wide Ecopass to encourage use of public transit. Do you support Boulder s inclusionary housing ordinance requirements to produce permanently affordable housing? Should the requirements include permanently affordable middle income housing? And, what do you think is the appropriate mix of permanently affordable rental versus ownership units? Yes, but improvements are needed, which the council is currently considering. These include increasing the percentage of affordable units from 20% to 25% and creating incentives for more of the units to be constructed on the project site rather than through use of the cash in lieu option. Permanently affordable housing for middle income residents is an increasing need as housing prices continue to climb steeply, and requirements to provide this range of housing affordability should be included in the updated Inclusionary Housing program. Currently and in past years, the mix of rental versus ownership units in Boulder has been split about 50/50. The market determines what the mix will be, and as a practical matter, at the present time the market and general real estate environment doesn t favor permanently affordable housing units that are owned by the occupant

13 John Gerstle I believe that the City should become more active in developing deed-restricted occupant-ownership affordable housing which would remain permanently affordable but provide the additional long-term security and other desirable aspects of ownership. Accessory dwelling units otherwise known as granny flats have been considered as one option for expanding affordable housing options in established neighborhoods. Please explain your position on whether or not ADUs are an appropriate affordable housing tool for our community? As part of a neighborhood plan, the addition of ADU s would provide a useful housing option. It is not a solution to long-term affordability since the value of the residence to which an ADU is attached will increase with the added value of another unit as part of the property. The owner who develops the ADU will reap a windfall when selling his/her property, and then the price will respond to the housing market by escalating. It would, however, provide some additional housing supply to the market in a manner which may be more acceptable to neighborhoods than other measures. What s your vision for Boulder s growth and development over the next 20 years? My vision for Boulder s growth is that it should be limited to the extent necessary to preserve the quality of the community that we have invested in over the years. The City s thoughtfulness, care and restraint has given us a city that has accessible governance, its citizens, who can know their city council members by their first names, can call or them and get responses, and feel that we have some control over the future of our community. I want to preserve that aspect of Boulder. I also want to ensure that Boulder keeps its character and the desirable physical aspects which have been so successful in making this where we want to live. and joint problem solving to address this issue? I would support strong leadership by city council to implement the recommendations of the Public Participation Committee Report. I that there should be significant citizen involvement earlier in the development process. I would strongly support amendments to bring more clarity and certainty to our Development Review process. Currently it is so flexible and uncertain that many developments turn into a lengthy battle over what seems a City let s make a deal development process. This is an inefficient and expensive process for the developer, the City and for the public, evidence of which is that very few are happy with the results. My approach to this conundrum would be for the City to take a much more active role in the conceptual and practical decision-making associated with new development project, so that it can provide clearer and more useful guidance at an early stage, rather than reacting to proposals from developers. I have a very high level of commitment to collaboration, consensus building and joint problem solving; however, I would start with an process designed to get the results that we want, not thrash around trying to get agreement out of our current unsatisfactory procedures. Website: jill@jillgrano.com Phone: Jill Grano of Boulder s economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Councilmember to maintain a vibrant economy? The future of Boulder s economic vitality will depend of how well we continue to build on our strengths (what attracted businesses here to begin with), and how effectively we address our challenges (the reasons businesses find it challenging to stay). Building on strengths means: Continuing to protect & maintain open space; Continuing to partner with CU, the academic engine of our economy; Continuing to incentivize primary employers; Continually striving towards an open, inclusive community that values collaboration, innovation, and public discourse. Addressing our challenges means: Providing more accessible workforce housing; Improving transportation systems & more effectively embracing all modes of transportation; Extending incentives & regulatory relief to small businesses, retailers, & restaurants; Helping to ensure that high quality space (office, retail, etc.) is available & accessible. We must continue to recognize that economic vitality is not one-dimensional: it s an eco-system. In addition to the bullet points above, I believe that embracing all of the ideas (and more!) that I write about below will ultimately enhance economic vitality. What do you believe are the most pressing human service needs in the City of Boulder and why? While Boulder has many pressing human service needs, the root of many of them is lack of affordable & accessible housing. Over 40% of Boulder residents spend more than 50% of their income on housing. Studies show that we shouldn t spend more than 30% of our income on housing and when we go beyond that number, key necessities take a back seat. Food insecurity, homelessness, and lack of quality health care are directly related to housing prices. It is well established that the health of a city is connected to how effectively it supports its most vulnerable community members, and stable and accessible housing is the most impactful way to provide support. In addition to housing & issues arising from lack of affordability, mental health services & elderly care services + facilities are pressing human service needs. people in our community? The City of Boulder should seek to understand human service needs and address them - not only because it is the right thing to do, but because it is in the City s best interest. When 40% of residents are spending 50% of their income on housing, that means they are not spending money in other areas of our economy - restaurants, retails, entrepreneurship, etc. Furthermore, every homeless individual that we leave on the streets & every person who relies on the ER for health care costs our taxpayers thousands. In addition to helping incentivize accessible housing (which I outline below), the City s role in addressing human service issues is broad: We can help through land use & regulatory relief - such as in allowing Attention Homes to build their facility (a recent study showed that for every homeless youth that becomes financially self-sufficient, taxpayers save ~$250,000 in avoided social service costs). The City can also help through allocating additional funding for human services, strengthening public private partnerships, & creating zoning overlays designed to encourage elderly care housing & facilities. this project be accelerated and how should it be developed? Yes, this project should be accelerated. While public input & discourse is important, at a certain point there are diminishing returns & lost opportunity cost. The City recently adopted a vision plan for this site, which can be seen here: pdf I support much of this plan and would like it implemented as effieciently as possible. As outlined in the plan, I support lower density residential along 9th Street and near North Boulder Park; I support medium density residential between 10th and 11th; I support commercial & retail along Broadway. In the medium density zone, we should emphasize middle income housing. I think that the bike lanes are important & the continuous green space connecting all of these areas will be beautiful & useful. I would like to see the commercial space used for private businesses rather than City offices & I would like to see retail shops & restaurants on the lowest level. Do you support the Transportation Master Plan s goal of increasing the mode share of bicycles from 10% to 30% by 2035 to achieve the community s environmental and livability goals? If so, what concrete steps do you propose to achieve this and how do you anticipate doing that while maintaining safety for cyclists and motorists alike? I do support the TMP s goal of increasing mode share. As a City we have embraced cars for decades and I believe it is time to begin to embrace all modes of transportation without apology. I support continuing to right size streets, however I would like to be more sensitive about the locations we start with, the timing at which we implement it, and the communication to the public. I see 13th 23 24

14 Jill Grano Jill Grano Street as a perfect location (and north/south direction) to begin to work towards a true, continuous cycleway. Additionally, I would continue to study roads that we think may be ripe for right-sizing in the future. On those roads, we can begin to ease drivers into the coming changes by first adopting different stoplight patterns, adding stop signs and lights, etc. In our messaging around this, I think it is important to not go so head to head with cars. This is not a fight against the car - it is an embracing of all modes. address the impacts of our in-commuting workforce? There are many strategies that we can use to increase housing options and therefore help lessen in-commuting and the related impacts. 1. Incentivize affordable housing through expedited review processes, reduced development fees, and staff level approval for select by right variances for affordable units. 2. Relax regulations on RL-1 neighborhoods to allow homeowners to have more options on their own land. (ie. Allow homeowners more opportunity to build OAUs & ADUS; duplexes & triplexes & tiny homes on larger lots; etc. 3. Seek opportunities for zoning overlays in industrial & commercial areas so as to allow housing units on top of existing spaces without a net loss of the industrial or commercial space. (A perfect location for a pilot project for this is at Wilderness Place. This commercial/industrial is already home to fabulous businesses, breweries, and art studios, plus is located near major bike and car transit ways. Most of the buildings are one story so we could easily build housing above them.) ** There are many more opportunities (this is a passion of mine!) but these would be a great start. including specifically the challenges regarding the success of huge visitation. Would you prioritize either protection or recreation on a hypothetical new property? Our open space program is one the most special and unique aspects of Boulder and a huge driver of our economic success. I am grateful to those who came before me for their vision and courage to protect space around us. I think it is always important to emphasize conservation first. In the locations that biologists deem appropriate for recreation, I do believe that we have the knowledge and ability to build trails that are appropriate for various user groups (hikers, bikers, children) and that through thoughtful trail design, we can minimize conflict between these groups. Given the success of our open space program - and particularly the heavy use by people throughout the entire region - I think it important that where environmental possible (least impactful) we provide additional trail options for users in order to spread the use and the related impacts. Moving forward, it is also important that we emphasize maintenance of our trails. Do you support Boulder s drive to municipalize its electric utility? If so, what are the limits on taxpayer dollars and time you are prepared to spend to achieve that goal and, if not, how do you propose to achieve Boulder s renewable energy goals? I do support Boulder s effort to municipalize our electric utility. While our current provider is making strides towards increasing renewables, the data still shows that being in control of our energy future provides the best opportunity to meet our climate energy goals. Being in control of our energy future will provide an excellent opportunity for the business community to form partnerships with the City as we incentivize rooftops solar, microgrids, battery storage, more efficient monitoring and distribution technologies, and as we move towards electrification of our homes and cars. The future of energy will require more nimbleness and flexibility than we have with our current provider. I do support the occupation tax extension being placed on the ballot in order to move forward towards condemnation court to know the true costs of municipalization. I would not support pulling from the general fund to move forward. Once we know the costs, we ll be able to make a more informed decision. I will not support moving forward if rates are going to increase beyond our current provider s normal yearly increases. What transportation solutions would you suggest to ease congestion, especially resulting from 49,000 incommuters, specifically those that drive alone? Would you favor solutions to improve roads and parking; bus or other transportation; cycling and walking, or some combination thereof? How would you fund transportation improvements? Do you favor higher parking costs and other disincentives to driving? In a dream world we would have a community-wide Eco-Pass (citywide or ideally countywide to address in-commuting), with the possible funding mechanism being a head tax. This may not be a viable solution, however. I believe that we can improve citywide transportation by embracing mode share and possibly even the creation of an RTA, however, this will not ease pressure on in-commuting. Nearly 50,000 in-commuters has been a problem for Boulder for decades. The most viable solution that I see to chip away at the in-commuting pressure is to increase housing options for in-commuters. I do favor higher parking costs to disincentivize driving. Despite Boulder s reputation as a green community, we shape our built environment and transportation systems for lower impact? The three most impactful ways to reduce our carbon footprint are: 1. Move to 100% renewable energy as quickly as possible (particularly rooftop solar); 2. Move towards electrification of our homes and commercial spaces; 3. Move towards other modes of transportation and 100% electric vehicles. As stated above, I believe that municipalization is our best path towards renewable energy, but we have an opportunity to do all of these things in parallel to that effort, or if we stay with our current provider. I would focus on achieving these goals through an increased carbon tax and use funds from that to incentivize all three points above. Embracing transportation modes has been discussed in 5 and 9. Do you support Boulder s inclusionary housing ordinance requirements to produce permanently affordable housing? Should the requirements include permanently affordable middle income housing? And, what do you think is the appropriate mix of permanently affordable rental versus ownership units? Yes, I do support Boulder s inclusionary housing ordinance to produce permanently affordable housing - and yes, it should include permanently affordable middle income units - however, I do not support increasing the requirements for on-site or cash-in-lieu. I believe that putting all of our emphasis on our IH program in order to solve our affordability problems is short-sighted at best. Our IH program needs some structural & functional changes. Currently, the financial requirements to qualify for this program do not scale with age. The program is not always approachable for users either. Finally, the program incentivizes building fewer larger, more expensive homes, rather than many smaller homes. Rather than focusing all of our attention on our IH program, we should be working with the methods I outlined in #6. We should also work with alternative opportunities to create affordability, such as Community Land Trusts. Accessory dwelling units otherwise known as granny flats have been considered as one option for expanding affordable housing options in established neighborhoods. Please explain your position on whether or not ADUs are an appropriate affordable housing tool for our community? I do believe that granny flats are an appropriate tool to increase affordable housing options. Relaxing regulations around granny flats will have two positive effects: 1. It will increase our rental inventory (and theoretically many of these new rentals will be more affordable than in large new complexes) and it will put downward pressure on our rental market. 2. It will make homeownership more affordable (and even possible to new buyers) if a portion of the home can be used for additional income. We can do all of this with a simple regulatory change - and it has the added benefit of not significantly impacting neighborhood character. What s your vision for Boulders growth and development over the next 20 years? My vision for Boulder s growth and development is that we continue to be the creative, visionary, collaborative City we have always been and find solutions to problems in places where they may not be obvious. Let s continue to treat our economy as the eco-system that it is. On housing, I take a forward-thinking approach: Let s look at opportunities to integrate housing and commercial such as I outlined in 6.3. Let s work together to create affordable housing solutions. Let s be honest when something isn t working and fix it. On development, let s encourage innovation and beautiful design. Let s encourage innovative green building. Let continue to be a thriving hub of innovation & entrepreneurship and let s further embrace the arts, cultural diversity, and all incomes. and joint problem solving to address this issue? I am strongly committed to honest, open public discourse. If I could accomplish one thing around public discourse regarding growth and development, it would be better presentation of the facts to the public and the by-right opportunities that exist on parcels. I have talked with more than 100 community members in preparation for this election and many think that they are choosing between open space or parks on parcels, not between the by-right opportunity and the proposal. It is critical that we have well-informed public discourse

15 Mark McIntyre Website: Phone: Mark McIntyre of Boulder s economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Councilmember to maintain a vibrant economy? The key elements to Boulder s future economic vitality are the things that made Boulder what it is today: Citizens who are creative, thoughtful, passionate, and committed. Open Space and recreation opportunities Shared community values supporting our environmental goals, community arts, and development that provides ongoing community benefit. While at times it may seem we are divided, I have seen that for the most part the people of Boulder do share a deep care for their city. We tend to all love many of the same attributes of our town. To maintain the economic vitality we must provide greater flexibility in housing options, more support for transportation options that leave the car behind, and foster a culture that is willing to try new solutions to our problems. What do you believe are the most pressing human service needs in the City of Boulder and why? Housing: Many issues that we confront have a root cause in a lack of housing. In-commuting traffic is caused by a lack of affordable housing for everyone from CU instructors to Google workers, to our fire, police, healthcare workers and our teachers. For some of our homeless population (those not just travelers) Housing First has proved to be a model that can get them off the street and help them become a productive and healthy part of our community again. Health Care: More specifically, mental health care. While providing housing for a person that has mental health issues is key, getting treatment must follow. I support our efforts with the new integrated receiving model for those in need of housing and healthcare. people in our community? The City s role is vital to having a healthy community. Support from the city for hardworking organizations like Bridge House, Community Food Share, Attention Homes, etc. is essential and must be continued. Many times these partner organizations can multiply their city funding with matching funds from donor sources and money from federal, state, and county grants. this project be accelerated and how should it be developed? The site should be developed with great creativity. It should not be architectural design by committee. A team of designers, both competitive and collaborative, should design the site so that in 100 years, the citizens look back on it the way we now view NCAR and Chautauqua. We need to stretch and reach so that this becomes a second center of our community. It also needs to embody our environmental goals by making it people centric not car centric. Do you support the Transportation Master Plan s goal of increasing the mode share of bicycles from 10% to 30% by 2035 to achieve the community s environmental and livability goals? If so, what concrete steps do you propose to achieve this and how do you anticipate doing that while maintaining safety for cyclists and motorists alike? Yes, I support the goal, but I think we may be able to reach it much earlier and possibly exceed it. We must look to other cities like Portland and NYC, that are more aggressively and successfully building cycling infrastructure. We should also look to cities like Amsterdam, as they have been at it much longer than us and we have much to learn from them. Two concrete steps that must be made are: increased bike/pedestrian paths that are fully separated from auto traffic and bike paths that are fully integrated with the street, but protected by bollards, curbs, etc. We can t let one failed experiment on one short section of Folsom doom a program of complete and safe streets. We need to learn from that and carry on, or we will never reach or goals. address the impacts of our in-commuting workforce? RTD has proven to not be our friend in solving our daily transportation problems of in/out commuting. A partnership between the city and major employers should be explored to create new commuting routes and bus systems separate from RTD. Businesses need to contribute. We do not need Google busses running unless they are available to all. I will work for: EcoPasses for all of Boulder A transit system that is responsive to our needs vs. the RTD agenda A convenient and frequent system that accommodates in/out commuters to major employment centers Working with businesses on all of the above including specifically the challenges regarding the success of huge visitation. Would you prioritize either protection or recreation on a hypothetical new property? I reject the idea that we must prioritize recreation over conservation or vice versa. This is a false dichotomy. Well-constructed trails that are fun and challenging, take visitors where they want, and connect to other trails are not a conservation detriment, they are a benefit. We have a deferred maintenance backlog of millions of dollars and it is growing. Many parts of the system are still waiting for flood repairs now four years out. The department is understaffed in people that know how to construct a trail for sustainability. Any new acquisitions must be part of a plan to connect parcels that are currently unconnected and do not allow visitor access or aren t large enough to accommodate access in their own right. Do you support Boulder s drive to municipalize its electric utility? If so, what are the limits on taxpayer dollars and time you are prepared to spend to achieve that goal and, if not, how do you propose to achieve Boulder s renewable energy goals? In all things regarding the muni, I promise to clearly evaluate how proceeding, or not, will move us forward in our carbon reduction goals. To municipalize is not a goal in itself; carbon reduction and environmental benefits are the key outcomes. These are the questions that must be answered: Does this help us reach our carbon goals in a cost-effective manner? Can we do more with less money somewhere else? If we decide to move forward or away from the muni how do we maximize our leverage with Xcel to help us achieve our goals? What transportation solutions would you suggest to ease congestion, especially resulting from 49,000 in-commuters, specifically those that drive alone? Would you favor solutions to improve roads and parking; bus or other transportation; cycling and walking, or some combination thereof? How would you fund transportation improvements? Do you favor higher parking costs and other disincentives to driving? Please see my answers above to questions 5 and 6 as they address these issues. I favor frequent busses for in-commuters with real improvements for cycling, walking, and sharing rides for the last mile between the bus and a destination. We don t need more parking we need fewer cars. Our planning and development process have been driven by autos and parking for too long. We need to start planning for a future that is less car centric and more about finding better solutions for getting people where they need to go. Despite Boulder s reputation as a green community, we shape our built environment and transportation systems for lower impact? Our high per capita carbon output is due to our affluence and continued reliance on coal for electricity generation. We can do more with or without Xcel to promote more distributed solar installations. We can and should do more with our solar and conservation programs for lower to middle level incomes. The affluent can already afford solar and have embraced it. We need to drive down into our mobile home, rental and other lower income communities with incentives to improve efficiency. These sorts of improvements mean greater resiliency in these communities and our community as a whole. See above for transportation discussion. Do you support Boulder s inclusionary housing ordinance requirements to produce permanently affordable housing? Should the requirements include permanently affordable middle income housing? And, what do you think is the appropriate mix of permanently affordable rental versus ownership units? Yes, I support the inclusionary housing ordinance. Yes, I would support steps to broaden that into middle income level housing (depending on how that is defined). The mix of permanently affordable rental/ownership units is somewhat a moot point until the Telluride law is adjusted to allow for rent controlled rental units

16 Mark McIntyre Accessory dwelling units otherwise known as granny flats have been considered as one option for expanding affordable housing options in established neighborhoods. Please explain your position on whether or not ADUs are an appropriate affordable housing tool for our community? Yes, ADUs are an appropriate tool that allows homeowners in a variety of circumstances the ability to make their homes more affordable, bring different generations together, and provide more support and resilience for the community as a whole. Just like distributed solar has benefits for the community, distributed, private, affordable housing can have great community benefit. If neighborhoods are concerned about more cars and traffic then there may need to be parking/auto restrictions that fairly span the neighborhood. What s your vision for Boulders growth and development over the next 20 years? My vision for Boulder is to be a beautiful and compact city that is highly walkable, easy to navigate in all-weather by bike, with a diversity of people enjoying our well-maintained Open Space. I envision a city that is architecturally stimulating with great public art. I like to think that Boulder will be essentially de-carbonized for electrical power and most transport needs. I want Boulder to be a city that has met its goals for emissions, housing affordability, and transportation options by boldly acting on those goals in creative and innovative ways. and joint problem solving to address this issue? I support the findings of the city s working group on public process. In Boulder, growth and development are contentious and there is no level of public process that can get us to 100% consensus. I am deeply committed to the core values of public participation and input, combined with real leadership in a democratic process. But we have to remember that just because things might not go our way, it does not mean our voice was not heard, or that we have been disrespected. It may mean that we as citizens need to engage earlier, be more thoughtful, and contemplate what we can say yes to versus simply saying no. The best way to counter fear of change is to lead with vision and clear community goals. Website: Mirabai Nagle Besides being in love with Boulder, tell us who you are and what the most compelling reason is for why you re running for City Council? I m running for Council because I care deeply about Boulder the place where I was born and raised. I ve lived 32 of my 34 years here. I m running because I believe better solutions need to be crafted, that can bring the community together rather than pushing it apart. I represent a fresh perspective as a younger candidate, a businesswoman, a Boulder native, a Gunbarrel (City of Boulder portion) resident, and a volunteer firefighter who deeply understands our emergency professionals who daily put their lives on the line for us. I m also an affordable housing alumnus, who saved enough to eventually buy a home. I straddle many worlds that don t often intersect. This puts me in an excellent position to facilitate the elusive solutions Boulder really needs now. Rather than settling for winners and losers, our city can do better by working together. If elected, I ll work tirelessly to create win-wins. of Boulder s economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Councilmember to maintain a vibrant economy? Boulder is experiencing pressure from the weight of its own success. Boulder has become so popular for businesses, people living here, visitors, in-commuters, etc. that effective ways of managing that popularity will be critical. People from other Colorado towns have told me that they don t like coming to Boulder any longer because of the traffic. That s one example. So, effectively addressing our transportation challenges will be key. In addition to affordable housing, we also need to pay attention to affordable community- and neighborhood-serving retail. We re increasingly experiencing losses of iconic, long-time local retail businesses. We don t want to end up with Boulder residents having to drive to nearby communities for goods and services, thereby worsening our traffic and greenhouse gas emissions. We need to support our local small business community. Boulder should pay close attention to the jobs/population balance, and make sure that we re managing it in the best way. What do you believe are the most pressing human service needs in the City of Boulder and why? Affordable housing. If we don t address this, Boulder will become an increasingly homogenous, wealthy community and we ll lose the critical vitality of a diverse community. People are struggling to stay in Boulder. Expanded senior services, because more people are living longer. We must make sure that we re addressing the needs of this fastest-growing segment of our population. Early child care and education, because studies are showing that this is one of the single most important aspects of ensuring future success and opportunities for youths. Particular focus should be given to low income families. Community engagement of our immigrant and Latin populations, because there are currently many impediments ranging from language to societal barriers. A diverse city is a better one, so we should help these communities feel comfortable in engaging. At-risk youth, of middle-school and high-school age. Kids can start to lose their way at this age. Early intervention is critical. people in our community? I believe the City of Boulder should have a very large role in addressing human service needs. I believe that an advanced civilization any civilization, really is only as advanced as its ability to care for its least fortunate members. I believe this is as worthy an evaluation as any for judging a society and quite possibly, the best evaluation. Therefore, I d like to see Boulder be an exemplary city of success in this area. I believe the City has a very important role in addressing human services, but also has an important partnering role with the many fine human service non-profits in our community. It takes a real team effort, and I would advocate such an approach

17 Mirabai Nagle Mirabai Nagle this project be accelerated and how should it be developed? Yes, this project should be accelerated. I believe this site, and the former Pollard Motors site at 30th and Pearl, should be used for high density, affordable housing. Specifically, an appropriate mix of housing for lower income and middle income residents. To me, these two sites make much more sense for the off-sited affordable housing requirements that developers of new rental housing pay cash-in-lieu for, in order to not build on the site of their new developments. These two sites are: a) located in Boulder s center, within easy walking, biking, and transit distance of goods, services, and jobs. b) surrounded by commercial zoning on three to four sides, such that concerns about neighborhood-specific siting are minimized. It makes much more sense to place off-sited affordable housing in these locations, where potential conflicts with neighborhoods are as minimal as we ll find. Do you support the Transportation Master Plan s goal of increasing the mode share of bicycles from 10% to 30% by 2035 to achieve the community s environmental and livability goals? If so, what concrete steps do you propose to achieve this and how do you anticipate doing that while maintaining safety for cyclists and motorists alike? I support the goal, as part of an integrated transportation strategy. We should: Pursue community-wide Eco-Passes. Ensure that all buses have easy on/easy off bike racks, so that bus commuters can switch to bicycles, once in their general destination area. Increase bike share programs and the placement of bicycles-for-loan at workplaces, so that workers can use handy bicycles for mid-day errands, lunch, in-town meetings, etc. Continue to work on expanding the connectivity of our bicycle routes. For safety: - Expand the number of off-road, auto-free bike paths, such as those off Broadway, along the CU campus. - Construct bicycle and pedestrian underpasses where needed. - Expand education on safety practices and share the road principles. - Increased enforcement of crosswalk and other violations by motorists and cyclists alike. address the impacts of our in-commuting workforce? I agree that these three elements are integrally linked. I believe our biggest land use need at this point is housing. Therefore, I support re-zoning certain commercial and industrial zoned lands, to residential and mixed use. As stated earlier, I believe we should maximally utilize rare opportunities as we get them (such as Alpine-Balsam and the Pollard Motors site) for affordable workforce housing. I honestly believe that affordable housing is the highest and best use for these sites. And an advantage of these sites is that even if they re re-developed as 100% housing, they d be virtually mixed use developments already being located next door to commercial and retail. We should ensure that all housing units developed on land annexed into the City are permanently affordable with a 50/50 split of low and middle income affordable housing. We should preserve our existing affordable housing stock. including specifically the challenges regarding the success of huge visitation. Would you prioritize either protection or recreation on a hypothetical new property? First, let me generally say that I believe Councilmembers should be representatives of the people. There should be a balance that recognizes this principle, alongside whatever vision individual Councilmembers or candidates have. To that end, I feel that the Open Space Master Plan update is an ideal place to apply the recommendations of the Public Participation Working Group. I m keenly interested to know the public s vision. That said, I feel our Open Space is one of the core aspects that define Boulder. So I place high value on ensuring that our Open Space be well managed, in perpetuity, to ensure appropriate maintenance, upkeep, and visitor services. The question of recreation or protection has more to do with the specific property than an a priori approach before knowing anything about the property. That said, I believe recreation and protection can co-exist. Re: huge visitation: I support higher user fees for non-residents. Do you support Boulder s drive to municipalize its electric utility? If so, what are the limits on taxpayer dollars and time you are prepared to spend to achieve that goal and, if not, how do you propose to achieve Boulder s renewable energy goals? I support a Boulder municipal electric utility if rates, reliability and renewables are equal to or better than Xcel. Reducing emissions and the effects of climate change are personal to me, as a firefighter. Currently, Boulder collectively pays Xcel $35 million a year, every year. Discussions of expenditures should be kept in proper perspective. If the Utility Occupation Tax (UOT) doesn t pass, and the funds aren t there to carry the muni onto the next step which, provided we get a good PUC ruling, would go to the Federal Energy Regularity Commission (FERC) I d recommend we: - pause the muni, - not sign an Xcel franchise agreement, - and pursue State Legislative remedies to make forming municipal utilities easier and fairer. - Senator Fenberg is assembling a coalition to do exactly this. I d also examine the City s Climate Commitment goals and prioritize those we can fast track. What transportation solutions would you suggest to ease congestion, especially resulting from 49,000 in-commuters, specifically those that drive alone? Would you favor solutions to improve roads and parking; bus or other transportation; cycling and walking, or some combination thereof? How would you fund transportation improvements? Do you favor higher parking costs and other disincentives to driving? Transportation management requires integrated, multipronged solutions. Therefore, I d favor the combination solutions outlined above. There s much we can and should do to increase the viability and safety of cycling and walking. See my Question #5 answers. Re: disincentives, I tend to favor more carrot and less stick. I believe people want to do the right thing, but things are backwards: It costs a non-eco-pass holder $4.50 round trip to travel downtown on the SKIP. If we want more people to use buses, we ve got to make it easier and cheaper, not punish them if they can t afford it. Therefore, I support community-wide Eco-Passes. I support higher non-resident parking fees for Open Space. And I fully support ideas like the Chautauqua Park shuttle. I support impact fees on new commercial development (with exceptions for small businesses), to fund transportation capital improvements they create the need for. Despite Boulder s reputation as a green community, we shape our built environment and transportation systems for lower impact? Boulder residents are actually driving less and increasingly making transportation modal shifts. But our per-capita carbon footprint is higher, due in part to high in-commuting and a significantly higher daytime population. We can lower our carbon footprint by actively addressing the three pillars of carbon emissions: - Buildings we should reducing emissions from residential and commercial buildings. - Transportation we should reduce emissions from transportation. - Utilities we should reduce emissions in the way we generate electricity. With regard to buildings, we should work to enact policies requiring new buildings to be net zero energy use. In new commercial office buildings, we should incorporate electric vehicle recharging stations running off roof top solar, and preferred parking for EV s. We should promote and enable solar gardens. Regarding transportation, see my earlier comments addressing this subject. Regarding the greening of utilities, see my earlier comments addressing this. Do you support Boulder s inclusionary housing ordinance requirements to produce permanently affordable housing? Should the requirements include permanently affordable middle income housing? And, what do you think is the appropriate mix of permanently affordable rental versus ownership units? I greatly support Boulder s inclusionary housing requirement. In fact, I support increasing it significantly with the caveat that it s built onsite at new housing developments, rather than off-site. The original legislative intent of inclusionary housing was that society benefits when people of multiple socio-economic backgrounds live next to each other. I fully agree. Why then, do developers get a free pass when it comes to their onsite mix of housing? We re seeing 100% homogenous, market-rate developments onsite the opposite of inclusionary housing s intent. Yes, I believe the requirements should include permanently affordable middle income housing, to avoid a hollowing out of Boulder s middle class, and a barbell-shaped curve of income distribution in Boulder. I d like to see greater emphasis placed on ownership units. There are the obvious hurdles of down payments. I d explore ways to loan would-be home buyers money for their downpayments, so their up-front costs aren t as formidable. Accessory dwelling units otherwise known as granny flats have been considered as one option for expanding affordable housing options in established neighborhoods. Please explain your position on whether or not ADUs are an appropriate affordable housing tool for our community? I believe ADU s can represent an affordable housing option. However, one-size-fits-all approaches often backfire. Certain Boulder neighborhoods are chronically under greater stress, impact, and rate of change than others. It s always important to seek good fit, engage residents, and ascertain areas that can accommodate more change. An excellent way to do this is with neighborhood plans, written in large part by neighborhood residents who best understand the on-the-ground conditions in their neighborhoods with broad community goals in mind. I m an optimist. I don t believe neighborhoods will say no to any and all change. I know many residents, in many neighborhoods. Boulder residents are progressive. Nearly all understand that their neighborhoods need to address community wide issues

18 Mirabai Nagle They just want to be part of the planning. People are more accepting of change when they are part of the process, rather than having decisions handed down to them from on high. What s your vision for Boulders growth and development over the next 20 years? First, I believe in facing reality. We are approaching build-out. Environmental science holds that every bioregion on earth has a certain carrying capacity. Boulder exists in a semi-arid climate, which may become more so under climate change. Availability of water is one of our principle natural limits. Exceeding carrying capacity carries with it myriad risks. Abiding within carrying capacity doesn t equal stagnation, or zero change. Communities constantly change, and so will a Boulder that exists within its limits. Progress on all fronts can and should continue, toward: - Greater affordability - Greater inclusivity and diversity - Greater social justice But as we approach build-out, I believe the growth and development we have should serve the people the residents of Boulder in areas such as community benefit, affordable housing, local shopping and services, public art, community commons and gathering spaces, etc. and joint problem solving to address this issue? I m extremely committed to collaboration, consensus building and joint problem solving. I m eager to enact the Public Participation Working Group recommendations. Many recent City decisions and policies have created winners and losers, contributing to polarization. As a Boulder native, it wounds me to see rifts in our community. We can do better. I m well situated to facilitate collaboration, given the worlds I straddle as a: - Boulder native - 34-year old candidate - Alumnus of affordable housing who saved enough to buy a home - Part of the nurses-teachers-firefighter community that s of great concern to Boulder - Resident of the City portion of Gunbarrel - Businesswoman and small business owner. I have profound faith in Boulder s incredibly skilled, educated, creative residents. Surely we can affect win-win solutions and model this for other communities. Let s exemplify a community that eschews winner-and-loser outcomes, and instead, goes the extra distance to create win-wins. As a Boulder City Council member what kind of legacy will you look to leave? My campaign slogan is A New Generation of Commitment to Boulder s Legacy of Stewardship. It s not my legacy. I hope to continue Boulder s legacy of stewardship, that has made Boulder the wonderful place it is. Places like Boulder don t happen by accident. They happen as a direct result of specific, concerted, intentional actions by forward-thinking citizens. Over the years, Boulder residents have had a vision for a wonderful community nestled against the foothills. Specifically, a shining example to the world of a community that chose greenbelts over sprawl, and guiding documents of carefully managed growth like our Comprehensive Plan over the chaotic, random, and undesirable ways in which some communities evolve. As a community, Boulder has also celebrated and respected diversity of thought, race, religion, national origin, income, and sexual identity. Amidst national regression into divisive, hurtful rhetoric we choose the opposite. This is the legacy I hope to continue. Bill Rigler Website: bill@billforbouldercom Phone: of Boulder s economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Councilmember to maintain a vibrant economy? It is a privilege every day to live and work in Boulder. Smart growth and development mutually support our community s values, and I want to ensure that we are creating an enabling environment for our innovation economy. And underpinning this is the startup and tech companies that provide a source of new energy and vitality. We must work together to ensure that Boulder remains the international hub for innovation. Boulder s companies create rewarding job opportunities and a strong tax base that covers the cost of high quality city services, including important human service needs, transportation initiatives, climate resilience, and other vital services, and we must work in partnership on these strategies. But with this growth comes challenges related to housing, transportation, and displacement, and we need to work together to determine how we can best meet our objectives for a strong economy while maintaining our high quality of life. What do you believe are the most pressing human service needs in the City of Boulder and why? As a Council member, I will focus on the distinct needs of our aging population, and to understand what is required for our community to age in place with dignity and affordably. This includes distinct services unique to our elders, including transportation, recreation facilities, and housing. A second pressing need is to defend against the assault on the Affordable Care Act, and ensuring that we remain active advocates for improving and sustaining the ACA, but also preparing to help the most vulnerable populations in the event that dramatic actions are taken to reverse the ACA. We cannot go backwards. Finally, Boulder County has one of the highest homeless populations in Colorado, with many of these families and veterans. Helping those in need with compassion and essential services is critical to breaking the homelessness cycle. people in our community? Despite our relative wealth, Boulder encounters many challenges that other cities face, including homelessness, addiction, and mental illness. Council should ensure that City Staff are empowered with resources and support to address these needs, and I believe it can facilitate critical public-private partnerships. Boulder has been a leader in providing and funding human services since the 1960s. We have a long history of making these services available for at-risk populations, and we need to continue this. The City should continue to partner with subject-matter experts on homelessness, health, and aging to provide a stable source of funding. These experts are best suited to provide recommendations and are best educated on best practices. And, I believe the City of Boulder can play a valuable role in facilitating efficient service delivery, and can bring nonprofits together with the goal of streamlining services. this project be accelerated and how should it be developed? The BCH site represents a strategic opportunity to create a new, vibrant community center for Boulder. And at the same time, we have an opportunity to carefully balance local neighborhood interests and broader community goals. The BCH site can help us address goals associated with affordable housing through sustainable redevelopment and infill. To that end, I am convinced that a significant portion of this site should accommodate the housing needs across diverse income levels and needs. As a resident of the Uptown Broadway neighborhood, I believe that 15-Minute neighborhoods are an important part of our community because they offer density, great restaurants and shopping, and convenient access to mass transportation. I believe that BCH should have a mix of uses to create a livable, walkable environment that reduces the need for car travel and takes advantage of accessible mass transit options. Do you support the Transportation Master Plan s goal of increasing the mode share of bicycles from 10% to 30% by 2035 to achieve the community s environmental and livability goals? If so, what concrete steps do you propose to achieve this and how do you anticipate doing that while maintaining safety for cyclists and motorists alike? Yes, and We need to do everything we can to achieve our bike mode-share goals through practices that make cycling convenient, safer, and more accessible. And we must also recognize that people are more inclined to bike when it is safe and convenient to do so

19 Bill Rigler Bill Rigler As the Chairman of the Transportation Advisory Board for the last two years, I have worked closely with neighborhood associations, community groups and advocacy organizations, and business and civic leaders to advance a safety agenda that benefits all users. I support bike lockers at transit stations, bike parking and infrastructure investments in new developments, and on-street bike paths. I think the City can and should do more to engage and enlist the local tech community to assist in the creation of more user-friendly information systems and platforms in order to meet the TMP. address the impacts of our in-commuting workforce? This is especially important to me. I live in the Uptown Broadway neighborhood, and if elected, would be the only renter on Council. I can empathize with people who would love to live in our community but cannot afford it. First, we need to provide sufficient diversity of housing, and more housing, so that our talented workforce can live and work here if they choose. Second, we need to create more regional transportation solutions that are affordable, convenient, and efficient for those workers who choose to commute. There are also a number of regional solutions that we need to explore, including the Regional Housing Plan and broadband, which would enable more workers to telecommute. In fact, we have made dramatic strides in reducing the number of SOVs in the last decade, largely through more people telecommuting. We should continue to advance this. including specifically the challenges regarding the success of huge visitation. Would you prioritize either protection or recreation on a hypothetical new property? John Muir, the founder of the Sierra Club, said that of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt. I use our Open Spaces nearly every day, and am an avid hiker, mountain biker, and trail runner. We need to balance the benefits of Open Space. There are many natural values of our Open Space lands that we must preserve, including protection of rare animal and plant species which demand wide protective land areas. I don t believe it is inconsistent with our preservation goals to provide access for a wide array of recreational pursuits. In fact, I have seen firsthand how facilitating more public interaction encourages greater preservation. I support identifying opportunities to purchase more Open Space, while thoughtfully identifying opportunities in existing Open Space that can safely and responsibly meet the diverse recreational needs and interests of our citizens. Do you support Boulder s drive to municipalize its electric utility? If so, what are the limits on taxpayer dollars and time you are prepared to spend to achieve that goal and, if not, how do you propose to achieve Boulder s renewable energy goals? I moved to Boulder to work for Al Gore, because I believe that we have a moral imperative to act on climate change. And I previously served on the senior leadership team at the Rockefeller Foundation that now funds Boulder s Resilient Cities Initiative. I am absolutely committed to achieving Boulder s goal of 100% renewable power by After seven years and at least $12 million, I believe we face an inconvenient truth of our own: too many Boulder residents have lingering questions about the Muni s total cost, timetables, and litigation scenarios. While I fully support the goals, I think we must consider whether to re-focus our efforts and tax dollars on market-based solutions that will help us achieve our targets. I will closely scrutinize the forthcoming PUC decision, and encourage everyone to do so, so that we can openly and constructively discuss the best way forward. What transportation solutions would you suggest to ease congestion, especially resulting from 49,000 incommuters, specifically those that drive alone? Would you favor solutions to improve roads and parking; bus or other transportation; cycling and walking, or some combination thereof? How would you fund transportation improvements? Do you favor higher parking costs and other disincentives to driving? When I moved to Boulder, it was the first time in 20 years that I had owned a car. While I would much rather take the bus or bike if I can, I understand that this isn t always practical for families or our elderly, and I will prioritize the creation of more transportation options, with wider accessibility, to reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions. I favor investments that expand multi-modal transportation options, such as community-wide EcoPass-type programs, additional bus-rapid-transit corridors, electric vehicles and charging stations, and first- and final-mile connections to incentivize mass transit that facilitate biking and pedestrian travel without creating additional pain for drivers. And just a word about RTD: I have seen firsthand through my role as TAB Chair how difficult it is to work with them to improve our transportation services. I am very interested in partnering with other towns in the region on commuting solutions. Despite Boulder's reputation as a "green" community, we shape our built environment and transportation systems for lower impact? One of the reasons I love Boulder so much is because we can draw upon both the expertise of our business and tech communities and some of the leading climate scientist in the world. Strategically engaging Boulder s business and scientific communities presents an awesome and unique opportunity to create smart technologies that help encourage greater use of renewables and track energy consumption that can be then replicated and improved upon nationwide. The affordability and accessibility of renewable power has to be a priority. This includes reviewing and bolstering programs that provide grants and rebates on solar and wind power for homeowners. Finally, I think it will be important to explore whether individual homeowners and users of solar energy in Boulder will be allowed to generate and keep their own power, versus buying it from the grid. Do you support Boulder s inclusionary housing ordinance requirements to produce permanently affordable housing? Should the requirements include permanently affordable middle income housing? And, what do you think is the appropriate mix of permanently affordable rental versus ownership units? I believe our middle-income professionals are at great risk on housing issues because they exceed the income requirements for affordable housing, and yet cannot afford to buy in Boulder. I myself am part of this group, and I acutely understand the pressures facing middle-income professionals and families. Our priority must be the creation of housing options for a broad spectrum of incomes. An inclusionary approach helps retain our sense of community, creates an environment to nurture, and welcome a workforce that can contribute to our sense of community. On Council, I will embrace a sensible housing policy one that includes the direct city purchase of affordable rental units, as well as incentives for housing development in commercial zones to create a stronger sense of belonging and community. And I believe there are other benefits to this approach, including economically, environmentally, and quality of life (including reduced traffic congestion). Accessory dwelling units otherwise known as granny flats have been considered as one option for expanding affordable housing options in established neighborhoods. Please explain your position on whether or not ADUs are an appropriate affordable housing tool for our community? I support ADUs as one of a range of options for expanding the range of housing affordability options. They also have the benefit of supporting our environmental sustainability goals in the promotion of more efficient building designs. At the same time, we need to be sensitive to neighborhood concerns about higher density uses. It is a balance that considers the amount of available parking in certain residential zones and other impacts associated with higher occupancy rates. ADUs provide another element of affordable housing in our community, especially as they can make home ownership more affordable through the creation of opportunities for cost-sharing. And, I think ADUs are a potential option to ensure that our elderly can age in place affordably. What s your vision for Boulders growth and development over the next 20 years? Smart, attractive, and vibrant. We need to have development that meets our environmental, affordable housing, and livability goals. We need to promote architecture that encourages creativity and attractive design. And, we need to have a mix of uses that are active and lively and meet the needs and cultural and entertainment goals of our community. and joint problem solving to address this issue? Through my various public service and volunteer roles, I have seen firsthand the importance of proactive civic engagement, openness and transparency, and a willingness to listen. As the Chair of TAB, I have proactively forged close relationships with neighborhood associations, advocacy groups, the business community, and climate experts to promote transparency, accountability, and innovation in our transportation policies that promote safer streets. Most recently, as an important step forward in our commitment to transportation safety, TAB recommended reinstatement of the Neighborhood Speed Mitigation Program. The goal of NSMP is to make neighborhood streets safer by reducing automobile traffic speeds and creating improved passage for bicyclists and pedestrians, while balancing the need to maintain emergency response times. The public process surrounding the NSMP was critical: we held numerous Town Halls throughout town, and actively solicited more than 1000 in-person and online comments that helped guide our work

20 Adam Swetlik Adam Swetlik Website: Facebook: facebook.com/adamswetlikforboulder/ Besides being in love with Boulder, tell us who you are and what the most compelling reason is for why you re running for City Council? As a citizen of Boulder for the last 11 years I ve seen the unaddressed inequality in our housing sector. After the 2016 election I was inspired to help those working class and young people who do not have the same options for affordable housing that existed in Boulder years ago. I ve worked multiple jobs since graduating just to keep up with housing cost increases. I m passionate about representing the members of our community that work long hours or multiple jobs just so they can stay part of this community. Most of the candidates in this race will share similar values and ideas, but we need a council with diverse viewpoints and experiences. I m running to provide a different perspective as a young, working-class citizen. of Boulder s economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Councilmember to maintain a vibrant economy? Boulder already has one of the best job markets in the country, including some of the best tech jobs and startups. We have no problem attracting business to this beautiful city. What is being left behind are the people to work these jobs who could further contribute to the economy by living where they work. Daily commuters add little to our economy compared to having those people be permanent residents. Small businesses also feel squeezed by exorbitant lease increases, getting pushed out of our city. We should not be allowing mega hotels for the rich to overtake diverse retail spaces such as The Hill. Developing and planning affordable spaces for small businesses will keep Boulder s retail economy unique. What do you believe are the most pressing human service needs in the City of Boulder and why? Boulder faces a major question on what to do with our transient population. Having few solutions to address this problem has accelerated it as an issue over recent years. A portion of our community see this population simply as undesirables who have no intention of contributing to our community without even giving them a chance to contribute. Successful cities will always have transient and homeless populations, but addressing these populations with morality is a choice. I believe we should be utilizing social services and work programs to help people in tough situations. Providing a small amount of help can substantially reduce, crime, littering, and most importantly human suffering. As citizens who pride ourselves on progressiveness it s time to come up with permanent solutions for everyone s benefit. people in our community? Boulder should be providing a pathway to better opportunities for our marginalized citizens. While there are several community organizations and nonprofits who provide great assistance to our citizens there s no doubt that growing inequality will accelerate growth of our low income populations. Continuing our push towards more affordable housing is the first step towards solving this problem. Renting doesn t provide a stable base for people to build their lives, and without a stable base we can never hope to build a community that will see other people s problems as their own. Boulder needs to be a community that cares, and caring for those who need assistance is where we need to begin. this project be accelerated and how should it be developed? The simplest answer is to choose a city government department or group that would benefit most from the facility and get them working. On the list of problems Boulder needs to address this is not a major issue that impacts the entire community. By being indecisive we re causing more debt to be incurred that will ultimately impact the community. This is one example of our government needing to be more decisive and prioritize our planning to benefit the community as a whole. Do you support the Transportation Master Plan s goal of increasing the mode share of bicycles from 10% to 30% by 2035 to achieve the community s environmental and livability goals? If so, what concrete steps do you propose to achieve this and how do you anticipate doing that while maintaining safety for cyclists and motorists alike? I do support the Transportation Master plan s goal. This is the right option to keep progressing toward our environmental and livability goals as a community. Continuing to increase safe crossing areas and lighting on trails will increase mode share. Partnering with community biking organizations in promoting events like Bike to Work Day will also generate more awareness to increase riders. Going forward we need to execute plans in a much more thoughtful way then the initial steps of the right-sizing initiative. Once individual plans are in place we need clear communication and marketing campaigns for the changes well in advance of their roll-out. Also these roll-outs need to be incremental in their execution to provide both cyclists and motorists time to adjust to the new flows. address the impacts of our in-commuting workforce? Providing a free Ecopass to those within the county would help reduce congestion within Boulder. Continuing to increase the share of low and middle income housing would allow more people to live where they work and invest in our community by being part of it. Further development of higher capacity projects will increase opportunities in the city on smaller footprints. Finally reconsidering laws maximizing how many people can live in a household or how many square feet each person must have will allow us to better utilize existing spaces to reduce traffic. including specifically the challenges regarding the success of huge visitation. Would you prioritize either protection or recreation on a hypothetical new property? I believe we should be approaching all open space with a balance of protection and recreation. Open space is meant to bring people together with nature, we just have to provide the knowledge and expectations of how to do that when developing space. Open spaces should be planned so that as many groups as possible can utilize it in harmony, including the pre-existing nature. While we have many passionate groups who have priorities about how open space should be used, working together and making concessions is how we learn to appreciate each other s priorities and further build caring in our community. The problem of huge visitation can be better addressed by marketing our many miles of Front Range trails instead of focusing on a very few which get overcrowded. Simply informing people of all their options will go a long way to helping congestion. Do you support Boulder s drive to municipalize its electric utility? If so, what are the limits on taxpayer dollars and time you are prepared to spend to achieve that goal and, if not, how do you propose to achieve Boulder s renewable energy goals? I am for municipalization. While this is a costly and time-consuming endeavour it is the right choice if Boulder s goal truly is sustainability. We are the tip of the spear in the fight against large energy corporations who seek short-term profits over our future. While this is a large expense, our long term financial and environmental security is better in our citizen s hands. This is a fight worth fighting to be a leader in the nation in sustainability. What transportation solutions would you suggest to ease congestion, especially resulting from 49,000 in-commuters, specifically those that drive alone? Would you favor solutions to improve roads and parking; bus or other transportation; cycling and walking, or some combination thereof? How would you fund transportation improvements? Do you favor higher parking costs and other disincentives to driving? A free Ecopass for Boulder County citizens is a good first step to decrease commuting by car. Aside from that continuing increase housing options is key to getting more people to live where they work. We have a large imbalance of housing to business activities at the moment. If large corporations continue entering Boulder and increasing jobs they should take on more responsibility for community development to allow easier commuting.i believe disincentivizing driving through higher parking cost will ultimately affect the lowest income people in our community more harshly and would like to avoid that tactic. Despite Boulder s reputation as a green community, we shape our built environment and transportation systems for lower impact? Small-footprint housing development is key to both increasing housing and generating a low carbon footprint. Boulder is going to keep growing, so addressing the problem as we build by building the right types of housing will ultimately lower our per-capita footprint. By addressing our housing problem we ll also reduce emissions from commuting. Do you support Boulder s inclusionary housing 37 38

21 Adam Swetlik ordinance requirements to produce permanently affordable housing? Should the requirements include permanently affordable middle income housing? And, what do you think is the appropriate mix of permanently affordable rental versus ownership units? I do support the inclusionary housing ordinance and I think it should be expanded to middle income housing. Boulder is a very successful city with a huge job market, but housing has not kept pace. Many individuals make enough to not qualify for low-income housing but nowhere near enough to afford even a small condo. We need a new tier of housing requirements for these people. Without the possibility of ownership we can t hope to build a diverse and invested community. The American Dream is built on owning your own home, so I believe we should make as many permanently affordable units for ownership as possible. Accessory dwelling units otherwise known as granny flats have been considered as one option for expanding affordable housing options in established neighborhoods. Please explain your position on whether or not ADUs are an appropriate affordable housing tool for our community? While this option is not ideal as compared to more large scale affordable housing projects this does provide a way to use existing space to help more people live where they work. ADUs also provide a source of income for people who are priced out by increasing property taxes and mayjj help many middle and low income people retain their homes. As an added benefit utilizing existing space for more people will help lower the carbon footprint of the space. What s your vision for Boulders growth and development over the next 20 years? Boulder needs to spend the next 20 years reducing inequality and providing opportunity for all of its community members. Through representation of all citizens regardless of income and background we can build a Boulder that is prepared to face struggles as a tightly-bound community. Focusing on getting people to live where they work will build this sense of community. As we travel this path we need to keep our growth sustainable so that the positive aspects that attract people to Boulder are maintained. and joint problem solving to address this issue? I think it s very important to respect the people of Boulder who have lived here a long time. This is a unique and beautiful place in the world, and they live here because of it. I can t fault anyone for wanting to keep Boulder the way it has been in past years. While keeping this in mind we have to prepare for changes that are coming regardless of our desires. Our city s success has put a crunch on many people who make its uniqueness possible. Citizens need a voice through all levels of government for the young and working class people who just want a future as part of our community. Without including different perspectives we won t be a diverse and inclusive community, which leads to poor decision making. Good discourse starts with full representation, and that s what we need now more than ever. Website: sam@sam4council.org Phone: Sam Weaver Besides being in love with Boulder, tell us who you are and what the most compelling reason is for why you re running for City Council? I am indeed in love with Boulder, and have been for the last 28 years. The values of Boulder citizens are infectious: environmentally aware, curious, educated, civic-minded, entrepreneurial, and dedicated to social justice. It is a community that thinks globally and acts locally. I have been proud and humbled by the chance to serve this community for the last 6 years, and would be honored to serve it again if the residents of Boulder think that s a good path forward. I have always strived to be a servant-leader, serving on a host of boards of environmental organizations, being an active member of the Sugarloaf Volunteer Fire Department for 15 years, 2 of those as Chief, and serving on the Boulder Planning Board before being elected to City Council. I have also founded and run two companies here in town, one of which is devoted to producing electricity through sustainable means. I would be proud to represent the people of Boulder again on Council, and the reasons I am running include mitigating and adapting to climate change, promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency, working to implement better land use policy that includes increased community benefit, and furthering social and economic equity in our city. of Boulder s economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Councilmember to maintain a vibrant economy? I am the founder of a Boulder based company developing clean energy technology. Boulder s entrepreneurial culture is important to the place we ve become and should be nourished by the public sector. I would support continuation of the Flexible Rebate program to retain some of our fast-growing companies in the area. I would also initiate a discussion of how use tax is applied to prototype equipment purchased by hardware development companies, and software in general, to make sure that tax policy is encouraging entrepreneurship. I support a dedicated economic vitality program annual budget, and strong City coordination with business groups. What do you believe are the most pressing human service needs in the City of Boulder and why? I think Boulder s most pressing human/social service needs are addressing homelessness, delivering culturally sensitive support to the Hispanic community especially in the areas of education and domestic violence, and preparing for the ageing of the Boulder population. The City needs to continue to increase the amount of affordable housing in the City, expand support for the homeless in collaboration with non-profits, and protect and advance the safety of all of its residents. In addition, the City needs to address the increasing difficulty of middle-income individuals and families to afford to live in Boulder. people in our community? The City of Boulder has a critical role to play in the provision of local social services. Traditionally in Colorado, counties take the lead in receiving and disbursing funds for Medicare, Medicaid, housing assistance, and other social services. Boulder has long adopted a policy of buttressing these county services with its own direct aid to those in need, principally through directing funding to existing social service agencies. Another front on which Boulder provides direct support is through providing funding to affordable housing projects, including partnering with Boulder Housing Partners, Thistle Communities, Habitat for Humanity, Attention Homes, and other organizations. In addition, the Human Services department provides direct grant funding to a host of local non-profits, including EFAA, Bridge House, Boulder Shelter for the Homeless, Mental Health Partners, and many others. Finally, the City provides direction around the coordination of services between these non-profits, its police force, and the municipal court system. This is all as it should be in a progressive city like Boulder. this project be accelerated and how should it be developed? The planning process for the Alpine/Balsam project is well underway, and the needs of the entire community, including the neighborhood in which the project will be developed, should be carefully considered. There is no reason to rush the planning for this site. The site should consider the following uses for its development: City offices, County offices, affordable housing, mixed use including food service, small business space, and space for community gatherings. Other considerations should be given to public art, highly energy efficient construction, and excellence in site design

22 Sam Weaver Sam Weaver Do you support the Transportation Master Plan s goal of increasing the mode share of bicycles from 10% to 30% by 2035 to achieve the community s environmental and livability goals? If so, what concrete steps do you propose to achieve this and how do you anticipate doing that while maintaining safety for cyclists and motorists alike? I do support this goal, and will support a variety of policies to achieve it. First and foremost is to continue to extend our greenways network. Combining flood control and transportation, our greenways provide a low-stress way for bicycles to travel through the city without close contact with auto traffic. The greenways and paths have the advantage of fully separating cyclists and pedestrians from motor vehicles, ensuring a high degree of safety for all modes, and enabling more rapid transit by cyclists and peds due to the underpasses that accompany the greenway system. It almost goes without saying that the current sidewalk system needs to be maintained, and expanded to areas that desire it, mostly for the benefit of peds, but in certain areas for bikes as well. Maintaining road-level multi-use paths is the next-best set of solutions for bikes and peds, as some degree of physical separation exists between modes, though curb-cuts and turning autos still present some level of auto interaction with bikes/peds. The next-best set of solutions is street-level bike lanes which have some form of physical separation, as in the existing pilot along Folsom between Valmont and Spruce. Finally, stripe-separated bike lanes along most city streets allows bikes between sidewalks and vehicle lanes, and while this is the least safe of the network solutions, it provides access to all areas of the City. The Safe Streets Boulder program is an example of Boulder s efforts towards better safety for all modes. address the impacts of our in-commuting workforce? I believe in using the high number of in-commuters as a motivation for two things: an excellent public transit system (local and regional), and a continued focus on housing access for all income levels. Since current zoning in Boulder allows for 45,000 new employees, and only 6,000 new dwelling units, Boulder clearly needs to re-examine its current zoning to enable more residential development and less commercial. In addition, I think that gradual, sensible, and sensitive in-fill development can make a neighborhood (like mine in Whittier) very walkable, and create a great diversity of housing types and costs. A person who lives in Boulder and is holds a job is 75% likely to work in Boulder. So when we add housing in Boulder, there is a good chance someone who lives there will work in Boulder. I think that when people live and work in the same place, they have a strong social connection to that place, and tend to give back to it in many ways. Regarding expansion of Boulder, I would consider annexation only in the case of a truly excellent project that provided a lot of measurable community benefit to the existing Boulder community ( affordable housing, public gathering spaces, public art, excellent energy efficiency, etc) and clearly met the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan guidelines. Whatever policy changes enable any increase in housing (zoning changes or overlay districts, etc) needs to be worked on in close partnership with the local neighborhoods. People picked their areas to live in for a reason, and should be part of any decision-making process. including specifically the challenges regarding the success of huge visitation. Would you prioritize either protection or recreation on a hypothetical new property? It is fitting that in the year of the 50th anniversary of the founding of Boulder s Open Space program, that a major strategic visioning process should kick off to guide management for the next 50 years. The Master Plan should set forth criteria-based decision-making processes for determining which uses, if any, are appropriate for each type of area of Open Space. The different ecological types of land managed by OSMP are already well-categorized in other documents, and guidelines and criteria for uses in each type should be set forth, without making specific determinations of use within sites. Theories of management for the different area types should be laid out clearly. Management of uses should be spelled out explicitly, and every effort should be made to allow as many uses on trails as possible without causing appreciable degradation of the local ecological and habitat value of the land. Where user conflicts are noted, the plan should be creative in proposing strategies for managing uses, considering approaches such as alternating uses by schedule (temporal separation) and using use restrictions only when levels of use conflict are unacceptable, or when given uses are causing degradation of the habitat values. Regarding prioritizing preservation or recreation on a hypothetical new property, there are many issues to consider. The value of open space has the many aspects laid out in the Charter: preservation or restoration of natural areas; preservation of water resources; preservation of land for passive recreational use; preservation of agricultural uses; utilization of land for shaping City development; utilization of non-urban land for spatial definition of urban areas; utilization of land to prevent encroachment on floodplains; preservation of land for its aesthetic or passive recreational value and contribution to quality of life. The tensions inherent to the discussion of how much use, when and where are inherent in the purposes listed, which include passive recreation as well as preservation. A guiding principle for me is that OSMP habitat which shelters threatened or endangered species (both vegetation and wildlife) should be treated with the utmost care, and that in those areas, preservation values must be addressed first. In areas in which primarily more common species are found, the balance between preservation and use can tilt somewhat more towards user group interests. Regardless of the regulations developed, enforcement should be strong in order to preserve natural values and minimize user conflict. Do you support Boulder s drive to municipalize its electric utility? If so, what are the limits on taxpayer dollars and time you are prepared to spend to achieve that goal and, if not, how do you propose to achieve Boulder s renewable energy goals? I am a full-throated advocate for Boulder to have its own municipal electric system. There are many reasons for this, the first among them the City s adopted climate and renewable-energy goals. Boulder (and other Colorado cities) will never reach their climate commitments with the current energy provider Xcel unless Xcel were to change course radically. In the best possible projections, even if Xcel gets all it aspires to (which may be a bad deal for ratepayers) Xcel may achieve a 55% emissions reduction by Boulder is committed to a carbon-emissions-free electricity system by The only way for Boulder to meet its climate and energy goals (which I helped to establish and am personally committed to) is a municipal electric utility. The additional benefits of a muni include local democratic control as well as the ability to test and establish new energy provider business models, which can further advance clean energy goals outside of the Boulder footprint. Supporting the muni is foundational to me, and even if Boulder s efforts were to fail, I would continue to support state action towards a rational Modern Path to Municipalization. That state-level push for energy choice would be coupled with additional city incentives for renewable energy, energy efficiency, and electrification of transportation. What transportation solutions would you suggest to ease congestion, especially resulting from 49,000 in-commuters, specifically those that drive alone? Would you favor solutions to improve roads and parking; bus or other transportation; cycling and walking, or some incombination thereof? How would you fund7.705 in transportation improvements? Do you favor higher parking costs and other disincentives to driving? As Boulder continues to grow, typically at 0.5% residential and 0.7% commercial, traffic congestion will continue to increase. To believe otherwise is foolish. However, every effort should be made to mitigate the increase in congestion and emissions related to transportation. While some parties seem to believe that there will be a miracle solution through autonomous vehicles and transportation network providers like Uber and Lyft, I am highly skeptical that we should count on those technological solutions to make a big dent in congestion and emissions. Instead, I believe that Boulder should incentivize the increased use of electrical transportation modes of all kinds. Autos, scooters, and bicycles are all modes which are being electrified currently, and there are electric versions of all types of modes for sale. For the last year, I have been commuting more and more by electric bike, putting over 1000 miles on the bike during the first year of ownership. The current County programs for electric vehicle sales (including both autos and bikes) are a good start in incentivizing this transition. City codes have been adopted for new construction to require some charging facilities in new buildings, and the City provides 44 charging stations (and counting) across its parking system. Working with RTD to provide the best possible options to encourage high use of transit remains an important strategy, including subsidizing more bus frequency on heavily-used routes, and continuing to work towards a community-wide EcoPass. Finally (and with the most complexity) land use regulation can be used to reduce the number of vehicle-miles travelled through incentivizing developers to build in areas and manners that allow all modes of travel. Despite Boulder s reputation as a green community, we shape our built environment and transportation systems for lower impact? Increased electrification of all building systems, increased electrification of transportation, and an increasingly carbon-emissions-free system of electricity generation will all contribute to a lower average carbon footprint for Boulder residents and businesses. A community-wide Ecopass for Boulder residents and workers can only help with the emissions issue, and well-considered transit-oriented development (in the TVAP and along Broadway and Arapahoe, among others) are other strategies to reduce emissions. A municipal electric utility in Boulder would put these decisions into the hands of Boulder residents. Do you support Boulder s inclusionary housing ordinance requirements to produce permanently affordable housing? Should the requirements include permanently affordable middle income housing? And, what do you think is the appropriate mix of permanently affordable rental versus ownership units? I fully support the inclusionary housing requirements as they currently exist, but also support putting commercial development on par with residential development in terms of what new development pays towards affordable housing. Development of commercial space should also pay a roughly 20% share towards affordable housing taxing housing to pay for housing only makes sense if all development is taxed at the same level. And I also support housing assistance for the bottom half of the middle-income bracket, especially through down-payment assistance that is loaned in exchange for permanent ownership affordability. Accessory dwelling units otherwise known as granny flats have been considered as one option for expanding affordable housing options in established neighborhoods. Please explain your position on whether or not ADUs are an appropriate affordable housing tool for our community? Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and owner accessory units (OAUs) are both potential paths to gentle infill which serve homeowners and the community in various ways. For homeowners, these two dwelling unit types allow for income generation, offsetting high housing prices, and allowing aging in place. For the community, additional housing supply allows for more choice and housing availability. After a sufficient process for public engagement and input, I could support increased ADU/OAU density, removing the ban on these structures in new development, and making the transfer and licensing of these structure much easier

23 Sam Weaver What s your vision for Boulders growth and development over the next 20 years? I support a continued focus on keeping the Boulder quality of life very high. We live in a beautiful natural setting, and have inherited a community developed by leaders who insisted on environmental considerations and a careful development process which has given us the wonderful City we live in today. We need to continue that thoughtful approach to development, critically questioning whether our land use and zoning designations are serving to steer us to the Boulder in which we want to live. It is exceedingly clear that Boulder is a regional employment center, and our current zoning for 45,000 new jobs but only 6,000 new dwelling units is only going to produce increasing congestion and emissions. If re-elected, one of my goals will be to take a look at the structural issues around commercial vs residential development, and make adjustments which do not exacerbate our in-commuting challenges. and joint problem solving to address this issue? I have tried to model civility over the last 6 years, even as I have had vigorous disagreements with others in our community on land use and development issues. I am committed to civil discourse on all wicked problems facing Boulder (homelessness, municipalization, climate change response, growth and development, etc). Local politics is the level at which we must model the behavior that we hope to return to our state and federal politics, and I am personally committed to being able to disagree without being disagreeable. I routinely sit down with people that I disagree with on policy but can still wish them the best in their personal life. I consider this one of my strengths as a leader. What is the most important issue to you in Boulder and what kind of leadership will you provide for addressing it? The two issues that I consider the most challenging for Boulder are climate change which will affect all beings on the planet, and housing affordability, which is emblematic of ever-rising income inequality nationally. On climate change, I think my record is clear, and I will continue to advocate for increased energy efficiency through building codes, cleaner energy generation through a public power utility or a new path with Xcel, and increasing electrification of transportation and building systems. On affordable housing, I will support increasing commercial linkage fees to fund more low-income affordable housing, and I will work to pilot a modern-era down-payment assistance program for middle-income earners which will bring increased housing access and grow the pool of permanently affordable ownership units in Boulder. As a Boulder City Council member what kind of legacy will you look to leave? My ideal legacy would include a 100% renewable electrical power supply for Boulder residents and businesses, a diverse economic population not eroded by high housing costs, a continued thriving local economy, and a well-preserved and -maintained parks and open space system for the enjoyment and well-being of the local community. Website: youngforcouncil.org Mary Young of Boulder s economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Councilmember to maintain a vibrant economy? A sustainable economy (per BVCP) promotes a diverse economy that supports the needs of all community members. Boulder is falling behind in two primary areas that create vitality: 1) Lack of available workers with specialized skills (non-university technical training) and 2) Rising rents for small commercial businesses either displacing them or causing their demise. The city currently doesn t have a way to protect these small businesses from rising rents in privately owned buildings. To address: #1 I would: Work with employers, educators and partners to develop and support programs designed to provide workforce training opportunities that also meet the human services goal of economic mobility. #2 I would: Ensure that in the update of the Economic Sustainability Strategy the city adopt some or all of the strategies recommended in the ILSR Report among which are strategies that reduce the power imbalance in tenant/landlord negotiations and recognizing businesses at cultural landmarks. Family Homelessness - Single parent households (often headed by women) are more susceptible to economic hardships, especially when fleeing domestic abuse. Fifty percent of homeless individuals in Boulder are families. people in our community? Boulder is one of very few municipalities that taxes themselves for Human Services and has a Human Services Department. That role is usually filled by counties. Boulder s role should be as: Service Provider in circumstances involving an expressed desire of the community, a service need that cannot be met through other sectors, or a service that requires such a broad collaborative effort or institutional capacity that it is appropriate for the city to provide. Funder awarding approximately $2.1 million to communityagencies for programs and services to Boulder residents that align with the community s most pressing needs. Partner funding to community agencies to provide community services and partnering with other organizations, governments and community members to plan for emerging social needs. this project be accelerated and how should it be developed? The city purchased the site in December of 2014 with 10 year callable Certificates of Participation (COPs) with a call date of 2026 or after. This means we can call, or buy back, any debt with a maturity date of 2026 or later. To do so, the city would need to pay the debt holders the remaining principal and accrued interest at the time that number would high (~ $24 million). Doing the math, other than the slightly higher yield, it would be pretty much a wash to pay off the $24 million in What do you believe are the most pressing human service needs in the City of Boulder and why? Poverty - Excluding college students, approximately 7,000 residents live in households earning under the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG), an annual income of ~ $24,000 for a family of four; nearly 50 percent of Boulder residents live in households earning < 300 percent FPG, ~ $74,000 annual income for a family of four. So, in essence, we are committed to 20 years worth of annual debt service dollars (~ $2.825 million) regardless of process pace and redevelopment time. I support good process and including input from a broad spectrum of community members per the recommendations of the Public Participation Working Group and guiding principles set by City Council in Equity and Inclusion - The Boulder Community Perception Assessment report identified that non-majority community members and newcomers report a small, but persistent lack of inclusion (local lack of exposure to diversity, micro-aggressions, affordability.) The CPA also identified the lack of affordable housing, access to basic living supplies and representation in local government as factors creating these perceptions of inequity