Commissioners Say "No" to Subdivision; Longmont Quail Road Annexation Back on the Table; and more

July 2025

It's been an eventful few weeks since our last update!  Here's a quick rundown on what's new in rural Boulder County. 

Important Dates Ahead:  

• August 8:  Deadline for comments on the 2025 State Wildlife Action Plan.  Interconnected rural landscapes are vital to wildlife.  Here is the link to provide your comments.  (Note, you do have to create an account to register and provide comments.)

  
  

• August 19, September 9:  Public input events related to the update of the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan.  Check the City of Boulder website for details on how to give your input to this plan, which covers the City of Boulder and some surrounding parts of unincorporated Boulder County.

Here's What Has Happened Since Our June Newsletter

• 63rd Street Subdivision application decision: DENIAL!   We are RELIEVED to report that the Commissioners voted 2-1 on July 10 to deny the application for a subdivision at the southwest corner 63rd Street and Niwot Road.  Whew!  [Read news coverage here.]  This happy ending was welcomed by about 25 of us who attended the July 10 meeting of the Commissioners.  After two long years, it was all over in about 7 minutes at this meeting, when Commissioner Stolzmann cast the final and deciding vote. [You can watch the video here.]  She cited the numerous violations of the Boulder County Comprehensive Plan, and added one that hadn't been previously called out (related to increased fire hazards that would be posed by the development).  We were worried that this subdivision, if approved, would have started a cascade of dominoes with other rural properties in the County. It is extremely gratifying that the process worked and the Commissioners upheld the Comprehensive Plan.  And it shows that committed, respectful, and strong community opposition can make a difference.  About 2,000 people signed the two opposition petitions, and over 200 opposition letters flooded the Commissioners' inbox during the two years.  Several of us gathered to celebrate the happy outcome!  The smiles tell the story.

Neighbors gathered on July 20th to celebrate!

• Along the way, the subdivision battle had a baby! We named it the Pro-RURAL Alliance.   The 63rd Street Subdivision battle is what initially brought the two founders of the Pro-RURAL Alliance (Karen Mandery and Chris Ennis) together.  While in the midst of that battle, they realized that there's a need for a broader effort to help the community "keep watch" on issues that affect rural Boulder County.  Since then, there have been several issues we've tracked-- the Gunbarrel tennis complex proposal being the other biggest success (that land now is County open space!).  It remains our goal to inform you and be involved in several issues that are still pending (Kanemoto, Quail Road, Lafayette annexations...) and we know there will always be new ones.  Please spread the word, share this newsletter, and encourage others to sign up for it.  (It's free!) 

  
  

• The Longmont annexation/Quail Road development proposal is back on the table:  Residents were given no notice of a June 17th Longmont City Council meeting to consider whether to advance a revised proposal for annexation and development of the 17-acre site at the northeast corner of Clover Basin Drive and Airport Road in Longmont.  The developer revised the proposal for 310 apartments (hastily withdrawn in February when a Council "no" vote was imminent), to make 15% of them for-sale affordable units via a letter of intent with Habitat for Humanity (total quantity still 310).  Residents do not feel this adequately addresses their concerns about the proliferation of rental units within a mile radius of this site and the density of the development.  The Council voted 4-3 to refer the proposal into the annexation review process, but the vote does not imply approval or that annexation will occur.  Although the developer held the required neighborhood meeting in July and raised the possibility of more for-sale units, many questions could not be answered and details were sparse.  Here is news coverage of the story.  We encourage concerned citizens to stay engaged in the process, which will include more public hearings and meetings. The Council vote was close.  Council members have expressed continued concerns about the very valid issues raised by the community, and stated their desire to achieve the appropriate housing use for the property.

  

  
  

• Planning Commission advances application for dog kennel on eastern Niwot Road:  Docket SU-24-0003 was approved by the Planning Commission on July 16.  It now advances to the County Commissioners for a final decision.  This is a special-use application by the homeowners at 12350 Niwot Road for a dog kennel on 10 acres zoned agricultural. Read news coverage here.

• The Niwot Feed Store to become the Feedstore Commons?  [This is a little off our topic, but we thought you might be interested because of the feed store's long history of serving the needs of rural Boulder County.]  On July 23rd the County conditionally approved a proposal for a small mixed commercial/residential development, to replace the feed store operated for years by Steve and Kay Rollman in downtown Niwot.  Four storefronts will be on the ground floor, and four residential two-bedroom units will be above. The proposal is in a 14-day waiting period, during which it could be called up by the Commissioners for a public hearing.  Here is the link to the County's document containing the plans (scroll waaaayyyy down, it's several pages long). 

  

Debate is Brewing about the County's Minimum Wage Increases

The Daily Camera published an editorial on May 4, arguing that the County Commissioners should roll back their minimum wage increases in unincorporated areas to match what the County's municipalities have set.  At present, the hourly minimum wage in unincorporated Boulder County is nearly $2 higher than the state's (and most County municipalities') value, and $1 above the city of Boulder.  Businesses in unincorporated areas, such as in Niwot, are at a competitive disadvantage, argues the editorial.  In addition, the ramifications for agriculture in Boulder County are especially concerning, as we've pointed out in our previous newsletters.  You can read the editorial here (Daily Camera paywall).  This Niwot website explains the difficulties with the minimum wage disparities between the unincorporated areas and municipalities of Boulder County, and suggests opportunities for the public to weigh in on the issues.

New on Our Radar

Potential land swap deal to develop a composting facility for Boulder County: Issue tabled by Longmont City Council. 

Late-breaking news:  At last night's Longmont City Council meeting (July 29), the Council voted unanimously to table this issue because of legal issues needing resolution. The City had intended to consider the issue on August 12, but a Council executive session on July 22 prompted the mayor to call for the July 29 special session and vote.  Read about this in news coverage here.  The Council meeting, including vigorous public comments that occurred, can be viewed in the video posted here.

BACKGROUND:  It would be great to have a composting facility in Boulder County, and the Commissioners have noted that it aligns with the County's environmental and sustainability goals.  But is this land the best place for it?  Even composting advocates have doubts. 

• There have been many letters to the Longmont  Times-Call newspaper, calling out wildlife and contamination concerns and objecting to the "repurposing" of a current Longmont-owned open space parcel (the "Distel" property) to become an industrial composting facility operated by Boulder County. In exchange, a portion of the nearby "Tull" property would become open space.

• Both properties are in Weld County but are owned by the City of Longmont and managed by different City departments (Distel by Open Space, and Tull by Utilities and Public Works). 

• Read about this potential Longmont/Boulder County partnership and the associated issues in news coverage here, and visit the County's website about this issue and the City of Longmont website about this issue.

• Former Commissioner Ron Stewart has commented that the proposal violates the trust of the public, who have repeatedly supported open space taxes and expect permanent protection of purchased open space lands. [link to Times-Call story, possible paywall]

• The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, when requested by the City of Longmont for their recommendation, met on June 23 and rejected the proposal as submitted, citing lack of evidence showing net benefit to open space.

• It next was to go to the City on July 22nd, but the City postponed that first reading and public hearing, and instead went into executive session about legalities.  

• Read more news coverage here (Times-Call, possible paywall) and here (Longmont Leader story). 

• The Council is expected to take up the issue of the land swap when the legal issues are resolved.  It would consider the issue involving a composting facility in a subsequent hearing and vote.

Still Pending

• Kanemoto Conservation Easement:  We continue to await the ruling from the Colorado Court of Appeals.  This ruling is not expected until at least mid-November.  We will keep you posted on the outcome.  As we've previously described, this issue concerns the citizens' legal opposition to the County's conditional termination of the conservation easement and the proposed subsequent annexation into the City of Longmont and possible development of over 400 units on the 40 acres.  The Kanemoto conservation easement is near Airport Road and Diagonal Highway.

• The Lafayette "Gateway" annexation of 78 acres gains support for open space instead of development (Baseline Rd and 119th Street):  In May, the Lafayette City Council found that the Gateway annexation petition meets the eligibility requirements for annexation. This vote does not imply that annexation and development will be approved.  The petition for annexation includes a proposal for development that seeks commercial and high-density residential zoning, though details of that proposal remain unknown.  Community members have a different future in mind:  Open Space.  The citizen group Preserve Lafayette argues that the City and/or County should acquire the ~78 acres north and south of Baseline Road and 119th Street and preserve it as open space, as identified in the Lafayette Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan. It is also included in the  Lafayette Open Space Board's annual proposed open space acquisition/conservation projects list for a joint purchase with Boulder County.  See news coverage here.  The mayor of Erie, Andrew Moore, has announced his support for the open space idea.  The City's website for this annexation is linked here. 

• News on two other proposed Lafayette annexations:  (1) Annexation and development is proposed for 19.5 acres located at 9850 and 9776 Arapahoe Road, just west of City of Lafayette boundaries.  The formal application for this, known as the "Boulder Creek" annexation, has not yet been submitted. The developer led a required neighborhood meeting for this proposal. (2) Another proposal for annexation and development, known as "The Range at Lafayette", is also on Arapahoe Road, just a half mile away at the intersection of Hwy 287. Negotiations between Erie and Lafayette on a water-related issue have taken place and they have reached an agreement. You can read about it here. The required developer-led public meetings for this proposed annexation have taken place, and the parcel has been found to be "eligible" for annexation.  The City's website for The Range is linked here.

  
  

As always, thanks for reading!