The City of Boulder Planning Board voted to recommend that City Council rezone 5501 and 5505 Arapahoe Avenue to MU‑4 and, in a separate decision, approved the developer’s form‑based code application for a five‑story mixed‑use building containing 300 dwelling units and about 2,918 square feet of retail. The rezoning recommendation passed unanimously; the form‑based code approval passed 4–3 after extended questioning about design, open space, and exceptions.

Why it matters: The project is the first major redevelopment under the East Boulder Subcommunity Plan (EBSP) and the new East Boulder form‑based code (STAMP). Staff and the applicant argued the project would deliver housing near jobs and transit, preserve an existing East Boulder business in relocated retail space, and provide a significant contribution to the city’s affordable housing fund. Board members and members of the public identified tradeoffs between achieving higher density and ensuring street‑level design quality, usable outdoor spaces, and production‑oriented ground‑floor spaces.

What the board approved and required: Staff found the application generally consistent with the form‑based code aside from several requested exceptions; the board ultimately approved the application with these key conditions or clarifications: (1) the final plan set must show the required production business (maker) space with a minimum 12‑foot floor‑to‑ceiling height (the applicant had asked to reduce the required 12 ft to 10 ft so the unit above the space could be retained); (2) final site plans must note and include a written addendum describing how the requested exception for the Arapahoe streetscape plazas (applicant requested shallower plazas than the 20‑ft maximum setback) meets the exception criteria in chapter 9‑14; (3) the project’s requested modification to the city’s bike‑parking proportion (22.5% short‑term / 77.5% long‑term rather than 25%/75%) was supported by staff and accepted by the board; and (4) staff’s other recommended conditions and technical edits were adopted.

What exceptions were requested and how the board treated them: The applicant requested several deviations from the form‑based code: a 10‑ft production business ceiling (instead of 12 ft), an impervious coverage increase to 70% (versus 65% maximum) counting green roofs as semi‑pervious, a modification to allow two vehicle access points where one is typically required, and a small adjustment to bike‑parking ratios. After discussion, the board denied the reduced production ceiling (members expressed concern it would undermine intended maker uses) but accepted the applicant’s written justification for the impervious coverage and the bike parking modification and granted the second access point as a safety and circulation compromise given the current incomplete street grid.

Board debate highlights: Several members praised the project for advancing EBSP goals and delivering housing at a major East Boulder intersection, while others said the architecture and façade articulation as presented did not meet the aspirational character shown in the EBSP/STAMP reference images. Members pressed staff and the applicant for data and mapping on impervious/semi‑pervious calculations, solar access for interior courtyards, traffic analysis justifying the second access point, and stormwater/green‑roof design and maintenance. The applicant said green‑roof trays and a combination of at‑grade pervious areas would offset added impervious area and emphasized TDM commitments, a mobility hub, and significant bicycle and EV infrastructure.

Public comment: The hearing drew supporters from local business (Jonathan Singer, Boulder Chamber) and former planning board members (David Ensign) who urged the board to advance EBSP implementation and workforce housing. Some commenters opposed rezoning and high‑density development and raised concerns about unit sizes and neighborhood impacts.

Next steps: The Planning Board’s rezoning recommendation moves to City Council for a final determination. The form‑based code approval is final at the planning board level but will be accompanied by the conditions noted above, and staff is responsible for checking the required final plan changes and the written addendum prior to permit processing.

Representative quotes

"This site is the marquee corner of East Boulder...we're believers in East Boulder," said developer Dan Kennelly, describing the project as transit‑oriented and a generator of jobs‑adjacent housing.

"I don't think Juliet balconies and a six‑inch parapet meet the level of articulation the code intended," said Planning Board member Laura, urging stricter interpretation of façade articulation standards.

"There is a real safety issue...with access solely from 56th Street," the applicant said in support of a second access point from 55th.

Ending: The board’s votes finish the Planning Board’s formal review stage: the rezoning recommendation will go to City Council, and the form‑based code approval will move forward to technical plan checks and permit review with the conditions recorded in the board’s motion.