03.17.15 linkage fee statement
TRANSCRIPT
PO Box 20646 Boulder, CO 80308 Ph: 720-222-9602 Email: [email protected] Web: www.BoulderTomorrow.com Twitter: @bouldertomorrow
The Best Business Ideas Shaping Boulder's Future
March 17, 2015
To: Boulder City Council
Re: Proposed Linkage Fees for Affordable Housing
Dear Boulder City Councilors,
I understand you are feeling an urgency to address potential community impacts borme of commercial
development, however I ask you to consider a slightly longer window before implementing the
proposed July 6 implementation date for the affordable housing linkage fee. We especially find the
concepts in the detail shared by Councilor Mary Young regarding the deferred payments based on more
real-world, real-time impacts of commercial development.
As I mentioned before, I've heard numerous commercial property owners' concerns - particularly those
who've recently closed on property purchases with plans to develop buildings well within "regular"
regulations (no height exemption or special requests) - that reflect how the proposed linkage fees would
add expense that was not on their radar. Some plans may not be moving forward and otherwise this
ultimately impacts tenancy lease rates for the entire spectrum of Boulder's businesses. Plus, these costs
are in addition to 2015's water rate increases, proposed mandatory recycling and composting rules (not
debating this – but it is an additional expense) and there is a process underway to consider increased
parking rates in parts of the city.
As a project’s affordable housing demands do not occur when a building permit is applied for (or other
similar plans are submitted) it is reasonable to correlate the timing of any such fees with the need.
Would you consider bumping this implementation date until November, December or even January
2016? In addition, a phasing of the fee over time would be quite reasonable. This would give current
design plans & recent property owners time to either submit development plans or otherwise assess the
financial impacts this new fee will have.
We're not arguing the merit of the linkage fee, however the quick implementation outside of a broader
or more complete housing and community benefit conversation makes this seem like more of blunt anti-
development step than it needs to be.
Thanks for considering these ideas,
Dan Powers
Executive Director
Boulder Tomorrow
720-222-9602
PO Box 20646 Boulder, CO 80308 Ph: 720-222-9602 Email: [email protected] Web: www.BoulderTomorrow.com Twitter: @bouldertomorrow
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