Strip malls set back from the street behind large parking lots are common throughout Boulder. Despite being centrally located within the city and along major transit corridors, these areas are under-utilized relics of mid-century planning philosophies and have become eyesores that are out-of-step with modern urban planning practices and Boulder’s housing, transportation, and sustainability needs.

How does this proposal further high-level City goals and plans?
Redeveloping under-utilized strip malls by rezoning them into mixed use or downtown districts would create attainable, in-fill housing along existing transit corridors with negligible impacts to existing residential communities.
Permitting redevelopment into mixed-use developments would provide more attainable housing, expand options for local businesses, and create diverse jobs and housing along major transit routes.
This rezoning could also address Boulder’s jobs-housing imbalance driving commuting and greenfield development in neighboring communities.

How Council can define the project clearly to guide staff implementation:
Direct city staff to research options for:
- (1) converting areas zoned BR-1, BC-1, BC-2, etc. into existing or revised mixed use zones
- (2) tying development in rezoned areas to affordability, accessibility, and sustainability goals, and
- (3) evaluating options for expedited review, reduced parking requirements, and other bonuses.

Rezone Business Districts

Boulder Progressives