Good Friday morning, Boulder. Today’s BRL Today is sponsored by the Chautauqua Association. Step away and reconnect at the Chautauqua Women’s Wellness Retreat, a space to slow down and recharge this spring.
Leading today: A group of Boulder residents is pushing to put a vacancy tax on the November ballot, targeting homes and commercial spaces that sit empty for more than half the year. The measure would impose a $7,000 annual tax on vacant homes and a per-square-foot fee on empty commercial properties, with supporters arguing it could ease housing shortages and revive underused spaces. The proposal goes further than a similar idea being explored by the city council. John Herrick reports.
Also today: More housing news shaping Boulder right now, plus additional updates, Below the Fold.
- BoulderCAST: Cold today, near 80 this weekend.
- HOME Act: Polis signs zoning override to allow more housing.
- Area III: Expansion back on the table, up to 8,700 homes possible.
- BVSD: Livestreams begin as school closure decisions near.
- Wildfire Partners: Rebate program returns, expands to HOAs next.
- No Kings: Protests planned across Boulder County Saturday.
Thanks, as always, for reading,
– The BRL team
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Boulder residents launch vacancy tax push targeting empty homes and commercial spaces
Organizers say the proposed ballot measure aims to address housing scarcity and revitalize empty commercial spaces. The money would go toward affordable housing, commercial activation incentives and wildfire mitigation. Continue reading…
A cool and gloomy Friday ahead of another very warm weekend
After days of record‑shattering warmth this week, Boulder is waking up this Friday to a completely different airmass. A cold front that pushed through last evening has left us socked into low clouds, cooler temperatures and lingering moisture along the base of the Foothills. We may hang onto some drizzle or flurries through the morning before drying out this afternoon.
Temperatures will really struggle compared to the 80s we saw all week. Highs today will only reach the lower 50s, and if upslope clouds remain too stubborn, some spots may stay in the 40s all day.
The chill won’t last long, however. A strong ridge is poised to rebuild this weekend, sending temperatures right back toward 80 on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, each day flirting with more record highs, despite quite a bit of cloud cover.
A cooler, potentially wetter pattern finally returns next week as another front arrives late Tuesday. This one will bring a definitive, longer-lasting end to this heatwave as we head into early April. More seasonal temperatures and mountain snow are a given. Boulder’s precipitation outlook is more nuanced and remains TBD.
Polis signs HOME Act making it easier to build housing by overriding local zoning
Gov. Jared Polis has signed the Housing Opportunities Made Easier Act, or HOME Act, which will allow school districts, universities, housing authorities, transit districts and qualifying nonprofits to build housing on properties up to five acres, regardless of local zoning rules.
The law takes effect in 2028. All of Boulder’s state legislators — Sen. Judy Amabile and Reps. Lesley Smith and Junie Joseph — supported the bill. The Boulder City Council sought to amend the bill rather than take a position for or against it.
The law prohibits local governments from applying more restrictive standards to these projects than they apply to similar housing elsewhere in their jurisdictions. Projects could reach up to 45 feet in height, exceeding Boulder’s 35-foot limit in many areas. Read more on BRL.
Boulder Planning Board reverses course on Area III, allowing expansion planning to proceed
Boulder’s Planning Board voted 4-3 this week to continue studying a possible expansion of the city into the Area III planning reserve, a 493-acre parcel northeast of the city that remains largely undeveloped.
The site has capacity for up to 8,700 housing units, making it one of the city’s largest potential opportunities to address its housing shortage and create a new neighborhood. Skeptics of expanding into the area have cited the need to prioritize infill development within city limits, the significant cost of extending city services and the workload it would impose on staff.
In January, the Planning Board voted 4-3 that there was not sufficient community need to warrant further consideration of expanding into the planning reserve, nearly closing the door on the idea until the next Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan update, roughly five to 10 years away. The Boulder City Council later disagreed, finding there was sufficient need and allowing the Planning Board to revisit its decision. This week’s narrow vote to reverse course now allows that planning work to proceed. Read more on BRL.
BVSD launches livestream series on enrollment as closure decisions loom
As Boulder Valley School District weighs possible school closures tied to declining enrollment, officials are launching a series of livestream events to explain the challenges, impacts and potential next steps, and to take questions from the community.
The three “Let’s Talk Education” sessions began yesterday, with additional events on April 2 and April 9. All will be streamed on BVSD’s YouTube channel and recorded for later viewing. A separate round of in-person community meetings begins April 13 across Boulder, Louisville and Broomfield.
The outreach comes as the district enters a critical phase in its consolidation planning, with recommendations expected in June and a final decision anticipated this fall.
Boulder Reporting Lab is covering the issue in its ongoing series, BVSD: The Enrollment Reckoning.
One story examines how years of declining enrollment and rising costs are pushing the district to consider closing and consolidating schools. Another looks back at a divisive 2000 consolidation that sparked protests and mistrust and what lessons may shape the process this time.
Residents can submit questions in advance or participate during the livestreams, with officials saying community input will help inform upcoming decisions.
Wildfire Partners rebate program returns; multifamily expansion set to open mid-April
Boulder County’s Wildfire Partners rebate program is open for 2026, with a key expansion on the way: A multifamily rebate program, piloted last year, is expected to open in mid-April for HOAs, condo associations and townhome communities.
The program will support large-scale mitigation in shared spaces, starting with “Junk Your Junipers” removal. To participate, communities must apply online, provide HOA or property management documentation, notify residents and host a site visit where specialists identify vegetation for removal. Applicants must then secure contractor bids, complete the work and pass a final inspection before receiving reimbursement.
The general rebate program for individual homeowners and renters is already open, with applications due Oct. 8 and claims due Oct. 29.
No Kings protests planned across Boulder County Saturday
No Kings visibility events are planned throughout Boulder County tomorrow, March 28, to protest Trump administration policies. Three protests will be held in Boulder: the main No Kings march from 1-3 p.m., starting at the Bandshell at Broadway and Canyon and moving clockwise; a morning protest at the intersection of Foothills Parkway and Thunderbird Drive from 10-11:30 a.m.; and a third event on Taft Drive from 2-3 p.m.
Other protests countywide include:
- Superior: 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at McCaslin Boulevard and Marshall Road
- Broomfield: 10 a.m.-12 p.m. on the north side of 120th Avenue, west and east of Sheridan Boulevard
- Erie: 1-3 p.m. at Erie Parkway and East County Line Road
- Lafayette: 12-2 p.m. at U.S. 287 and West South Boulder Road
- Longmont: 12-2 p.m. at Roosevelt Park
- Louisville: 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at McCaslin Boulevard and Dillon Road
- Lyons: 12-2 p.m. at Lyons Freedom Triangle
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