It’s Friday, Sept. 6, 2024.
Last night, the Boulder City Council approved a proposal to build 45 micro-apartments, each 300 square feet, on the east end of Pearl Street. While micro-unit complexes have become common in cities worldwide, the development at 2206 Pearl Street would be the first of its kind in Boulder. The project is only possible because of new zoning regulations passed in 2023. With rents expected to be around $2,500 per month, the proposal has sparked debate, highlighting tensions over housing development in a city grappling with an affordability crisis.
Also, Jenna Sampson provides in-the-courtroom details you won’t find anywhere else in her coverage of the opening statements in the King Soopers shooting trial. District Attorney Michael Dougherty recounted the details of the heinous attack, describing each victim, one by one, in the order of their deaths. He showed their faces and personalities through pictures. “The Kleenex,” she writes, “came out.”
Additionally, Boulder City Council has advanced three measures to the Nov. 5 ballot, and the latest homelessness count in Boulder County has been released.
Lastly, there’s still time to contribute to our late-summer fundraising campaign. Wow — more than 150 BRL readers have stepped up to support us in just the last 10 days! Thank you. If you join today, when BRL Today lands in your inbox Monday, you’ll get to say, “I paid for that. We did this together.” How often can you say, “I’ve helped build a newsroom from scratch with a scrappy but mighty team of journalists keeping Boulderites informed?” We’re grateful either way.
Have a great day.
— Tim, reporter
P.S. Not a subscriber to BRL Today yet? Sign up here.
Make Your Voice Heard! The St. Julien plans a monolithic, 55-foot-tall building on downtown’s last civic space with a Flatiorns view. That’s not “civic space.” Attend the virtual Boulder Urban Renewal Authority meeting this Friday at noon and voice your concerns. More details at www.protectbouldercivicspace.com.
Featured stories
Boulder City Council approves 45 micro-unit apartments on Pearl Street after debate over affordability
Developers are proposing to build the efficiency apartments on the east end of Pearl. It marks the first major housing project reviewed by the current council. Continue reading…
Three years after the tragedy: Opening statements set stage in King Soopers shooting trial, mental health at the center
The trial will focus on Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa’s schizophrenia, with the defense arguing that his delusions, not reality, drove his actions during the 2021 killing of 10 people at a Boulder grocery store. BRL takes you into the courtroom for opening statements. Continue reading…
Boulder Reporting Lab is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization that empowers our community through non-partisan, locally focused journalism that informs and connects.
In other news
Back to the high 80s
The next week will sport temps in the high 80s with a lot of sun and few clouds. The chance of precipitation stays steady at 15%, so each day we might get some rain, but probably not.
City council refers three measures to November ballot
Councilmembers on Thursday gave final approval to three ballot measures for the Nov. 5 election.
One proposal would raise council pay, setting the mayor’s salary at 50% of the area median income (approximately $51,000) and councilmembers pay at 40% (around $41,000). Currently, councilmembers earn about $12,700 per year, according to city officials. If passed, the ordinance would take effect when new councilmembers are sworn in, in December 2026.
Another measure would allow the city council to hold executive sessions for matters such as legal advice. A third measure would permit the council to modify the terms, eligibility and meeting schedules for volunteer boards and commissions.
Organizers have withdrawn two ballot measures aimed at decommissioning the Boulder Municipal Airport and redeveloping the land for affordable housing, citing a pending lawsuit with the FAA over the city’s obligation to keep the airport operational. Read on BRL.
County homelessness dips, but remains near record highs
In January, volunteers counted 727 people experiencing homelessness in Boulder County. While this is a decrease from last year’s count of 839, it is still the second-highest figure recorded since the count began in 2017.
The Point-in-Time report, published on Aug. 13, is a count of the number of homeless people on Jan. 22, 2024. Mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and conducted by the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative, the data provides some of the most reliable indicators of homelessness trends in Boulder County and across the Denver metro area, despite year-to-year variations due to weather, methodology and volunteer turnout.
Of the 727 people counted, at least 193 — over a quarter — were unsheltered, a slight decrease from 243 in 2023. Another quarter were living in transitional housing, while the remaining half slept in emergency shelters. Read more on BRL.
City lifts emergency fire restrictions, as wildfire risk temporarily eases
Alongside Boulder County, the cities of Boulder, Louisville and Lafayette have lifted the emergency fire restrictions that were enacted in August due to heightened wildfire risk. The restrictions, which banned open fires, fireworks and certain equipment use, were implemented to prevent wildfires during hot and dry conditions.
Recent weather changes have reduced fire danger, prompting all three cities to ease these regulations. Despite the lifted bans, officials urge residents to remain vigilant and adhere to general fire safety practices to help mitigate future risks. Superior maintained its fire restrictions through September. Boulder always has a ban on open burning in the city, but in August it expanded that ban to include limits on things like charcoal grills, smoking near any flammable vegetation and using a motorized vehicle off established roads and trails, to name a few.
It’s not too late: Income-qualified Colorado residents can trade their gas guzzler for a discount on an EV
Colorado’s Vehicle Exchange program, launched a year ago to help income-qualified drivers switch from gas or diesel vehicles to electric ones, has far exceeded expectations, Colorado Public Radio reports.. Offering discounts of $6,000 on new plug-in EVs and $4,000 on used ones, the state issued more than 1,300 rebates in the first year—over six times the projected amount. Funded by a fee in deliveries, the program received an additional $9 million to extend it through mid-2025. To qualify, residents must earn less than 80% of their area’s median income and trade in a gas-powered vehicle that’s at least 12 years old. The program has already replaced nearly 900 older cars with plug-in vehicles.
“If you make it financially feasible for low- and moderate-income drivers to buy an EV, they’ll jump on it,” said Will Toor, director of the Colorado Energy Office.
Noticed more grasshoppers around Boulder? They’re swarming gardens across Colorado
Have you noticed more grasshoppers around Boulder? You’re not alone. Grasshoppers have swarmed farms and gardens across Colorado this summer in one of the worst infestations in recent memory, the Colorado Sun reports. The surge is due to ideal conditions: A mild spring allowed eggs to hatch early, and the absence of cold, wet weather helped them thrive.
In Denver, gardeners report large numbers of grasshoppers chewing through crops like lettuce and tomatoes. Experts suggest using grasshopper-repellent plants or natural sprays, but many have resorted to netting or enlisting chickens and birds to control the pests. Farmers often rely on flocks of birds to clear their fields, but gardeners can attract them with feeders or keep chickens to help manage the bugs.
Mark your calendars: 9th annual Chili Bowl Street Party in Boulder on Sept. 15
Groundworks Art Lab will host its 9th Annual Chili Bowl Street Party on Sunday, Sept. 15, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at 1010 Aurora Ave. The free event features a chili cook-off, live music, art activities and games. Visitors can buy a $20 ceramic bowl, which includes five chili tastings and a vote for the People’s Choice award. Proceeds support the studio’s community programs. The fall pottery sale will also run Sept. 14-15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Pottery Lab. More details here.
‘Cocina Libre’ event at Boulder Bookstore to highlight immigrant stories and recipes
On Sept. 18, the Boulder Bookstore will host a presentation of “Cocina Libre: Immigrant Resistance Recipes,” a cookbook and documentary that shares the stories and recipes of immigrant communities. The project, created by a team from the University of Denver, highlights the resilience and rich culinary traditions of immigrants. All proceeds from the book will go to the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition. Learn more here.
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