Boulder’s move to limit the spread of “McMansions” is speeding up, as the City Council scheduled an emergency vote for Tuesday night on a measure that will either temporarily outlaw large homes or make them more expensive to build.
At a Monday morning agenda meeting, council members added a public hearing to the next day’s meeting, at the request of Councilwoman Lisa Morzel. Up for consideration is an ordinance that would temporarily stop the city’s processing of permits for homes larger than 3,500 square feet on lots 10,000 square feet or larger.
Those particular numbers were chosen because of a 2016 report from the Daily Camera that highlighted the proliferation of big, new houses in Boulder’s many low-density neighborhoods. Two-thirds of all houses built since 2010 were 3,500 square feet or larger, the Camera found.
The City Council has expressed a concern that bigger houses are replacing smaller, more affordable homes. What is unclear is the genesis of the sense of urgency. Morzel couldn’t be reached for comment.
Related Articles
-
Mild temperatures, breezy day in store for Denver; isolated snow in the mountains
-
Southbound E-470 closed after tractor-trailer crashes into bridge, spilling drywall
-
Young Coloradans vote at higher rates than many of their peers nationwide — but still lag behind older voters at home
-
How would Proposition 112 impact Colorado’s economy? Two sides with two different stories about well setbacks.
-
First-time voter in Colorado? Here’s what you need to know to make sure your voice is heard.
Councilman Bob Yates, who was present at the agenda meeting, said it is common practice to schedule something last-minute at the request of a fellow member. But he also had concerns that council lacked the necessary facts needed to make an informed decision.
“There’s no doubt there’s large houses being built; you can drive down the street and see them,” Yates said. “The question is how do you convert that anecdotal observation into realized data?”
Read more at dailycamera.com.
