City of Boulder Development Review Process Still Possible

Photo by Nathan Dumlao

Even during these uncertain times, the ability to work through the City of Boulder’s development entitlement processes has not stopped. While City offices remain closed, the municipal engine hasn’t stopped. The City of Boulder’s Planning and Development Services department (among other departments) remains operational and continues to review development and redevelopment projects. Additionally, the City is now (and finally) accepting 100% electronic applications; no more paying hundreds to thousands of dollars in professional printing fees and wasting countless reams of paper. With new City process come new stepping-stones and requirements that Trestle has been navigating on a number of projects.

The ability to work remotely has enabled City employees and our dedicated project team to maintain virtual communications. All of our projects are steadily progressing to full entitlement and/or technical documents approval. While new application and resubmittal processes exist for projects in the early to middle entitlement phases, projects nearing final approval will face Planning Board and City Council meeting changes. Under these uncertain times, all City Board and Council meetings are now being held remotely with all persons participating via zoom; no in-person gatherings are permitted. The public still has the opportunity to weigh in and contribute to these key discussions.

The City’s standard 3-week submittal timeline breaks from its standard routine as we near the holidays. There are only two concept, use, and site review application opportunities remaining in 2020. These key dates come at the end of October and November and may burden the City with multiple new applications from various project teams striving to submit before the end of the year. The City’s 2021 submittal dates have not yet been published. We will keep you posted on upcoming dates as we find out. As always, if you are exploring a project on Boulder, please reach out to us. We love to be involved in early stage due diligence, design, and strategy.