Boulder City Council devoted much of its study session Thursday evening to discussing a project aimed at breathing fresh life into a beloved residential and commercial area.
The University Hill neighborhood has for years been a target of revitalization efforts. A presentation by city staff described the Hill as architecturally diverse and youthful with influences dating back to the 1960s rock and roll scene. The sizeable student presence there has left an indelible mark on the blend of businesses and residences there.
In recent years, though, the area has suffered from economic stagnation. Business retention in the area has been a challenge, with a few closures over the last year and a 14% vacancy rate.
Reegan Brown, a senior project manager for the city, said numerous residents have cited concerns about safety on the Hill.
“Safety has been an ongoing challenge within … the broader Hill neighborhood, primarily stemming from that crowd party behavior,” Brown said. The commercial district there has continued to struggle with crime despite the Hill Reinvestment Working Group’s recent work in the area.
Community members have also given feedback saying the retail in the area is geared too heavily toward students. In addition, the city cited a lack of parking as well as limited connectivity with other areas of the city as high priorities that need to be addressed.
Regulations unique to the Hill neighborhood may also be having an impact on economic vitality there. For example, within the University Hill General Improvement District, a special tax district in the area, there is an ordinance saying no less than 50% of gross income from food and drink sales of restaurants, brewpubs and taverns over any 30-day period has to come from food sales. These businesses also must close by 11 p.m. Some preexisting businesses were exempt from this requirement, but they have since closed their doors or changed their hours.
Based on several studies of the neighborhood, including two by the Urban Land Institute’s Technical Advisory Panel, city staff proposed several short-term recommendations for revitalizing the Hill area: solidifying an identity for the area, enhancing its connectivity and increasing activation of streets, alleyways and other spaces.
In addition to these short-term strategies, city staff also recommended exploring possibly redevelopment options for the 14th Street parking lot within the next three to five years. Currently, the lot is one of the few designated parking areas on the Hill. The parking lot could be redeveloped to include a parking garage with up to 150 spaces, and the garage could also be coupled with retail spaces as well as potentially faculty housing. The other option is that the parking lot could be sold to a private developer.
Most of the councilmembers supported both looking at city code changes in the Hill neighborhood and also exploring redevelopment options for the 14th Street lot.
“I really would like to see us open up and allow for more creativity in this area,” said Councilmember Lauren Folkerts, adding that she feels businesses now aren’t allowed to convey a strong identity. She said rules could be relaxed so that businesses have greater freedom to express their brands.
Councilmember Matt Benjamin said the ordinance that requires restaurants and bars to close at 11 p.m. and get no less than half their income from food sales over a 30-day period should be rescinded so the Hill can once again become a place to enjoy a night out.
“We’ve deliberately handicapped any business that currently exists, or wants to exist, on the Hill,” said Benjamin. “That’s unconscionable when we think about wanting to boost economic vitality, especially on the backside of COVID.”
At a brief special meeting before the study session, the council also approved mid-year appointments for city boards and commissions. The Environmental Advisory Board, Landmarks Board, Open Space Board of Trustees and the University Hill Commercial Area Management Commission each had at least one vacant seat that needed to be filled.
A majority of councilmembers voted to appoint Hannah Davis to serve through March 2027 and Greg Hill through March 2024 to the Environmental Advisory Board. On the Landmarks Board, Renee Golobic was appointed to serve through March 2024.
The Open Space Board of Trustees seat was the most competitive, with five applicants competing for a single spot, but councilmembers ultimately appointed Harmon Zuckerman to serve through March 2025.
And finally, Tell Jones, the lone applicant for the University Hill Commercial Area Management Commission, was appointed to serve through March 2028. The commission still has one open seat.
