en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/650422 Comments by deweyguitar54 http://www.dailycamera.com/guest-opinions/ci_28724083/david-m-abelson-neighborhood-ballot-issue-likely-unconstitutional#IDComment992800125 Another interesting legal aspect will be how these initiatives sit with the recent US Supreme Court ruling regarding "disparate impacts" of zoning regulations under the 1968 Fair Housing Act. Briefly, one can use statististics to show decisions and practices have discriminatory effects without proving that they are a result of discriminatory intentions. Like it or not, the simple fact that some Boulder neighborhoods are low density, rich, and white can call into question the underlying zoning that keeps them that way. A recent NY Times piece speculated that this ruling might cause relyably blue districts to shift red because of NIMBY sentiments. Sun, 30 Aug 2015 12:46:24 +0000 http://www.dailycamera.com/guest-opinions/ci_28724083/david-m-abelson-neighborhood-ballot-issue-likely-unconstitutional#IDComment992800125 http://www.dailycamera.com/letters/ci_28653334/janet-heimer-force-people-out-cars-mass-transit#IDComment990939948 A well intended letter, thank you. However, the biggest cost to running buses or vans is the cost of labor: drivers, maintenance etc. The 10 minute frequency "back east" that you suggest here can be supported only by a larger ridership in tributary areas of housing measured at least at 15-30 units per acre. Those are the densities which transit engineers use to calculate efficient routing. I don't see that to be an easy sell here. Unfortunately, we can't achieve the benefits of city living when we are committed to very pleasant, but inefficient, suburban densities. I am a little surprised that City staff have de-emphasized this part of the calculation and went ahead with the right sizing, knowing there to be a continued need for automotive transit. I would like to hear a well-reasoned plan to bridge that gap. Subsidies would also be a hard sell. Tue, 18 Aug 2015 03:57:48 +0000 http://www.dailycamera.com/letters/ci_28653334/janet-heimer-force-people-out-cars-mass-transit#IDComment990939948 http://www.dailycamera.com/letters/ci_28630724/renee-st-aubin-toor-wrong-again?source=rss#IDComment990247705 Thanks for the research. My problem is that I assumed what is obvious to those who understand regional planning seems counterintuitive and wrong to the average layperson. To some extent, being unaware of how cities actually work can be attributed to provincial, suburban experiences as a framework to judge change. The city would do well to explain in easy-to-understand terms the costs in additional school taxes, water, sewer, highway taxes, and police/fire protection that all will bear should policies pass that exacerbate sprawl. A neighborhood vote or a surcharge on a building permit will never insulate existing residents from their eternal expense should feel-good initiatives pass. I too would hate to see congestion, pollution and would not like to bear increased infrastructure costs. The naïveté of those supporting this will play right into the hands of the elitist no-growth lobby and ironically, the sprawl development interests. The average Joe won't figure this out until well after the city and its surrounding county is permanently ruined. Fri, 14 Aug 2015 00:03:49 +0000 http://www.dailycamera.com/letters/ci_28630724/renee-st-aubin-toor-wrong-again?source=rss#IDComment990247705 http://www.dailycamera.com/letters/ci_28630724/renee-st-aubin-toor-wrong-again?source=rss#IDComment990165655 Which letter is inaccurate and misleading? If Boulder's streets are being overwhelmed by traffic, it is because many live beyond walking distance to work, school, shopping and other services. Transit cannot serve far flung subdivisions which generate at least 10 automobile trips per day per household. Compact neighborhoods generate only 6 trips per household because of the double advantage of shorter distances to destinations and the ability of,say, a mom-and-pop to thrive in a walkable district. These are facts born out of known planning principles. The writer also seems to miss the fact that all new development has a much higher proportion of affordable units as a requirement for approval. Where the average single family neighborhood project is required to build 20% affordable, North Boulder, the Junction, and many other projects have had to build upwards of 40% affordable. The land costs are amortized over greater unit counts, so the "million dollar lots" argument is simply false. As to "growth paying its own way", the writer seems to miss the costs born by all for sprawl. With 50% growth in jobs and population projected in the region over the next several decades (and your precious neighborhood vote has absolutely no control over that dynamic), we will all be paying for polution, new roads, new schools, new police and fire protection etc. if this growth is not directed into existing urbanized areas where those services exist. Sure, Erie, and the "L" towns need to tighten up their sprawl, but Boulder is not imune from the effects of traffic and taxes if the region squanders its remaining lands. Thu, 13 Aug 2015 13:07:18 +0000 http://www.dailycamera.com/letters/ci_28630724/renee-st-aubin-toor-wrong-again?source=rss#IDComment990165655 http://www.dailycamera.com/guest-opinions/ci_28604666/alan-boles-citizens-initiatives-will-benefit-boulder#IDComment989593113 Of course, with no understanding of planning dynamics, these initiatives will result in more sprawl, more traffic, and more costs, but it sure feels good. Sun, 9 Aug 2015 16:32:56 +0000 http://www.dailycamera.com/guest-opinions/ci_28604666/alan-boles-citizens-initiatives-will-benefit-boulder#IDComment989593113 http://www.dailycamera.com/guest-opinions/ci_28533334/jeffrey-flynn-and-karen-sandburg-our-journey-gathering#IDComment987149615 This cannot turn out well. Imagine how a neighborhood can find itself contradicting fair housing laws by voting against an affordable housing project. It is not unlike a group voting on who can join a club or who gets served at a lunch counter. There will be lawsuits using these analogies so I would like an explanation from supporters as to how such an initiative does not exacerbate "disparate affects" per recent SCOTUS rulings. Sat, 25 Jul 2015 23:29:52 +0000 http://www.dailycamera.com/guest-opinions/ci_28533334/jeffrey-flynn-and-karen-sandburg-our-journey-gathering#IDComment987149615 http://www.dailycamera.com/columnists/ci_28461595/steve-pomerance-right-sizing-crashes-and-growth#IDComment983996752 The elephant in the room is the projected doubling of Colorado's growth by 2050, most of it along the front range. Mr. Pomerance is a clever fellow who enlists hot-button issues like road narrowing to push his ultimate agenda of growth limits here. However, before you all punch the "thumbs-down" icon, consider that growth limits here encourage automotive sprawl everywhere else. It's like squeezing a balloon. Also consider the futility of insuring ease of strictly automotive transit at the expense of other alternatives. We have all learned, for example, that widening highways may temporarily ease traffic, but also enables more distant agricultural fields to be reasonably accessed by car, a boon to speculative land developers since the 1950's. Many a developer has made a fortune on remote subdivisions and strip malls. So we are indeed a clever and creative community, and I would appreciate reading a well considered column by this author, or anyone else, addressing these facts and suggesting potential regional solutions. Fri, 10 Jul 2015 16:49:04 +0000 http://www.dailycamera.com/columnists/ci_28461595/steve-pomerance-right-sizing-crashes-and-growth#IDComment983996752 http://www.dailycamera.com/guest-opinions/ci_28423265/mary-dolores-young-purpose-is-safety#IDComment982701202 While I am no fan of City projects that are "cutting edge" but ill-thought out, like the municipal utility effort, Ms. Young is correct in saying that this effort is only novel in the fly-over states. Many cities have done this well. Even north Broadway is single lane in each direction with a center turn lane, and it accommodates thousands of commuters a day. The alternative would be to house them in town... which is a real stretch for supporters and opponents of "right-sizing" alike. Sun, 5 Jul 2015 01:22:29 +0000 http://www.dailycamera.com/guest-opinions/ci_28423265/mary-dolores-young-purpose-is-safety#IDComment982701202 http://www.dailycamera.com/news/boulder/ci_28334912/boulder-planning-board-investigation-released#IDComment979219386 Ms Gray is within her rights, and indeed has an obligation, to seek help in decisions that are complex and perhaps beyond her experience or expertise. But with all the good planning being done around the world, why did she so limit her resources? Thu, 18 Jun 2015 21:51:33 +0000 http://www.dailycamera.com/news/boulder/ci_28334912/boulder-planning-board-investigation-released#IDComment979219386 http://www.dailycamera.com/columnists/ci_28318028/ed-byrne-boulder-transition#IDComment978607321 Thanks, Ed. Good communities evolve. Great cities do it well. Tue, 16 Jun 2015 13:05:49 +0000 http://www.dailycamera.com/columnists/ci_28318028/ed-byrne-boulder-transition#IDComment978607321 http://www.dailycamera.com/columnists/ci_28253640/steve-pomerance-requiring-new-development-pay-its-own#IDComment976205337 The sprawl that this initiative encourages will increase traffic. Fri, 5 Jun 2015 10:40:16 +0000 http://www.dailycamera.com/columnists/ci_28253640/steve-pomerance-requiring-new-development-pay-its-own#IDComment976205337 http://www.dailycamera.com/news/boulder/ci_28174908/profane-ignite-boulder-speech-sparks-outrage-defense-city#IDComment973359030 The real profanity is automotive sprawl, eight lane highways, strip malls and asphalt everywhere. We may censure this speaker, but we continue to offend the land, ourselves, and future generations. Sat, 23 May 2015 14:59:55 +0000 http://www.dailycamera.com/news/boulder/ci_28174908/profane-ignite-boulder-speech-sparks-outrage-defense-city#IDComment973359030 http://www.dailycamera.com/editorials/ci_28062076/editorial-boulders-housing-problem#IDComment969539644 I was unclear. I was referring to the supply of housing. You, to be clear, are arguing for a limit on jobs (limiting demand). Were that to be put to a vote, and assuming the longer shot that it would win, the nostalgic college town would begin to lose the economic engine that drives that fantasy. Trust funds only. Thu, 7 May 2015 17:13:58 +0000 http://www.dailycamera.com/editorials/ci_28062076/editorial-boulders-housing-problem#IDComment969539644 http://www.dailycamera.com/editorials/ci_28062076/editorial-boulders-housing-problem#IDComment969494246 Prices are loosely related to supply. In a market driven by desirability, more supply gets sucked up at any price. But smaller units in compact development will still be relatively cheaper than single family sprawl in terms of services, infrastructure, and carbon output from automobile use. Thu, 7 May 2015 13:02:47 +0000 http://www.dailycamera.com/editorials/ci_28062076/editorial-boulders-housing-problem#IDComment969494246 http://www.dailycamera.com/editorials/ci_28062076/editorial-boulders-housing-problem#IDComment969492616 But no supply increase most certainly results in higher prices. Thu, 7 May 2015 12:54:27 +0000 http://www.dailycamera.com/editorials/ci_28062076/editorial-boulders-housing-problem#IDComment969492616 http://www.dailycamera.com/guest-opinions/ci_28053923/leonard-may-if-developers-dont-pay-public-will#IDComment969256544 Of course, existing development, the automotive sprawling neighborhoods, no matter what their inordinate burden on services, get a pass, right? Wed, 6 May 2015 15:06:14 +0000 http://www.dailycamera.com/guest-opinions/ci_28053923/leonard-may-if-developers-dont-pay-public-will#IDComment969256544 http://www.dailycamera.com/news/boulder/ci_28008144/boulder-seeks-clarity-growth-related-ballot-measures#IDComment967597101 It would be only fair, out of a sense of full disclosure, for the Daily Camera to clarify the relationship of Ms. Allyn Feinberg and Steve Pommerance, who from time to time writes editorials for this paper. While all citizens have a right and indeed, an obligation, to speak out on their strongly held beliefs, the newspaper might serve the public discourse more equitably by removing Mr. Pommerance from its editorial staff for the duration while his partner promotes this measure. There is the appearance of a conflict of interests here already. Wed, 29 Apr 2015 13:17:23 +0000 http://www.dailycamera.com/news/boulder/ci_28008144/boulder-seeks-clarity-growth-related-ballot-measures#IDComment967597101 http://www.dailycamera.com/news/boulder/ci_27986929/ballot-measures-could-be-litmus-test-boulder-council#IDComment966883011 Mr. Hotaling, Your clever sense of humor is surpassed only by your rational and refreshing understanding of policies and their consequences. Sun, 26 Apr 2015 16:47:53 +0000 http://www.dailycamera.com/news/boulder/ci_27986929/ballot-measures-could-be-litmus-test-boulder-council#IDComment966883011 http://www.dailycamera.com/news/boulder/ci_27965863/boulder-development-foes-push-measures-slow-growth-give#IDComment966223759 boulderbest states: "I will give you this though, I do envy those "F*** Off, We're Full" bumper stickers they've got in Perth." You make my point. It is precisely the effort to moderate this xenophobic, misanthropic, moronic attitude that motivated Perth citizens to institute cross-town participation in local decisions. Thu, 23 Apr 2015 14:59:00 +0000 http://www.dailycamera.com/news/boulder/ci_27965863/boulder-development-foes-push-measures-slow-growth-give#IDComment966223759 http://www.dailycamera.com/news/boulder/ci_27965863/boulder-development-foes-push-measures-slow-growth-give#IDComment966039185 In order to prevent this sort of NIMBYism, Perth, Australia appoints only folks across town to decide a neighborhood issue. Thus the general public good trumps self-interests. Wed, 22 Apr 2015 20:32:21 +0000 http://www.dailycamera.com/news/boulder/ci_27965863/boulder-development-foes-push-measures-slow-growth-give#IDComment966039185