Building Height
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This is the issue that has galvanized the Gunbarrel Community in opposing the passage
of the Gunbarrel Community Center Plan. It is a “show-stopper.”
There are many points of view that argue for lower heights in Gunbarrel. The most
obvious is that the higher buildings will block the views of the mountains from
Gunbarrel. This is particularly important to people who can enjoy those views from
their homes and businesses. However, most Gunbarrel residents do not have a view of
the mountains from their home or business. So, this cannot be the reason that has
brought everyone together.
Another viewpoint is that higher buildings increase residential density. This occurs
because the higher stories will almost certainly be residential as opposed to retail
or commercial (office). Gunbarrel residents have become very sensitive to residential
growth since the traffic here reached rush hour proportions in the early 1990s. Many
of us feel that the four stories bring in more people and we do not want more people.
Probably the most widely held reason for wanting to limit building height is character.
When you look around Gunbarrel, particularly in the vicinity of the shopping center,
you see mostly one and two story buildings. Many Gunbarrel residents moved here from
the City of Boulder to get away from the "city" environment into a more rural (or
suburban) environment. They feel that four story buildings will destroy that suburban
character that exists today. There appears to be broad support for this line of
thought in Gunbarrel these days.
The City of Boulder planning staff recognizes that four story buildings would present
an abrupt transition from what is in Gunbarrel now to what could be built under this
plan. In commenting on the proposed Gunbarrel Town Center development proposal and
in preparing the Gunbarrel Community Center Plan, they have advocated setbacks at the
third and forth stories to soften the impact of abrupt transitions from low buildings
to high buildings. The Boulder Planning Board said the same thing in their comments
on this plan. So, it is clear that everyone realizes that four story buildings in
Gunbarrel will be a dramatic change from what is here today. We only disagree about
whether it is good or bad.
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page updated 11/28/03
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