By Philip P. DiStefano and Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde
Do you remember the devastating floods of 2013? It was national news when President Obama and Governor Hickenlooper declared a state of emergency here and in neighboring counties.
In the span of a few days, more than 14 inches of rain fell in Boulder County, leading to the highest water level in Boulder Creek since 1894. The resulting floodwaters wreaked havoc on our region and resulted in lost lives, destroyed homes and major damage to critical infrastructure.
From the devastation and wreckage, Boulder residents did what we so often have done in the face of tragedy: we came together to help those who lost everything and worked to rebuild our community.
Now, as severe weather becomes more common due to climate change, the University of Colorado Boulder and the City of Boulder are coming together to proactively ensure that our neighbors and environment are protected from dangerous flooding.
In September 2021, Boulder City Council annexed CU Boulder South into the city limits because the property’s location can provide flood protection that will safeguard 2,300 downstream residents and 1,100 homes. Once completed, the flood mitigation project at CU Boulder South will provide protection that would prevent much of the destruction from a weather event like that of 2013.
For the thousands of residents and business owners who live and work downstream from CU Boulder South, there is no time to delay. We must move forward with the urgently needed flood protection made possible by this annexation.
The design and permitting process for the city’s flood protection project at the site are well underway, with city staff currently working through the 60% design phase. Construction is currently slated to begin in 2024 and be complete by 2026.
That is, if voters agree.
This fall, voters will be asked to consider a ballot initiative that seeks to prevent this project. If passed, the ballot item would overturn the annexation and undo the result of decades of work by city staff, numerous city and county boards and commissions, university officials, elected leaders, and hundreds of community members who participated in engagement and outreach along the way.
Overturning the annexation of CU Boulder South would threaten the progress and values that Boulder residents hold dear. Critically, it would put an immediate halt to the flood mitigation that will protect thousands of lives and properties. As we grapple with the effects of climate change on a local, national and global scale, it is incumbent upon us to act to reduce the potentially life-threatening impacts of increasingly severe weather on our city.
The harmful effects of climate change are not the only challenge facing our city. We must also address the lack of adequate housing supply in Boulder. For many who work and study in Boulder, attainable housing is simply out of reach. As Chancellor of CU Boulder and Boulder City Manager, we see how this challenge impacts our students and workforce every day.
This annexation of CU Boulder South now gives us the opportunity to responsibly increase housing stock as it provides for a portion of the property, outside the floodplain, to be used for roughly 1,100 units of housing for university employees and non-freshman students. It also designates five acres of land for housing for any community members who qualify for affordable housing based on income level.
This is the right thing to do. It will decrease strain on the housing market, reduce carbon emissions by decreasing in-commuting and ensure that more people who work and study in Boulder can live and raise their families here as well.
Finally, the annexation of CU Boulder South was built upon a legally binding agreement that recognizes the important role CU Boulder South plays in the quality of life of nearby residents and local wildlife. That’s why annexation designates 119 acres, or nearly 40% of the property, as permanent open space — protecting natural habitats and ensuring continued public access to the property for recreation.
The annexation of CU Boulder South represents the best of Boulder: protection of life safety and open space, creation of urgently needed housing and a commitment to public collaboration. Boulder residents have the opportunity this November to stand for these values by voting NO on the initiative that would overturn the annexation of CU Boulder South.
Philip P. DiStefano is the chancellor of the University of Colorado Boulder. Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde is the city manager of the City of Boulder.
