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County seeks input on proposed Niwot development

The Boulder County Land Use Department is seeking comment on a proposed 4,358-square-foot, multi-unit addition to the Porchfront Homes building, located on the northeast corner of 2nd Avenue and Murray Street in Niwot.

On Jan. 5, county planner Laura Weinstein issued a referral packet to county agencies and adjacent property owners detailing plans for a two-story, a mixed-use structure which will fill the back half of the lot at 102 2nd Avenue. County agencies and individuals have until Jan. 22 to submit their responses.

The request is the first step in the county’s Site Plan Review process, which is required for any proposed development that is “likely to significantly impact” its natural surroundings or neighborhood, according to language in the land use code.  

During the review, the department gathers information from referral agencies, such as the transportation department and the local fire district, as well as neighbors and other residents, to evaluate whether potential adverse impacts from the project can be avoided or mitigated with “reasonable conditions.”

In their planning application to the county, Porchfront Homes co-owners Tim and Mary Coonce requested “flexibility in uses of the space” due to changing market conditions. The application contains two sets of preliminary designs for the addition, both with a mix of residential and office use. In one configuration, a second-floor residence shares space with a small office above a 1,000-square foot commercial unit on the main level. In the second, there are residential units on both levels and a small office space on the second floor. Both configurations also include a 556-square foot carport and a small covered entryway.

The land use director will issue a written decision to approve, conditionally approve, or deny Porchfront’s site plan in the coming weeks. If approved, Porchfront can then apply for building permits and proceed with construction plans. If denied, Porchfront has 14 days to submit an appeal, which will be heard at a public hearing before the county commissioners. The commissioners also have 14 days to “call-up” an approval by the land use director if they determine the decision warrants further investigation.

This is the first development on 2nd Avenue since the county imposed a building moratorium in the Niwot Rural Community District (NRCD) in back September. At a public hearing on Oct. 30, the county commissioners lifted the ban on the historic block of the NRCD, which runs between Franklin and Murray Streets and also includes the Colterra property. The moratorium will remain in place for the remainder of the block between Franklin and Niwot Road until March 20.

To review plans and submit your comment on the proposed development by Porchfront Homes at 102 Second Avenue in Niwot, visit Development Applications Under Review, and use docket number SPR-19-0002.

 

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