[{"_1":2,"_75":-5,"_76":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6211107,"mediaKeyId","3699626-61f005fd611df3f3613c65e785831bec","parentId",3699626,"title","Planning board reviews Core Spaces plan for 100-unit student housing at Baseline and 30th; board urges more open space, permeability and ground-floor commercial","audioSeconds",9235,"startMs",286000,"endMs",9521000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3699626-61f005fd611df3f3613c65e785831bec&start=286&end=9521","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3699626-61f005fd611df3f3613c65e785831bec/thumbnail_286000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6211107/Boulder/Boulder-County/Colorado/Planning-board-reviews-Core-Spaces-plan-for-100-unit-student-housing-at-Baseline-and-30th-board-urges-more-open-space-permeability-and-ground-floor-commercial","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6211107-156d9fe323c24c47dba1a8ac24b7f186/orig.mp4?Expires=1770806841&Signature=gnFURjfqdIPXtw9QFmcyC3sf31pktkzTsg~HIZHgDcVDqyD0vQSaTiR-fmXIe-0tACVQR2of5R-eKAMngLWu~2bVal5kwpsA-Ofv7Od7UafgYKkvwX73RKUJPHbo2z9xr4pCk5kLntrc1XgXYd48zDgG2~OXE8GiyzZQISyAY1uW4WVADalso1DwI3dsOxI3PcZcnkTgj5C4HXPyw3uVZ-snujl4VCnyXZSUZdWNv-knSE4XGqvvZ~17clFeFisAFYoNiPavzdKLZAlM4Gr6weDai3I3srAXi5wgzK6TNqOCp4A1-cuB5ljzveOcNnTQEyP7AWl6CVjRYaBeKsrj4A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Boulder City, CO","date","2025-06-07T08:12:53Z","article","A concept plan to demolish existing buildings on seven parcels at Baseline Road and 30th Street and replace them with two 4–5 story student housing buildings totaling 100 units drew detailed scrutiny from the City of Boulder Planning Board on July 8, 2025. Staff said the proposal would require rezoning of two RM‑2 parcels to RH‑5, a use review for ground‑floor residential in the BT‑1 zone, a requested 62% parking reduction, and a height modification up to 55 feet; no formal action was taken at the hearing.

Why it matters: the site sits within a third of a mile of the University of Colorado main campus, adjacent to multimodal corridors and bus routes. That location makes the property a prime candidate for higher‑density housing under the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP), but board members and staff said the design must better meet BVCP policies for mixed uses, mature street trees and visual/physical permeability.

City planning staff presented the concept plan and key issues. Shannon Mueller of the City of Boulder Planning Department told the board the proposal covers about 2.94 acres and would demolish existing office and residential buildings at 2955–2969 Baseline Road and 735–775 30th Street and replace them with two multifamily student housing buildings containing 100 attached dwelling units with bedroom mixes from one to six bedrooms. Mueller said, “No formal action will be taken on tonight on the application,” and summarized required next steps including a demolition review (for structures older than 50 years), the requested rezoning (RM‑2 to RH‑5), a use review for ground‑floor dwellings in BT‑1, and later site review and building permits.

Staff identified four key issues for comment: (1) whether the concept plan is compatible with BVCP policies, (2) the rezoning request, (3) the use review for ground‑floor residential along Baseline Road (BT‑1), and (4) the conceptual site plan and building design. Staff recommended the applicant reconsider an exclusively residential ground floor along Baseline to better meet BVCP Policy 2.14 (which encourages a variety of land uses), improve space for large mature trees to address Policy 2.38, and increase visual and physical permeability per Policy 2.41. Staff also flagged that much of the proposed on‑site open space is located in setbacks, detention/water‑quality facilities or the public right‑of‑way, and asked for revisions so ground‑level open space is functional for residents and satisfies height‑bonus requirements for a usable gathering area.

Core Spaces and the project team responded. Alyssa Glina, development manager for Core Spaces, described the firm as “a vertically integrated developer, owner and manager of both multifamily and student‑focused residential developments.” Architect Adrian Sofer (Sofer Sparn Architects) said the site is surrounded by existing student housing and that the market context is strongly student‑oriented; he added that floodplain and slope conditions limit options for below‑grade parking and affect how building height is measured. Sofer noted that “if there is a need for storefronts, they will happen,” and argued that the Baseline frontage’s physical constraints and adjacent bike path make ground‑floor retail commercially challenging. Landscape architect Allison Graham (Dig Studio) described three primary resident open‑space areas the team plans to provide: a 50‑foot long Baseline plaza at the southwest corner, a semi‑private courtyard behind the Thirtieth Street building (adjacent to a detention area, which the applicant said they did not count as usable open space), and an upper‑level rooftop deck with mountain views.

Board members pressed the applicant on multiple technical points. Questions and requests included: the exact facade lengths (applicant provided baseline ~350 feet; Thirtieth ~320 feet), how on‑site open space meets the code‑required percentages for split zoning (BT‑1 area requires 30% open space; RH‑5 area requires 20%), how long‑term bike parking will be accessed from units without routing residents through car circulation, and whether more tuck‑under or consolidated parking could reduce surface parking to free space for usable ground‑level open space. Board members repeatedly asked the applicant to demonstrate permeability — portals or mid‑block entries — so pedestrians and sight lines are preserved, and to show how the design would provide a sensitive transition to lower‑scale homes across Thirtieth Street.

On parking, the team said the scheme includes mostly surface and some tuck‑under parking and proposes a 62% parking reduction reflecting student housing patterns and the site topography; Sofer told the board that below‑grade parking is generally infeasible where FEMA floodplain and slopes apply. The applicant committed to providing secure long‑term bicycle parking and space for additional bike racks, but several board members said the shown bike parking likely falls short for a student population and urged more capacity and clearer, direct access routes.

Public comment was brief. One speaker, Lynn Siegel, opposed additional student housing at the site and criticized reliance on in‑lieu fees for affordability, saying such projects increase rents and inequality.

Next steps: because this was a concept plan review, no vote was taken. Staff will incorporate the board’s comments in the record; the applicant may revise the concept and must later submit applications for rezoning, the BT‑1 use review, and site review. Planning staff noted the application could be called up to City Council after planning board review.

Board members and staff emphasized that they generally regard the site as appropriate for higher‑density student housing given proximity to CU and transit, but they directed the applicant to return with clearer, code‑responsive solutions for usable on‑site open space, tree‑capable setbacks, building permeability, a stronger rationale (or some ground‑floor nonresidential uses) for the Baseline frontage, and more explicit bike/ped circulation and parking strategies.

Ending: The planning board closed the public hearing for the concept plan and will expect the applicant to address the points above before moving into the formal rezoning/use review and site review phases.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","6-3-25 Planning Board Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","A concept plan to demolish seven parcels at Baseline Road and 30th Street and replace them with two 4–5 story student housing buildings totaling 100 units drew detailed scrutiny from the City of Boulder Planning Board on July 8; staff identified rezoning, use review and site‑design issues and the board urged changes to open space, permeability and ground‑floor uses.","taxTitle","Boulder, Boulder County, Colorado","taxId",3386,"location","headline","","shortSummary","actionData","errors"]

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Planning board reviews Core Spaces plan for 100-unit student housing at Baseline and 30th; board urges more open space, permeability and ground-floor commercial