Planning Commission (PC)

Planning Commission

The Boulder County Planning Commission (PC) conducts public hearings and takes action on Land Use Code Updates and Development Applications Under Review and advises the County Commissioners of those actions and on planning matters. The PC has statutory responsibility to make, adopt, and amend the Boulder County Comprehensive Plan.

The commission also has a role in reviewing and acting on revisions and amendments to the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan as authorized under the four-body intergovernmental agreement between the City of Boulder and Boulder County.

See Guidelines for Planning Commission Hearings for more information and meeting protocol.

Meeting Schedule

The Planning Commission usually meets on the third Wednesday of each month.

Public Meetings and Hearings

The Planning Commission meeting has been canceled for December 18, 2024. The next regularly scheduled meeting will be on January 15, 2025.

Boulder County wants to ensure that everyone has equal access to our programs, activities, and services. To request an Americans with Disability Act (ADA) accommodation, please email ADA@bouldercounty.gov, or call 303-441-1386. Submit your request as early as possible, and no later than two business days before the event.

If you need help in another language, please email CPPfrontdesk@bouldercounty.gov or call 303-441-3930. Contact us as early as possible, and no later than three business days before the event.

Please note that the County Commissioners’ agenda is subject to change. To receive updates to the agenda, please subscribe to the Boulder County Commissioners Agenda list.

Past Meeting Agendas, Information Packets, Minutes and Video Recordings

Live streaming and archiving of Planning Commission meetings began on Nov. 16, 2016, and past meeting agendas, information packets, minutes and video recordings are available on the Boulder County Open Meeting Portal. Video recordings of meetings held from April 15, 2020 to Oct. 19, 2022 are posted to the Community Planning & Permitting YouTube channel.

Past Special Sessions and Subcommittee Meetings

Joint Study Session. Oct. 15, 2019

The Board of County Commissioners and Planning Commission held a Joint Study Session on Telecommunications Planning Topics on Oct. 15, 2019. Planning Commission (PC) requested a joint study session with the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) to address the following topics:

Understanding the relationship between height, density, and emissions for macro-cells and small cells;
Feasibility, analysis, and incentives for co-location;
Third party verification; and
Small Cell Wireless Facilities Design Requirements and Guidelines associated with proposed Small Cell Wireless Code provisions (Docket DC-19-0001).

The study session outcomes will informed changes to the Design Requirements and Guidelines that staff presented to the BOCC when seeking approval for the proposed Code provisions for Docket DC-19-0001: Proposed Boulder County Land Use Code Amendments to Article 4-514 Small Cell Telecommunication Facilities. The session also helped identify additional steps that may be appropriate regarding potential future policy or Land Use Code amendments related to telecommunications.
Documents: Staff report for Oct. 15, 2019

Joint Study Session, March 5, 2019

The Board of County Commissioners and the Planning Commission held a joint study session on March 5, 2019 concerning the E-Bike Pilot Study for Open Space Trails.
Documents:

Joint Study Session Notice

Public Meeting: Planning Commission Subcommittee Consideration of input for draft Boulder County Regional Affordable Housing Strategic Plan – Sept. 7, 2017

Planning Commission was presented with an overview of the Draft Boulder County Regional Affordable Housing Strategic Plan in May. The plan is currently undergoing revision based on input from stakeholders. At its August meeting Planning Commission determined it would like to submit comments on the draft plan as an entity and decided to hold a subcommittee meeting to discuss topics in greater depth. At the September 20 Planning Commission meeting the subcommittee reported back on outcomes and provided a draft of comments for the Planning Commission to finalize prior to submitting.

Meeting Materials:

For older Planning Commission agendas, please submit a request via the Ask a Planner Form.

Current Members

Appointed Volunteer Participants (Citizens)

Chris Whitney, Chair (term ends Feb. 28, 2025)
Sam Libby, Vice Chair (term ends Feb. 28, 2026)
Mark Bloomfield, Second Vice Chair (term ends Feb. 28, 2027)
George Gerstle (term ends Feb. 28, 2026)
Ann Goldfarb (term ends Feb. 28, 2025)
Rachel Lee (term ends Feb. 28, 2027)
Rita Manna (term ends Feb. 28, 2026)
Gavin McMillan (term ends Feb. 28, 2027)
Bobby Umstead (term ends Feb. 28, 2028)

Staff Participants

Dale Case, Director
Kim Sanchez, Deputy Director – Planning
Hannah Hippely, Long Range Planning Manager
Richard Hackett, Communications Specialist
Others as needed

Planning Commission (PC)