FAR Issue Tonight
by Osman Parvez ---- If efforts by City Council to limit house sizes in Boulder concern you, I encourage you to attend or watch tonight's meeting. If you wish to speak, better arrive early to sign up (I recommend a few minutes before sign up opens at 5). Here's the press release... --- FAR issue on Planning Board meeting agenda Thursday A public hearing with the Planning Board is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 3, in the City Council Chambers, 1777 Broadway, regarding approaches to interim regulations that may provide additional limitations in single family zoning districts aimed [...]
A Letter to City Council of Boulder
by Osman Parvez ---- City Council will hold a public hearing tomorrow on new restrictions to house sizes. I've encouraged residents of Boulder to voice their concerns by writing an email to City Council and by attending tomorrow's meeting. If you'd like to let city council know your thoughts on the matter, send them an email at council@bouldercolorado.gov. Here is my email to City Council: Dear City Council Members, My name is Osman Parvez and I live in Boulder. Together with my wife, I run a small, independent real estate brokerage. We own a small home in South Boulder and [...]
Your House is Too Big
by Osman Parvez ---- 5 Questions About Limiting House Sizes in Boulder "Your House is Too Big." "What?" "Oh, you heard me. Your house is too big. You're ruining the neighborhood." Sounds pretty confrontational, doesn't it? Well that's precisely the path that Boulder City Council is taking. Beginning last summer, the city revived an effort to study maximum home sizes and has indicated it will pursue the issue aggressively. If you think you can be complacent, guess again. In January, City Council held its annual retreat during which members shared their priorities. Many want new restrictions on redevelopment put in [...]
Boulder Neighborhood Map
by Osman Parvez ---- I know postings have slowed down recently. I've been quite busy here over the past few weeks. The good news is that blogging will resume this week. I've got a few articles up my sleeve. To start off, here's a map we've created showing neighborhoods in Boulder. Thanks to Adam Sharp for your efforts putting this together. Clicking on shaded areas will pull up a few relevant statistics. Play around with it and let me know what you think. I suggest clicking the larger map link before clicking the shaded areas. View Map Here ---- Like [...]
Lying to Barack Obama – Kash’s Book Corner
by Osman Parvez ---- As you might guess, I'm a insatiable reader. Seems as soon as I could read, I was visiting the local library. I will never forget the little library in the town where I grew up. I still remember the day I got my first library card. As a kid, I spent endless hours in that building, voraciously devouring books on countless subjects. Books will always fill a special place in my life. One of the things I love about our community here in Boulder is the number of strong independent businesses. They run a wide spectrum [...]
Toxic Waste: Mapping Boulder and Beyond
by Osman Parvez ---- When we help you buy a house, we'll advise you to complete your due diligence before purchasing a property. Typical items we recommend include simple steps, like walking nearby streets and talking to neighbors. We'll even walk the streets with you, if you'd like. Some of the check list items we recommend include calculating your commute, distance to grocery stores, and local schools. Articles posted on this blog are one of the ways we help people find the tools to do a better job at investigating the facts. From the list of labels on the right, [...]
Beetle Epidemic
by Osman Parvez ---- Yesterday the Daily Camera had a piece on the Pine beetle epidemic. From the Camera: "It's started to move into the ponderosa pine and forest," said Kevin Zimlinghaus, who works for the Forest Service's Boulder Ranger District. "That could pose a problem. If the beetles do get into the ponderosa pine and continue to move, they could come all the way down to the plains." The tree die-off could have major social and economic impacts on the state. No kidding. How long have we known this? For those following the issue, be sure to read Myths [...]
The Land Grab: What Would You Do?
by Osman Parvez ---- A friend and I had a good discussion this morning over breakfast at Lucile's (highly recommended by the way). Let's say you found yourself in the position of the Boulder couple who won judgement of their neighbor's land using adverse possession. Little did you expect to draw the ire of the community, much less the attention of the nation. Now what? When most people act, they usually think they're doing the right thing. Although it may seem reprehensible to most of us, when Richard Mclean and Edith Stevens took legal action against their neighbor they more [...]
A Lot to Lose
by Osman Parvez ---- A quarter of the 9000+ signatures gathered by opponents of Washington Village were not registered to vote in Boulder. The group is just 86 short. With 10 days and their well organized efforts, there's no doubt they'll get the signatures needed to certify their petition. It's a given. So now what? It will first go to City Council, with four new members (of seven total), who can choose to reverse their decision to change zoning to allow the Washington Village project. There's a fair chance that the new members will help the Council's decision. If not, [...]
Washington Village Under Fire
by Osman Parvez ---- Neighbors of the Washington Village Cohousing Development filed a lawsuit today. From the Daily Camera: The lawsuit, brought by neighbors who live next to the former Washington School at 1215 Cedar Ave., alleges the Boulder City Council broke the law in changing zoning lines to accommodate a proposal to build homes, condominiums, commercial space and a "co-housing" community. The complaint lists as defendants the city of Boulder, the City Council and the Wonderland Hill Development Company, which brought the plan forward. The suit contends that the zoning change broke the law because it "confers a special [...]
Hey Buddy, Take a Hike
by Osman Parvez ---- Given the balmy weather, here's something you might enjoy this evening. Unwind on a contemplative hike and remind yourself of one of the reasons people choose to live in Boulder. Join city of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) Naturalist Jake Davis on a tranquil, introspective hike from 4 to 5 p.m. tonight, Monday, Nov 19. Meet at the Chautauqua Ranger Cottage, 900 Baseline Road. The hike will be followed by free hot tea, cocoa and conversation in the Chautauqua Ranger Cottage. For more information, visit the Open Space and Mountain Parks website or call [...]
Myths and Facts: The Pine Beetle Epidemic
by Osman Parvez ---- Dead trees. Rust colored mountainsides. A plague that's spreading quickly. These sort of thoughts are giving people in Colorado a fright. Too bad this nightmare is real. There's a lot of information out there, most of it passed by word of mouth. What's myth and what's fact? What's the biggest risk? And as a homeowner, what can you do about it? #1: The trees are being killed by invasive beetles: Partially true. The bug in question is the Mountain Pine Beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae), also called the Black Hills beetle or Rocky Mountain Pine beetle. But it's [...]
Adverse Possession Brouhaha
by Osman Parvez ---- The comments I've gotten from on the adverse possession of private land by two legal eagles (see Gimme! A Legal Land Grab) has been startling. This issue really sparks a reaction. Although I can't share their off the record comments, some laced with colorful metaphors, here's a few snippets from letters to the editor of the Daily Camera: November 12: "Gaining ownership under adverse possession can only happen when titled owners exhibit an uninterrupted disregard for another's use of their property for many years." November 14: "Bob Greenlee's column on adverse possession (Nov. 4) was a [...]
Gimme! A Legal Land Grab in Boulder
by Osman Parvez ---- Recently, a judge granted a trespassing Boulder couple ownership of land backing open space. The takers of the land are a former judge and lawyer couple. Obviously, they know the law. Seeing the owner's intent to build, they filed an action to possess the land and maintain their access. According to the defendants, this wasn't about access to open space. It was really about protecting their views. The plaintiff's were given a portion of the land, possibly rendering the full lot unbuildable. The previous owners value the lot (and their loss) at $800,000 to $1,000,000. What's [...]
Boulder Sites You Should Visit
by Osman Parvez ---- Here's a few Boulder blogs and websites that recently caught my eye. I think they're worth a look. Boulder Going Local: A campaign to help build community self-sufficiency and strengthen our local economy. The campaign promotes buying local, eating local, growing local, using local energy, and even a local currency. Boulder Cone Zones: A continually updated list of improvements being undertaken to Boulder's transportation infrastructure. The site includes a map of cone zones. You can also sign up for alerts via email. Martin Acres Life: A blog by Alfred Sawatzky on his experiences in Martin Acres, [...]
