What's Coming Up at Boulder City Council
Highlights of upcoming Boulder City Council decisions and discussion topics to help you stay informed and engage on the issues you care about most. Updated weekly.
Detailed agendas are posted when packets come out; this page also includes a tentative schedule of key items over the next 2–3 months.
How to use this page
- Look through the list below.
- Use the links to access materials for this week and earlier meetings; new items are added when packets are released.
- Decide whether you want to email the Council, speak at Open Comment or a Public Hearing, or watch the meeting on Channel 8.
- Remember that all dates are subject to change.
JANUARY 8, 2026 (SPECIAL MEETING)
The overview and summaries below highlight key agenda items and how to engage with them. The full agenda is available here.
Jump to the summaries of selected items in each section:
Consent Agenda
If you want to share your views on a Consent Agenda item:
Email the Council before the meeting or sign up to speak at Open Comment. Consent Agenda items rarely change based on day‑of feedback. Councilmembers can vote “no” on individual items if they have concerns.
Letter from City Council to Xcel Energy
What Council is considering:
Allowing the City Manager to send a letter to Xcel that reflects Council and community concerns about reliability, costs, and progress on shared clean‑energy work, and outlines expectations for the next few years.
Why it matters:
Residents and businesses have experienced repeated outages and rising bills. The letter sets clear expectations for improvements in service, communication, and clean‑energy progress as the city evaluates how well the partnership is working.
Sundance Film Festival & City Services Agreement
What Council is considering:
Approving an agreement that outlines how the city will support hosting the Sundance Film Festival in Boulder for the next 10 years, including transportation support, use of downtown facilities, and financial rebates tied to the event.
Why it matters:
This event requires coordinated planning for transportation, public safety, permitting, and city staffing. The agreement sets the framework for how Boulder and the Sundance Institute will work together to manage local impacts.
Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging
What Council is considering:
Adopting a resolution to opt out of revising the city’s land use code for EV charging. Updating Boulder's already successful code to match the state’s model standards would require significant staff time with limited added benefit.
Why it matters:
Opting out keeps Boulder compliant with state law without diverting staff time into a major code rewrite. The city can continue permitting EV chargers through its already successful processes and still make future code updates if needed.
Rezoning 5501 & 5505 Arapahoe Avenue (first reading)
What Council is considering:
First reading of two ordinances to rezone the former Boulder Dinner Theater site and the Premier Members Credit Union site to Mixed Use 4 (MU‑4). Rezoning changes the types of uses allowed on the sites.
Why it matters:
This zoning better matches the community vision for the 55th & Arapahoe area, which includes housing, small businesses, and transit connections. If passed, this item moves to a public hearing tentatively scheduled for February 5, 2026.
Annexation Petitions for 5399 Kewanee Dr & 5697 South Boulder Rd (first reading)
What Council is considering:
First reading of an ordinance to annex city-owned land near East Boulder Community Park. Council is also asked to approve a resolution confirming the petition meets state requirements and to set the public hearing.
Why it matters:
Annexation is needed before the city can move forward with future parks, recreation, and flood‑mitigation uses on the site. This is just first reading. If passed, a public hearing is tentatively scheduled for February 19, 2026.
Public Hearings
If you want to share your views on a Public Hearing item:
Sign up to speak at the Public Hearing or email the Council before the meeting. At the Public Hearing, Councilmembers can propose and vote on changes if they feel a perspective has been left out or if new information comes up.
Updates to landscaping, water use, and wildfire‑resilient design (Ordinance 8721)
What Council is considering:
Changes to the city’s rules for landscaping and outdoor areas when people build or remodel, including updates meant to save water, protect trees, and reduce wildfire risk.
Why it matters:
These updates affect how homes and buildings manage water, vegetation, and wildfire‑resilient design, and they respond to community feedback about balancing safety, tree preservation, and climate goals.
Matters
If you want to share your views on a Matters item:
Email the Council before the meeting or sign up to speak at Open Comment.
2026 Council Committee Appointments Discussion
What Council is discussing:
Council will discuss who will serve on regional boards and city committees for 2026, including groups that work on transportation, housing, and other community priorities.
Why it matters:
These appointments determine who represents Boulder on regional boards and who tracks internal topic areas on behalf of the full Council.
JANUARY 12-13, 2026 (COUNCIL RETREAT)
With council elections moving from odd to even years between 2025 and 2026, this Council serves a one‑year term, so the retreat will focus on priorities for 2026 alone.