The City of Boulder and Boulder County are celebrating the completion of Boulder’s first Community Assembly. Forty-three randomly selected members of the Boulder community met over seven Saturdays between May and October to examine and discuss 15-minute neighborhoods in the Boulder Valley. A Community Assembly is a structured public process in which a randomly selected group of community members study an issue, deliberate and develop recommendations for decisionmakers. Members bring their perspectives and lived experiences and typically meet over several weeks or months. Their final recommendations aim to reflect the community’s best interests.
Boulder Meeting[/caption]
The assembly provided a unique opportunity for community members to help shape the future of the Boulder Valley and was an innovative part of community engagement for the once-in-a-decade Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan update. The plan includes wide-ranging policies and a future land use map.
The Community Assembly presented a written report of its recommendations, supported by the facilitation team from the University of Colorado, Boulder. The report includes a Boulder specific definition of 15-minute neighborhoods, 15 majority recommendations, a set of principles for prioritizing locations and one minority report on a single issue. The recommendations focused on Inclusive Local Economy, Housing Choice and Opportunity and various challenges and opportunities. Themes included creating a sense of belonging and social connection and increasing accessibility for people of all abilities…