See what Boulder
could become.
Boulder is building a bold new vision for growth. But the zoning code is already outdated. BuildBoulder maps the gap — so you can see what's possible, what's blocked, and why.
Boulder is building a bold new vision for growth. But the zoning code is already outdated. BuildBoulder maps the gap — so you can see what's possible, what's blocked, and why.
As Boulder works through the drafting and eventual adoption of a new Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan, it has laid out a vision for where and how the city should grow — more housing types, mixed-use neighborhoods, transit-oriented development.
A new comprehensive plan leaves us with a fully outdated and obsolete zoning code. We need to work expeditiously to get Title 9 — our land use code — caught up with the ambitious, visionary, and forward-thinking Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan currently in development. Until then, builders, architects, and residents navigate conflicting signals, often spending thousands on pre-applications before discovering their project was never going to work under current rules, even though the city's own emerging plan supports exactly what they're proposing.
BuildBoulder makes that gap visible.
City develops a new comprehensive plan
We are here — the existing code is outdated and conflicts are emerging
BuildBoulder lives here — maps conflicts, guides reform
Code gets updated to match the plan
Most cities are stuck between steps 2 and 3 for years. That's where Boulder is right now.
BuildBoulder is a community service built to help homeowners, developers, architects, and neighbors navigate the chaos while we're in transition. By identifying and mapping the specific conflicts between what the code allows and what the plan envisions, we can do two things at once:
Even while the code is outdated, there are options — by-right projects, use reviews, and creative approaches. BuildBoulder makes those paths visible so people don't waste time and money on dead ends.
When the conflicts are mapped, measured, and made public, the case for code reform becomes undeniable. BuildBoulder gives the community and decision-makers the evidence they need to prioritize and accelerate the rewrite of Title 9 — so Boulder doesn't have to live in this period of conflict any longer than it has to.
Every parcel in Boulder, scored by how much current zoning conflicts with the emerging comprehensive plan. Green means aligned. Red means the code actively blocks what the city says it wants.
Current zoning already supports what the comprehensive plan envisions. Allowed uses, density, and building forms are consistent with the plan's goals. Projects in these areas can generally proceed by right without rezoning.
Zoning mostly works, but specific standards create friction — a height limit that's 10 feet too low, parking minimums above what the plan recommends, or missing use permissions for things like home-based businesses or small-scale retail. Fixable through targeted code amendments without full rezoning.
The plan envisions a fundamentally different character than what the code allows. Zones capped at single-family where the plan calls for duplexes, cottage courts, or townhomes. Areas designated for mixed-use neighborhood centers but zoned purely residential. These need new zoning districts or significant amendments to unlock.
The code actively blocks the plan's vision. Areas identified as future regional or community hubs where current zoning prohibits the density, building types, and mixed uses the plan calls for. These represent the biggest opportunities — and the places where code reform will have the greatest impact.
Click each step to see what a real analysis looks like for 2085 Alpine Ave, Boulder CO — a residential parcel in a Moderate Conflict zone.
Tell us the Boulder address you're curious about and what you're hoping to build or learn. We'll send you a plain-English report with current zoning, future vision, conflicts, and your options.
