Josh cooperman’s priorities
My involvement in Louisville’s community and government began with a singular focus: environmental sustainability, most especially, climate action. As my involvement evolved from occasional public comments at City Council meetings to membership in the Sustainability Advisory Board to running for mayor, its scope expanded. Still rooted in environmental sustainability, I now engage with the whole gamut of interconnected issues facing Louisville including arts reinvigoration, development and revitalization, economic vitality, historic preservation, housing affordability, multimodal transportation, open space restoration, and preparedness and resiliency. I strive to center diversity, equity, and inclusion in my consideration of these issues.
THEMES
environmental sustainability
View from Aquarius Open Space towards Louisville’s Ward 1 including the wastewater treatment plants and its solar array
Sustainability entails living in such a manner that we neither exceed the means necessary to live nor jeopardize the means necessary for future generations to live. While sustainability encompasses diverse aspects, from resource sustainability to economic sustainability, most fundamentally, sustainability means environmental sustainability. The reason is utterly basic: our ability to exist derives from our environment. Since the environment sustains us, we must sustain the environment. Presently, the effects of climate change pose the greatest threat to our environment — and therefore to ourselves. Climate action must be our primary concern as human beings, and climate action will be my primary concern as a City Council member. While Louisville has taken some great strides towards mitigating climate change, considerable work remains. In particular, Louisville must swiftly and significantly reduce its carbon footprint. I will lead Louisville in achieving its goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
diversity, equity, and inclusion
What does the triptych of nouns — diversity, equity, and inclusion — mean to me? Most essentially, diversity, equity, and inclusion signify acting with civility, courtesy, decency, fairness, humility, integrity, kindness, respectfulness, and thoughtfulness in a genuine, intentional, and wholehearted fashion. (Perhaps, diversity, equity, and inclusion are not the most apt nouns, but I employ them nonetheless as they are widely used.) While we mostly strive to act so, and while we have, as a society, made great strides over many decades to act much more so, we still have much to accomplish. Learning to conscientiously and comprehensively act so, both individually and collectively, requires guidance, input, and even leadership from those who have not always been and who are not currently being treated with civility, courtesy, decency, fairness, humility, integrity, kindness, respectfulness, and thoughtfulness in a genuine, intentional, and wholehearted fashion.
As part of this learning process, we must also reflect upon our own societal position. Accordingly, I wish to acknowledge (some of) my privileges. I am a white, cisgender, heterosexual man; I grew up in an upper middle class family with two loving parents and two loving brothers; I have benefitted from excellent public schools and extensive secondary education; I have enjoyed the opportunity of living and working in geographically and culturally diverse places. Now, I am privileged to have settled in the wonderful community that is Louisville, Colorado, and I am privileged — and grateful to my wife — to spend my time as a stay-at-home father, engaged resident, and physics tutor.
Louisville, our beloved community, could further enrich itself in becoming more diverse, equitable, and inclusive. In a more diverse Louisville residents would reflect a broader range of cultural, social, and economic backgrounds and experiences, more representative of Colorado’s population as a whole. In a more equitable Louisville residents would be able to achieve similar ends no matter their backgrounds and experiences. In a more inclusive Louisville residents of all backgrounds and experiences would be welcomed, valued, respected, and celebrated.
Mural on the west side of Louisville’s previous public library
The City can — and should — work to so enrich Louisville. City Council took a significant step towards this aim with its Task Force on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Through meetings over the course of a year, this Task Force developed a set of recommended actions: create a safer and more welcoming environment for all, accommodate non-English-speaking populations more thoroughly, provide equitable accommodations and services to all, create a housing market serving people of all socioeconomic situations, engage young residents more effectively, and improve access to public healthcare for all. The City has begun to implement these recommendations, and I would prioritize further implementation as a City Council member.
economic vitality
Louisville’s economic vitality is integral to ensuring a vibrant, sustainable, and healthy future for our community: Louisville’s economic activity largely funds the City’s budget, Louisville’s businesses provide employment for Louisville and nearby residents, and Louisville’s businesses provide goods, services, and opportunities to residents, visitors, and fellow businesses. Moreover, associations of Louisville businesses, like the Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Business Association, organize and sponsor community events, like Street Faire and the Taste of Louisville. Louisville’s businesses thus contribute to making our City an attractive, enjoyable place to live and visit. By supporting our businesses, we support our City, we support residents who own and work at our businesses, and we support our community. The City and its elected officials must thus prioritize economic vitality.
When my wife and I were researching places to live near her place of employment, Louisville stood out as a community in which my family could maintain its commitment to environmental sustainability. In particular, the neighborhoods of Louisville's Old Town attracted us for their foot and bicycle access to so many opportunities and services: playground parks, the Memory Square Pool, Old Town Skate, preschools, elementary school, middle school, the library, grocery stores (especially Alfalfa’s), bakeries (especially Moxie), the farmers' market, restaurants (especially Lucky Pie), music lessons (especially Dana V), and many other local businesses. (I did not know then that proximity to City Hall would be another convenience!) Initially, we rented a home in Steel Ranch; then, we bought a home in the Parkwood neighborhood (just outside of Old Town). This access makes living in Louisville much more environmentally sustainable for my family. The businesses in and near Louisville’s Old Town contribute vitally to my family’s environmentally sustainable lifestyle.
An economically vibrant Louisville, home to thriving businesses, will significantly help our City to achieve a higher level of environmental sustainability. Environmental sustainability is thus not merely compatible with, but also supportive of economic vitality. Louisville’s best interests lie in promoting sustainable regulations that foster our businesses’ long-term success, and our businesses’ best interests lie in supporting sustainable practices that keep Louisville beautiful and healthy. Many of Louisville’s businesses recognize the importance of sustainable practices, especially those driven by sustainable business models (like EcoEnclose where I have printed campaign materials) and those that used to participate in the City’s Green Business program. The City must continue and improve its outreach to businesses in part to demonstrate and instill the benefits of environmental sustainability.
Achieving a higher level of environmental sustainability is of critical importance, most especially in the present moment as we act decisively to mitigate climate change. We cannot afford to retreat from the targets of the Paris Climate Accords. I will lead Louisville in doing its part to meet these commitments, but all of Louisville — residents, businesses, and visitors — must work together towards these goals. I will ensure that the City collaborates with its businesses to support them in these efforts.
thoughtful development
Development in Louisville must thoughtfully balance a host of issues: climate resiliency, community values, economic vitality, environmental sustainability, fiscal responsibility, historic preservation, and local and regional needs. Given the urgency of mitigating climate change, all development must be environmentally sustainable. The City’s building codes largely ensure that new residential and commercial buildings are constructed sustainably, but the City’s design and land-use codes could be significantly updated and improved. More specifically, Louisville should also ensure that development, especially depending on its location, is resilient to the effects of climate change, that development in downtown respects its historic character, and that development contributes to addressing the needs of Boulder County and the Denver metropolitan region.
By no means does my position on sustainable development entail that Louisville should not welcome development. Indeed, I would encourage and support development in various parts of the City: for instance, residential development in and near downtown, commercial development in downtown, residential and mixed-use development on both sides of McCaslin Boulevard, and residential and commercial development clustered on the footprint of the former StorageTek site. Such development, if executed thoughtfully, can respect Louisville’s existing character, support local and regional needs (like affordable housing), and offset unsustainable growth in nearby municipalities.
Furthermore, City Council should take a more active role in guiding Louisville’s development. The City’s Comprehensive Plan, including its ancillary small area plans, serves as a vision of sorts for Louisville’s development, but this vision is neither pursued in a concerted manner nor sufficiently linked to decision making. (Throughout the process of updating the Comprehensive Plan, we should address these issues by giving more consideration to the Plan’s implementation.) Rather than waiting for developers to approach the City, the City should engage developers to work towards the Comprehensive Plan’s vision. This engagement should be thoroughly collaborative: the City should bring its vision to the table, developers should bring their knowledge and experience to the table, and together we should move the City’s vision forward in a mutually beneficial way.
Topics
housing affordability
Like many other municipalities across Colorado and the nation, Louisville desperately needs more affordable housing. In conversations with residents, I have heard a variety of concerns about Louisville’s need for affordable housing. Some residents are concerned about their ability to remain in Louisville; some residents are concerned about their children’s ability to move back to Louisville; some residents are concerned about their ability to downsize in retirement in Louisville; some residents are concerned about the loss of historic homes in old town Louisville; and some residents are concerned about the diminishing diversity amongst their Louisville neighbors. Moreover, some businesses are concerned about their ability to hire and retain employees as many people who work in Louisville, including City staff and public school teachers, cannot afford to live in the community that they serve.
Currently, approximately 3% of residential units in Louisville are affordable (according to typical definitions involving some form of permanent deed restrictions). Several years ago the City joined a Boulder County-wide effort to increase the County’s percentage of affordable housing units to 12% by 2035. If Louisville contributes to this effort by increasing its percentage of residential units to 12%, then Louisville will need approximately 900 more affordable residential units. While Louisville alone will not resolve the issue of affordable housing in Boulder County, Louisville has a role to play in resolving this issue. As a City Council member I will work resolutely towards the County’s goal.
Louisville should not only meet, but also embrace its commitment. More affordable housing would benefit Louisville: by addressing the concerns of residents listed above; by making Louisville a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive community; by supporting Louisville’s businesses with a larger customer base and employees; and by reducing the environmental impact of people commuting to Louisville. More basically, I firmly believe that everyone deserves a place to live. Of course, not everyone can — or wants — to live in Louisville, but Louisville can — and should — accommodate more residents. I firmly believe that Louisville’s population can grow to some extent without unduly altering our community’s character.
Multimodal transportation
Compared to the many communities in the United States, Louisville has excellent pedestrian and bicyclist infrastructure. Moreover, Louisville has planned extensively to further improve such infrastructure as detailed in its Transportation Master Plan. Louisville’s Public Works Department strives to implement these improvements, and Louisville residents are generally cognizant of and respectful to pedestrians and bicyclists. Still, having lived in Cambridge (England), Davis (California), and Utrecht (Netherlands), I know firsthand that there is considerable room for improvement. I have advocated extensively for progress on pedestrian and bicyclist infrastructure since settling in Louisville. I advocate strongly for pedestrian and bicyclist infrastructure because walking and bicycling are the safest, healthiest, and most environmentally sustainable means of transportation. I want to make walking and bicycling safer for people of all ages and abilities in Louisville, and I want to substantially increase the rates at which people walk and bicycle for transportation in Louisville. I fully recognize that walking and bicycling are not always the most appropriate, convenient, or feasible means of transportation; indeed, while my family and I strive to walk or bicycle as much as possible, we do regularly drive our electric car and occasionally ride an RTD bus. I have no particular qualms with Louisville’s vehicular infrastructure, but I am well aware of issues at the Monarch campus, near Louisville Middle School, and along Highway 42. Expanded public transportation in Louisville, both bus and train, would be highly beneficial, though I understand that such expansion is no simple task.
Open spaces and parks
Louisville’s open spaces and parks rank amongst our community’s most cherished assets. My family and I love Louisville’s open spaces and parks for the recreational opportunities that they afford, the gathering spaces that they present, the natural respite that they provide, the glorious views that they present, the wildlife habitat that they harbor, and the carbon dioxide that they sequester. First and foremost, we must enjoy, maintain, and treasure our open spaces and parks, and, when opportunities arise, we should expand our open spaces and parks.
I supported Louisville’s Ballot Measure 2C, which residents overwhelmingly approved to extend and increase the City’s open spaces and parks sales tax. This tax originated thirty years ago with approval from Louisville voters, and Louisville voters have now extended the tax on three occasions. Ballot Measure 2C extends the tax for another ten years with a modest increase to fund wildfire mitigation on open spaces and acquisition of new open spaces. The tax revenue entirely funds the Open Space Division and largely funds the Parks Division of the City’s Recreation, Parks, and Open Space Department, amounting to about $2.5 million each year. This funding is absolutely essential to the management and maintenance of our open spaces and parks.
The Marshall fire demonstrated unequivocally that Louisville must mitigate wildfire risks on its open spaces. This mitigation must respect the community's recreational usage of our open spaces and the City Charter's protections for native wildlife inhabiting our open spaces. This mitigation must also not further fuel climate change, especially, by safeguarding the capacity of our open spaces to sequester carbon dioxide. The City must balance all of these considerations in designing and implementing wildfire mitigation on our open spaces. Fortunately, the City can draw on scientifically sound measures, like carefully executed ruminant grazing, to strike this balance between preservation and mitigation.
historic preservation
Louisville’s historic buildings comprise a key component of the City’s character. Like most residents and visitors, I relish the privilege of taking in Louisville’s historic architecture while walking or bicycling through Old Town, and I am proud that Louisville has made concerted efforts to preserve historic buildings. The City has not managed to save every historic building, and residents are rightly concerned about the further loss of historic buildings and the impact of such losses on the City’s character. While I generally support residential and commercial development in Old Town, I contend that this development can and should respect Louisville’s historic character. Moreover, the City can potentially save more historic buildings by expanding its historic preservation programs to simultaneously achieve other goals like housing affordability.
preparedness and resiliency
Large swaths of Louisville fall within the wildland-urban interface including neighborhoods that burned in the Marshall fire. Louisville has only recently considered adoption of wildland-urban interface building codes as part of its recovery efforts. The City should adopt elements of such codes, specifically adapted to Louisville's wildfire risks, preferably before the State's mandated codes come into effect. In particular, the City should require fire-hardening measures for new construction, at least in high risk areas, and should incentivize fire-hardening measures for existing buildings, prioritizing high risk areas. The City should accompany such incentives with a thorough educational campaign for all residents and businesses in partnership with the Louisville Fire Protection District.
Climate change, the result of anthropogenic global warming, daily affects our lives — sometimes minutely, sometimes dramatically — and will continue to affect our lives for the foreseeable future. Our past and present choices have ensured a certain amount of future global warming, so we must endeavor to not only mitigate further global warming, but also adapt to the effects of climate change. Louisville can — and must — take action to make our community climate resilient.
