Boulder, Colo. ? Despite a slow economy and declining tax revenue, Boulder officials continue to explore ways to limit commercial growth.

City officials, who will meet today, are concerned that an imbalance between housing in Boulder and jobs, which attract commuters, is worsening air pollution, traffic congestion and driving up demand for housing in an already tight market.

City planners say existing zoning would allow 37 million square feet of new building space, bringing an estimated 75,000 to 150,000 new workers to Boulder. The population could grow by only about 12,000, given the land available for housing.

Capping commercial growth would infringe on property rights, developers and property owners say.

Business leaders also question the effect on the slumping economy.

“This is certainly a conversation worth having; we’re just not having it in the right way,” said Stan Zemler, executive director of the Boulder Chamber of Commerce.

Boulder has been criticized for its longtime controls on residential growth. Critics say the growth limit has boosted housing prices and forced out many moderate- and low-income families.

Steve Pomerance, a former Boulder city councilman and one of the city’s most vocal growth-control advocates, argues there should be a more frank discussion about how much development the city’s resources can handle, particularly in a drought.

Balancing jobs and housing has become an increasingly hot topic in the metro area, said Larry Mugler, planning director for the Denver Regional Council of Governments.