05.16.16 HRC Packet
Human Relations Commission
Monday, May 16, 2016
City Council Chambers
1777 Broadway
Boulder, CO 80302
6 p.m.
I. Call to Order
II. Agenda Adjustments
III. Approval of Minutes
A. April 11, 2016
B. April 18, 2016
IV. Community Participation (non-agenda action items)
V. Action Items
A. 2016-2017 Work Plan
B. 2017 MLK RFP Subcommittee Selection
VI. Discussion/Informational Items
A. Resilience Strategy Draft
B. HRC Handbook
C. 2016 Celebration of Immigrant Heritage
D. Homelessness Issue
E. Proclamation for Aya Medrud
F. Human Services Strategy Update
G. Portland Trip
H. Safe and Inclusive Work Plan Update
I. Council Request
J. Event Reports
K. Follow Up Items
VII. Immediate Action Items
VIII. Adjournment
Attachments:
Minutes: April 11, 2016
Minutes: April 18, 2016
Work Plan: 2016-2017
Memo: Resilience Strategy Draft
Report: Resilience Strategy Draft
RFP: Celebration of Immigrant Heritage
Human Relations Commission
Monday, April 11, 2016
West Senior Center
909 Arapahoe Ave.
Boulder, CO 80302
1 p.m.
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT:
José Beteta
Lauren Gifford
Nikhil Mankekar
Emilia Pollauf
Shirly White
COMMISSIONERS ABSENT:
None
STAFF PRESENT:
Carmen Atilano
Clay Fong
Linda Gelhaar
Janet Michels
Karen Rahn
I. Call to Order
The April 11, 2016 HRC meeting was called to order at 1:02 p.m. by S. White.
II. Retreat Overview – C. Atilano gave a line item overview of the retreat.
III. HRC Roles and Responsibilities, City Attorney Office – Staff representative gave description of a
Home Rule City where the City of Boulder is governed by its people and they have a right to adopt a
charter. K. Rahn clarified role of HRC to City Council.
A. The role of the board and commission is to advise City Council on policy.
B. Administrative functions are managed by the city manager and staff.
C. HRC has Quasi-judicial responsibilities to enforce the Human Rights Ordinance.
D. Citizens have the right to Due Process and meetings must be recorded.
E. Three members shall constitute a quorum, and the affirmative vote of at least three members
shall be necessary to authorize any action by the commission.
F. All meetings must be noticed to the public.
G. Reviewed City of Boulder code of conduct
1. Use of city logo
2. Public support of a political party
3. Accepting gifts/donations
4. Outside interests effecting commission responsibilities
5. Conflict of interest
IV. HRC Handbook Review – C. Atilano gave direction to review and edit the draft and bring to April 18
HRC meeting for discussion.
A. HRC Roles
1. Officers (Chair and Deputy Chair) – Fiscally elected – April - March. Chair runs the
monthly meetings on the third Monday of every month and Deputy Chair runs in the
monthly meetings in absence of the Chair. Serve as advisors to City Council.
B. Staff Roles
1. Staff – Supports commission in following work plan and responsible to the city
manager. Provides administrative support and research analysis to commission.
Reports to City Council on behalf of commission.
C. Meeting Agenda and Process – C. Atilano reviewed the agenda components (p. 20 in
handbook) Agenda is set by the Chair, Deputy Chair and city staff, however all committee
members are welcome to participate. There are two ways to get an item on the agenda; mention
item in a prior meeting or contact the Chair, Deputy Chair or staff to ask if an item may be
included.
1. Call to Order- The Chair of the meeting will call the meeting to order.
2. Agenda Adjustments – Any adjustments or tweaking to the printed and publicized
agenda.
3. Approval of Minutes – After discussion and possible amendment of minutes of the
previous HRC meeting will be approved by vote of at least three and signed by the
chairperson and attested by the secretary.
4. Community Participation – Consists of public comment for all issues not on the HRC
agenda. Is not moved to Action Items.
5. Action items – Requires a vote of the commission. Most items have an attachment to
provide more background information in order to make an informed decision.
6. Discussion/Information Items – A vote is not necessary but items may be moved to
Action Items for a vote.
7. Immediate Action Items – Super major rule for an action item.
8. Adjournment – The Chair will accept a motion and adjourn the meeting.
D. Electronic Communication – C. Atilano discussed eliminating hardcopy meeting packets in
favor of electronic meeting packets. Commissioners would be provided with a laptop/surface
during the meetings to access the meeting packets. K. Rahn discussed commissioners using
personal laptops in which they could access the packets using Sharepoint. After some discussion,
commissioners had mixed preference, so HRC may proceed with both options for a period of
time.
V. Expectations of Each Other
A. What’s Working –
1. Communications with staff
2. Commission represents itself well to the public
3. Discussion is good
4. Good deliberative process
5. Subcom work – Sharing responsibilities
6. Critical assessment of funding
B. Needs Improvement –
1. Too many agenda items
2. Plan for strategy updates
3. Hold more meetings in neighborhoods
4. Raise awareness for one year
5. Utilize neighborhood liaison for more input
6. Forum to share experience
7. More community celebration
C. Process needs –
1. Policy vs event stats
2. Streamline process for report back
i. Budget
ii. Impact/attendance
iii. Proactive planning on high attendance issues
iv. Draft work plan
v. Mascot
vi. Enhance public understanding about what HRC does
VI. 2016 HRC Work Plan
A. 2015 Work Plan – What to Carry over to 2016
1. Recommendations to City Council – carryover and additions:
i. Repeal of C.R.S Section 8-6-101
ii. Support Comprehensive Immigration Reform
iii. Identify issues for the State and Federal Legislative Agenda
iv. Living Wage
v. Minimum Wage
vi. B.R.C. Title 12 expansion
2. Community Issues – carryover and additions:
i. Living Wage
ii. Update to Human Services Strategy
iii. Expand outlets for Driver’s Licenses for Immigrants
iv. Wage Gap
v. Economic Justice
vi. Fair Dining Certificate
vii. Paid Parental Leave
viii. Citizenship Requirement for City Council Participation
ix. Safe and inclusive Community Work Plan
x. Homelessness
3. Civic Engagement – carryover and additions:
i. Public hearings on issues of concern – Living Wage, Bias-motivated incidents,
Immigration issues, Discrimination, Inclusiveness, Race relations
ii. Offsite HRC Meetings
4. Community Education/Awareness – carryover and additions:
i. Information forums on issues of concern – Living Wage, Immigrant Rights,
Discrimination, Inclusiveness, Race relations, Economic Justice
ii. Community Events Support – Celebration of MLK Day, Celebration of
Immigrant Heritage Week, Cultural and community events, Indigenous Peoples
Day
B. Safe and Inclusive Community
1. Perceptions Assessment – K. Rahn gave update that the consultants are working on
the survey and staff and two HRC members will be asked to be part of the process.
C. Human Services Strategy – K. Rahn gave update on HS Strategy and Homelessness Strategy
and community engagement timeline. HRC will be asked to participate in focus groups. It was
suggested to have Judge Cooke attend an HRC meeting and report about the diversion activity.
D. Immigrant Advisory Committee – Currently taking applications for committee members
E. Funding
1. Community Event Fund – Combine funding into one Quarterly funding award
2. Community Impact Fund – Combine funding into one Quarterly funding award
VII. Adjournment
J. Beteta moved to adjourn the April 11, 2016 meeting. N. Mankekar seconded. Motion carries 5-0.
The meeting was adjourned at 5 p.m.
Attested: Approved:
Board Secretary HRC Chairperson
Human Relations Commission
Monday, April 18, 2016
West Senior Center
909 Arapahoe Ave.
Boulder, CO 80302
6 p.m.
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT:
José Beteta
Lauren Gifford
Nikhil Mankekar
Emilia Pollauf
Shirly White
COMMISSIONERS ABSENT:
None
STAFF PRESENT:
Carmen Atilano
Linda Gelhaar
I. Call to Order
The April 18, 2016 HRC meeting was called to order at 6:04 p.m. by S. White.
II. Agenda Adjustments
None.
III. Approval of Minutes
March 28, 2016 – E. Pollauf moved to approve March 28, 2016 minutes. After a discussion, a second motion
and vote was taken. N. Mankekar seconded. Motion carries 5-0.
IV. Community Participation
A. Darren O’Connor – Boulder Rights Watch addressed the commission on the request to City Council about
putting a moratorium on the camping ban with the potential to repeal it. He commented on the discussion in
City Council about not ending the camping ban but ending the criminalization of the homeless. Mr.
O’Connor requested that the HRC move forward on putting together a taskforce to look into the issues
further.
B. Mike Homner – Boulder Rights Watch addressed the commission regarding the homeless being offered a
deferment instead of not having a ticket issued in the first place if the area was cleaned up. He commented
on the Portland trip and how he and Mr. O’Connor plan to visit with the homeless there and will report
back on May 9 at the First Congregation Church.
C. Morey Bean – Boulder Rights Watch addressed the commission with regard to a taskforce and that if the HRC
determined a taskforce was appropriate, then it should be action oriented with deliverables and his hope
that Council will provide solutions before the next winter. Mr. Bean invited th e commissioners to the May
9 debrief of the Portland trip at the First Congregational Church.
V. Action Items
A. Proclamation for Aya Medrud – Representatives gave an oral proposal for a proclamation for A. Medrud’s
life’s work. They spoke about her work with social injustice with regard to race and education. It was requested
that Aya Medrud be honored for her work with the community and her service with the HRC. C. Atilano
provided background information on proclamations and the procedure with council and discussed possible dates
to honor A. Medrud. N. Mankekar moved to approve proclamation to forward to the Mayor. J. Beteta
seconded. Before the vote, S. White asked that the “coordinated” gets changed to “coordinates” in the fourth
whereas in the proclamation. Motion carries 5-0.
B. Nomination and Election of Officers
1. Chairperson – J. Beteta moved to nominate S. White as Chairperson. E. Pollauf seconded.
Motion carries 5-0.
2. Deputy Chairperson – N. Mankekar moved to nominate E. Pollauf as Deputy Chairperson. L
Gifford seconded. Motion carries 5-0.
C. Community Impact Fund Proposal: Barrio E – J. Beteta recused himself. C. Atilano and the
commissioners discussed the funding process, other funding programs and the current funding budget a nd
where the budget would be after moving forward with this proposal. Prior proposal award amounts were
reviewed. The representative presented an overview of the World Dance Jam and showed an aerial video of the
drummers. The representative discussed the educational and community impact of this event and how
drumming brings the community together in peace and embraces culture, diversity and inclusion. The event
budget was discussed, the 2016 HRC funding budget was reviewed, as well as current proposals before the
commission. HRC agreed to reserve $5,000.00 for the Indigenous Peoples’ Day Inauguration and $5,00 0.00 for
the Celebration of Immigrant Heritage. HRC asked staff to inform the public that it would not consider further
Impact Fund applications until late October after these two celebrations. E. Pollauf asked representative to give
the most important line items for funding; acknowledging budget limitations at this time. E. Pollauf moved to
approve $1,830.00. N. Mankekar seconded. Motion carries 4-0-1. 2016
D. Work Plan – Commissioners and staff discussed work plan overview and reviewed citizenship requirements to
serve on Professional Standards Review panel and for general participation fo r committees. Responsibilities of
the Wage Theft Task Force were reviewed by C. Atilano. E. Pollauf moved to approve 2016 Work Plan. L.
Gifford seconded. Motion carries 5-0.
VI. Discussion/Informational Items
A. HRC Handbook – Moving item to next month’s agenda.
B. Indigenous Peoples Day Resolution – HRC will consider at its May 16 meeting.
C. Living Wage Recommendations Update – C. Atilano gave update and various city departments working on
their specific areas of work.
D. Inclusive and Welcoming Community Work Plan – C. Atilano gave update on the process and reviewed
Council’s directive and timeline.
E. Human Services Strategy Update – C. Atilano gave update that the survey is in the final stages of being
launched. HRC will be one of the focus groups. S. White would like the HRC to be part of other focus groups.
F. Homeless Issue and City Council – C. Atilano gave update that the collaboration is continuing to work with
the city and will bring forward to the HRC for review. Council did not approve a Taskforce independent of
current homeless strategy work and staff is going to continue with the strategy and action plan and will bring to
HRC for input. Recommendations regarding diversion activities are being developed by a team of staff with the
BPD and Muni Court and when enough data is compiled, it will be brought to the HRC for input. L. Gifford
asked the Boulder Rights Watch representatives for clarification on their position of the homeless issue. M.
Homner reported for the group that the camping ban is criminalizing regular life sleep and that the former
places for homeless to sleep have all been redeveloped. There was some discussion about the necessity of the
commissioners and Boulder Rights Watch members visiting with the homeless prior to advising on the
Homeless Strategy Action Plan and the proposed Diversion Activities.
G. Event Reports – J. Beteta had a good farewell dinner in appreciation for A. Zuckerman.
H. Follow Up Items – C. Atilano
1. Continue to work with committee members developing the proclamation in recognition of Aya Medrud and
get submitted to CAC for Mayor’s review and signature.
2. Contractual agreements: Barrio E $1,830.00.
3. Update work plan with comments expressed in meeting. Bring back proposal for new funding structure for
2017. Also, post on website no longer accepting applications for 2016 CIF.
4. Continue to work with Indigenous People’s Day committee to finalize resolution and review inaugural
celebration in October 2016.
5. Develop list of places commi ssioners can go to obtain more information and insight regarding the
homeless situation.
.
VII. Immediate Action Items
None.
VIII. Adjournment
N. Mankekar moved to adjourn the April 18, 2016 meeting. L. Gifford seconded. Motion carries 5-0.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:44 p.m.
Attested: Approved:
Board Secretary HRC Chairperson
The functions of the Human Relations
Commission are:
• To foster mutual respect and
understanding;
• To create an atmosphere conducive
to the promotion of amicable
relations among all members of the
city's community;
•To serve as a vehicle through which
residents can convey their suggestions
on city policies with respect to social
problems; and
•To be sensitive to the social needs of
residents and to advise and assist the
city government in relating human
and social services to the needs of the
city residents.
2016 HRC Work Plan
Functions Roles
4/13/16 1 2016 HRC Work Plan
City of
Boulder
Policy
Community
Funding
Community
Relations
Quasi-
judicial
Body
Legislation •Recommendations to City
Council:
•Repeal of C.R.S. Section 8-6-
101
•Support comprehensive
immigration reform
•Identify issues for the State
and Federal Legislative Agenda
•Living Wage
•Minimum Wage
•B.R.C. Title 12 expansion Recommendations •Community Issues
•Living Wage
•Update to Human Services Strategy
•Expand Outlets for Driver’s
Licenses for Immigrants
•Wage Gap
•Economic Justice
•Paid Parental Leave
•Citizenship Requirement for
General Civic Participation
•Safe and Inclusive Community
Work Plan
•Homelessness
•Housing Access
Policy: To make policy recommendations to city council on human rights,
community relations and social issues
4/13/16 2 2016 HRC Work Plan
Civic Engagement
•Public hearings on issues of concern
(such as):
•Living Wage
•Bias-motivated incidents
•Immigration issues
•Discrimination
•Inclusiveness
•Race Relations
•Offsite HRC Meetings
Community Education/Awareness •Information forums on issues of
concern (such as):
•Living Wage
•Immigrant Rights
•Discrimination
•Inclusiveness
•Race Relations
•Economic Justice
•Community Events Support:
•Celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Day
•Celebration of Immigrant Heritage
Week
•Indigenous Peoples Day
•Cultural and community events
Community Relations: To encourage and support community engagement
and education; create a welcoming place for the community to voice
concerns; hold educational forums and public hearings on issues of concern
4/13/16 3 2016 HRC Work Plan
2016 HRC Work Plan 4
•Quarterly Funding Awards:
o Community based events that encourage education, respect and appreciation for diverse
communities in Boulder
o Community initiated activities that raise awareness on emerging civil rights issues that
facilitate interaction and understanding, encourage collaboration and strengthen civic
participation among Boulder’s diverse communities and promote an inclusive society
•Annual Celebration of Immigrant Heritage: Support events held as part of the city’s Annual
Immigrant Heritage Week Oct. 1 – Oct. 6 that honor the experience and contributions of the many
immigrants who have shaped the city over generations and/or that facilitate the successful
integration of immigrants into the civic, economic and cultural life of the Boulder community.
•Annual Celebration of MLK, Jr.: HRC/YOAB MLK Day Fund is a source of financial support for events
that honor the life of, and inform the Boulder community about the work of Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr.
Community Funding: Allocate Human Services Funds dedicated to support human
relations, diversity education, cultural events and social engagement
4/13/16
Quasi-judicial Body
•Hearings for the “Prohibition of
Discrimination in Housing,
Employment and Public
Accommodations,” B.R.C. 1981
Commission Development
•Trainings and Conferences
•City Training
•Quasi-judicial Process
•Ethics Training
4/13/16 5 2016 HRC Work Plan
DRAFT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
APRIL 2016 www.ResilientBoulder.com
RESILIENCE CITY OF BOULDER
STRATEGY
VISION
Building on a legacy of frontier
innovation, Boulder will cultivate
a creative spirit to adapt to and
thrive in a changing climate,
economy, and society.
VISION STATEMENT
From its early history as a frontier town fueled by the discovery of gold in the
middle of the 19th Century, Boulder has consistently served as a destination for
individuals defined by their pioneering spirit. Boulder has originated some of
the most progressive policies in the United States in a variety of areas. Its long
history of preserving open space and its bold climate action plans and programs
are just a few examples.
The launch of Boulder’s first resilience strategy is a continuation of that legacy
-- complementing your history of sustainability work and establishing Boulder
at the vanguard of the urban resilience revolution that will define our time. This
strategy takes a comprehensive and honest view of Boulder’s resilience
challenges and opportunities. It outlines a path forward for the city to confront
not just its most obvious shocks, like flash flooding or wildfires, but also the
chronic stresses, such as the need for affordable housing, integrated regional
planning, and strong, cohesive communities, which exacerbate those shocks
and impact the city over the long term.
None of this could have been accomplished without the stalwart support and
vision of the Mayor, Suzanne Jones, City Manager, Jane Brautigam and the
Boulder City Council. We also extend our thanks to Boulder’s exceptional Chief
Resilience Officer, Greg Guibert. Greg led a tremendous effort over the course of
the past year of robust research, extensive community outreach, and thoughtful
planning in order to make this strategy come to fruition.
What makes Boulder’s strategy a leading example for our international network
of member cities is the way in which it integrates world-class solutions from
our platform of partners, while also highlighting the various city-to-city
connections Boulder has facilitated through the 100RC network. Boulder has
hosted resilience delegations from Da Nang, Vietnam around climate change
mitigation efforts, and will do so again, with another 100 Resilient Cities
partner, Wellington, New Zealand around a community based resilience
outreach program, in the coming months.
Going forward, we know that this bold vision will strengthen your work to make
Boulder a more resilient city for the entire community. As you begin to
implement the various initiatives outlined in this strategy, I am confident that
Boulder will continue to honor its history as an urban innovator, and begin to
export the lessons we learn together to cities across the 100RC network and
beyond. My congratulations to you all, on behalf of the entire 100 Resilient Cities
team. We look forward to partnering with Boulder on its resilience journey for
many years to come.
MICHAEL BERKOWITZ
President of 100 Resilient Cities -
Pioneered by The Rockefeller
Foundation.
RESILIENT BOULDER
AND 100 RESILIENT CITIES (100RC)
Dear neighbors,
We are delighted to present Boulder’s Resilience Strategy, a document that reflects approaches our community will be taking as we work to
strengthen our preparedness for – and ability to respond to – future challenges. These approaches build on what we already know works in our
highly engaged community, as well as best practices we have learned about as one of the inaugural cities participating in the 100 Resilient
Cities program. We are so appreciative of the opportunity to work with 100RC and the cohort of other cities in the program, and want to
acknowledge their leadership in this crucial endeavor.
You will notice that each of the strategic focus areas in our Resilience Strategy is defined by verbs. This is by design. We know that the best way
to make Boulder more resilient in the face of stress is to act – to act now, to act strategically and with appropriate coordination, and to act
together. And as you can see, there is an exciting group of initiatives underway under each of these focus areas.
In exploring what it means to be a “resilient” community, this resultant strategy recognizes the importance of broadening our understanding
of potential future stresses. We know from recent experiences that wildfires and floods are very real dangers in Boulder. But this plan covers so
much more. How can Boulder leverage the emerging risk of the Emerald Ash Borer beetle, for example, to make our forestry systems and
practices stronger? How can we strengthen the social fabric of our neighborhoods and provide more support to particularly vulnerable
populations so they can withstand potential economic downturns more effectively? How can the city work with the business community to
ensure that they have plans in place to recover quickly after disruptions?
As you read through this strategy document, we hope you will feel the same pride we do for our community. Many of you have played a role in
the creation of this framework. You’ve participated in forums and learning opportunities. You’ve engaged in dialogue with our Chief Resilience
Officer Greg Guibert. And you’ve provided input that has helped us understand our community’s priorities. We are so grateful for this kind of
support and engagement. Our people and our sense of community continue to be among our greatest assets as we work toward the shared
goal of strengthening Boulder and implementing the many terrific programs outlined in this plan. Let’s work together to make Boulder the very
best – and strongest – it can be!
Sincerely,
LETTER FROM MAYOR
Jane Brautigam
City Manager
Suzanne Jones
Mayor
BOULDER
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Challenge
2. Context
3. Approach
4. Strategies
5. Credits
pg. 1
pg. 7
pg. 17
pg. 23
pg. 45
1CHALLENGE
BOULDER’S CHALLENGE
BOULDER has a long history of planning today for the challenges of tomorrow, creating innovative solutions, and undertaking successful resilience-building
activities and projects. From its 40+ year legacy of open space preservation, to pioneering commitments to climate action goals, the community has supported some
of the most progressive resilience activities in the country for decades, even before we saw them as building Boulder’s resilience.
In order to mobilize the resources and community support necessary to significantly increase social, economic and ecological resilience, we must have a compelling vision
of the future that allows us to adapt and thrive in the face of disruption. Tapping into the community’s forward-thinking civic and planning culture, the goal is to weave
resilience into the day-to-day life and functions of community and government. This strategy knits those activities together and presents new actions to address gaps and
weaknesses discovered through a community-wide assessment to create an integrated, strategic, and intentional approach to building resilience. The actions included here
are immediately implementable activities that take advantage of partnerships and resources offered by the 100 Resilient Cities network. They build off of a long and fruitful
legacy in Boulder’s community and intend to bring new resources and perspectives to existing ones.
An Unpredictable Future
Like many cities and communities across the country and around the world, Boulder is adjusting to a “new normal,” where the effects of climate change are becoming
increasingly apparent. And like residents of other cities that have recently experienced a severe natural disaster, many of us understandably perceive resilience as preparing
for the kinds of events that are magnified by climate change. But shocks are not limited to natural hazards or the effects of climate change. A hyper-connected economy and
the ability for pests and diseases to circle the globe with unprecedented speed, for example, mean the community is confronting a host of challenges that can strike at little
notice and have severe, unknowable repercussions.
Boulder’s complex topography and natural climate variability make it difficult, and sometimes impossible, to predict when and how often extreme events may occur.
Flash flooding, for example, does not follow the boundaries of established flood maps, a lesson learned through the adversity of the 2013 floods. Flash floods may inundate
neighborhoods and roads with little advance notice, impacting locations that may not have experienced flooding in the past.
At the same time, increasing global temperatures exacerbate many of these hazards. The 2011 National Academies of Science assessment indicates that a one-degree
Celsius rise in temperature would increase fire incidence probabilities by over 600 percent. Rising temperatures also increase the length of drought cycles, which intensify
flood, fire risks and create additional risks for Boulder’s water supply. These dry conditions have in turn exacerbated insect, exotic weed, and disease threats in the flora and
fauna communities. These complex climate and ecological connections show the tight linkages between Boulder’s risks and complicate solutions to any single problem,
necessitating a holistic approach.
2
Multiple independent measurements confirm widespread warming in the western United
States. In Colorado, temperatures increased by approximately 2°F between 1977 and 2006.
- COLORADO CLIMATE PLAN
UNDERLYING STRESSES
Resilience is not only about disaster preparedness and extreme events. It is about addressing the
chronic stresses on a fundamental level that weaken the fabric of a city on a day-to-day or cyclical
basis. By focusing on both shocks and stresses together, Boulder becomes more able to respond to
challenging events and is more likely to thrive as a happy, healthy and inclusive community.
Interlinked Hazards
Boulder’s natural hazards are tightly linked, necessitating a comprehensive and integrated
approach to risk mitigation. Droughts stress the city’s ecosystems, helping accelerate the damage
of pests to forests, thereby increasing the fuel for wildfires, and consequently denuding slopes and
increasing flash flooding risk. But this cycle itself is not linear; each event builds on another and sets
the stage for even more complex interactions. Therefore, to address these interlinked hazards,
activities and programs must be well coordinated, using a systemic approach to reduce multiple
risks at the same time and prepare communities to handle disruptions of any kind.
Boulder’s regional Fire
Training Center was
completed in mid-2010
and is used across Boulder
County by all 26 fire
departments. It served as a
regional hub and emergency
control center during the
September 7, 2010 Fourmile
Canyon Fire.
BOULDER’S CHALLENGE
Shocks Expose Stresses
Boulder’s social and economic stresses are sometimes harder to see, but can be exposed and exacerbated during a crisis or disaster. The city’s vibrant economy and high
quality of life often mask latent stresses that strain the community and make it less resilient overall. Natural disasters like floods and fires disproportionately impact
low-income residents who already struggle to thrive in a city that is becoming more unaffordable. A Boulderite living on a fixed income, for example, whose home is
damaged in a disaster has limited options to find affordably-priced alternatives because the city has a constrained supply of housing.
Stresses can also present a threat to our economic future. Successful, thriving cities need young people to fuel their economic pipeline. However, in Boulder, individuals
between the ages of 25 to 44 is a cohort that has declined by 15 percent since 2000. Similarly, increasing real estate prices have also affected the commercial sector. High
office rents and limited commercial space hamper the opportunity of growth-stage firms seeking to expand from start-up status, and many of these companies choose to
expand in places like Denver and Longmont where there may be more available space.
“Lower-income people are among the least able to recover, yet they
are often central to the economy and culture of a community.”
- ISET INTERNATIONAL
4
10% Boulder
families have
children under
the poverty
level.
Boulder’s Core Resilience Challenges:
Resilient Communities and Government
At a community level, preparing for an uncertain future means understanding our risks and being vigilant
for the unexpected, whether it is a flash flood or global recession. It means that individuals, families and
neighborhoods strengthen ties to support each other during times of need. Residents will need to reach
out to their neighbors, particularly the most vulnerable and isolated individuals, to support each other
when disaster strikes and critical systems fail. Business owners will need to create business
continuity plans and understand the available public and private resources to prepare for the
economic risks they face.
At the same time, local government must plan for and respond to shocks that affect the city
and stresses by working collaboratively across departments and jurisdictional boundaries, as
well as with private and institutional stakeholders. This collaborative approach will facilitate
more robust information sharing and analysis, development of cross-cutting solutions and
strategic private-public partnerships.
Leveraging Boulder’s History of Planning Innovation
Boulder’s pioneering spirit and commitment to advancing critical initiatives such as open
space preservation, climate mitigation and inclusive affordable housing happened decades
before the rest of the country adopted similar efforts. Through this strategy, and as reflected
by the process leading up to the preparation of this document, the Boulder community will
prepare and adapt to existing and future challenges by infusing resilience into the day-to-day
operations and activities of residents, businesses and government.
Natural events such as flooding and wildfires will become more frequent and severe as a result of climate change.
BOULDER’S CHALLENGE
Ecological and social stresses are tied to hazards and will negatively impact and exacerbate each other.
Rising housing and commercial real estate costs may limit the diversity of residents and businesses and threaten long-term economic vitality.
Boulder’s residents, businesses and government need to work together to be vigilant and prepared for future disruption.
6
City Highlight
Nearly 50 years ago, Boulder voters enacted
an open space initiative where residents taxed
themselves to purchase and preserve und
eveloped land surrounding the city, an
unprecedented feat at the time and even
today still rarely emulated.
• The roots of Boulder’s robust open space
system date back to 1875 to 1929 when the
city acquired over 5,000 acres, including
Chautauqua, Buckingham Park (in Left
Hand Canyon) and much of the mountain
backdrop.
• There are more than 102,000 acres of land
in Boulder County’s parks and open space
system. Of these, approximately 62,000
acres (60 percent) are either publicly owned,
leased from the State Land Board, or held
in the form of access or trail easements. The
remaining 40,000 acres in the system (40
percent of the total) are privately-owned
lands with county conservation easements.
OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION
Leadership in fiscal resilience is making
Boulder better equipped to respond to and
recover from economic shocks, whether this
is withstanding a global recession or
responding to a major event.
• For many Front Range cities, nearly 75
percent of revenues come from sales
taxes; in Boulder, less than 45 percent of
sales taxes comprise the city’s general fund.
• One of the city’s primary financial policies
is that one-time revenues shall only be
used to cover one-time expenses and that
ongoing costs should not be greater than
ongoing revenues.
FISCAL LEADERSHIP
City Highlight
We recognize that housing affordability is a key
issue for the community. It ensures that Boulder
remains a place for residents of different
backgrounds, incomes and household sizes.
• Boulder’s mandatory inclusionary housing
ordinance requires 20 percent of housing in
new developments to be priced affordably
for low-income households.
• As of August 2015, there are 3,586 units in
Boulder’s affordable housing program. This
represents 8 percent of the total units in the
city, which puts Boulder 2 percent away from
the city’s goal of making 10 percent of all
housing units affordable.
City Highlight:
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY INITIATIVES
City Highlight
2CONTEXT
BOULDER IN CONTEXT
Located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky
Mountains, Boulder is a small city with a high
quality of life, a diverse and vibrant economic
base and tremendous open space resources. The
community enjoys the natural and recreational
amenities resulting from decades of progressive
land use planning which preserves a vast rural and
undeveloped landscape that encircles the city.
Boulder is truly a city whose identity and future is
inextricably linked with the natural environment,
and environmental sustainability has been a
long-standing and primary guiding principle in
planning and policies. A strong commitment to
sustainability is regularly reinforced through
voter-initiated ballot measures to increase
taxation for additional open space preservation
or carbon reduction measures.
Boulder has a long
history of planning
today for the challenges
of tomorrow, creating
innovative solutions
and undertaking
many successful
resilience-building
activities and projects.
8
162 HOMES DESTROYED
IN THE 2010
FOUR MILE CANYON FIRE
BOULDER IS DEPENDENT ON
SNOWPACK, WHICH CAN VARY;
2011 WAS A RECORD YEAR FOR
SNOWPACK WHILE 2012
WAS AMONG THE WORST.
BOULDER IN CONTEXT
23O ACRES BURNED
IN THE 2012 FLAGSTAFF
FIRE
ALL 15 OF BOULDER’S
WATERWAYS FLOODED
IN 2013
Boulder is inextricably
linked to the mountains,
which contain the city’s
watershed and attract
over 5.3 million visitors
to its open spaces each year.
BOULDER’S natural terrain and location at the mouth of numerous canyons creates a constant flood risk for the city. Fifteen major creeks pass through town,
including Boulder Creek, which flows right through downtown. The Front Range is also susceptible to wildfires and drought, which create dry, less vegetated conditions and
contribute to increased flood risk. In addition, Boulder’s propensity for sudden bursts of isolated and severe storms contributes to flash flooding risk. Flooding and wildfires
demonstrate the connections between Boulder’s natural environment, climate change-related conditions and the interconnections between major hazards.
BOULDER’S WATER RESOURCES
Like most western communities, Boulder depends on stored water most of the year. High streamflows from melting snowpack occur for only a few spring and summer
months. Natural streamflows in late summer and the winter are not sufficient to meet customer demands and must be supplemented with previously stored water supplies.
The amount of water available also changes from year to year depending on how much snow falls in the mountains. Therefore, Boulder must store water in reservoirs during
wetter years to carry over for use in dry years.
The city stores water in seven reservoirs and several natural lakes in the headwaters of the North Boulder Creek basin within the Silver Lake Watershed. In addition, the city
stores water in the Barker Reservoir facilities on Middle Boulder Creek and the Boulder Reservoir northeast of Boulder. The latter is supplied through Western Slope water
diversions that come from miles away.
Investing in both source water protection and enhancing water infrastructure continue to be of chief importance to the city. This has included investments that secure
additional capacity and redundancy at the city’s water treatement facilities which help reduce risk from drought and other concerns. It also includes a long history of
investing in the city’s stormwater and wastewater systems which help mitigate flooding and sewer back-ups.
INVASIVE SPECIES ARE A MAJOR CONCERN FOR BOULDER
Boulder’s urban forest provides nearly $5.2 million in annual environmental, economic and social services benefits to the community. These services include air quality
improvements, energy savings, stormwater runoff reduction, atmospheric CO2 reduction and aesthetic contributions to the social and economic health of the community.
One of the largest threats faced by urban forests across the U.S. is from invasive insects and disease pests such as the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). EAB will cause mortality of all
untreated ash trees in Boulder and destroy a significant portion of urban tree canopy.
10
Percentage of Boulder’s ash trees
infested with EAB in 2016.40%
100%Expected percentage of Boulder’s
untreated ash trees that will be
infested with EAB in 2020.
Percentage of Boulder’s ash trees
infested with EAB in 2013. 10%EAB is a green jewel beetle
that feeds on ash tree species.
The beetle originated from Asia
and is thought to have been
introduced to North America
in the 1990s on solid wood
packing material. In the U.S.,
EAB is a federally quarantined,
invasive tree pest responsible for
the death or decline of more than
50 million ash trees to date.
Boulder has a history of floods including the “Big Flood” of 1894 - the largest flood on
record. Other major floods in 1938, 1969,1995 and 2013 all reinforce the need to educate
the public about flood safety. Each year, city staff coordinate with multiple groups to
maximize the impact and reach of ongoing community engagement around flood outreach.
From Fire to Drought to Flood
Changing weather in Colorado is nothing new, but the arc of shocks
from 2012 to 2013 offers a glimpse of the types of extreme events and
swings that will only be exacerbated by the impacts of a warming
climate. A dry summer with little rainfall set up conditions for Boulder’s
2012 Flagstaff Fire. Drought concerns loomed larger in Boulder and
across the state moving into 2013, only to have the year end with
flooding and record rainfall.
The Greenways Program
The Greenways Program divides each of the city’s 15 tributaries into
reaches to facilitate a manageable implementation approach for
improvements. The greenways system is maintained by the city and
funded by the city’s Transportation Fund, Stormwater and Flood Control
Utility Fund and the state’s Lottery Fund. Each of these funding sources
provides $150,000 annually to 1) protect and restore riparian, floodplain
and wetland habitat; 2) enhance water quality; 3) mitigate storm
drainage and floods; 4) provide alternative modes of transportation
routes or trails for pedestrians and bicyclists; 5) provide recreation
opportunities and 6) protect cultural resources
BOULDER IN CONTEXT
CIVIC CENTER FLOOD MEMORIAL
Gilbert F. White arguably did more to advance flood
policy than anyone. While his efforts had broad impacts
advancing natural hazard research, White was a tour de
force in Boulder. The Gilbert F. White Memorial dedication
monument marks the level of the 50-year, 100-year, 500-year
and the Big Thompson floods (one of the biggest in Colorado).
City Highlight
The federal Community Rating System provides flood
insurance discounts to communities that exceed the
minimum requirements to prevent and reduce flood
damage to insurable property. The city’s efforts have
earned discounted flood insurance rates for Boulder
property owners.
COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM (CRS)
City Highlight
Putting It In Perspective
COMPARING HISTORICAL RAINFALL TO 2013 FLOOD
17”
September 2013
Total Rainfall
19”
Boulder’s Average
Annual Rainfall
While Boulder is the #1 risk for flash floods in Colorado,
the September 2013 flood was more prolonged. All 15 of
Boulder’s waterways flooded at the same time. In just one
week, Boulder received about the same amount of rain it
normally gets in a full year.
12
Boulder is nationally-recognized for its quality of life, thriving tech- and research-based
economy and booming real estate market. In addition, Boulder has become a hub of
entrepreneurship in the U.S., particularly for businesses that value the lifestyle that is rooted
in a love of the outdoors, healthy living and access to tech resources. We have a robust and
diverse economy defined by the research and institutional sector. Over the past 10 to 15
years, the tech industry has experienced pronounced growth throughout Boulder County.
40%
OF 1,000 TECH COMPANIES
STARTED IN COLORADO SINCE
2000, NEARLY HALF HAVE
BEEN IN BOULDER COUNTY
BOULDER IN CONTEXT
“If you look at a
lot of the green
technology and
the systems we’re
implementing,
they’re coming
from Boulder.”
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Speaking at the June 12, 2013
BizWest, Boulder Earth Conference
14
Owing to the presence of the University of Colorado’s (CU) flagship campus in Boulder, the city maintains
a relatively high proportion of young people. With a current enrollment of just under 30,000 students,
CU accounts for approximately 29 percent of the total population. Boulder is also one of the most
educated metropolitan areas in the country. The presence of the university and 17 federally-funded
research labs support many of the jobs for this demographic including those that focus on weather,
climate and geophysical research. Furthermore, this segment of the workforce is supported by the
presence of tech jobs that draw from and attract scientists and engineers.
BOULDER IN CONTEXT
Regional Resilience
Boulder is part of a larger community and region, and, just as the shocks and stresses we face do not simply start at the
borders, neither do the actions and partnerships necessary to address them. Even as recent disasters have motivated
Boulder’s own resilience building efforts, they have also spurred action at the county, state and national levels. Boulder has
developed a strong network of partnerships that have helped inform activities and strategies, and it regularly participates
in the collaborative development of this emerging field.
Colorado Resilience Framework
Governor John Hickenlooper adopted the Colorado Resiliency Framework in May of 2015, a first-of-its-kind statewide
framework in the nation. The framework was developed under the leadership of the Colorado Resiliency and Recovery
Office (CRRO) through a collaborative and inclusive process that engaged local, state, federal, non-profit and private sector
partners, as well as individual Coloradans. The framework provides guiding principles for Colorado communities and
concrete actions that the state commits to implement. One of the first priority strategies implemented under the
framework was a pilot regional resiliency planning process to build and strengthen collaborative relationships locally,
establish a unified regional vision for resilience, and put in place a coordinating framework for long-term regional resilience
action. Starting in the summer of 2015, the CRRO partnered with some of the most heavily disaster-impacted communities
to conduct the pilot process which utilized the state framework’s guiding principles to help facilitate a vision and identify
strategies unique to each participating region. The Boulder County region was one of three communities to participate.
BoCo Strong
BoCo Strong is a countywide resilience hub that creates and supports collaborative relationships between individuals,
communities, nonprofits, governments and businesses. BoCo Strong increases the web of connections among individuals,
organizations and governments across Boulder County to foster inclusivity, increase disaster resilience and build vibrant
and prosperous communities. Its vision is that all Boulder communities will have access to the resources and connections
needed to allow all residents to adapt and thrive in the face of community stressors. From the outset, Boulder has
recognized that the challenges we face do not start or stop at the city’s edge. Building a sustaining effort requires close
collaboration, learning from a broad base of experience and building enduring partnerships.
In collaboration with Resilient Boulder, Growing Up Boulder (GUB) worked with approximately 120 children and youth
to develop their perceptions of resilience within the city. Overall, access to nature and family, friends and supportive
networks (from school and community) help support resilience, as do activities that help young people develop skills
and confidence (including music, arts and skateboarding). Aspects of the community that do not support resilience
include social, environmental and economic concerns (including the need for greater care of homeless residents,
fracking and the cost of living). Children spoke about bullying and youth spoke about cultural exclusion as aspects of
their community that need to be addressed in the city. High school students also participated in a poetry project in
which they described a personal moment of resilience. Many of these stories included surviving the flood, family losses
and coping with poor family health, and the challenges of immigration/immigration status. Access to nature in
relatively close walking space could help some of the children and youth we worked with access greater opportunities
for restoration and resilience.
Uniquely Boulder
STRONGBoCo
Boulder County Flood Commemoration
September 7th, 2014 12-4pm | Gateway Park, 4800 28th St
Music, Food, Kids Activities, Story Sharing, Playback Theatre West, and more
GROWING UP BOULDER
16
3APPROACH
BOULDER’S APPROACH TO RESILIENCE
Resilience and Sustainability
Resilience and sustainability are sometimes confused with one another. Resilience is a new way of thinking about the
community in a holistic way that adds to and deepens the way we already plan for a sustainable future. Resilience
and sustainability represent complementary values and ways of managing urban systems. Where sustainability
is about actively and thoughtfully managing resources to achieve environmental, social and economic goals
that preserve or enhance Boulder’s quality of life, resilience is about anticipating the inevitable events that
cause disruption and then developing the strategies to reduce their impacts to the greatest extent
possible. While resilience itself is not new, 100 Resilient Cities is the first organization to use
resilience as a systematic framework, on a global scale, for actively managing and
prioritizing city operations and activities.
18
SUSTAINABILITY:
• Urban heat island mitigation
• Carbon sequestration
• Cleaner air
• Community character
• Aesthetic value
RESILIENCE
• Summer cooling
• Reduced storm runoff
• Species diversification
• Neighborhood identity
Sometimes metaphors can help explain complex
topics. For some, the reasons for planting street
trees help illustrate the relationship between
resilience and sustainability.
Boulder defines resilience as the capacity of individuals, communities,
institutions, businesses, and systems within a city to survive, adapt and thrive
no matter what kinds of chronic stresses and acute shocks that may be experienced.
re·sil·ience
/r ‘ zily ns/ee
The City Resilience Framework (CRF) provides a lens to understand the complexity of cities and the drivers that contribute to their resilience, and a common language that
enables cities to share knowledge and experiences. The framework is built on four essential dimensions of urban resilience: Leadership & Strategy, Health & Wellbeing,
Economy & Society, and Infrastructure & Environment. Each dimension contains three “drivers,” which reflect the actions cities can take to improve their resilience.
CITY RESILIENCE FRAMEWORK
Economy & Society
The social and financial systems that enable urban populations to
live peacefully and act collectively.
Leadership & Strategy
The processes that promote effective leadership, inclusive
decision-making, empowered stakeholders and integrated planning.
Infrastructure & Environment
The physical and natural systems that provide critical services and
protect and connect urban assets, enabling the flow of goods,
services and knowledge.
Health & Wellbeing:
Everyone living and working in the city has access to what they
need to survive and thrive.
BOULDER’S APPROACH TO RESILIENCE
Health &
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re & EnvironmentLeadership & Strate g y
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i
on & Mobilit
y Ensures Public o
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ervices
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p
orts
Assets
Meets
& In te g r a te d P l a n n i n g
F o s t e r s E c o n o m icRange of StakeholdersEnsures Social Stability,Effective ManagementPromotes Cohesive & Provides Rel
i
abl
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ontinuity
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Basic Needs
Copyright ARUP
The Process
Building resilience is as much a process as it is a set of outcomes. The process itself must
also embody the characteristics of resilient systems and be iterative, inclusive, integrated,
adaptive and flexible. It must allow for the constant infusion of new information and
accommodate often unpredictable change in the community, creating the ability for
reassessment and reprioritization of activity to address new risks and opportunities.
From the outset, Boulder’s goal has been to do things differently. The city set off to build
on existing efforts, but recognized the opportunity to tap into the new energy around
the 100 Resilient Cities network. For example, the city has explored new methods for
community engagement and ownership through the MIT Climate CoLab, harnessing the
creative potential of the whole community, and Growing Up Boulder (GUB), giving voice
to youth in the process. This approach has given us the chance to position Boulder as a
resilience testbed for new technologies, innovative partnerships and creative thinking.
In 2014, the city initiated its first resilience assessment, ultimately leading to the creation
of this strategy. The assessment methodology was an analysis of current efforts that
support resilience and identified important gaps in knowledge, capacity and activity.
However, this initial assessment process itself highlighted areas where the existing
methodology could be augmented by new diagnostics to be incorporated in future
resilience assessments. New elements being developed as part of Boulder’s resilience
efforts will bring insights and depth of analysis for the continuous process of
reflection and assessment. Data & Technology Driven
Community & Value Driven
Resilience
Strategy
Resilience
Priorities &
Initiatives
Opportunity
Assessment
Focus Areas
Diagnostic
Preliminary
Resilience
Assessment
Focus Areas
Identified
Stakeholder
Consultation
Strategy
Kickoff
PHASE I
PHASE II
20
The 100RC Platform of Partners provides member cities with a curated suite of donated tools and services, supplied by partners from the private, public, academic,
and non-profit sectors, to support cities in their resilience-building activities. Boulder has already partnered with a number of these service providers, including
Trimble, a company that provides geospatial technical solutions and domains to capture, measure, analyze, monitor and share built and environmental information.
WHAT ARE THE PLATFORM PARTNERS?
Learning with 100 Resilient CitiesLearning with 100 Resilient Cities
From Boulder’s 40+ year legacy of open space preservation, to pioneering commitments to climate
action goals, the Boulder community has supported some of the most progressive resilience activities
in the country for decades.
BOULDER’S APPROACH TO RESILIENCE
2012 -2013
Drought
Concerns;
Water
Conservation
Program
began
in 1992
2013
Major
flooding
causes
significant
damage
2012
Flagstaff
Fire
2010
Fourmile
Canyon Fire;
utilizes staff
from the
Wildland Fire
Program, which
began in 1990
2014
City of Boulder
announced as
one of the 100
Resilient Cities
2013
Open Space
Tax extended
by voters; an
initiative started
in 1967
2014 Public
supports 75%
increase in
Stormwater/Flood
Utility rates to more
quickly address
flood-related
work; utility
efforts began
in 1973
2013
City launches
a significant
planning effort to
define priorities
and goals for the
expansion and
preservation of
diverse, affordable
housing
2010-2011
City’s Affordable
Housing Task
Force Report;
Comprehensive
Housing Strategy
first approved
in 2000
2013
Earth Conference
held in Boulder hosts
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
and is dedicated to the
sharing of knowledge,
bold ideas and
technologies to
advance sustainable
business practices
regionally, nationally
and globally
2013
City Council
adopted the
Economic
Sustainability
Strategy
2013
Boulder provides $20k
to fund Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP), formerly
the Food Stamp Program,
to support low-income
purchases of local food,
doubling the value of
purchases at the Boulder
Farmer’s Market
2011
EnergySmart
Program launches;
provides home
and business
advice and
incentives
to reduce
energy use
2014
Chief
Resilience
Officer Annual
Summit
2015
Citywide
Perceptions
Survey
2015
Resilience
Assessment
Expert
Workshops
2015
National
Institutes for
Standards and
Technology
Community
Resilience
Workshop
2014
National
Disaster
Resilience
Competition
Kick Off
2015
Growing
Up Boulder
elementary
students
present to
City Council
2014
100 Resilient
Cities Boulder
Kick-off
Workshop
2015
100 Resilient
Cities
Network
Exchange:
Resilient
Land Use
Workshop
2015
State of
Colorado
releases
Resiliency
Framework
2015
City Council
Study
Sessions
2015
BoCoStrong
Annual
Summit
2015
National
Disaster
Resilience
Competition
Academy
2015
Natural
Hazards
Mitigation
Association
Symposium
2015
National
Renewable
Energy Lab
Resilience
Workshop
2015
MIT Climate
CoLab Community
Challenge
2015
100 Resilient
Cities City
Leaders Urban
Resilience
Summit
2015
Chief
Resilience
Officer
Annual
Summit
2015
Resilience
Advisors
Spontaneous
Volunteers
Training
2015
Understanding
Risk Boulder
2015
Resilience
Tech
Challenge
2016
USAID/ICMA
Shimla
City-Links
Exchange
2016
Colorado
Recovery and
Resilience Office
Stakeholder
Planning
Workshop
2016
Resilience
by Design
University
Prototype
Workshop
2016
Boulder Talks:
Deliberative
Inquiry
2016
City launches
Resilience
Strategy
document
draft
2016
City launches
Climate
Commitment
Framework
draft
2016
Human
Services
Strategy
(Master Plan)
update begins
2015
Climate Action Plan
Tax extended
by voters; an
initiative
started in
2007
2015
Boulder sends
delegates to
Paris COP
Convening
Since joining 100RC, the City of Boulder has increasingly
leveraged opportunities, participated in events and utilitized the
Chief Resilience Officer to drive community engagement.
22
2015
Update to
Boulder
Valley
Comprehensive
Plan begins
4STRATEGIES
BOULDER’S STRATEGIES
THROUGH THE RESILIENCE assessment and community discussions, Boulder has identified three major resilience strategies. Working
collaboratively to create actions that achieve these interconnected strategies will help build a resilient and adaptive community that is better able to address
the unpredictable impacts of environmental, social and economic shocks and stresses.
Building community resilience is a never-ending process and requires constant adjustment to new conditions and opportunities. Through the actions identified
here, we take steps towards meeting these goals, but as noted earlier, these are not the first steps. These new actions add to ongoing and historic efforts in a way
that brings intentional direction toward catalyzing change across all sectors of the community.
Strategies
The following three strategies represent the main action areas for the city.
CONNECT AND PREPARE - Prepare all segments of the community for uncertainty and disruption by encouraging community
preparedness, creating a culture of risk awareness and personalizing resilience.
PARTNER AND INNOVATE - Capitalize on the collective problem-solving and creativity of our community
by leveraging advances in data, research and observations to address emerging resilience challenges.
TRANSFORM AND INTEGRATE - Embed resilience into city operations and systems
by transforming our approach to community resilience.
Frontiers
Transformative investments in community resilience that
currently have no models to emulate, represent extremely
complex areas for action and/or require an extensive
community conversation to be successful.
Actions
These are immediate priority activities to be implemented over the next two to three years that
take advantage of partnerships and resources catalyzed by the 100RC network and program.
The actions being proposed are intended to be responsive to existing city priorities and bring
a resilience lens and added value to projects and initiatives that are already underway.
A summary table of all the proposed activities is provided at the end of this document.
24
CONNECT AND PREPARE
Prepare all segments of the community for uncertainty and disruption by
encouraging community preparedness, creating a culture of risk awareness
and personalizing resilience.
STRATEGY ONE
PURPOSE:
Despite several severe natural disasters over the last decade, most Boulder community
members remain unprepared for future events. Many of the potential shocks the city
faces require constant vigilance, a deeply personalized understanding of individual
exposure and community risk, and an ability to act quickly in case of an emergency.
Fundamental to preparedness is community connectivity and the ability for all
members of the community to contribute to response and recovery when disaster
strikes. Community connection can be as simple as knowing your neighbors, but it
can also mean building new relationships and capacities between the city and local
businesses. By enhancing preparedness and connection now, before the next disaster,
the city can empower everyone to take quick action, while also deepening the city’s
overall sense of community.
RESILIENCE VALUE:
Preparing for future disruption is a core aspect of building community resilience.
To address gaps in the city’s response to the 2013 flood, the city is preparing for future
uncertainty by building robust and flexible local capacity, inclusive plans and new
opportunities for community collaboration.
ACTIONS:
1.1 Make Resilience Accessible
Deploy a community driven, interactive “Mobile Resilience Lab.”
1.2 Activate Volunteerism
Develop a volunteer community preparedness training program.
1.3 Assess Economic Strength
Identify risks to future economic vitality.
1.4 Prepare Businesses
Facilitate the use of continuity planning strategies with local businesses.
1.5 Connect for Rapid Recovery
Develop rapid post-disaster impact assessment capacity in partnership
with the local business community.
1.6 Foster Artistic Engagement
Engage the creative power of the arts to convey and involve people in
complex risk and resilience themes.
26
Action 1.3 Assess Economic Strength
Identify risks to future economic vitality.
Ensuring the continuing vitality of the local economy is an essential component of long-term community resilience. The City of Boulder will incorporate an analysis of
the local business community’s vulnerability to disruptions in core infrastructure provision, workforce availability and financial services into an update to the Economic
Sustainability Strategy. Boulder will also explore whether there are latent vulnerabilities to larger macro-economic trends that the city can plan for proactively. Cyclical
swings in the economy are normal and are predictable stresses whose effects can be minimized through thoughtful preparation.
Action 1.2 Activate Volunteerism
Develop a volunteer community preparedness program.
A key to effective and successful disaster response is community and individual preparedness. Boulder’s formal emergency response capabilities are well-resourced and
effective; however, local neighborhoods and communities need to be better prepared and possess a deeper capacity to be first responders while formal systems gear
up for relief operations. Developing a more robust and flexible capacity to respond to crisis when it occurs is a direct outcome of lessons learned from recent disasters.
STRATEGY 1 - CONNECT & PREPARE
Action 1.1 Make Resilience Accessible
Deploy a community driven, interactive “Mobile Resilience Lab.”
In partnership with BoCo Strong, the collaborative countywide resilience building organization, the City of Boulder will bring resilience and preparedness activities directly
into neighborhoods and communities through a “Mobile Resilience Lab.” The lab will be a highly interactive space that accommodates programming as varied as developing
your own bee-safe garden to creating personalized blueprints for individual resilience to building disaster “go kits.” Deploying a mobile lab recognizes that true resilience
building occurs first and foremost at home and in your own neighborhood, with the people and places you know best. The lab will provide a fun and dynamic platform for
building relationships around preparedness and will, literally, be a vehicle for the community to share challenges and solutions. By meeting people where they are, the city
will deepen public ownership of resiliency and seek to address community concerns about the responsiveness and transparency of government.
In August 2015, Boulder was selected as one of 10 cities to host the inaugural class of Resilience AmeriCorps VISTA members.
The program was created as a response to the recommendations made by President Barack Obama’s State, Local, and Tribal
Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience. The AmeriCorps VISTAs will assist Boulder in developing and
piloting a citizen corps disaster preparedness training initiative by partnering with 100RC network city, Wellington, New
Zealand, and aligning these emerging efforts with deliberate ties to community volunteerism and civic ownership
opportunities that already exist.
PARTNERSHIP WITH WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND
Wellington, New Zealand is a 100 Resilient Cities network city that is recognized globally for its community disaster
preparedness program. Wellington’s approach integrates volunteerism, community-based trainings and a network of
district disaster hubs to create a multi-tiered preparedness and response capability across their region. Wellington’s
success rests largely on the accessibility of training courses to a wide range of community members, as well as an
innovative approach to regularly scheduled activities that create new opportunities for community interaction with the
program. In May 2016, experts from Wellington, NZ will visit with city staff and community organizations in a weeklong
workshop to design and implement activities that will prepare the community for the next disaster.
RESILIENCY ADVISORS
During the 2013 flood, even before the rain had stopped falling, thousands of volunteers were out helping neighbors,
friends and strangers protect their homes and clean up debris. This outpouring of assistance reflected the best of Boulder’s
spirit and was a vital unplanned resource during the flood recovery. However, without the coordination to direct, equip
and support these activities, volunteers can place themselves in danger and unintentionally hamper or overwhelm formal
responses. Recognizing the need to create the capacity to welcome this energetic community support, the City of Boulder,
the newly-formed Boulder County Volunteers Active in Disaster (VOAD) and 100 Resilient Cities Platform Partner, Resiliency
Advisors, partnered to deliver the “Leading and Managing Community Volunteers in Disaster” workshop. During this best
practices workshop to manage and marshal spontaneous volunteerism, participants engaged in sharing lessons learned,
assessing future risks and resourcing mapping, as well as applying proven disaster management concepts to manage
spontaneous volunteers. Post session, the group was provided an after action report that outlined next steps including
a strong focus on Volunteer Reception Center training. The session was delivered by Lisa Orloff, president of Resiliency
Advisors.
28
Learning with 100 Resilient Cities
Learning with 100 Resilient Cities
Learning with 100 Resilient Cities
Learning with 100 Resilient Cities
Action 1.5 Connect for Rapid Recovery
Develop rapid post-disaster impact assessment capacity in partnership
with the local business community.
The ability for businesses to rapidly access resources and financial assistance after a disaster is essential for the
successful return to operations. Each day that businesses remains idle represents lost revenue, wages and taxes,
eliminating vital infusions of financial capital just when a community needs it most. Boulder will partner with local
businesses and associations to develop the necessary capacity, relationships and systems to quickly and efficiently
collect impact information and data, access recovery funds and return businesses to operation after a disaster with
minimal disruption. The city will also explore the creation of a Business Disaster Assistance Center that would
become operational when needed. By developing a user-friendly process to address gaps in our response to the
2013 flood, we are preparing for future uncertainty.
Action 1.4 Prepare Businesses
Facilitate the use of continuity planning strategies with local businesses.
The sooner local businesses return to normal operations after a disaster, the faster the surrounding neighborhoods
and city recover. We will collaborate with public and private institutions and organizations to identify best practices;
facilitate the use of continuity plan templates and other resources; develop policies and procedures for improved
situational awareness; coordinate between business support organizations; and communicate with businesses after
a disaster. Ultimately it is in each organization’s interest to proactively plan for uncertainty and disruption, but our
community at large has a clear stake in helping all businesses weather the inevitable crises and bounce back faster
and better.
Action 1.6 Foster Artistic Engagement
Engage the creative power of the arts to convey and
involve people in complex risk and resilience themes.
Mobilizing action at a broad scale also requires varied ways of communicating complex topics so that
they are relatable and actionable to the diverse residents that make up our community. Breaking from
the traditional model of community engagement, we will invest in the creative talent of our visual
artists, filmmakers, poets, theatre-makers, dancers and musicians to broaden our vision, discussion and
experience of risk and resilience. By enhancing our collective thinking about resilience and exploring
creative ways to communicate it, we will broaden the circle of community ownership, action and
perspective. This effort will lead to creative insights and solutions from community members who
might not otherwise participate.
STRATEGY 1 - CONNECT & PREPARE
FR O N TIER
The capital budgeting process is the critical intersection between
public policy and program implementation. Given limited resources,
city officials must choose among competing priorities. These choices
are often significantly determined by the criteria that are used to
prioritize and rank public expenditures. Given the relatively recent
emergence of resilience capacity-building as a public policy priority,
there are few formal evaluation criteria built into the capital planning
process that provide guidance on how to weigh the costs of
proposed actions against potential benefits. This is essential to
enable systematic consideration of proposed resilience actions
and measures against other priorities.
Currently, for example, city investments and budgets do not
specifically consider likely climate impact on city systems, nor are
there mechanisms for internalizing the cost implications of the city’s
commitment to a zero-carbon energy policy. It is important to have
valuation mechanisms that evaluate the potential cost of carbon
and the potential for future constraints on carbon emissions.
Implementing climate risk screening mechanisms in the Capital
Improvement Program or internalizing the carbon cost of projects
will reprioritize budgets and drive new conversations about risk
and resilience tradeoffs across the entire city organization.
INVEST IN THE FUTURE
Prioritize city investments to promote community
resilience and proactively address future risks.
Uniquely Boulder
YOUTH “SHINE” IN PERFORMANCE FOR RESILIENCE
Performance can be a dynamic tool for including youth
participation in authoring our city’s plan for resilience. Shine is
a musical performance that weaves climate science and artist
expression into a funny and powerful story that spans 300 million
years of geological time to convey how humanity and climate
are interrelated. Performed at NCAR in Boulder in June 2015 as
a collaboration between NCAR scientists, Beth Osnes at CU and
Boulder’s youth, rehearsing each part of the musical led participants
through different aspects of climate science, from dancing
the various phases of
photosynthesis to creating
flags to representing the ways
in which our city utilizes fossil
fuels. This show has gone on
to engage youth in other
100 Resilient Cities, including
New York City and London,
with Durban, South Africa and
New Orleans to come.
Uniquely Boulder
30
PARTNER AND INNOVATE
Capitalize on the collective problem solving and creativity of Boulder’s community
by leveraging advances in data, research and observations to address emerging
resilience challenges.
STRATEGY TWO
ACTIONS:
2.1 Put Science in the Hands of the Community
Create a “citizen science” program to foster the co-creation of knowledge.
2.2 Ensure Food Security
Design and conduct a local food security assessment.
2.3 Make Data Accessible to All
Spur creative representation of data through investments in artistic
visualization and knowledge display.
2.4 Crowd Source Solutions
Drive the creative use of community data through competitive
challenges and hackathons.
PURPOSE:
In order to make the most informed decisions about the future, Boulder needs a better
understanding of the changes taking place around us. The city must develop the
ability to anticipate changes to proactively address emerging challenges. Rapid
evolutions in remote sensing, data architecture and mobile technology now allow us
to design integrated monitoring and observations systems to create new insights into
the world and community. By using the power of people and place, tapping into vast
research and educational resources, the city will develop the data, observation systems
and partnerships necessary to understand and predict forces of change across social,
economic and environmental factors, as well as create new opportunities for
engagement from a wide range of stakeholders.
RESILIENCE VALUE:
The complex issues which the Boulder community faces lack easy or obvious
solutions. By developing mechanisms and partnerships for inclusive and collective
problem-solving, Boulder can elicit novel and innovative answers from a broad
pool of expertise, creativity and talent.
32
Action 2.1 Put Science in the Hands of the Community
Create a “citizen science” program to foster the co-creation of knowledge.
Citizen science can take many forms, but as technologies have advanced over the last decade, each member of the community can now serve as independent,
mobile data-collecting participants. To harness this potential, the city will develop the information architecture necessary to support community-driven mobile science
applications and translate that data into information and metrics to inform city decision-making. The aggregation of information from so many data points can create new
insights into changes in the community, collective behavior or climate, as examples. By relying on community members to play a role in the creation of data and shared
knowledge, Boulder will foster co-ownership in understanding the factors of change affecting us all. The underlying architecture will be openly available to the public to
creatively develop applications to support data collection from sources as diverse as the Boulder Valley School District to Boulder’s active and enthusiastic outdoor
community.
Action 2.2 Ensure Food Security
Design and conduct a local food security assessment.
Boulder’s passion for safe, local and ethical food has made the community a global hub for natural foods.
As a leader in the natural and organic industry, Boulder has world-class, locally sourced restaurants and has made
revolutionary contributions to natural food packaging and labeling. However, Boulder needs a better understanding
of what role locally produced food can play in buffering the community from a disruption in national or global
food or transportation systems. The city will conduct an entirely new food security assessment, deviating from
traditional scales of analysis and definitions of “security.” An assessment of this type will require a broad range of
partnerships from the business, agricultural, transportation and water sectors, among others, to understand how
changes in the complex dynamics of the food production, delivery and consumption system can both be impacted
by disruption, but also meaningfully mitigated by local action.
Action 2.3 Make Data Accessible to All
Spur creative representation of data through artistic visualization and knowledge display.
New capabilities created by the integration of enhanced computational power, big data and visual representation systems
provide the opportunity to bring many previously complex and abstract concepts into stunning visual relief for the first time.
The city will convene some of the world's great artists and media professionals to work with scientists, librarians and city
officials to develop and refine some of these data visualization systems to create a compelling community education
and communication approach. Boulder will work with partners to put the vast amount of collected scientific and
citizen science data in the hands of artists and hackers, giving them the tools they need to interpret and represent
the data in a clear, resonant message. Through these creative partnerships, the city will unleash untapped knowledge
to inform decisions and mobilize collective action.
STRATEGY 2 - PARTNER & INNOVATE
Action 2.4 Crowd Source Solutions
Drive the creative use of community data through competitive challenges and hackathons.
As part of an ongoing effort to democratize the city’s data through community dashboarding and a more accessible open-data portal, Boulder will create data and
technology challenges to encourage the use of city and community data. These challenges are dynamic competitions intended to focus the creative and entrepreneurial
talent of the city to help identify and solve collective problems. Similarly, the city will partner with the local coding and tech community to host hackathons—events that
focus intense programming attention toward a collaborative solution to a single, discrete issue. Taken together, this approach taps into two powerful behavioral
motivators—competition and collaboration —to find solutions to particularly complex resilience issues.
In October 2015, the City of Boulder, in partnership with Ushahidi, a 100 Resilient Cities Platform Partner, the University of Colorado, the World Bank’s Global Facility for
Disaster Risk Reduction (GFDRR) and several local technology companies, hosted a two-day event called Understanding Risk Boulder (URBoulder). URBoulder convened
the talent and expertise of the region’s communities, scientists, technologists and government to develop a shared understanding of the challenges faced in building
long-term resilience to natural hazards; understand the impacts of climate change; and develop innovative solutions to meet them.
In conjunction with UR Boulder, Ushahidi hosted a Tech Challenge that sought to use open-source technology to improve resilience in Boulder and strengthen
community engagement. The UR Boulder Tech Challenge was designed to identify technological gaps in the resilience landscape of Boulder and provide seed
funding for innovate solutions to them. The challenge was funded by The Rockefeller Foundation.
34
Uniquely Boulder
UNDERSTANDING RISK: BOULDER
“With an estimated 2.8 million visitor nights in 2013, the tourism industry contributed to an
estimated $420 million total economic impact on the City of Boulder. The industry is supported by
the area’s scenic beauty and recreational opportunities, variety of entertainment and attractions,
support for arts and culture, and broad range of dining, shopping and lodging options.”
- BOULDER ECONOMIC COUNCIL
STRATEGY 2 - PARTNER & INNOVATE
“We are working on a wide array of policies,
programs and projects to reduce emissions
and realize other important community
outcomes. We know that long-term success
will require better feedback loops, honest
assessment, persistence and collective action.”FR O N TIER
Extreme weather events have created a call to action for deploying more
resilient power systems. Communities face a growing number of
stresses that pose risks to their energy systems and economies. These
include aging infrastructure in need of costly maintenance upgrades and
severe weather events. Energy efficiency and local power generation are
strategies that enhance the resilience of energy systems and the
communities they serve.
Boulder is committed to transitioning to a no-carbon energy system as
part of its climate action plan. This wholesale transformation will
fundamentally alter the landscape of energy production, storage,
distribution and use in ways that are only now being fully explored. With
this transition comes an additional opportunity—a chance to apply core
resilience principles, such as flexibility, redundancy and robustness, as
additional drivers of the system design. Many of the renewable energy
sources we rely on as part of our strategies for reducing carbon are well
suited to serve as the backbone for a resilient energy system.
The city aims to improve resiliency and address economic and
environmental concerns by prioritizing a local, clean energy system that
combines Boulder-based generation, integrated storage and other
distributed energy resources, increasing clean energy opportunities to
low-income communities and protecting vulnerable populations by serving
critical power needs. It will require careful consideration and extensive
design, partnerships that span the entire community, and, ultimately, a
collective leap of faith and the willingness to embrace change, even when
the outcome is not yet entirely clear.
ENVISION THE FUTURE OF ENERGY
Develop a sustainable, secure and equitable energy system.
36
- City of Boulder’s 2016
Climate Commitment Framework
TRANSFORM AND INTEGRATE
Embed resilience into city operations and systems to transform Boulder’s approach to
community resilience.
STRATEGY THREE
ACTIONS:
3.1 Create Community Resilience Centers
Ensure the continuity of all critical life-safety services at a network of
community resilience centers.
3.2 Foster Climate Readiness
Build climate preparedness capacity across the city organization.
3.3 Advance Sustainability with Resilience
Integrate resilience principles into Boulder’s Sustainability Framework.
3.4 Embed Resilience in the Comprehensive Plan
Integrate resilience into the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan.
3.5 Manage Thriving Ecosystems
Develop an integrated urban ecosystem management plan.
PURPOSE:
The city’s infrastructure, design and neighborhoods are driven by public investments
and land use decisions. Choices made today will last for generations. These choices
also must be considered on multiple scales and across issues and systems. Facing a
future with so much uncertainty will ultimately require flexible and adaptive systems
that do not lock the Boulder community into a single pathway.
RESILIENCE VALUE:
Embedding resilience into long-held sustainability values creates systemic change for
both the city and the larger community that allows us to better address a wide range
of climate, economic and social challenges.
38
STRATEGY 3 - TRANSFORM & INTEGRATE
Action 3.2 Foster Climate Readiness
Build climate preparedness capacity across the city organization.
Most of the city’s climate risk is tied to larger scale changes in the global and regional climate, and the community’s understanding of those impacts at the local scale is
inconsistent. This is in part because of the complexities of Boulder’s local topography, but also because the city currently uses a wide variety of models, methods and
analysis to characterize potential “futures.” In order to efficiently and effectively plan for Boulder’s future climate impacts, the city will systematize the use of climate
information across all departments and city functions in a way that is scientifically robust yet retains appropriate flexibility.
CLIMATE LEADERS PROGRAM
The City of Boulder will pilot a program to train department leaders, from Human Resources and Finance
to Utilities and Parks and Recreation, in the science of climate change so that everyday decisions across the
organization can be informed by a consistent foundation of knowledge and understanding.
SCENARIO PLANNING
We must prepare to accommodate a much wider range of possible future conditions than in the past.
Part of the solution is to design a scenario-based process for planning that allows us to test programs,
actions and investments against different plausible potential future conditions and prioritize actions that
represent “no or low regrets” strategies. “No or low regrets” strategies are those that are sound investments
and adaptations regardless of the severity of future change.
By investing in the core capacity of city staff to understand climate science and impacts, and by developing flexible mechanisms to plan for a range of potential climate
impacts, Boulder is creating the adaptive governance structures necessary to address the wide-ranging effects that climate change will have on all functions of government.
Action 3.1 Create Community Resilience Centers
Ensure the continuity of all critical life-safety services at a network of community resilience centers.
Recent events have highlighted the extreme vulnerabilities and interdependencies of core life-safety infrastructure and utilities (e.g. energy, water and sanitation) and the
need for their combined secure, continuous operation during crisis. Advance planning for large-scale, high-impact events is critical to ensuring that these incidents do not
overwhelm either immediate response capabilities or the long-term well-being of highly vulnerable segments of Boulder’s community. The city will design and implement a
communitywide network of resilience centers that ensures continuity of critical community services, protection for high-risk populations and infrastructure, and an
enhanced capacity to provide and maintain basic services at a neighborhood scale, and develop the capacity to ‘island’ critical infrastructure provision without jeopardizing
core life-safety functions. These resilience centers will contain small-scale or compartmentalized infrastructure systems that can operate independent of the larger utility
system to sustain a sheltering facility during wide-scale disruption.
Boulder will also create place-based platforms for assembly, cooperation and education. By basing and delivering community outreach, activities and other functions (e.g.,
mobile farmers markets, food trucks, fix it clinics, recycling support, etc.) from these locations, these centers can be integrated into the new focus on neighborhood- based
engagement during good times as well as crisis. The likely integration of significant renewable energy assets at these locations can also provide foundational elements for a
distributed energy system that could include neighborhood-based load balancing through on-site battery storage, neighborhood microgrid development or other emerging
decentralized energy utility models.
By thoughtfully investing in public safety infrastructure as a response to lessons learned in previous events, the city can weave in multiple additional community benefits
such as neighborhood development and energy transition.
Action 3.3 Advance Sustainability with Resilience
Integrate resilience principles into Boulder’s Sustainability Framework.
Boulder’s Sustainability Framework is the unifying mechanism that connects all of the city’s policies and programs, and therefore represents the best point for integrating the
resilience principles that will have the greatest impact across all of Boulder’s departments and functions. The Sustainability Framework has been used successfully in practice
for several years, informing the city’s policies, budget prioritization and program design. The Boulder community has a deeply embedded sense of sustainability as a core
value system, manifested through the well-established framework, among many other community-driven initiatives. Resilience, however, is a relatively new and emerging
concept being systematically applied as a practice in cities for the first time. By thoughtfully integrating resilience into a familiar and operational framework,
resilience activity will be placed in a relatable and immediately actionable context.
Action 3.4 Embed Resilience in the Comprehensive Plan
Integrate resilience into the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan.
The Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP) serves as the city’s highest level policy document, articulating the
community’s vision and core values. The BVCP contains sustainability principles and policies and chapters that convey
discrete topics such as land use, transportation, housing and economy. By integrating new resilience policies and strategies
into the BVCP, the plan can address key elements of a healthy, stable and adaptive community, reflect and address Boulder’s
highest risks so the community can be adaptive, underscore connectively between systems and vulnerabilities, and illustrate
ways that the BVCP can address Boulder’s resilience, not only in times of disruption and crisis, but also on a day-to-day basis
and over the long term. Integrating resilience into the BVCP will leverage interdisciplinary expertise and generate strategies
that are responsive to Boulder’s challenges, as well as align activities and priorities across city departments.
40
The city is continuously working to provide service
excellence for an inspired future and moving towards
the vision of One City, One Boulder.
Action 3.5 Manage Thriving Ecosystems
Develop an integrated urban ecosystem management plan.
By creating an integrated ecosystem management plan, Boulder will support its complex local ecosystem and plan for the systemic stresses and changes anticipated with
climate change impacts. As part of Boulder’s long history of progressive planning, the city actively manages many aspects of the urban ecosystem, including monitoring
wildlife-human interactions, maintaining a healthy forest canopy and conducting regular riparian renewal and restoration efforts. The success of these programs contributes
to the city’s rich quality of life and sense of community. These programs also add to the ongoing success of Boulder’s signature planning achievement—the vast greenbelt
of open space that encircles the city. Building on these efforts, Boulder will develop an integrated strategy that aims to knit disparate efforts to create a single ecosystem
management plan.
TRIMBLE AND DIGITALGLOBE
Boulder’s urban forest faces unique challenges due to both the higher stresses already caused by geographic conditions and the onset of diseases and exotic pests such
as the recently arrived Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). Given these factors and the need to develop a more robust set of urban forest management tools, the City of Boulder
partnered with 100RC Platform Partners Trimble and DigitalGlobe to map the urban tree canopy.
DigitalGlobe was able to provide Boulder with the high-resolution multi-spectral satellite imagery needed to extract, map, and measure the trees throughout the city.
Trimble presented an initial citywide urban tree canopy analysis, as well as provided free training to city staff on the use of the eCognition software necessary to map
changes to the urban tree canopy over time.
The result provided the city with a baseline to prioritize future management plans and track green infrastructure changes whether through loss due to EAB infestation or
gain through green infrastructure improvements. The urban tree canopy analysis will be published in Boulder’s Open Data Catalog. In addition to working with Boulder,
Trimble and DigitalGlobe are assessing how to replicate and offer similar outcomes to other municipalities based on the work done and lessons learned with Boulder.
STRATEGY 3 - TRANSFORM & INTEGRATE
The 18-month “Tree Debris to Opportunity” project (see pg 42) aims to transform Emerald
Ash Borer infested wood debris into items area residents can use. In partnership with the
Bridge House Ready to Work program, participants will receive expert training to turn milled
wood into practical items and artistic expressions at the new Building 61 Makerspace at the
Boulder Main Library.
Learning with 100 Resilient Cities
F R O N TIER
Human Services provides vital support for large segments of the Boulder
community through grants to community agencies, direct services and
community capacity-building partnerships. These programs provide a
range of community services for vulnerable residents—from access to
mental and physical health, child care and family support to emergency
services. The 2016 revision to the Human Services Strategy seeks to shift
how Human Services conducts business, away from primarily tracking
program-based success metrics, such as the number of shelter beds filled
or meals served, to a predictive and adaptive service provision based
on achieving social outcomes. This shift will allow us to identify “tipping
points” in the social safety net that cause individuals and families to move
from relative stability into homelessness. It will allow us to monitor for
those changes and preemptively adjust resources to avoid them.
Homelessness represents a profound threshold for the most vulnerable
in our society and once crossed, individuals and families encounter
significantly more social, economic and health barriers. Reducing
homelessness not only brings obvious and important benefits for
the individuals and families involved, but ultimately saves substantial
resources in the social safety net that can be redirected toward
additional positive investments. Boulder is a prosperous and innovative
city, and it has pioneered many important cultural and environmental
issues. Thus, developing new ways to assist residents with the greatest
needs, so that no one falls into homelessness, is a resilience frontier.
Uniquely Boulder
TRAINING THE HOMELESS TO TURN
“TREE DEBRIS TO OPPORTUNITY”
The City of Boulder has won a prestigious Knight Cities Challenge
grant to develop an innovative program that will train homeless
community members to turn trees impacted by Emerald Ash Borer
into beautiful products. This 18-month project addresses a variety
of community challenges, including Emerald Ash Borer infestation
and homelessness. The program, called Tree Debris to Opportunity,
was one of 37 recipients chosen by the Knight Cities Challenge for
support and funding. The city’s application was submitted in
partnership with the Bridge House and Library Maker Space.
The goal is to engage the Boulder community in repurposing Ash
tree debris to usable products to be sold back to the community.
The program will hire participants of the Bridge House Ready to
Work program. These individuals will complete a multi-month
apprenticeship at the Maker Space, located in the Main Library, to
learn how to become woodworkers. The group will make products
that will then be sold at the Farmers Market and other locations.
Public classes will also be offered for free. The Bridge House
participants will help teach and facilitate the classes, encouraging
collaboration between all members of the community. The project
is expected to begin in mid- to late summer and is made possible
through the generous support of the Knight Cities Challenge. The
grant amount totals $200,000.
Uniquely Boulder
42
Uniquely Boulder
CREATE ADAPTIVE SOCIAL SERVICES
Reduce homelessness by designing an adaptive
and predictive social service network.
The actions listed to the right showcase many of the resilience activities the city is currently undertaking across the community. Boulder
has taken inspiration and learned from its successes in the design of the new actions proposed earlier in this strategy. However, the list
is not comprehensive – Boulder is doing much more. Let us know what you, your organization or company is already doing to build
community resilience at www.resilientboulder.com Add to the ever-growing list of resilience building projects, programs and activities!
A RUNNING START
2016-2017 Resilience Actions Resilience Challenge Area Boulder’s Running Start
Strategy 1: CONNECT AND PREPARE
Prepare all segments of the community for uncertainty and disruption by encouraging community preparedness, creating a culture of risk awareness, and personalizing resilience.
1.1 Make Resilience Accessible: Deploy a community driven, interactive “Mobile
Resilience Lab.”
NEW!
1.2 Activate Volunteerism: Develop a volunteer community preparedness training
program.
City of Boulder Fire Rescue’s Citizen’s Fire Academy
1.3 Assess Economic Strength: Identify risks to future economic vitality. City of Boulder’s Economic Sustainability Strategy
1.4 Prepare Businesses: Incentivize the use of continuity planning strategies with
local businesses.
Boulder Office of Emergency Management
1.5 Connect for Rapid Recovery: Develop rapid post-disaster impact assessment
capacity in partnership with the local business community.
NEW!
1.6 Foster Artistic Engagement: Engage the creative power of the arts to convey
and involve people in complex risk and resilience themes.
Boulder’s Community Cultural Plan
FRONTIER 1: Invest in the Future: Prioritize city investments to promote community
resilience and proactively address future risks.
City of Boulder Capital Improvements Program
Strategy 2: PARTNER AND INNOVATE
Capitalize on the collective problem solving and creativity of Boulder’s community by leveraging advances in data, research and observations to address emerging resilience challenges.
2.1 Put Science in the Hands of the Community: Create a “citizen science” program
to foster the co-creation of knowledge.
NEW!
2.2 Ensure Food Security: Design and conduct a local food security assessment.City of Boulder’s Local Foods Initiative
2.3 Make Data Accessible to All: Spur creative representation of data through
investments in artistic visualization and knowledge display.
Bold Measures, Boulder’s Community Dashboard (Coming Soon!)
2.4 Crowd Source Solutions: Drive the creative use of community data through
competitive challenges and hackathons.
Understanding Risk Boulder
FRONTIER 2: Envision the Future of Energy: Develop a sustainable, secure, and
equitable energy system.
City of Boulder’s Energy Future
Strategy 3: TRANSFORM AND INTEGRATE
Embed resilience into city operations and systems to transform Boulder’s approach to community resilience.
3.1 Create Community Resilience Centers: Ensure the continuity of all critical
life-safety services at a network of community resilience centers.
City of Boulder’s Climate Commitment
3.2 Foster Climate Readiness: Build climate preparedness capacity across the
city organization.
Colorado’s Water Plan - Chapter 6, Water Supply Management for the Future
3.3 Advance Sustainability with Resilience: Integrate resilience principles into
Boulder’s Sustainability Framework.
Boulder’s Sustainability Framework
3.4 Embed Resilience in the Comprehensive Plan: Integrate resilience into the
Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP).
Our Legacy. Our Future. BVCP 2015 Update
3.5 Manage Thriving Ecosystems: Develop an integrated urban ecosystem
management plan.
City of Boulder’s Urban Forest Strategic Plan
FRONTIER 3: Create Adaptive Social Services: Reduce homelessness by designing
an adaptive and predictive social service network.
City of Boulder’s Human Services Strategy
44
5CREDITS
46
Resilient Boulder would like to thank the many partners that contributed to Boulder’s Resilience Strategy. Most importantly, we thank the thousands of community
members who participated in workshops, surveys and conversations and provided boundless energy, creativity and insights during the strategy process.
The city would like to extend a very special thanks to the tremendous support provided by the team at 100 Resilient Cities, including Michael Berkowitz, Bryna Lipper,
Andrew Salkin, Amy Armstrong, Leah Flax, Corinne LeTourneau, Katherine Michonski, Paul Nelson, David Schreiner, Roya Shariat, Max Young and the rest of the team.
The success of this effort and partnership, however, would not have been possible without the immeasurable contributions of Katya Sienkiewicz.
Finally, we offer our sincere thanks and appreciation to our 100RC platform and strategy partners listed below.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
STRATEGY PARTNER:
HR&A Advisors
100RC PLATFORM PARTNERS:
AGU Thriving Earth Exchange
Climate CoLab
DigitalGlobe
Earth Economics
Resiliency Advisors LLC
Trimble
Ushahidi
Pg. 03, Full Page Nate Paradiso, Open Space & Mountain Parks Photo Contest
Pg. 10, Top Left Art Source International
Pg. 10, Top Right Art Source International
Pg. 10, Middle Left The Sink
Pg. 11, Full Page Earth Observatory, NASA
PICTURES OFAPPEAR IN COURTESY OF:PHOTO CREDITS:
Pg. 15, Full Page University of Colorado Sports Video & Athletics
Pg. 31, Middle Walk My Path in Class 18- AmeriCorps NCCC
Pg. 38, Bottom UR Boulder
Pg. 45, Full Page Austin Baily, Open Space & Mountain Parks Photo Contest
BOULDER
Printed on 35% post-consumer recycled paper.
CITY OF BOULDER
MEMORANDUM
TO: Downtown Management Commission
Environmental Advisory Board
Human Relations Commission
Library Commission
Open Space Board of Trustees
Parks & Recreation Advisory Board
Planning Board
Transportation Advisory Board
Water Resources Advisory Board
FROM: Greg Guibert, Chief Resilience Officer.
Mary Ann Weideman, Deputy City Manager
Casey Earp, Assistant City Manager I
DATE: April 27, 2016
SUBJECT: City of Boulder Resilience Strategy – Full draft for public comment period
PURPOSE
The purpose of this memo is to provide select boards and commissions the draft of the City of Boulder’s
Resilience Strategy and receive feedback.
QUESTIONS FOR THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
1. Is anything important missing from the draft strategy?
2. Are there proposed actions that the board feels aligns well with their strategic roadmap?
BACKGROUND
100 Resilient Cities (100RC) is a global network pioneered by the Rockefeller Foundation to help cities
around the world become more resilient to the physical, social, and economic challenges that are a
growing part of the 21st century. Boulder joined the network as part of its first wave in 2013 and
through its participation, is committed to demonstrating leadership in resilience as well as take
advantage of the resources and opportunities it presents.
100RC supports the adoption and incorporation of a view of resilience that includes not just the shocks –
floods, wildfires, violence, and other acute events – but also the stresses that weaken the fabric of a city
on a day to day or cyclical basis, such as economic hardship or social inequality. By addressing both the
shocks and the stresses in a holistic manner, a city becomes more able to respond to adverse events,
and is better able to deliver basic functions in both good times and bad, to all populations.
The 100RC program supports resilience building activities at the city level along four pathways:
Financial support for the creation of a new position in the government who will lead the effort,
the Chief Resilience Officer (CRO)
Technical and logistical support for the development of a resilience strategy that will serve as
the city’s roadmap to resilience activities and priorities
Access to tools and specialized partnerships to help developed a sophisticated understanding
the city’s risks, assets, weaknesses, and opportunities and how they interlink in unanticipated
ways
Inclusion into a network of 99 other cities from which best practices, innovation, and peer-to-
peer learning can advance the practice of resilience globally.
The objective of the City Resilience Strategy is to provide a roadmap for building resilience in the city.
The strategy should trigger action, investment, and support within city government and from outside
groups. Rather than a static road map, the resilience strategy should be a living document to be
continuously fine-tuned as priorities are addressed and initiatives get implemented.
NEXT STEPS
5/20: End of Public Comment Period
7/26: City Council Study Session
End of August: Final Strategy submitted for final adoption
APPENDIX
A. City of Boulder Resilience Strategy
Boards & Commissions Meeting Date
Downtown Management Commission 5/2/2016
Environmental Advisory Board 5/4/2016
Library Commission 5/4/2016
Transportation Advisory Board 5/9/2016
Open Space Board of Trustees 5/11/2016
Planning Board 5/12/2016
Human Relations Commission 5/16/2016
Water Resources Advisory Board 5/16/2016
Parks & Recreation Advisory Board 5/23/2016
City of Boulder
Human Relations Commission
Annual Celebration of Immigrant Heritage
October 1-9, 2016
2016 Request for Proposal
Deadline to Apply: 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5, 2016
Fund Description
Immigrants have enriched Boulder beyond measure, bringing many contributions to our
community along with the unique customs and traditions of their ancestral homeland.
The Boulder Human Relations Commission (HRC) recognizes the importance of
educating the city’s population on shared immigrant histories, diverse cultures and the
role these play in shaping and enriching the life of the city.
This funding cycle will support events held as part of the city’s Annual Immigrant
Heritage Week, October 1-9, 2016. Events that honor the experience and contributions
of the many immigrants who have shaped the city over many generations and/or that
facilitate the successful integration of immigrants into the civic, economic and cultural
life of the Boulder community are the objective of this fund.
Available Funds
Organizations are eligible for grants with a maximum amount of $1,500.00 for each
event.
Eligibility
Funding priority criteria includes:
Community initiated event
Nonprofit agency/group
Free and open to the public
Event to be held within Boulder city limits
Event to be held during Annual Immigrant Heritage Week: October 1-9, 2016.
Funds may be used only for non-personnel related expenses, such as food,
postage, marketing and office supplies. Funding cannot be used to compensate
event organizers, though the grant may pay for a guest speaker at an event.
Funded groups are required to recognize HRC support on any event advertising
and at the event itself.
Following the event, funded groups are required to appear at a designated HRC
meeting and report on the event. Failure to appear at the designated HRC meeting
will negatively affect future funding requests.
The HRC will not fund:
Proposals that are not from community organizations. Community organizations
are, however, encouraged to partner with other groups for their event.
Groups that have failed to meet their contractual requirement in the past.
Events that are not free and open to the public. Admission may not be charged at
these events.
The city reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to waive informalities and
irregularities in proposals received, and to accept any portion of any proposal or all items
proposed if deemed in the best interests of the city.
Deadline:
Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m., Friday, Aug. 5, 2016. You may either
mail, hand-deliver or email your proposal. Please see below for where to send your
application.
To Apply:
Please submit your application in the following order:
Cover Sheet (see attached)
Narrative – answer the five questions below. Please use no more than two single-
spaced pages for your responses.
1. Who is on the organizing body of this event? Please list members of the
organizing body or co-sponsoring groups if it is a collaborative effort.
2. Provide a description of the event, including:
i. a general description of the event;
ii. how your event will engage and educate the community;
iii. how your event will foster inclusivity and respect for
immigrant heritage.
3. What are the goals of the event?
4. How will the event be promoted to the Boulder population?
Budget Table (see attached): Using the attached budget sheet, provide a detailed,
projected budget of expenses for your 2015 event. You may hand-write the
numbers onto the sheet if you wish.
Mail application to: Or hand-deliver to:
Department of Human Services Department of Human Services
Community Relations and Office of Human Rights 2160 Spruce Street
City of Boulder Boulder, CO 80302
P.O. Box 791
Boulder, CO 80306
Applications may also be emailed by Aug. 5, 2016 by 5:00 p.m. to
AtilanoC@bouldercolorado.gov.
Late applications will not be accepted. We will not be checking postmarks. Any
applications that arrive in our office after Aug. 5, 2016 will not be considered. If you are
uncertain that your application will arrive in time, please hand-deliver or email it to us.
Thank you.
Request for Proposal
Annual Celebration of Immigrant Heritage (cover sheet)
Grant Request (up to $1,500): ________________
Agency/Organization
Street Address
City Zip Code
Telephone Fax Website
Project Name
Contact Person
Email Address
Project Description (please do not exceed space provided)
Proposal Budget Table
Budget Item
Projected Expense
Postage
Advertising
Copying
Office Supplies (Please specify)
1)
2)
3)
4)
Office Supply Total
Space Rental
Food
Other Direct Expenses (Please specify)
1)
2)
3)
4)
Other Direct Costs Total
Total Expenses
Revenue Sources
Revenue Amount
Amount Requested from HRC
Other Sources of Contributions (including in-kind)
1)
2)
3)
4)