05.08.24 OSBT PacketOpen Space Board of Trustees
May 8, 2024
City Council Chambers inside Penfield Tate II Municipal Building
MEETING AGENDA
(Please note that times are approximate.)
I. (6:00) Call to Order and Roll Call
II. (6:05) Approval of the Minutes
III. (6:10) Public Comment for Items not Identified for Public Hearing
IV. (6:15) Matters from the Board
A. Trustee questions on Written Information items
V. (6:25) Matters from the Department
A. Wildfire Resilient Landscapes: Update on Wildland-Urban Interface
(WUI) Fuels Management efforts (30 min)
B. Draft 2025-2030 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) & Operating
Budget (50 min)
C. Sawhill Ponds Improvements (30 min)
D. Climbing Access Trail Management Update (25 min)
E. Director Verbal Updates (5 min)
VI. (8:45) Adjourn
Written Information
A. 2024 Visitor Infrastructure Projects Update
B. Preble’s meadow jumping mouse Site Conservation Team Update
Open Space Board of Trustees
Members:
Harmon Zuckerman
(2023-2025)
Michelle Estrella
(2021-2026)
Jon Carroll
(2022-2027)
Brady Robinson
(2023-2028)
Sarah Glynn
(2024-2029)
Open Space Board of Trustees
*TENTATIVE Board Items Calendar
(Updated April 23, 2024)
June 12, 2024 June 14, 2024
OSBT Field Trip
9:00 – 11:30 a.m.
July 10, 2024 August 14, 2024
Matters from the Board:
• Trustee questions on
Written Memo items or
public comment (10
min)
Action Items:
• Assigning Management
Area Designations to
specific Open Space and
Mountain Parks
properties that are
without a designation:
Groups 2 and 3 (30 min)
• North Foothills (HWY
36) Bikeway feasibility
study (45 min)
Matters from the Department:
• 2025 budget Update:
2nd touch with OSBT
(50 min)
• Bear Habitat Suitability
and On-leash trail
regulations evaluation
(30 min)
• Director verbal Updates
(5 min)
Theme: OSMP Agricultural
Program: Visit a few of
OSMP’s leased agricultural
sites and operations
Location: Meet at and Return
to the OSMP HUB - 2520 55th
Street
Matters from the Board:
• Trustee questions on
Written Memo items
or public comment (10
min)
Action Items:
• Recommendation for
2025 budget (60 min)
• Fort Chambers-Poor
Farm Site
Management Plan (50
mins)
Matters from the
Department:
• Overview and
Demonstration of
OSMP’s Interactive
Map highlighting
current and upcoming
OSMP projects (20
min)
• Director verbal
Updates, including
North Sky Trail
Update (10 min)
Matters from the Board:
• Trustee questions on
Written Memo items or
public comment (10
min)
• Appoint an OSBT
Retreat preparation
subcommittee (10 min)
Action Items:
Matters from the
Department:
• Junior and Youth
Ranger Program update
(40 min)
• Boulder to Erie
Regional Trail (BERT)
Update (45 min)
• Wildfire Resilient
Landscapes:
Community Wildfire
Protection Plan
Implementation Update
(40 min)
• Director verbal Updates
(5 min)
*All items are subject to change. A final version of the agenda is posted on the webpage the week of the
OSBT meeting.
OPEN SPACE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Action Minutes
Meeting Date April 10, 2024
Record of this meeting can be found here: https://bouldercolorado.gov/government/watch-board-
meetings (video start times are listed below next to each agenda item).
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT
Michelle Estrella, Chair
Harmon Zuckerman, Vice Chair
Jon Carroll
Brady Robinson
Sarah Glynn
OSMP STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT
Dan Burke Jeff Haley Jennelle Freeston Heather Swanson Lauren Kilcoyne
Leah Russell Sam McQueen Ilene Flax Lynn Riedel Debbie Cushman
Kris Weinberger Bethany Collins Lauren Kolb Casey Brock
GUESTS
Jeremy Reineke, Environmental Protection Specialist, Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and
Safety
Tara Tafi, Senior Project Manager/Reclamation Specialist, Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining
and Safety
Daphne Kingsley and Cameron Genter, OSMP Agricultural tenants
Avani Diliger, founder of Boulder Natural Highs
Isa Angulo, Volunteer with Boulder Natural Highs
AGENDA ITEM 1 – Call to Order and Roll Call
The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m.
AGENDA ITEM 2 – Matters from the Board (8:00)
The newest Open Space Board of Trustees (OSBT) member, Sarah Glynn, read and signed the Oath of
Office.
Jon Carroll moved to appoint Michelle Estrella as the Chairperson for the Open Space Board of
Trustees, Harmon Zuckerman as the Vice Chair for the Open Space Board of Trustees and Leah
Russell as the Board Secretary for the Open Space Board of Trustees. Michelle Estrella seconded.
All motions passed unanimously by acclamation.
Michelle read a proclamation recognizing Dave Kuntz, the exiting board chair, for his five years on the
board. Both staff and the board expressed their appreciation for Dave and his time over the years; as an
OSMP volunteer, an OSMP staff member, and then finally as a Trustee of the Open Space Board.
The board asked questions on the “Written Information” items. On the “Wildfire Resilient Landscapes:
Update on OSMP's Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Fuels Management efforts” The board asked about
the timeline and platform(s) for communication. Staff said they will bring back more info. next month but
some communication has already begun.
On the “CO Highway 7 (Arapahoe Road) Multi-Modal Corridor Study” the board asked what the
expected amount of land is that’s being discussed for a possible disposal. Staff said project staff is still in
the 15-percent design phase so possible too early to have a number. The board asked if the multi-modal
paths would connect to open space trailheads. Staff said it does offer the opportunity to connect to the
North Teller Trailhead. The board said the proposal includes a lot of pavement, and were if CDOT will be
open to suggestions/comments for changes to reduce having a continuous center turn lane where there are
no turns for example.
On the “Draft 2025 Work Plan and Budget” item the board expressed their appreciation for the timeline
shift in response to board feedback. They asked for more clarification on the audit collections and if open
space is now collecting more money from these than before, as well as the reasoning on why.
AGENDA ITEM 3 – Approval of the Minutes (49:30)
Harmon Zuckerman moved the Open Space Board of Trustees to adopt the minutes from March 13, 2024
as amended. Jon Carroll seconded. This motion passed four to zero; Sarah Glynn abstained.
AGENDA ITEM 4 – Public Participation for Items not Identified for Public Hearing (51:00)
Lynn Segal spoke about budget.
AGENDA ITEM 5 – Matters from the Department (58:30)
Jennelle Freeston, Deputy Director of Community Connections, and Debbie Cushman, Volunteerism,
Service Leaning and Partnerships Program Manager, presented the “Volunteerism, Service Learning and
Partnerships Update and Declaration to Honor OSMP Volunteers During National Volunteer Week April
21-27, 2024”. They were joined in-person by Kris Weinberger, Volunteerism and Service Learning
Manager, Lauren Kolb, Agricultural Senior Program Manager, Daphne Kingsley and Cameron Genter,
lessees on the Hunter Kolb property, Avani Dilger, founder of Boulder Natural Highs, and Isa Angulo,
teen volunteer from Boulder Natural Highs.
The Board responded to staff’s presentation and proposed questions. The Board asked about engagement
work within middle schools and where this outreach could be expanded.
The Board read the following declaration:
The Open Space Board of Trustees joins the staff of the City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks
Department in recognizing all our volunteers during National Volunteer Week 2024. We salute the
hundreds of Open Space and Mountain Parks volunteers who contributed their talents and efforts in
helping the department carry out its City Charter Purpose for Open Space. This community of volunteers
is an inspiration as their contributions help to protect the resources and provide for enjoyable
experiences, making Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks a special place.
(1:51:00) Ilene Flax, Senior Landscape Architect, presented the “Marshall Mesa Trailhead Improvements
and Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (DRMS) Project Update”. She was joined by
Jeremy Reineke and Tara Tafi from DRMS.
The Board asked about the rocky shield feature towards the beginning of the current trail and if that can
remain as-is. Additionally, they asked about a possible reservation system for the shade structure, how
much this plan has changed since the last time it was shared with the board, and what will communication
look like to the community.
(2:26:00) Ilene Flax, Senior Landscape Architect, presented the “Update on South Mesa Trailhead
Renovation”.
The Board asked about the timing of this project and if there will there be a location for people to park
while this work is taking place.
Dan Burke gave several verbal updates including that the Eagle Trailhead at Boulder Valley Ranch is now
back open and renovated, and work is continuing to happen on the Sage trail. He added that it was a good
hiring season for all temporary and seasonal crews this year.
Sarah suggested while trails are closed, staff could try changing the messaging to invite people to try a
similar area while the current area is closed. She said to look at what it is that people enjoy and how does
that line up with other areas; if people feel like they are being invited to have a new experience it could
change the perception of disruption.
ADJOURNMENT – The meeting adjourned at 8:49 p.m.
These draft minutes were prepared by Leah Russell
MEMORANDUM
TO: Open Space Board of Trustees
FROM: Dan Burke, Director, Open Space and Mountain Parks
Lauren Kilcoyne, Deputy Director of Central Services
Jeff Haley, Deputy Director of Visitor Experience & Infrastructure
Jennelle Freeston, Deputy Director of Community Connections
Samantha McQueen, Business Services Senior Manager
Cole Moffatt, Senior Accountant
DATE: May 8, 2024
SUBJECT: Draft 2025-2030 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) & Operating Budget
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Executive Summary
The purpose of this discussion item is to share the Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) Department
draft 2025-2030 CIP and provide some context around the 2025 operating budget. While this update
includes information on the operating budget, a majority of the content focuses on the CIP. Additional
information on the draft 2025 operating budget will be shared at the June business meeting. The Open
Space Board of Trustees (OSBT) will have an opportunity to ask questions at the May and June meetings
to ensure the OSBT is prepared at its July meeting to consider and recommend OSMP’s 2025-2030 CIP
and operating budget.
The series of budget agenda items for the OSBT with opportunity for public review are as follows:
•In January, OSMP staff presented and discussed with the OSBT strategic, high-level budget
guidance.
•In April, staff provided a written update to introduce OSMP’s draft 2025 work plan and budget.
•This month, staff is presenting the draft CIP budget and some related operating budget details for
discussion.
•In June, staff will present updates to the CIP budget, additional information on the operating
budget, and revenue projections.
•In July, the OSBT will hold a public hearing and make recommendations on the CIP and
operating budget for the Planning Board and City Council.
At the fall 2023 OSBT retreat, staff presented this approach and the plan for this series of budget
presentations to support 2025 budget development. During the retreat, staff and OSBT also planned for
some adjustments to the type and presentation of materials included in the budget materials. The OSBT
expressed an interest in understanding strategic budget priorities beyond the one-year budget. Based on
this feedback, the January presentation and materials focused on two to three-year strategic budget
priorities. Additionally, over the course of this budget development cycle staff will share draft thinking
around out-year CIP projects (most likely in the June materials) and information will be provided in this
packet around the internal prioritization work that led to the draft 2025 CIP, including examples of
projects that were requested by staff but are not recommended for funding. Related to the overall financial
picture of the department, a request was made for more detailed information beyond the fund financial.
Staff will work to provide this information in the upcoming meeting materials supporting the OSBT
budget recommendation.
Agenda Item 5B Page 1
Updates to 2024 Budget
Adjustment to Base
OSMP staff will continue to provide updated information on the previous year’s actual revenues, current
year budget, and out year revenue projections as a regular part of the 2025 budget planning process. This
information gives a holistic view of the department’s budget as the OSBT reviews next year’s CIP and
operating budget for recommendation. As shared during the April business meeting, OSMP participates in
the city’s Adjustment to Base (ATB) process, which is a mechanism that allows departments to react to
significant changes to budget conditions after City Council budget approval.
The “First ATB” is a standard part of the annual budget process. Every April, departments submit ATB
requests to be reviewed and approved by City Council in May. Like the Second ATB in the fall, the First
ATB allows departments to appropriate revenues and expenditures outside of the annual budget process.
Attachment A includes the list of items OSMP has requested for inclusion in the First ATB. The list of
ATB items is subject to change as requests are reviewed by the Finance Department and city leadership.
OSMP also continues to work on multi-year CIP projects funded in previous budget cycles, referred to as
capital carryover. The carryover process runs concurrent with the first ATB. The department expects to
carryover funding into 2024 for projects listed in Attachment A.
Audit Revenues
At the April business meeting, board members requested an update on the city’s audit revenue collections.
Draft revenues from audits increased in the Open Space Fund from 2022 to 2023. In addition to increased
staffing on the city’s team that performs financial audits, the city transitioned to a new system for
collecting taxes. The system encouraged and increased compliance in tax collection practices. As a result,
revenues in audit categories saw increases from 2022 to 2023 ranging from 156.5% to 1877.6%. More
information on draft 2023 revenue collections can be found in the April business meeting packet.
Cost Allocation and Other Operating Budget Increases
Please note that the draft 2025 CIP presented in this memo may change as revenue forecasts and
operating budget estimates are refined. OSMP is expecting to hear soon from City Finance about
anticipated increases to 2025 operating budget costs associated with enterprise technology, equipment
replacement, and the city’s cost allocation plan, which is a methodology to identify and distribute indirect
costs in departments that provide services to other departments, like the City Attorney’s Office, City
Manager’s Office, Human Resources, IT, and Finance/Accounting. The city’s cost allocation model has
previously been updated every two years, with the last update performed in 2022 for the 2023 budget.
Finance Department staff expect an increase in cost allocation charges to departments in 2025 as a result
of factors like an updated cost allocation modeling framework, increased growth of the budget since the
last plan was produced in 2022, and an increase in property and casualty insurance costs. More
information on the cost allocation plan and an opportunity to ask questions will be presented at the June
business meeting.
These and other anticipated cost increases, which may be significant, will need to be accounted for in the
operating budget. While some anticipated cost increases have already been built into OSMP's budget
assumptions for preparation of the draft 2025 CIP list, if further reductions are needed to account for
revenue forecasts and increasing costs in the operating budget, OSMP staff will inform the OSBT in June.
Boulder Open Space Conservancy
OSMP benefits from dedicated sales tax revenue to fund the many operations, programs, and capital
projects each year that are prioritized within the department to ensure the continued focus on the charter
purposes and outcomes of the department Master Plan, Citywide Strategic Plan, and other relevant plans.
Staff are currently working on a variety of strategic initiatives to update the asset management program
Agenda Item 5B Page 2
within the department that informs and influences the annual work plan and key projects to be completed
to “take care of what we have” in terms of ecosystem management and maintenance of trails, amenities,
and agricultural infrastructure. This is prescribed within the department Master Plan related to the
Financial Sustainability focus area. However, as costs increase related to all aspects for operations,
maintenance, and capital projects, OSMP staff must carefully prioritize the available funding. To address
limited funding availability, staff are continuing to explore ways to leverage other revenue streams and
local dollars to support OSMP’s capacity. This is explicitly called for in the Master Plan under FS.1,
Stabilize Funding. Staff would like to highlight one leveraging opportunity through the partnership with
the Boulder Open Space Conservancy (BOSC). BOSC is OSMP’s non-profit 501c3 partner and over the
last several years BOSC has donated thousands of dollars to priority OSMP projects. Included on
OSMP’s ATB list is a donation from BOSC. Most recently, BOSC donated $58,250 which will be used
towards several approved project pillars supporting connecting youth to nature, responsible recreation and
stewardship, and climate resilience and rewilding. At the May business meeting, staff will share more
about this partnership and how BOSC supports the OSMP Master Plan Financial Sustainability focus
area.
CIP Budget Development Process
As described in the April packet, the overall department budget is made up of CIP, operating budget,
revenues, and reserves. This month’s update focuses on the CIP and the remaining business meetings will
cover the three other components of the budget. The CIP is an annual updated plan of capital expenditures
that may involve the purchase, construction, or major maintenance of capital assets. While the city
definition primarily focuses on facilities and streets, for OSMP the CIP is used to support larger scale
land management efforts across functions and services. Planning, design, engineering, or architectural
fees are often a part of a capital project. In the citywide budget process, $50,000 is considered the
minimum threshold for a capital project. For reference, the CIP represents 17% of OSMP’s current 2024
budget.
OSMP continues to utilize a robust, collaborative work planning process to ensure that the CIP supports
the highest priority projects each year. The draft 2025 CIP is the result of months of extensive work by
project managers, supervisors, and a cross-functional leadership team to phase, scale, and prioritize
projects to ensure the department is meeting commitments to the community as reflected in approved
plans and strategic guidance. The leadership team considered department priorities guided by the Master
Plan, the Citywide Strategic Plan, OSMP’s 2024-2025 Strategic Enhancements, commitments in other
existing plans, staff capacity, balance across functions and services, and many other factors in
determining which projects to recommend.
Many projects reviewed during the initial intake were not ready to move forward, whether they required
additional project scoping and/or cost estimating, needed to be phased and funded in a more appropriate
timeline (i.e. design, permit, construct), are more appropriately funded in the operating budget, or should
be better coordinated with another related project before being funded. The OSMP leadership team
reviewed $16.7M in 2025 CIP requests from OSMP staff during the work planning process. Of these
requests, $9.9M were put on hold, adjusted for phasing and future funding, or rejected to allow more time
for coordination. Table 1 includes a few examples of projects that were reviewed and that either received
reduced 2025 funding from the initial request or that are not reflected in the department’s draft 2025 CIP
list. OSMP staff will provide a list of projects to be funded in future years, beyond 2025, for the June
business meeting. Projects listed in Table 1 may be included on that list.
Agenda Item 5B Page 3
Table 1: Examples of 2025 Requested CIP Projects Changed or Omitted from Draft 2025 CIP List
Project Title Amount
Requested
2025 Amount
Funded
Reason for Omission or
Change
Visitor Communication and
Education Enhancements
$250,000 $100,000 Funding amount reduced to scale
project.
Flagstaff Site Plan $100,000 $0 Scoping to be performed in 2025
to inform project in future years.
Scoping costs will be funded
through the operating budget.
North Foothills Fencing
Removal
$50,000 $0 Project can be accomplished
with existing staff resources
funded through the operating
budget.
Create Fish Passage at Goodhue
Ditch
$300,000 $0 Project not ready to implement
in 2025.
Repair or Reroute Lower
Bluestem Trail
$60,000 $0 Project not ready to implement
in 2025.
Restore Joder Area Riparian
System
$55,000 $0 Project can take place in a later
year to better align with staff
availability.
OSMP Economic Impact
Assessment
$75,000 $0 Project can take place in a later
year.
Dry Creek Trailhead Redesign $75,000 $0 Project can take place in a later
year.
High Quality Trail Network and
Reducing Trail Maintenance
Backlog (Gebhard Integrated
Site Plan Construction)
$187,000 $87,000 Funding amount reduced to scale
project.
Replace Existing Barn on
Manchester Property
$50,000 $0 Project can take place in a later
year.
Additional to the projects recommended in the 2025 CIP, OSMP continues to work on multi-year CIP
projects funded in previous budget cycles. As described above, this is referred to as capital carryover and
runs concurrent with the first ATB process. Therefore, staff capacity in 2025 will be directed towards
capital carryover projects, new 2025 capital projects, and a host of programs, ongoing services, and
projects funded out of the 2025 operating budget.
In 2025, the draft $6,789,492 CIP presented in this memo represents a slight increase of $136,283
compared to the $6,653,209 CIP in 2024.
Agenda Item 5B Page 4
Table 2: Total CIP Funding by Year
The funding sources for the 2025 draft CIP have changed from previous years. The department’s CIP has
been funded by the Open Space Fund and a small portion of the city’s Lottery Fund allocation for the last
several years. As noted in the April OSBT packet, OSMP does not expect to receive Lottery Funds in the
2025 budget.
Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Grant
In 2023, staff applied for a competitive LWCF grant to support a variety of trail work and recreation
improvements for Mount Sanitas, including the main trail leading to the summit, designating and
improving current social trails, and providing safe access to bouldering. This grant application was in
partnership with BOSC, who plans to support the department in raising a portion of the local matching
dollars. The total project estimate is $2.27M and the department will need to cover roughly half of the
project cost, while the federal LWCF covers the other half. Earlier this year, staff were notified that the
application was successful and recommended for funding by the various state committees and
commissions that ultimately approve the grant applications. Staff are now working on the pre-award and
contracting phase and will continue to keep OSBT updated on the status. This is a huge milestone for
OSMP as it is rare for OSMP to receive a grant of this magnitude and the work will span the next three
years through 2027. Of the $6,789,492 draft 2025 CIP, $6,446,749 will be funded by the Open Space
Fund and the remaining $342,743 will be reimbursed with a portion of grant dollars awarded. The draft
2025 CIP list later in this memo includes a project titled “Mount Sanitas Trail Improvement Project.” The
department expects to spend a total of $748,103 on the project in 2025. The $342,743 included on the
draft 2025 CIP list represents the non-personnel portion of the project. The remaining costs will be
included in 2025 operating budget materials, to be shared with the OSBT at the June business meeting.
CIP Categories
Across all departments and funds, the city utilizes consistent categories/types to describe capital
investments. CIP project types include capital maintenance, capital enhancement, new
facility/infrastructure, capital planning studies, and land acquisition. The land acquisition category will be
addressed in the Proposed/Recommended 2025 CIP Projects section of this memo.
Since 2019, the department has prioritized capital maintenance (taking care of what we have) which is
consistent with the priorities of the Master Plan. The draft 2025 CIP again places an emphasis on capital
maintenance projects. Of the $6,789,492 draft 2025 CIP, $4,583,000 (68%) supports capital maintenance
across Master Plan focus areas and all functions and services. For examples of projects in these
categories, funding for irrigation infrastructure maintenance is proposed in the draft 2025 CIP as a capital
$0
$2,000,000
$4,000,000
$6,000,000
$8,000,000
$10,000,000
$12,000,000
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Agenda Item 5B Page 5
maintenance project and installation of livestock corrals on leased properties is considered a capital
enhancement.
Table 3: Total CIP Funding by Category (Excludes Acquisition)
Master Plan Alignment with 2025 CIP Projects
The 2025 budget again incorporates the Master Plan into the CIP. All proposed CIP projects are
categorized into one of the five Master Plan focus areas, or central management themes. They are further
broken down into strategies under each focus area:
• Agriculture Today and Tomorrow (ATT)
• Community Connection, Education, and Inclusion (CCEI)
• Ecosystem Health and Resilience (EHR)
• Financial Sustainability (FS)
• Responsible Recreation, Stewardship, and Enjoyment (RRSE)
OSMP’s work planning system allows for each project to link to up to three Master Plan strategies,
referred to as primary, secondary, and tertiary strategies. During the development process, project
managers recorded percentages to assign primary, secondary, and tertiary strategies to each project. This
allows OSMP to better represent how dollars align with Master Plan implementation funding. For
example, the project “Stockwater Planning for Drought Resilience and Support of Diversified
Agriculture” is funded at $60,000 in the 2025 draft CIP and is captured as follows:
$0
$500,000
$1,000,000
$1,500,000
$2,000,000
$2,500,000
$3,000,000
$3,500,000
$4,000,000
$4,500,000
$5,000,000
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Capital Enhancement Capital Maintenance Capital Planning New Facility / Infrastructure
Agenda Item 5B Page 6
Table 4: Example of CIP Project Master Plan Strategy Alignment
Strategy
Alignment Tier Strategy Percent of
Project
Funding
for
Strategy
Primary 1 ATT.2) Increase soil health and resilience 34% $20,400
Secondary 1 EHR.1) Preserve and restore important habitat
blocks and corridors
33% $19,800
Tertiary 2 ATT.4) Protect water resources in a warmer future 33% $19,800
Total 100% $60,000
The Master Plan graphs and charts as presented below utilize this methodology to reflect CIP investment
by focus area, tier, and strategy. Master Plan alignment will be presented in a similar way during the
presentation of the operating budget in upcoming business meetings.
Over the six budget years since the Master Plan was approved, Responsible Recreation, Stewardship, and
Enjoyment (RRSE) has received the most CIP funding of any focus area, followed by Ecosystem Health
and Resilience (EHR) and Agriculture Today and Tomorrow (ATT). The chart below displays the six-
year cumulative investment in each focus area since investments were tracked against Master Plan
priorities.
Table 5: 2020-2025 CIP by Master Plan Focus Area
This can then be compared with the integrated budget guidance in the Master Plan, which provides target
percentages by focus area over the ten-year Master Plan implementation horizon. In any given year, CIP
percentages by focus area will vary based on which priority projects are funded, but the department will
ensure that percentages normalize to meet implementation commitments over time. Cumulative
investment over a six-year period is consistent with the integrated budget guidance.
To highlight key changes from 2024, EHR will receive less funding as a percentage of the total CIP
budget in 2025, partly because many projects related to ecological sustainability are now being captured
in the ongoing operating budget as opposed to CIP. A total of $337,000 in projects that support EHR
$8,751,860
$9,892,221
$7,361,420
$3,598,003
$5,323,351
$0
$2,000,000
$4,000,000
$6,000,000
$8,000,000
$10,000,000
$12,000,000
EHR RRSE ATT CCEI FS
Agenda Item 5B Page 7
strategies have been moved from the CIP to the operating budget in 2024. This aligns with OSMP’s
objective to review the use of CIP dollars and propose ongoing services that support the department’s
day-to-day work under the operating budget. For example, funding for ecological monitoring and
restoration of native vegetation along South Boulder and Boulder Creeks were moved to the ongoing
operating budget from the CIP during the 2024 budget planning process. These types of actions and
services related to EHR will again be reflected in the 2025 operating budget as opposed to CIP.
CCEI projects will receive more funding in the 2025 CIP than previous years. While most CCEI work is
typically funded through the ongoing operating budget, some CIP projects proposed in 2025 have a
significant portion of funding going towards discrete community outreach and education work. For
instance, the project for visitor communication and education enhancements aims to improve nature-
based learning through a discrete interpretive project on the OSMP Wood Brothers property. Overall,
CCEI projects still represent the lowest portion of funding in the CIP over a six-year period.
Table 6: 2020-2025 CIP by Master Plan Focus Area (Target Percentages)
Focus Areas
10-Year target
percentage to inform
MP implementation
spending
2025 CIP percentage
($7,119,492)
Cumulative 2020-
2025 CIP
Ecosystem Health and
Resilience
25-40% 11% 25%
Responsible
Recreation,
Stewardship, and
Enjoyment
20-35% 23% 28%
Agriculture Today and
Tomorrow
15-30% 25% 21%
Community
Connection, Education,
and Inclusion
10-25% 26% 11%
Financial Sustainability 10-25% 15% 15%
Additionally, the draft 2025 CIP categorizes projects as Tier 1, 2, or 3 strategies in the Master Plan. As a
reminder, every Master Plan strategy is deemed important and the definition in the Master Plan of each
tier is included below:
• Tier 1 Strategy: Most important, will be accelerated and emphasized with more staff time and
funding, especially in the first few years of Master Plan implementation.
• Tier 2 Strategy: Next most important, will receive incremental funding and effort as capacity
allows.
• Tier 3 Strategy: Third most important, will receive incremental funding and effort as capacity
allows.
Total 2025 CIP budget allocation by tier is adjusted to remove projects aligned with the Financial
Sustainability strategies, since those strategies underpin the work of the other four service areas. Financial
Sustainability strategies are not tiered in the published Master Plan. Overall, the investment by tier in the
2025 CIP is consistent with the department goal to prioritize Tier 1 strategies in a fiscally constrained
environment, with 67% of funding advancing Tier 1 strategies. Table 7 details draft 2025 CIP funding by
Master Plan tier and Table 8 displays this information over a cumulative six-year period.
Agenda Item 5B Page 8
Table 7: 2025 CIP by Master Plan Tier (Excludes Financial Sustainability)
Table 8: 2020-2025 CIP by Master Plan Tier (Excludes Financial Sustainability)
The department began to show CIP investment by both Master Plan tier and Master Plan strategy for the
first time in 2022. Staff received feedback that it is a useful way to communicate how we are investing
CIP dollars over time and demonstrates the breadth and depth of the work that is occurring to implement
the Master Plan.
As a final point of reference to the Master Plan, OSMP is able to show CIP investment by strategy. In any
given year, while a particular strategy may not have certain CIP projects associated with it, it is likely
there are programs, actions, and services funded through the department’s operating budget that support
$3,921,345, 67%
$945,300, 17%$908,347, 16%
$0
$500,000
$1,000,000
$1,500,000
$2,000,000
$2,500,000
$3,000,000
$3,500,000
$4,000,000
$4,500,000
Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3
$20,922,837, 71%
$4,470,933, 15%$4,209,735, 14%
$0
$5,000,000
$10,000,000
$15,000,000
$20,000,000
$25,000,000
Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3
Agenda Item 5B Page 9
that strategy. Overall, the projects in the draft 2025 CIP fund some level of implementation of 26
strategies in the Master Plan.
Table 9: Draft 2025 CIP Funding by Master Plan Strategy
Tier Master Plan Strategy Funding in
2025 CIP
1 ATT.1) Reduce maintenance backlog for agricultural and water infrastructure $362,300
1 ATT.2) Increase soil health and resilience $207,900
1 ATT.3) Address conflicts between agriculture and prairie dogs $340,000
1 CCEI.1) Welcome diverse backgrounds and abilities $784,248
1 CCEI.2) Enhance communication with visitors $350,000
1 EHR.1) Preserve and restore important habitat blocks and corridors $518,250
1 EHR.3) Address the global climate crisis here and now $166,500
1 RRSE.1) Assess and manage increasing visitation $704,350
1 RRSE.2) Reduce trail maintenance backlog $487,797
2 ATT.4) Protect water resources in a warmer future $60,100
2 ATT.5) Encourage diverse and innovative agricultural operations $260,000
2 CCEI.3) Connect youth to the outdoors $391,500
2 CCEI.4) Support citywide engagement with federally recognized American
Indian Tribes and Indigenous Peoples $170,000
2 EHR.4) Reduce undesignated trails $8,700
2 EHR.6) Control invasive species $55,000
3 ATT.6) Support the success of ranchers and farmers $300,900
3 ATT.7) Integrate native ecosystems and agriculture $171,000
3 ATT.9) Enhance enjoyment and protection of working landscapes $15,000
3 CCEI.6) Inspire environmental literacy and new involvement in OSMP $21,000
3 CCEI.9) Preserve and protect Boulder’s cultural heritage $40,000
3 RRSE.6) Support a range of passive recreation experiences $312,447
3 RRSE.8) Provide welcoming and inspiring visitor facilities and services $27,000
3 RRSE.9) Develop a learning laboratory approach to recreation $21,000
N/A FS.4) Take care of what we have $652,250
N/A FS.9) Invest in workforce development and operational needs $362,250
Total $6,789,492
Proposed/Recommended 2025 CIP Projects
The draft 2025 CIP includes a significant change to the department’s acquisition funding strategy from
the 2024 CIP. In consultation with Finance Department staff, OSMP has moved funding for land, water,
and mineral acquisitions from the CIP to a reserve category in the Open Space Fund. In the past, a
significant portion of the annual OSMP CIP was dedicated to land, water, and mineral acquisition. Since
2019, Master Plan guidance updated the direction from the 2013-2019 OSMP Acquisition Plan, and much
of the funding for acquisition has shifted according to Master Plan priorities, with more of an emphasis on
maintaining, repairing, and improving current OSMP assets. In 2022, the department funded the
acquisition CIP at $350,000 to ensure adequate dollars were available for the council-approved
acquisition of the Boulder County parcels at Sombrero Marsh and a trail easement to support a more
Agenda Item 5B Page 10
sustainable alignment of the new North Sky Trail. Both acquisitions were reviewed by the OSBT in 2022.
The acquisition CIP was funded at $250,000 in 2023 to support the work plan. Through the work
planning process, the department determined that additional acquisition dollars were not needed in 2024.
Funding acquisitions through reserves is now the standard practice across the city. For that reason, land,
water, and mineral acquisition funding is not included in the department’s draft 2025 CIP list. Reserves
for acquisition will be included in the Open Space Fund Financial at a future business meeting for the
OSBT’s review.
List of CIP Projects
The 2025 CIP projects are listed alphabetically by project and convey which projects are continuations of
multi-year efforts, and which projects are new this year. The list also indicates which approved plans
support the proposed project. This is provided to demonstrate the interconnectedness of the work being
performed. At the June OSBT meeting, staff will provide the board with updates to the CIP list and a list
of proposed CIP projects in the coming years, beyond 2025.
It is common for project estimates, both in terms of total project cost and cost by strategy, to utilize
round, whole numbers. A reminder that in the citywide budget process, $50,000 is considered a minimum
threshold for a capital project, with projects less than $50,000 typically funded in the operating budget. In
OSMP, projects are funded over several years, and though occasionally CIP funding in a specific year
could be less than $50,000, total capital project cost will exceed $50,000. Additionally, depending on the
type of project occurring, project managers may utilize different contingency estimates. For example, a
cost estimate that is developed in 2024 for a project that will occur in 2025 may factor in increased cost of
inputs (e.g., increasing price of concrete), so annual CIP budgets may not be exact. The department
continues to work to improve cost estimating.
Table 10: Draft 2025 CIP
Project Proposed 2025
Funding
Initiate/
Continue/
Complete
Associated
Department
Assessment/Plan
Development of a Food Forest on an Open Space
Location $50,000 Initiate Agricultural Resources
Management Plan
Facility Maintenance, Rehabilitation, and
Enhancements $620,000 Continue OSMP Facilities
Assessment and
Citywide Strategic Plan
Fencing Infrastructure Installation, Maintenance,
and Removal $50,000 Continue Visitor Master Plan
Fort Chambers/Poor Farm Site Management Plan
Implementation $500,000 Continue Visitor Master Plan,
Master Plan, and
Citywide Strategic Plan
High Quality Trail Network and Reducing Trail
Maintenance Backlog $963,749 Continue Visitor Master Plan,
Master Plan and Trail
Study Area Plans
Irrigation Infrastructure Improvements and
Maintenance $133,000 Continue Agricultural Resources
Management Plan
Livestock Corrals Installation on Leased
Properties $50,000 Initiate Agricultural Resources
Management Plan
Local Food Farm Sites Improvements $200,000 Continue Agricultural Resources
Management Plan
Mount Sanitas Trail Improvement Project $342,743 Initiate Visitor Master Plan and
Trail Study Area Plans
North Trail Study Area Implementation:
Wonderland Lake $1,025,000 Continue North Trail Study Area
Plan
Agenda Item 5B Page 11
Project Proposed 2025
Funding
Initiate/
Continue/
Complete
Associated
Department
Assessment/Plan
OSMP Climate Plan Implementation $150,000 Continue Master Plan and
Citywide Strategic Plan
Restoration of Irrigated Agricultural Fields with
Prairie Dog Conflict $500,000 Continue Master Plan and
Preferred Alternative
Approach for Managing
Irrigated Agricultural
Fields with Prairie Dog
Conflict
Restoration of Vegetation, Riparian Habitats, and
Wetlands $250,000 Continue Grassland Management
Plan
Soil Health Improvement Projects $210,000 Continue Agricultural Resource
Management Plan and
Master Plan
South Boulder Creek Instream Flow Initiative $60,000 Initiate Grassland Management
Plan and Agricultural
Resource Management
Plan
Stockwater Planning for Drought Resilience and
Support of Diversified Agriculture $60,000 Continue Agricultural Resource
Management Plan
Trailhead Improvement Projects to Support
Accessibility, Visitor Experience and Responsible
Recreation
$1,400,000 Continue Visitor Master Plan and
Trail Study Area Plans
Visitor Communication and Education
Enhancements $100,000 Continue Visitor Master Plan and
Citywide Strategic Plan
Wildfire Resilient Landscapes: Fuels Mitigation $125,000 Continue Master Plan and
Citywide Strategic Plan
Total $6,789,492
The department looks forward to feedback from the OSBT at the May business meeting and will consider
feedback and edits, as well as information received in the coming weeks from the Finance Department,
into the information provided for the June business meeting.
Operating and Capital Budget Development Processes
Key dates for the budget development processes are included below:
Table 11: 2025 Budget Development Milestones
Milestone Date
OSBT Strategic Budget Guidance Update January 17
OSBT Draft 2025 Work Plan & Budget Written Update April 10
OSBT Draft 2025 CIP & Operating Budget Introduction May 8
Financial Forecast & Budget Update to City Council May 9
OSBT Draft 2025 CIP & Operating Budget Update June 12
OSBT 2025 CIP & Operating Budget Public Hearing and
Recommendation July 10
Planning Board City CIP Hearing Mid-August TBD
City Council Budget Study Session September 12
City Council Budget Consideration (1st Reading) October 3
City Council Budget Consideration (2nd Reading) October 17
Agenda Item 5B Page 12
Attachments
• Attachment A: OSMP Proposed First ATB Items
• Attachment B: March 14 City Council Packet Containing Citywide Strategic Plan (Packet pages
37-43)
Agenda Item 5B Page 13
Open Space & Mountain Parks (OSMP) Proposed 2024 First Adjustment to Base (ATB) Items
Additional
Appropriation
Amount Title Description
$58,250.00 Boulder Open Space
Conservancy Donations
The Boulder Open Space Conservancy donated
$58,250 to OSMP. The funds will be used for trail
repairs on Mount Sanitas, supporting the OSMP Junior
Ranger Program, the Science and Climate Resilience
Program, and the OSMP Volunteer Program.
$40,000.00 Audubon Society Donation The Boulder County Audubon Society donated $40,000
to OSMP for riparian restoration projects.
$110,896.00 EPA Wetland Program
Development Grant
OSMP has been awarded a grant through the EPA
Wetland Program Development. OSMP will
accomplish three critical objectives: 1) complete
wetland and riparian mapping for all OSMP owned and
managed properties, 2) develop a monitoring and
assessment strategy, and 3) verify that strategy by
conducting a pilot monitoring project. All three
objectives will lead to increased understanding of
wetland condition across OSMP managed properties,
which will in turn lead to more effective wetland
protection, management, and restoration.
Understanding the extent and condition of OSMP
wetlands will help prioritize wetland restoration
projects, protect high quality wetlands, and track
wetland changes over time. Work will start in 2024 and
will be completed in 2025.
$41,700.00 Colorado State Forest
Service Grant with
Colorado Chautauqua
Association
OSMP received grant dollars through the Colorado
State Forest Service with partnership of Colorado
Chautauqua Association. The project provides a unique
opportunity to address both wildland and urban fuels
with broad goals including decreasing fuel loads
directly adjacent to homes, improving defensible space
within the Chautauqua community, improving forest
health, and decreasing wildfire risk in the adjacent
OSMP lands. The Chautauqua area is a 125-year-old
National Historic Landmark and is one of Boulder's
most significant and beloved landmarks. OSMP and
CCA have made the protection of this area from
wildfire a high priority.
$102,800.33 Arthur Moss Estate
Donation
Open Space and Mountain Parks received a donation
from the Estate of Arthur Moss in the amount of
$134,438.13 in 2016. The requirements of the donation
specify the money to be spent on flora, fauna, and/or
trail repair. In 2024, these dollars will be used to
support wetland restoration and vegetation
management projects.
$11,626.25 Jr Ranger Program
Donations
Donations from the public to the Jr Ranger Program.
Attachment A
Agenda Item 5B Page 14
Additional
Appropriation
Amount Title Description
$0.00 3 Forestry Assistant Crew
Leads FTE Correction
Correction to FTE for three Forestry Assistant Crew
Lead positions. This ATB request does not seek to add
appropriation to the budget.
$365,272.58 Total Requested ATB
Note: OSMP continues to work on multi-year CIP projects funded in previous budget cycles, referred to
as capital carryover. The amount of capital carryover expected to carry into 2024 is $2,742,644.45 for the
following projects:
•Accessible Facilities and Amenities
•Address Immediate Property Needs After Acquisition
•Asset Management Inventories and Baseline Assessments
•Design and Construct Fish Passage at East Boulder Ditch
•Fort Chambers/Poor Farm Site Management Plan
•High Quality Trail Network and Reducing Trail Maintenance Backlog
•Install Wildlife Fencing and Habitat Protection
•North Trail Study Area Implementation
•North Trail Study Area Implementation: Wonderland Lake
•OSMP Climate Plan Implementation
•Perform RIS Information Management/GIS
•Public Safety Improvements: Visitor Safety and Illegal Activities
•Replace Dry Creek #2 Trestle Over South Boulder Creek
•Restoration of Vegetation, Riparian Habitats, and Wetlands
•Restore Wetland and Riparian Priorities in Grassland Management Plan
•Soil Health Improvement Projects
•Tall Oatgrass Management
•Trailhead Improvement Projects to Support Accessibility, Visitor Experience and Responsible
Recreation
•Visitor Communication and Education Enhancements
This amount and list are subject to change, as the data has not been submitted to the Finance Department
at the time of this memo.
Attachment A
Agenda Item 5B Page 15
Mayor
Aaron Brockett
Council Members
Taishya Adams
Matt Benjamin
Lauren Folkerts
Tina Marquis
Ryan Schuchard
Nicole Speer
Mark Wallach
Tara Winer
Council Chambers
1777 Broadway
Boulder, CO 80302
March 14, 2024
6:00 PM
City Manager
Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde
City Attorney
Teresa Taylor Tate
City Clerk
Elesha Johnson
AGENDA FOR THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
BOULDER CITY COUNCIL
1. Call to Order and Roll Call
2. Public Hearings
A. 2024 Board and Commission Appointments 90 min
-10
min
staff
presentation
/ 80
min
Council
discussion
&
public
hearing
3. Matters from the City Manager
A. 2024 Council Retreat Preparation 90 min
-30
min
staff
presentation
/ 60
min
Council
discussion
B. Update on Day Services Center 15 min
4. Discussion Items
Packet Page 1 of 50
ATTACHMENT B - 5.8.24 OSBT
Agenda Item 5B Page 16
5. Debrief
6. Adjournment
3:15 hrs
City Council documents, including meeting agendas, study session agendas, meeting action
summaries and information packets can be accessed at www.bouldercolorado.gov/city-
council.
This meeting can be viewed at www.bouldercolorado.gov/city-council. Meetings are aired
live on Municipal Channel 8 and the city's website and are re-cablecast at 6 p.m. Wednesdays
and 11 a.m. Fridays in the two weeks following a regular council meeting.
Boulder 8 TV (Comcast channels 8 and 880) is now providing closed captioning for all live
meetings that are aired on the channels. The closed captioning service operates in the same
manner as similar services offered by broadcast channels, allowing viewers to turn the closed
captioning on or off with the television remote control. Closed captioning also is available on the
live HD stream on BoulderChannel8.com. To activate the captioning service for the live
stream, the "CC" button (which is located at the bottom of the video player) will be illuminated
and available whenever the channel is providing captioning services.
The council chambers is equipped with a T-Coil assisted listening loop and portable assisted
listening devices. Individuals with hearing or speech loss may contact us using Relay Colorado
at 711 or 1-800-659-3656.
Anyone requiring special packet preparation such as Braille, large print, or tape recorded
versions may contact the City Clerk's Office at 303-441-4222, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through
Friday. Please request special packet preparation no later than 48 hours prior to the meeting.
If you need Spanish interpretation or other language-related assistance for this meeting, please
call (303) 441-1905 at least three business days prior to the meeting. Si usted necesita
interpretacion o cualquier otra ayuda con relacion al idioma para esta junta, por favor
comuniquese al (303) 441-1905 por lo menos 3 negocios dias antes de la junta.
Send electronic presentations to email address: CityClerkStaff@bouldercolorado.gov no
later than 2 p.m. the day of the meeting.
Packet Page 2 of 50
Agenda Item 5B Page 17
C OVER SHEET
MEETING DATE
March 14, 2024
AGENDA ITEM
2024 Board and Commission Appointments
PRIMARY STAFF CONTACT
John Morse, Elections Administrator
REQUESTED ACTION OR MOTION LANGUAGE
Motion to approve the 2024 appointments to the City's Boards and Commissions
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
Item 2A - 2024 Board and Commission Appointments
Packet Page 3 of 50
Agenda Item 5B Page 18
CITY OF BOULDER
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
MEETING DATE: March 14th, 2024
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
As part of the 2024 annual recruitment process, council will hold a public hearing,
nominate and appoint applicants to boards and commissions at the March 14th , 2024,
Special Meeting.
Recruitment for all boards and commissions opened on December 18th , 2023, and ran
through midnight, January 29th , 2024. The city’s Communications and Engagement
Department collaborated with the City Clerk’s Office to facilitate outreach to Boulder
residents by posting multiple advertisements before, during, and towards the end of
recruitment on: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Nextdoor.
In a ddition to the outreach on Social Media platforms, the following measures were
taken to advertise and communicate open positions and promote recruitment:
•The city’s communications team published an online news article advertising
recruitment .
•Advertisements were included in both the city’s e-newsletter and mailed
newsletters.
•Temporary “ribbons” were placed on the top of the Boulder City Council
website, City Clerk website, and Boards and Commissions website for the
entirety of recruitment.
AGENDA TITLE
Council Nominations and Appointments of Candidates for the 2024 Boards and
Commissions Annual Recruitment
PRESENTERS
Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde, City Manager
Pam Davis, Assistant City Manager
Elesha Johnson, City Clerk
John Morse, Elections Administrator
Item 2A - 2024 Board and
Commission Appointments
Page 1 Packet Page 4 of 50
•Channel 8 maintained a running billboard advertising recruitment in between
shows.
•Flyers were posted on the front doors of the North, East, and South Boulder
Recreation Centers as well as the Penfield Tate II Municipal Building.
•Boards and Commission staff liaisons, secretaries, and board members provided
recruitment information through their customary processes:
o PRAB listed the recruitment through their eBlast and also on their social
media pages.
o DMC advertised recruitment in the Downtown Boulder Partnership
newsletter.
o UHCAMC reached out through The Hill Boulder.
o Arts Commission utilized on social media newsletters.
o Don Poe from the Downtown Management Commission appeared on
Inside Boulder News to advertise recruitment.
•Advertisements for recruitment also appeared in the Daily Camera.
At t he end of the recruitment period, the following commission did not receive any
eligible application s:
•Downt own Management Commission (D MC)
Boards and commissions interviews were conducted via Zoom from February 12th –
February 29th:
•Int erviews were conducted with one council member and one or more staff
member(s) who directly support the board being applied to with a 1 5-minute
duration.
•Council Members were provided with the interview schedules and asked to
sign up for four (4) interview time slots.
•The City Clerk’s team acted as zoom facilitators and provided technical
support, generated links, and managed appointments.
•The Council Boards & Commissions Subcommittee developed the questions
to be asked of the applicant and were provided to applicants in advance.
•Three questions were asked of the candidate with the opportunity for the
candidate to ask questions of the interviewers.
•Technical assistance for candidates was offered , including providing space for
candidates to come to the city and use our technology to participate.
The f ollowing is an excerpt from Title 2 of the Boulder Revised, “Appendix –
Council Procedure, IX - Nominations and Elections,” outlining the process for
nominating and appointing board and commission members.
IX.- Nominations and Elections.
e.Nominations. At the conclusion of public testimony, council will consider
nominations for mayor and mayor pro tem. Any council member may nominate
anyone that expressed an interest and made a speech at the second Tuesday in
November, including himself or herself, for either position. Provided, however, that
the requirement of prior expression of interest shall be waived for any council member
Item 2A - 2024 Board and
Commission Appointments
Page 2 Packet Page 5 of 50
whose election was not decided before the second Tuesday in November. Nominations
for mayor and acting mayor (generally referred to as mayor pro tem) are made orally.
No second is required, but the consent of the nominee should have been obtained in
advance. Any person so nominated may at this time withdraw his or her name from
nomination. Silence by the nominee shall be interpreted as acceptance of candidacy.
f.Order of Vote. A motion then is made and seconded to close the nominations and
acted on as any motion. The voting is accomplished by raising of hands unless there is
only one nomination and a unanimous vote for the candidate. The names shall be
called in alphabetical order or reverse alphabetical order depending upon a flip of a
coin by the clerk, who shall thereafter alternate the order for all further election ballots
during the same meeting.
g.Ballots. If it is the desire of the council to use paper ballots rather than a voice vote,
such a procedure is proper. However, since there is no provision for a secret vote, each
ballot must be signed by the council member casting the vote.
h.Elimination Process. If any of the candidates nominated receives five votes on the
first ballot, such person is declared elected. If none of the candidates receives five
votes on the first ballot, the candidate (plus ties) receiving the lowest number of votes
is dropped as a candidate unless this elimination would leave one candidate or less for
the office. If this elimination would leave one candidate or less for the office, another
vote is taken, and once again the candidate (plus ties) receiving the lowest number of
votes is dropped as a candidate unless this elimination would leave one candidate or
less for the office. In the event that one candidate or less is left for the office after the
second vote, a flip of a coin shall be used in order to eliminate all but two candidates
for the office.
i.Impasse Process. In the event that neither of the two final candidates receives five
votes on the first ballot on which there are only two candidates, another vote shall be
taken. If no candidate receives five votes on the second such ballot, the candidate who
receives the votes of a majority of the council members present shall be declared
elected. If no candidate receives such a majority vote, the meeting shall be adjourned
for a period not to exceed twenty-four hours, and new nominations and new ballots
shall be taken. If no candidate receives five votes on the first ballot at the adjourned
meeting on which there are only two candidates, another vote shall be taken. If no
candidate receives five votes on the second such ballot, the candidate who receives the
votes of a majority of the council members present shall be declared elected. If no
candidate receives a majority vote on the second such ballot at the adjourned meeting,
a flip of a coin shall be used to determine which of the two final candidates shall be
declared elected as mayor or mayor pro tem.
j.Appointment of Board Alternates. In the event that the Boulder Revised Code
provides for the appointment of temporary alternate board members, such members
shall be appointed as follows: The most recently departed member of the board
needing a temporary alternate, who is eligible and able to serve, shall be appointed. In
the event that more than one member departed at the same time, alternates shall be
chosen in reverse alphabetical order, with appointments alternating between the
eligible and able former members who departed at the same time. In the event that the
most recently departed member is not eligible or able to serve, the next previously
Item 2A - 2024 Board and
Commission Appointments
Page 3 Packet Page 6 of 50
departed member shall be chosen, applying the procedure above if there is more than
one potential appointee. No person shall be eligible for a temporary alternate
appointment if he or she was removed from the board by the council. A temporary
alternate shall be appointed only when a member's absence either results in the lack of
a quorum or may prevent the board from taking action. No person appointed as a
temporary alternate shall serve at two consecutive meetings of the board to which he
or she is appointed unless it is necessary to complete an agenda item that has been
continued to another meeting.
k.Boards and Commissions. Elections to fill positions on boards or commissions
shall be conducted in the same manner. However, a majority of the council members
present rather than a majority of the full council is sufficient to decide an election of
this nature. Each board or commission vacancy shall be voted on separately.
l.Advertising of Vacancies After Partial Terms. Prior to advertising board and
commission vacancies, when a person has already served on the board or commission
and is seeking reappointment, council should make the decision of whether or not to
advertise that particular vacancy.
The t able below lists all available seats for each board and commission and their accompanying
terms.
BOARD/ AVAILABLE
COMMISSION SEAT(S) ACTION NEEDED
Arts Commission Seat #4 Appoint member to 5-yr term through 3/31/2029
Beverage Licensing Authority Seat #4
Seat #5
Appoint member to unexpired 4-yr term
through 3/31/2028
Appoint member to 5-yr term through
3/31/2029
Boulder Junction Access District Parking Commission Seat #1
Seat #3
Seat #5
Appoint member to unexpired 4-yr term
through 3/31/2028, must be property
owner or rep
Appoint member to unexpired 2-yr term
through 3/31/2026 , must be property
owner or rep
Appoint member to 5-yr term through
3/31/2029
Boulder Junction Access
District Travel Demand Management Commission
Seat #1
Seat #3
Seat #5
Appoint member to unexpired 4-yr term
through 3/31/2028, must be property
owner or rep
Appoint member to unexpired 2-yr term
through 3/31/2026 , must be property
owner or rep
Appoint member to 5-yr term through
3/31/2029
Item 2A - 2024 Board and
Commission Appointments
Page 4 Packet Page 7 of 50
Board of Zoning Adjustment Seat #4 Appoint member to 5 -yr term through
3/31/2029
Cannabis Licensing &
Advisory Board
Seat #3 Appoint resident to unexpired 4-yr term
through 3/31/2028 – must be a MJ
Business owner or representative
Seat #6
Seat #8
Appoint member to a 3-yr term through
3/31/2027 – must be a MJ Business owner
or representative
Appoint Non-Voting Ex -Officio member
to unexpired 1 -yr term through 3/31/2025
Colorado Chautauqua
Association Seat #13 Appoint member to 3-yr term through
3/31/2027
Design Advisory Board Seat #4 Appoint member to a 5 -yr term through
3/31/2029
Environmental
Advisory Board
Seat #4 Appoint member 5-yr term through
3/31/2029
Housing Advisory Board Seat #1 Appoint member to 5-yr term through
3/31/2029.
Seat #7 Appoint member to 5 -yr term through
3/31/2029
Housing Authority Seat #5 Appoint member to 5-yr term through
3/31/2029
Human Relations Commission Seat #1 Appoint member to unexpired 2-yr term
through 3/31/2026
Seat #4 Appoint member to 5 -yr term through
3/31/2029
Landmarks Board Seat #4 Appoint member to 5 -yr term through
3/31/2029
Open Space Board of Trustees Seat #4 Appoint member to 5-yr term through
3/31/2029
Parks & Recreation Advisory
Board Seat #2 Appoint member to unexpired 3-yr term
through 3/31/2027
Seat #5
Seat #7
Appoint member to 5 -yr term through
3/31/2029
Appoint member to unexpired 1-yr term
through 3/31/2025
Item 2A - 2024 Board and
Commission Appointments
Page 5 Packet Page 8 of 50
Planning Board Seat #5
Seat #6
Seat #7
Appoint member to 5-yr term through 3/31/2029
Appoint member to 5-yr term through 3/31/2029
Appoint member to unexpired 1-yr term through 3/31/2025
Transportation Advisory Board Seat #1
Seat #2
Seat #4
Appoint member to unexpired 2-yr term through
3/31/2026.
Appoint member to unexpired 3-yr term through 3/31/2027
Appoint member to 5-yr term through 3/31/2029
University Hill Commercial
Area Management
Commission
Seat #3
Seat #4
Appoint member to unexpired 4-yr term
through 3/31/2028, must be property
owner or representative
Appoint member to 5-yr term through
3/31/2029, must be property owner or
representative
Water Resources Advisory
Board Seat #4 Appoint member to 5 -yr term through
3/31/2029
MATTERS TO CONSIDER IN MAKING APPOINTMENTS
For this recruitment period, there were 37 open seats, 86 applications submitted
and 14 applications that were deemed ineligible or were withdrawn prior to
the interviews.
The below current board members are seeking reappointment to the same seat.
APPLICANT BOARD YRS ON BOARD
Greg Hill
Karin Hoskin
Kimberly Lord
Anna Pavlenko
Renee Golobic
Mark McIntyre
Trent Bush
Environmental Advisory Board
Housing Advisory Board
Housing Authority
Human Relations Commission
Landmarks Board
Planning Board
University Hill Commercial Area
Management Commission
1
1
3
1
1
2
3
The following applicant s submitted applications for multiple boards.
APPLICANT BOARDS
George Craft Open Space Board of Trustees
Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
Item 2A - 2024 Board and
Commission Appointments
Page 6 Packet Page 9 of 50
Colorado Chautauqua Association
Jacques Decalo Cannabis Licensing Advisory Board
Environmental Advisory Board
Gayl Gray Arts Commission
Colorado Chautauqua Association
D esign Advisory Board
Stephen Hennessey Planning Board
H ousing A dvisory Board
Allen Jones Open Space Board of Trustees
Colorado Chautauqua Association
Waylon Lewis Open Space Board of Trustees
Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
Transportation Advisory Board
Aaron Neyer Human Relations Commission
Transportation Advisory Board
Jennifer Ochs Transportation Advisory Board
Boulder Junction Access District -
Parking Commission
Jennifer Robins Open Space Board of Trustees
Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
Planning Board
Anie Roche Parks and Recreation Advisory
Environmental Advisory Board
Richard Rohr Colorado Chautauqua Association
Environmental Advisory Board
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A – 2024 Applicant List by Board
Attachment B - 2024 Application Packet Link
Item 2A - 2024 Board and
Commission Appointments
Page 7 Packet Page 10 of 50
2024 Boards and Commissions Database
Applicant List
Arts Commission Appli cants
Action Requested: Seat #4 - Appoint member to 5-year term through 3/31/2029
Alan O’Hashi
Gayl Gray
Grey Grimm
Jill Katzenberger
Lynn Ciocca McCaleb
Rabbi Ruth Gelfarb
6 Applications for Arts Commission
Beverage Licensing Authority Applicants
Action Requested: Seat #4 - Appoint member to unexpired 4-year term through 3/31/2028
Seat #5 - Appoint member to 5-year term through 3/31/2029
Drew Eisenberg
1 Application for Beverage Licensing Authority
Board of Zoning Adjustment Applicants
Action Requested: Seat #4 - Appoint member to 5-year term through 3/31/2029
Ben Doyle
1 Application for Board of Zoning Adjustment
Boulder Junction Access District-Parking Commission Applicants
Action Requested: Seat #1 - Appoint member to unexpired 4-year term through 3/31/28, must be property owner or rep
Seat #3 - Appoint member to unexpired 2-year term through 3/31/26, must be property owner or rep
Seat #5 - Appoint member to 5-year term through 3/31/2029
Jennifer Ochs
1 Application for Boulder Junction Access District-Parking Commission
Boulder Junction Access District-Travel Demand Management Applicants
Action Requested: Seat #1 - Appoint member to unexpired 4-year term through 3/31/28, must be property owner or rep
Seat #3 - Appoint member to unexpired 2-year term through 3/31/26, must be property owner or rep
Seat #5 - Appoint member to 5-year term through 3/31/2029
Stephanie Pike
1 Application for Boulder Junction Access District-Travel Demand Management
Canna bis Licensing and Advisory Board Applicants
Action Requested: Seat #3 - Appoint member to unexpired 4-year term through 3/31/2028 must be MJ Business Owner or Rep
Seat #6 - Appoint member to 3-year term through 3/31/2027, must be MJ Business Owner or Rep
Seat #8 - Appoint Non-Voting Ex-Officio member to unexpired 1 year term through 3/31/2025
Jacques Decalo
Adam Foster
Item 2A - 2024 Board and
Commission Appointments
Page 8
Attachment A - 2024 Applicant List by Board
Packet Page 11 of 50
Bryant Ison
Del Kraiser
4 Appl ications for Cannabis Licensing and Advisory Board
Colorado Chautauqua Association Applica nts
Action Requested: Seat #13 - Appoint member to 3-year term through 3/31/2027
Geo rge Craft
Jane Finette
Gayl Gray
Allen Jones III
Melanie Lovett
Richard Rohr
6 Applications for Colorado Chautauqua Association
Design Advisory Board Appli cants
Action Requested: Seat #4 - Appoint member to 5-year term through 3/31/2029
Gayl Gray
1 Application for Design Advisory Board
Envi ronmental Advisory Board Applicants
Action Requested: Seat #4 - Appoint member to 5-year term through 3/31/2029
Jacques Decalo
Greg Hill
Anie Roche
Richard Rohr
4 Appl ications for Environmental Advisory Board
Housing Advisory Board Applicants
Action Requested: Seat #1 - Appoint member to 5-year term through 3/31/2029
Seat #7 - Appoint member to 5-year term through 3/31/2029
Kristen Drybread
Stephen Hennessy
Karin Hoskin
Kathryn Klarich
Lila McHenry
Matt Appelbaum
6 Appl ications for Housing Advisory Board
Housing Authority Applicants
Action Requested: Seat #5 - Appoint member to 5-year term through 3/31/2029
Douglas Engel
Kimberly Lord
Sarah Silver
Kelly Wilson
4 Appl ications for Housing Advisory Board
Item 2A - 2024 Board and
Commission Appointments
Page 9
Attachment A - 2024 Applicant List by Board
Packet Page 12 of 50
Huma n Relations Commission Applicants
Action Requested: Seat #1 - Appoint member to unexpired 2-year term through 3/31/2026
Seat #4 - Appoint member to 5-year term through 3/31/2029
Emily Loker
Aaron Neyer
Anna Pavlenko
Lawrence Wojcik
4 Applications for Human Relations Commission
Landmarks Board Applicants
Action Requested: Seat #4 - Appoint member to 5-year term through 3/31/2029
Renee Golobic
1 Appl ication for Landmarks Board
Open Space Board of Trustees Applicants
Action Requested: Seat #4 - Appoint member to 5-year term through 3/31/2029
Nich olas Callais
George Craft
Vasa Dasan
Sarah Glynn
Allen Jones III
Jennifer Kay
Conrad Lattes
Alan Lewis
Waylon Lewis
Jennifer Robins
10 Appl ications for Open Space Board of Trustees
Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Applicants
Action Requested: Seat #2 - Appoint member to unexpired 3-year term through 3/31/2027
Seat #5 - Appoint member to 5-year term through 3/31/2029
Seat #7 - Appoint member to unxexpired 1 year term through 3/31/2025
Geo rge Craft
Scott Graham
Waylon Lewis
Todd Lockwood
Larry McKeogh
Eric Raffini
Dana Riess
Jennifer Robins
Annie Roche
9 Applications for Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
Item 2A - 2024 Board and
Commission Appointments
Page 10
Attachment A - 2024 Applicant List by Board
Packet Page 13 of 50
Pla nning Board Appli cants
Action Requested: Seat #5 - Appoint member to 5 year term through 3/31/2029
Seat #6 - Appoint member to 5 year term through 3/31/2029
Seat #7 - Appoint member to unexpired 1 year term through 3/31/2025
Cha rles Brock
Chester Harvey
Stephen Hennessy
Mark McIntyre
Mason Roberts
Jennifer Robins
Maureen Ryan
Claudia Hanson Thiem
8 Appl ications for Planning Board
Transportation Advisory Board Applicants
Action Requested: Seat #1 - Appoint member to unexpired 2 year term through 3/31/2026
Seat #2 - Appointment member to unexpired 3 year term through 3/31/2027
Seat #4 - Appoint member to 5 year term through 3/31/2029
Norman Anderson
Mike Duffy
Sean Haney
Daniel Howard
Darcy Kitching
Michael Le Desma
Waylon Lewis
Ann Mahon
Michael Mills
Aaron Neyer
Jennifer Ochs
11 Applications for Transportation Advisory Board
University Hill Commercial Area Management Commission Applicants
Action Requested: Seat #3 - Appoint member to unexpired 4-year term through 3/31/28, must be a property owner/rep
Seat #4 - Appoint member to 5-year term through 3/31/29, must be a property owner/rep
Trent Bush
Michelle Pendergrass
Danica Powell
3 Application for University Hill Commercial Area Management Commission
Wate r Resources Advisory Board Applicants
Action Requested: Seat #4 - Appoint resident to 5-year term through 3/31/29
Kathryn Bridges
1 Application for Water Resources Advisory Board
Item 2A - 2024 Board and
Commission Appointments
Page 11
Attachment A - 2024 Applicant List by Board
Packet Page 14 of 50
COVER SHEET
MEETING DATE
March 14, 2024
AGENDA ITEM
2024 Council Retreat Preparation
PRIMARY STAFF CONTACT
Pam Davis
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
Item 3A - 2024 Council Retreat Preparation
Packet Page 15 of 50
Agenda Item 5B Page 30
CITY OF BOULDER
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
MEETING DATE: March 14, 2024
AGENDA TITLE
Cit y Council Retreat Preparation
PRESENTER(S)
Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde, City Manager
Chris Meschuk, Deputy City Manager
Mark Woulf, Assistant City Manager
Pam Davis, Assistant City Manager
Megan Valliere, Assistant to the City Council
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this agenda item is to prepare for the City Council retreat on April 3 and 4,
2024. The exact timing of the retreat will be finalized after publication of this packet once
council members have responded to a recent scheduling poll.
The retreat agenda, designed by the Council Retreat Committee composed of
Councilmembers Speer and Winer, will include:
April 3 (4-hour session)
•Introductory Visioning Exercise
•Prioritization of Council Process Improvement ideas
April 4 (6-hour session)
•Council Priority Discussion and Selection
To prepare for the retreat, staff is presenting the 2024-2026 Citywide Strategic Plan and key
workplan items to inform council of the anticipated body of work over the next three years
and provide background for council’s discussion of priorities. Based on city council
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direction, the Council Retreat Committee has also issued an invitation for boards and
commissions, Community Connectors-in-residence, and the Police Oversight Panel to
submit feedback on their own priorities for the city. We expect these submissions to be
compiled by March 22, 2024, and will be distributed to council in advance of the retreat.
Th is agenda item will also include discussion of pre-work expected of council members in
advance of the retreat .
Questions for Council
1. Do you have any questions about the strategic plan and featured work plan content?
2. Do you need additional information to support your retreat preparation?
BACKGROUND
Retreat Planning
The biannual council retreat typically occurred during a two-day session in January,
immediately following an election, to allow for strategic discussion and consensus building
amongst council members. To accommodate a more robust orientation period, the council
retreat was moved back to April 3 and 4 for 2024. This shift was based on feedback from
newly elected council members in 2022 that they had difficulty getting oriented adequately
prior to retreat.
The Council Retreat Committe e, composed of Mayor Pro Tem Speer and Councilmember
Winer in 2024, serves as the retreat planning body. The committee has met biweekly with
City Manager’s Office staff and our facilitator, Heather Bergman, since January.
Council Priority Setting
With each new term, city council has historically set a list of priorities for the upcoming
two-year term. The purpose of council priority setting is to help guide organizational and
policy efforts towards a limited number of work plan items for the given term. In 2022,
council had much discussion about ensuring that the number of priorities was reasonably
accomplished within the two-year cycle given the capacity and resource constraints of the
organization and specific departments charged with carrying out the work.
With the additional time for orientation, staff held several information sessions for new
council members on topics including: affordable housing, transportation, planning and
development, and wildfire resilience (scheduled for 3/15). Additionally, staff worked with
council to schedule topics at study sessions and regular meetings (under Matters) that
provided pertinent information for the upcoming retreat and allowed for policy guidance for
future council decisions. Topics for recent study sessions included Civic Area Phase 2, City
Facilities Plan implementation, state and federal policy statement review, community survey
results, downtown planning coordination efforts, homelessness strategy overview, high
utilizers program planning, and the Xcel Energy partnership update.
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Citywide Strategic Plan Creation
Updated in 2022, the Sustainability, Equity, and Resilience (SER) Framework sets forth a
high-level strategic vision for the community. In parallel with process improvements to the
council priority setting, the organization has made significant progress in driving better
alignment to the broader vision in the SER Framework through changes to the budgeting
system and a creation of a unifying citywide strategic plan.
The upcoming budget cycle will represent the third full year of implementation of
Budgeting for Resilience, or outcome-based budgeting. In late 2022, the first step that the
organization took to improve the budgeting process was to align our investments by
programs. Programs were organized by the SER Framework goal that most aligned with the
intended outcomes of each program. This alignment allowed us to inventory the various
ways we were investing our operating dollars and provided greater insight into the purpose
of our investments by department and across departments.
For 2024 bud get development, the focus of the process was on standardizing the approach
and language in aligning outcomes to the SER Framework and to begin identifying outcome
measurements that will eventually be used to understand impact. During the presentation of
the 2023 Budget, staff discussed the need to drive greater alignment across all city functions
towards the SER Goals and Objectives. Over the past year, staff has advanced important
work to create a Citywide Strategic Plan.
A goal of this effort, in addition to driving organizational alignment and tracking progress
on the pursuit of our broader goals, is to engage council in prioritizing items within the
strategic plan. The hope is that this will help us better achieve council priorities while
maintaining a realistic vision for what can be accomplished based on our current
commitments and funding availability, and better understand the tradeoffs associated with
additional investments and priorities.
This work will also impact how and when we redesign master plan processes. As
previously discussed with council, the current process often produces results that are not
realistic or lack a clear financial strategy in the context of all city priorities. It is also the
desire of the organization to phase out the term “master” from all city activities because of
the negative, historical connotations. In addition, a strategic planning tool for departments
to continue active engagement with community is necessary and should be aligned with a
citywide strategic plan.
Of critical importance to staff, previous community engagement and input has informed the
priorities of the Citywide Strategic Plan. Each section of the analysis below summarizes, by
SER Goal Area, key takeaways from these recent engagements and provides some insights
based on emerging community feedback and needs. Each Citywide Strategic Plan
“Strategy” is listed by goal area and the “Priority Actions” are summarized. The full
Citywide Strategic Plan can be found in A ttachment B.
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Citywide Work Plan
City staff develop an annual citywide workplan that guides and tracks all the projects the
city is undertaking each year. Of note, this citywide annual workplan is above and beyond
the day-to-day operations which are estimated as 70-80% of the work of the city. For this
year, staff has aligned the annual workplan with the citywide strategic plan, and documents
additional work outside of the identified strategies and priority actions. Significant
improvements have been made in the past few years to more accurately and clearly compile
all the various workplan activities across the city. Previously staff would produce a “council
action guide” that compiled anticipated projects and workplan items that council would take
action on that year. The document was a static narrative that quickly became out of date as
projects progressed. To improve this in the last city council term, staff created a live
tracking dashboard for city council priorities to allow council members and the community
to follow along on the progress of city council priorities and see upcoming events and
decisions. Click here to see the 2022-2023 City Council Priorities Dashboard as an example.
Staff will develop a similar dashboard once the city council priorities are set for the 2024-
2025 term.
For the 2024 workplan, staff has continued the progress on the citywide workplan, and has
now compiled a live dashboard of the workplan items for city council. This dashboard will
provide better insight into many of the workplan items that are cross-departmental or will be
coming to council or a board/commission for decision-making in 2024. The dashboard is a
live view and will change and update throughout the year. Follow this link to view the draft
of the 2024 Citywide Workplan – City Council Dashboard . A static summary of workplan
items by SER framework goal area is included as Attachment C.
ANALYSIS
Safe
Safety is arguably the most important function of a local government. While public safety
cannot be achieved without police and fire, the SER Goal Area of Safe imagines a holistic
approach to safety and follows emerging best practices in transportation, policing,
emergency preparedness, and employee safety.
The recent unanimous acceptance of the Reimagine Policing Plan seeks to prioritize
problem-solving public safety efforts. This plan and approach were developed from
community input and validated through follow-up and focused engagement. Several
relevant themes from engagements within and related to the Reimagine Policing Plan
include focus on community partnership in policing, prevention of harm rather than
reactively respond to harm that has already occurred , and leading in equity, accountability,
and transparency.
The Strategies reflected in the Citywide Strategic Plan and the priority workplan items
across the organization prioritize a holistic approach to public safety that recognizes most
complex issues require a collaborative effort of different departments/organizations to
address root causes, including but not limited to police. This extends to other areas, such as
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transportation and building safety, and reflects the recent community input in areas related
to public safet y, safe public spaces, mobility, and preparedness.
In late 2023, the city conducted the semi-regular “Community Survey” which provided a
statistically valid dataset gauging public sentiment in wide-ranging areas. A few notable
results include a 15% decline in community feeling “very safe or somewhat safe” in the
downtown area compared to 2018, and lower than similar national benchmarks in
community feeling safe from property crime, and from fire, flood, or other natural disasters.
The city also conducted polling in June 2023 in advance of a contemplated renewal of an
expiring 0.15% General Fund sales and use tax. The polling touched on a number of topics,
some outlined in other sections of this memorandum, including public sentiment related to
community safety:
Public safety was the third most common response in open-ended comments asking
about the “most important issue facing Boulder today.”
One of the top four responses for where likely voters would allocate additional
resources was public safety, including crime prevention.
Approval of how the city maintains public spaces and facilities ranked lower (55%)
relative to other city-provided services.
Another recent consideration is the overwhelming support of the Climate Tax renewal
which included additional taxing authority specifically for community wildfire resilience
efforts. All of these sources of recent community feedback have helped shape ongoing and
upcoming key work plan items. To help prioritize and focus organization capacity and
resources, several strategies and priority actions were developed in the “Safe” goal area:
Strategy #1: Focus community safety efforts on reducing community harm at
critical locations known for high incident rates or significant vulnerabilities.
Strategy #2: Advance efforts to enhance regional disaster prevention,
preparedness, and response that leverage existing partnerships and prioritize city
investments.
Strategy #3: Fully implement an organization-wide employee workplace safety
program.
Priority Actions in support of these strategies include coordination of efforts in known high-
crime areas, addressing social determinants of health, achieving Vision Zero in
transportation, and preventative safety including wildfire resilience.
Specific, critical work plan items to address community feedback and advance the
“Strategies” within the “Safe” goal area include, but are not limited to:
•Update of the Community Wildfire Protection Plan and continued implementation of
Wildland -Urban Interface (WUI) strategies to reduce risk, including community
grants for resilience efforts.
•Implementation of the “Rule of 60” called for in the Reimagine Policing Plan
through proactive community partnership , such as the Homeless Outreach Team.
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•Implementation of the U.S. Department of Transportation Safe Streets for All grant
activities, including build out of the Core Arterial Network.
Healthy & Socially Thriving
This goal area imagines a community where all Boulder residents can meet their basic
needs, while enjoying high levels of social, physical, and mental well-being. This includes
access to services, recreational, and cultural opportunities that center on equity and
belonging.
While this area has long been a community priority in Boulder, the COVID-19 pandemic
has exacerbated wage disparity, mental health, and other social issues that have required a
greater role of local governments across the country in responding. The city’s Housing &
Human Services (HHS) department has reported increased usage of many services across
service providers and increased demand to provide basic needs (e.g. rental and food
assistance) from clients. This matches recent data from Boulder’s Emergency Family
Assistance Association (EFAA) which reported increased poverty, child homelessness, and
housing instability from pre-pandemic levels.
These issues are also top of mind for community. Community Connectors-in -Residence
(CC -i-Rs) participated in a series of engagements related to the development of the 2024
Budget and provided a list of prioritized objectives from the SER Framework to help guide
budget decision-making. The top two out of three priorities related to equitable access to
financial security and economic opportunity.
In the 0.15% polling, likely voters indicated broad support for increasing funding for
services for individuals experiencing homelessness, affordable housing, and human services
including behavioral health, crisis intervention, and family and older adult services.
These are helpful community insights as data indicates that Boulder County’s population is
becoming more diverse while aging. By 2040, community members aged 60 and older will
nearly double to make up 28% of the county’s total population. This is combined with
recent engagements related to the Child Friendly Cities Initiative, reflecting community’s
desire to remain and improve as a community that can support children and families.
Equitable access to physical health continues to be a top priority for community as well. In
the recent Parks & Recreation Plan Update, community indicated strong support for not only
continued access to recreation, but also subsidized access for low -income, older, disabled
and underrepresented community members. The natural environment and access to outdoor
recreation was emphasized by community in engagement related to the Open Space &
Mountain Parks Plan and in the Community Survey and CC-i-Rs budget prioritization.
Add ressing these issues, centered on equity, is an expectation of community, and is reflected
in the city’s Racial Equity Plan and also recent conversations with tribal leadership. These
sources of recent community feedback have helped shape ongoing and upcoming key work
plan items. To help prioritize and focus organization capacity and resources, several
strategies and priority actions were developed in the “Healthy & Socially Thriving” goal
area:
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Strategy #4: Strengthen equity-focused programs that help meet community
members’ basic needs, including mental, physical, and behavioral health, financial
assistance, and access to services.
Priority Actions include removing barriers in accessing programs for low-income
community members, increasing service capacity to meet basic needs, increasing
meaningful engagement with indigenous communities, and increase youth activities and
coordination.
Specific, critical work plan items to address community feedback and advance the
“Strategies” within the “Healthy & Socially Thriving” goal area include, but are not limited
to:
•Coordination with Boulder County to review and determine the city’s role in
providing mental and behavioral health services in community.
•Review current American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) investments that support
community basic needs and analyze future community need beyond expiration of
funding.
•Implementation of Violet Park improvements.
•Continued implementation of Civic Area Phase 2.
•System-wide analysis of facility needs for recreation services in conjunction with
planned improvements at East Boulder Community Center.
•Implementation of the City-Tribal Nation Memorandum of Understanding.
Liva ble
The goal area of “Livable” speaks to the vision of this community to have a sustainable,
equitable, and resilient built environment , of which can be accessed by the entire
community. This includes the concept of “15-minute neighborhoods” which seeks to
accommodate community needs for working, learning, playing, and living, in condensed
areas and affordable for all.
Much of this vision is included in the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP) and was
most recently updated in 2020 through community input. This document reflects community
vision and helps guide policy, impacting all goal areas in the SER Framework. A major
update of the BVCP is scheduled to get underway in 2024.
Many recent engagements with community help inform some of the emerging community
issues, especially coming out of the pandemic. The top priority of CC-i-Rs during the 2024
Budget process was the SER Objective of “provide a variety of housing types with a full
range of affordability.” Affordability continues to be reflected as a top issue across
community, with Boulder’s high cost of living receiving much lower satisfaction ratings
than national benchmarks based on the Community Survey.
The poll associated with the renewal of the 0.15% General Fund sales and use tax included
an open-ended question which asked respondents, “In your words, what do you feel is the
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most important issue facing Boulder today?” The top two results, by a statistically
significant margin, were housing affordability and homelessness.
Housing affordability in particular has been a critical focus of the city’s work plan for many
years. Since the implementation of Inclusionary Housing in 2013, over 1,500 permanently
affordable units have been created in Boulder. And despite the success of the program,
there is a likely future funding gap in local resources to support affordable housing projects
already in the pipeline over the next five years.
Housing First strategies, based on national best practices, have served as the foundation for
addressing homelessness in Boulder. Additionally, recent community support in creating
the Eviction Protection and Rental Assistance program through a tax on short-term rentals
reflects a desire for local resources to prevent homelessness.
As recently covered at a council study session, regional homelessness continues to present a
major challenge to communities due to the increase in point-in -time counts that reflect an
increase in homelessness, both nationally and locally. The recent Community Survey
demonstrates the community’s desire for new investment in regional strategies to combat
homelessness, with wide support from community to continue to provide safe public spaces.
In addition to feedback related to safety in public spaces, pandemic-related lessons related to
the use of public spaces, especially the desire of community to reimagine public right-of-
way as gathering and activity centers, were reflected in recent feedback from community
during Boulder Social Streets events in 2023.
These sources of recent community feedback and related information have helped shape
ongoing and upcoming key work plan items. To help prioritize and focus organization
capacity and resources, several strategies and priority actions were developed in the
“Livable” goal area:
Strategy #5: Support and provide holistic and accessible programs and services to
enable diverse individuals and families to live in Boulder.
Strategy #6: Define and establish Boulder’s 15-minute neighborhood model.
Priority Actions include increasing access to affordable housing for individuals and families,
continuing regional efforts to increase affordable housing and support the unhoused, and
further establishing Boulder’s 15-minute neighborhood model through better definition,
space activation, and area connections.
Specific, critical work plan items to address community feedback and advance the
“Strategies” within the “Livable” goal area include, but are not limited to:
•Identification of regional and local funding strategies and mechanisms to support
continued development of a variety of affordable housing stock and the leveraging of
state resources through Proposition 123.
•Completion of a homelessness strategy assessment through Homeless Solutions for
Boulder County and review and recommendations of policy options by City Council.
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•Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP) updates, completed prior to end of
2026.
•Boulder Junction Phase 2 land use, zoning, and operations implementation.
•East Boulder Subcommunity Plan land use, zoning, and operations implementation.
•Completion of the Modular factory.
•Day Services Center for the unhoused
•Alpine-Balsam development
•Downtown planning coordination efforts (e.g. Civic Area, Boulder Social Streets,
Pearl Street Mall refresh, etc.)
Accessible & Connected
This goal area envisions an accessible and connected community in terms of one that
provides equitable access to information, programs, and services, including a sustainable
multimodal transportation system.
Transportation, access, and connectivity in many forms, have been long-standing priorities
of Boulder. The 2019 Transportation Plan (TMP) set s forth a vision of multimodal
transportation that is safe, equitable, reliable, supports climate commitments, and provides
choices. The BVCP and TMP both recognize connection and access as critical components
of an equitable, resilient, and sustainable community.
The pandemic was a major disruptor for both how we communicate and connect with each
other. It is still having a major impact on how we travel. A recent Boulder Valley
employee survey demonstrates the challenges, including lingering transit service cuts and
declining employer participation in the RTD EcoPass program. Also, more jobs in Boulder
are held by non-residents and these employees primarily use single-occupancy vehicles to
get to their jobs in Boulder. The a verage commute distance is increasing for non-resident
employees as well, currently commuting over 18 miles on average.
The Community Survey showed that community reported the ease of travel by car has
increased since 2018, while the ease of travel by public transportation and bicycle is higher
than the national benchmark. Likely compounded by the impact of remote and hybrid
working, the impact of single-occupancy vehicle travel risks compromising not only local
and regional transit, but also climate action and emissions targets.
Partnership with historically underserved communities through the Community Connectors-
in-Residence program has improved engagement outcomes from individual program design
to city budget development. CC-i-Rs have indicated that the connectors program has been
well-received within their respective communities and has overall improved the way the city
has engaged on a variety of topics. This is also balanced with ensuring that engagements
with community connectors are done at the right stage within a process and that the quality
of the engagement is more important than the quantity.
Despite strides made through new engagement strategies, the Community Survey indicated
a disparity in how community is perceiving engagement – according to the survey, there is a
12% difference between white and other races that report feeling “very welcome or
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somewhat welcome” at city-sponsored community engagement events. This mirrors some
recent Community Connectors feedback in feeling less welcome in certain parts of the
community, such as the downtown.
In ad dition to engagement strategies, changes to how information is accessed by community
can help address some of the gaps. The city has taken action in language access over the
past several years to make city information more accessible and recent changes to state law
will increase digital accessibility across all sources of public information.
These sources of recent community feedback and related information have helped shape
ongoing and upcoming key work plan items. To help prioritize and focus organization
capacity and resources, several strategies and priority actions were developed in the
“Accessible & Connected” goal area:
Strategy #7: Invest in and maintain a transportation system with an array of
multi-modal choices to reduce vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions.
Strategy #8: Improve accessibility to city meetings, information, and programs
through equitable engagement.
Priority Actions include continued application of the Racial Equity Instrument, investing
and maintaining a transportation system that supports climate and equity goals, and
improving accessibility to city meetings, information, and programs through equitable
engagement.
Specific, critical work plan items to address community feedback and advance the
“Strategies” within the “Accessible & Connected” goal area include, but are not limited to:
•Implementation of strategies in partnership with the National Civic League related to
improving city meetings and community conversations with city council members.
•Implementation of Boards and Commissions process improvements to improve
member experience and overall effectiveness.
•Continued implementation of the Core Arterial Network (CAN).
•Implementation of a commercial area connections strategy that emphasizes mobility ,
capital investments, and overall vitality.
•Implementation of Broadband Phase 2.
•Continued development of regional trail connections with partners.
•Continued regional transit funding planning.
•Continued downtown planning coordination related to several major projects,
including Civic Area Phase 2, transit center enhancements, and Pearl Street Mall
improvements.
Environmentally Sustainable
This goal area envisions Boulder as a sustainable, thriving, and equitable community that
benefits from and supports clean energy; preserves and responsibly uses the earth’s
resources; and cares for ecosystems. Environmental stewardship has been a foundational
value of the Boulder community for decades. While significant leadership to advance this
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goal rests with our Climate Initiatives department, every facet of the city organization plays
a role in ensuring an environmentally sustainable future.
Climat e change impacts Boulder in myriad ways. All ten of the hottest years on record have
occurred since 2005, and the impacts play out in Boulder in real time — from the 2013
floods to the 2020 Calwood Fire. Recognizing the urgency of the threat at hand, the city
council unanimously declared a climate emergency in July 2019. Since then, city
departments have worked diligently to prioritize climate solutions across the breadth of their
work.
Ad opt ed in September 2019, the Open Space and Mountain Parks Master Plan features a
focus on environmental sustainability through its first focus area: Ecosystem Health and
Resilience. The process to develop the plan included community events, a statistically valid
community survey, and online public engagement. I t also included targeted outreach to, and
effective engagement with, over 1,400 people whose voices have been historically excluded ,
including members of the Latinx community, youth, and persons experiencing disabilities.
Specifically, in the 2019 OSMP Master Plan Survey of Boulder Valley residents, 79 percent
of respondents felt Ecosystem Health and Resilience should be one of the most important
themes for guiding OSMP management in the future
In November 2020, just over 53% of voters approved a new franchise agreement with Xcel
Energy. By passing the franchise agreement, voters also approved a partnership between the
City of Boulder and Xcel Energy to make our energy grid cleaner and more resilient; make
buildings more efficient and less reliant on natural gas; and support community-wide
adoption of electric vehicles.
The Facilities Master Plan was adopted in 2021 and features “Resilient” and “Sustainable”
as its top two guiding principles. Based on community and city department engagement
since 2016, the plan features a focus area on reducing building carbon emissions. By 2019,
the city had realized a 40% reduction in emissions from city operations and facilities and
continues to work to meet the goal of an 80% reduction by 2030. In addition, the plan calls
for the city to reduce facilities’ f lood and wildfire vulnerability and increase d isaster
readiness.
In November 2022, Boulder residents passed ballot measure, known as the climate tax , with
just over 70% support. Climate tax dollars will support the city’s ongoing climate and
resilience efforts, with $1.5 million of the collected revenues used each year to accelerate
wildfire resilience measures.
These sources of recent community feedback have helped shape ongoing and upcoming key
work plan items. To help prioritize and focus organization capacity and resources, several
strategies and priority actions were developed in the “Environmentally Sustainable” goal
area:
Strategy #9: Increase community and ecosystem resilience to the current and
future impacts of climate change.
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Strategy #10: Continue advancement toward the city’s goal of an eighty percent
reduction in emissions and the community’s goal of a seventy percent reduction by
2030.
Strategy #11: Prioritize sustainability values through new and existing policies.
Priority Actions include relaunching a citywide resilience and creating an extreme heat
strategy, continued advancement towards reduction in emissions targets through city
building infrastructure improvements, and prioritizing resilience and sustainability though
policy solutions.
Specific, critical work plan items to address community feedback and advance the
“Strategies” within the “Environmentally Sustainable” goal area include, but are not limited
to:
•Develop and implement the Community Wildfire Protection Plan
•Develop a roadmap and implement strategies that mitigate the greenhouse gas
impacts of materials use in building construction.
•Design and conduct on-going city engagement with businesses regarding circular
economy initiatives and assistance.
•Adopt 2024 Energy Code and begin community engagement on the next generation
of voluntary and regulatory strategies to address the climate impacts and
vulnerabilities of existing buildings in Boulder.
•Conduct the 2023-2024 Wildland Urban I nterface Fuel Reduction Pilot Program
•Establish a system-wide management planning process for Parks and Recreation’s
natural areas.
Responsibly Governed
This goal area envisions a local government that provides excellent customer experience,
responsibly manages the city’s assets, and makes data driven decisions informed by
community engagement.
The vision shaped by the community and adopted by city council in the Alpine-Balsam area
plan and the Facilities Plan is to create a “one-stop” location that provides government
services to the community in a safe, efficient and welcoming building that is centrally
located in the community. The plan envisions a place which includes space for public art
and activities, and that the renovations improve energy performance and advances climate
commitment goals for city facilities. The construction of this facility will begin 2024 with
site improvements, with an estimated facility opening in 2027. This will also facilitate
significant city service consolidation as envisioned in the City Facilities Plan, and the
associated deconstruction or sale of the vacated facilities.
The city developed a Budgeting for Resilience approach pre-pandemic, to support a more
data-driven and outcome focused approach to budgeting and financial decision-making. The
continued city council support for this 3 -year implementation has been instrumental and has
highlighted the need for a longer-term citywide financial strategy.
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In 2023 city staff embarked on an effort to improve and analyze our “internal services” –
those services provided by departments that are focused on supporting other departments in
the city, such as Innovation & Technology, Human Resources, Finance, Facilities & Fleet,
and Communications & Engagement. This effort has included employee focus groups on
various services, and has resulted in excellent feedback to improve expertise, consistency
and leadership in these operational services. This work is a continuation of the long-standing
approach of city staff to focus on continuous improvement and operational excellence.
A related and key initiative to the above topics is asset management, project management,
and identification of levels of service for key city services. As we have seen from the Tipton
assessment of Planning & Development Services (P&DS) and Public Works, to the
feedback on the community survey, to engagement on many of the city’s departmental plans
-how we balance the maintenance and fiscal stewardship of the billions of dollars of city
infrastructure assets with advancing new priorities, and the ability to provide services to the
community at what level based on available funding is a critical role of local governments.
We know that there is a great need for additional funding in infrastructure maintenance.
These sources of recent community feedback and related information have helped shape
ongoing and upcoming key work plan items. To help prioritize and focus organization
capacity and resources, several strategies and priority actions were developed in the
“Responsibly Governed” goal area:
Strategy #12: Implement organizational and financial best practices to
continuously improve asset management, customer experience, and project and
program performance.
Strategy #13: Improve retention by investing in employee growth, leadership
development, and empowerment.
Priority Actions include improving asset management, project management, customer
experience, and program and financial performance, creating and implementing a long-term
financial strategy, and investing in employees through training, rewards structures, and
shared leadership.
Specific, critical work plan items to address community feedback and advance the
“Strategies” within the “Responsibly Governed” goal area include, but are not limited to:
•Creation of a Long-Term financial strategy.
•Continued implementation of ARPA-funded programs.
•Code changes for process improvements in Title 9 (Land Use), Title 3 (Revenue &
Taxation).
•Implementation of new State Digital Accessibility laws.
•Implementation of a new financial management software system (Workday).
•Utilities Bond Issuance.
•Enhancement of the Citywide Safety Program.
•Departmental equity assessments and Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
(JEDI ) Teams.
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Economically Vital
The goal area of Economically Vital envisions a healthy, equitable, and resilient local
economy that is based on innovation, diversity, and collaboration. The Boulder economy
has long been associated with assets in terms of a world -class university, a bustling tourism
industry, high-tech and innovation, small business entrepreneurship, and a high overall
quality of life. Contrasting these strong assets are vulnerabilities in the economy related to
income inequality, high cost of living, housing affordability, and business process
complexity.
The pandemic exacerbated certain vulnerabilities, especially amongst lower-income
communities in wage growth, accessing basic needs including rental assistance, city reliance
on sales and use taxes to support city services, and the economy’s reliance on net in -
commuters for jobs and education.
The Community Survey results also demonstrate how community perceives the local
economy with the lowest measure in the entire survey being the reported cost of living in
Boulder, an overall decline in satisfaction with vibrancy in downtown/commercial areas,
and the variety of businesses and service establishments rated excellent or good (67%) was
lower than the overall quality of similar establishments.
The infusion of federal resources through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allowed
for investments in local businesses, child care services, basic needs, and a pilot to provide
basic minimum income for qualified residents. These investments have helped the local
economy recover; however, with federal resources gradually expiring over the next two
years, there remains some headwinds to economic resiliency.
Support of small businesses continues to be a frequent topic of conversation with economic
vitality partners, including feedback from those interacting with city processes to continue
to make progress in streamlining and simplifying . This also relates to how the city may be
able to leverage existing processes and tools to support development and related activities
that directly support city goals, such as affordable housing and city infrastructure.
Prio ritizing the support of a vibrant local economy is critical to building a community that is
more equitable and inclusive. Much previous work is based is derived from policies such as
the Economic Sustainability Strategy and the Citywide Retail Strategy , documents that were
created based on economic information in the pre-pandemic age. New data and subsequent
policy direction will be important in solidifying the city’s and partners’ role in economic
vitality.
These sources of recent community feedback and related information have helped shape
ongoing and upcoming key work plan items. To help prioritize and focus organization
capacity and resources, several strategies and priority actions were developed in the
“Economically Vital” goal area:
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Strategy #14: Enhance collaborative efforts to support an inclusive, healthy,
sustainable, and resilient local economy that builds on core economic strengths,
promotes economic mobility, and aligns with community values and priorities.
Strategy #15: Streamline processes for housing, parking, infrastructure, land use,
and events that tie directly to priority community outcomes.
Priority Actions include enhancing collaborative efforts to explore continuation of direct
cash assistance programs, updating the economic sustainability strategy, and improvement
processes for housing, land use and community priority infrastructure.
Specific, critical work plan items to address community feedback and advance the
“Strategies” within the “Economically Vital” goal area include, but are not limited to:
•Assess the efficacy of the Elevate Boulder pilot program for guaranteed basic
income and determine a funding strategy that leverages partnerships, the private
sector, philanthropic efforts, and city coordination.
•Update the Economic Sustainability Strategy and incorporate Citywide Retail
Strategies based on new data.
•Research tools to d eepen the city’s role in supporting economic vitality including
utilization of the Boulder Urban Renewal Authority (BURA) to invest in housing
and transportation investments, additional general improvement district uses,
incentives for businesses to reimagine vacant spaces, and additional formal
partnership opportunities through economic vitality partners.
•Continued code process improvements and simplifications to encourage investments
in critical infrastructure and development.
•Develop and implement communication plan to build awareness of city’s support for
businesses, Boulder’s strengths as a business location, and available resources for
businesses.
•Relaunch collaborative outreach program to build relationships with major
employers and fast -growing businesses.
NEXT STEPS
Following Council’s pre-retreat study session discussion, council members will be tasked
with two “homework” items leading up to the retreat. These include:
1. Based on knowledge of the Citywide Strategic Plan, department workplans, and
community engagement and feedback, and in line with their own policy priorities,
individual council members will be asked to submit their Council priority ideas
ahead of the retreat. These ideas will be shared amongst the entire body before the
beginning of the retreat to allow council members to identify emerging themes and
alignment among members regarding potential priorities for the next two years.
2.Council members will be asked to prepare a short statement outlining their visions
for the City of Boulder over the next two years. While the policy priority
submissions are more detailed ideas related to specific policy areas, this statement
should outline each council member’s more broad, visionary approach to their work
as an elected official and the community they hope to build through their service on
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City Council. These prepared statements will be shared as an introductory exercise
on the first day of the retreat.
The retreat schedule will include a four-hour session on April 3rd focused on the
prioritization of process improvement items among council members. The second day, April
4th , will feature a six-hour session focused on Council priority setting, with a goal of
consensus on ten priorities for the next two years. Both days will include introductory
exercises to help council members learn more about each other, their colleagues’ visions for
Boulder, and the best ways to communicate and work with one another.
Wit h the establishment of the Citywide Strategic Plan, staff is leading ongoing work in
aligning the existing work plan to the “Strategies” and “Priority Actions” and preparing for
the upcoming budget cycle as a way to propose resourcing any needs associated with the
plan. Additionally, the application of the Racial Equity Instrument is critical in the success
of all work plan items. Staff will share with council the work plan alignment with the
strategic plan and an overview of how the Racial Equity Instrument will be utilized in 2024.
For t he year ahead, the budget process improvement will focus on continued work towards
alignment and common understanding about outcomes, while refining citywide
measurements for long-term outcomes. Council is familiar with the organizational need for
clear and centralized data collection and analysis especially as it relates to our equity goals.
The work to modernize our data practices will coincide with and enhance our efforts to
improve how we budget and hopefully the impact of our investments. The ability to
measure progress towards our equity goals and make subsequent budgeting choices based
on this data is not only key to better budgeting, it is also essential in demonstrating overall
progress towards our SER Goals.
ATTACHMENTS
Att achment A- Sustainability, Equity, and Resilience Framework
Attachment B- Citywide Strategic Plan
Attachment C- Additional work plan items by goal area
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Attachment A- Sustainability, Equity, and Resilience Framework
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This framework provides the strategic planning foundation for the policies, programs, and
projects of the city of Boulder. It also serves as the organizing tool for the Boulder Valley
Comprehensive Plan, annual budget, and organizational planning processes by providing
consistent goals and objectives necessary to achieve Boulder’s vision of service excellence
for an inspired future.
Broadly, Boulder seeks a future with equitable access to health, prosperity and fulfillment
that is not limited based on a person’s race, ethnicity, age, gender, ability, religion, sexuality,
or socioeconomic status. Our community prepares, adapts, and thrives in response to cur-
rent, emerging, and sometimes urgent, social, economic, and environmental shocks and
stressors. This includes meeting community expectations for our core service delivery and
ensuring that the root causes of inequities are eliminated through city policies, practices,
programs, and financial decisions.
Safe
A welcoming and inclusive community that fosters positive neighborhood and
community relations and ensures that all residents are secure and cared for during
emergencies and natural disasters. Public infrastructure is well-maintained and
reliable, and natural resources like water, air, and land are protected.
• Prevent crime, alleviate harm, and improve quality of life for community members
and visitors while minimizing disparate impacts on community members of color
and considering the needs of different cultures, individuals, and community
values.
• Plans for and provides equitable, timely, and effective response and recovery to
emergencies and natural disasters.
• Fosters a climate of safety for individuals in homes, businesses, neighborhoods,
and public spaces.
• Leverages partnerships and encourages shared community responsibility to keep
Boulder safe.
• Builds and maintains resilient infrastructure, landscapes and neighborhoods to
mitigate existing and future hazards and risks.
• Operates services necessary to support basic public health including safe
drinking water, removal of snow, wastewater and stormwater, and a reliable
multimodal transportation system.
PURPOSE
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Attachment A- Sustainability, Equity, and Resilience Framework
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Healthy and socially thriving
All Boulder residents are able to meet their critical needs, enjoy high levels of social,
physical, and mental well-being, and have access to abundant recreational, cultural
and educational opportunities in an environment that respects and celebrates
human rights.
•Cultivates a wide range of recreational, cultural, educational, civic, and social
opportunities for all people regardless of their race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual
identity, ability, or socioeconomic status.
•Supports the physical and mental well-being of its community members by
providing public gathering places and programs to encourage social connection
and prevent isolation.
•Fosters racial equity, inclusion, and diversity community wide.
Livable
High-performing, safe, and well-maintained buildings and infrastructure that
accommodate a diverse set of community needs for working, learning, playing, and
living.
•Provides a variety of housing types with a full range of affordability.
•Supports community members who are unhoused or underhoused to navigate
systems, programs, and services to achieve housing security.
•Encourages sustainable and well-regulated development of buildings supported
by reliable and affordable city services and public infrastructure.
•Increases the prevalence of 15-minute neighborhoods, in which individuals can
access their most basic needs within a 15-minute walk from home.
Accessible and connected
A safe, accessible, and sustainable multimodal transportation system that connects
people with each other and where they want to go. Open access to information is
provided both physically and digitally to foster connectivity and promote community
engagement.
•Offers and encourages a variety of safe, comfortable, affordable, reliable,
convenient, and clean mobility options.
•Supports a balanced transportation system that reflects effective land use,
manages congestion, and facilitates strong regional multimodal connections.
•Encourages diverse populations to connect through places of work, educational
opportunities, retail, and nature to strengthen the larger community.
•Ensures physical and digital access to government services and public spaces.
•Enhances digital equity by investing in broadband infrastructure and providing
relevant content on a variety of platforms to support democratic participation.
Attachment A- Sustainability, Equity, and Resilience Framework
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Environmentally sustainable
A sustainable, thriving, and equitable community that benefits from and supports
clean energy; preserves and responsibly uses the earth’s resources; and cares for
ecosystems.
• Accelerates progress towards the community’s ambitious climate and energy
goals through a culture of shared environmental stewardship across Boulder.
• Ensures the efficient use of natural resources in a manner that does not deplete
them over time while reducing the proliferation of non-reusable materials, toxins,
and hazardous products.
• Supports the natural environment and its ecosystems so they are better able to
resist damage and recover quickly.
• Provides affordable programming to diverse populations to increase access to
and participation in local climate actions.
Responsibly governed
A local government that provides an excellent customer experience, responsibly
manages the city’s assets, and makes data-driven decisions informed by community
engagement inclusive of those who have been historically excluded from
government programs and services. The city organization exemplifies an employer
of choice with policies and programs to support employee inclusion and well-being.
• Models stewardship, resilience, and sustainability of the city’s financial, human,
information, and physical assets.
• Builds organizational capacity for advancing racial equity by normalizing
conversations about race, developing a shared understanding of institutional and
structural racism, confronting oppression, and operationalizing equity strategies.
• Supports strategic decision-making with opportunities for accessible community
engagement in multiple languages and timely and reliable data and analysis.
• Enhances and facilitates transparency, accuracy, efficiency, effectiveness, and
quality customer service in all city business.
• Furthers the city’s interests through the development and enhancement of
strategic alliances and informed engagement with community partners and local,
regional, state, and federal government entities.
• Provides assurance of regulatory and policy compliance and seeks to influence
other levels of government to ensure policy and regulations are equitable.
• Disaggregates data by race and ethnicity to ensure programs, policies, and
financial decisions do not have a disparate impact on historically excluded
community members.
• Ensures that the city is a safe, equitable, and inclusive workplace.
Attachment A- Sustainability, Equity, and Resilience Framework
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Economically vital
A healthy, accessible, resilient, and sustainable economy based on innovation,
diversity, and collaboration that benefits all residents, businesses, and visitors.
•Fosters a collaborative, resource-rich, and thriving regional environment for
business, educational, and public institutions.
•Attracts, sustains, and retains a broad mix of businesses, entrepreneurs, and
jobs, and supports a diverse and skilled workforce.
•Seeks to enhance the affordability of goods, services, and real estate that
support the needs of all community members.
•Supports financial security, economic opportunity, and social mobility for all
people regardless of their race, ethnicity, age, gender, ability, or socioeconomic
status.
•Promotes creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship, and provides support for
small businesses and community-based organizations.
•Invests in amenities, infrastructure, and services that contribute to an
exceptional quality of life and attract employees and visitors.
Attachment A- Sustainability, Equity, and Resilience Framework
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City of Boulder
Citywide Strategic Plan | 2024-2026
Attachment B- Citywide Strategic Plan
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Citywide Strategic Plan | 2024-20262
Safe
A welcoming and inclusive community that fosters positive neighborhood and
community relations and ensures that all residents are secure and cared for
during emergencies and natural disasters. Public infrastructure is well-maintained
and reliable, and natural resources like water, air, and land are protected.
Strategy 1. Focus community safety efforts on reducing community harm at critical
locations known for high incident rates or significant vulnerabilities.
a. PRIORITY ACTION: Coordinate crime prevention and enforcement efforts in known
high-crime areas utilizing the problem-solving policing model outlined in the
Reimagining Policing Plan.
b. PRIORITY ACTION: Continue to work with community partners to address underlying
social determinants of health, including mental health, substance abuse, and other
prioritized factors.
c. PRIORITY ACTION: Prioritize transportation improvements that work to eliminate
incidence of fatal and serious injury traffic crashes to achieve our community’s Vision
Zero commitment.
d. PRIORITY ACTION: Ensure and improve preventative safety (e.g., fire protection,
hazardous materials handling, etc.) in housing through partnerships and coordination
with key stakeholders (HHS, P&DS, Fire, Police, etc.).
Strategy 2. Advance efforts to enhance regional disaster prevention, preparedness, and
response that leverage existing partnerships and prioritize city investments.
a. PRIORITY ACTION: Expand efforts in preparedness and resilience strategies, including
the completion, socialization, and implementation of the Community Wildfire
Protection Plan for all community members.
b. PRIORITY ACTION: Update the city’s disaster recovery plan with learnings from recent
disasters.
c. PRIORITY ACTION: Implement a city wildfire mitigation grant program for homes
using the expanded climate tax dollars dedicated to wildfire resilience.
Strategy 3. Fully implement an organization-wide employee workplace safety program.
a. PRIORITY ACTION: Identify and integrate employee workplace safety improvements,
including infrastructure, training, identification of staff responsibilities and roles, and
mental health and well-being initiatives across the entire organization in partnership
with existing safety teams.
Attachment B- Citywide Strategic Plan
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3City of Boulder
Healthy and socially thriving
All Boulder residents are able to meet their critical needs, enjoy high levels
of social, physical, and mental well-being, and have access to abundant
recreational, cultural and educational opportunities in an environment that
respects and celebrates human rights.
Livable
High-performing, safe, and well-maintained buildings and infrastructure that
accommodate a diverse set of community needs for working, learning, playing,
and living.
Strategy 4. Strengthen equity-focused programs that help meet community members’
basic needs, including mental, physical, and behavioral health, financial assistance, and
access to services.
a.PRIORITY ACTION: Review and improve application and verification processes for
programs benefiting low-income community members, for a more dignified and
efficient community member experience.
b.PRIORITY ACTION: Sustain or increase service capacity among community-based
programs and activities that promote health equity and wellbeing, such as food
security and nutrition, behavioral health, child development and the ability to age in
place.
c.PRIORITY ACTION: Improve meaningful engagement with indigenous communities,
including Tribal Nation partners to acknowledge a history of colonization and policy
violations and provide enhanced connections to lands in Boulder.
d.PRIORITY ACTION: Map, coordinate, and invest in equitable, inclusive, and
community-based youth activities and services that promote health, well-being, and
connection to services.
Strategy 5. Support and provide holistic and accessible programs and services to enable
diverse individuals and families to live in Boulder.
a.PRIORITY ACTION: Increase successful transition from homelessness to housing
by identifying and broadening supportive housing opportunities and by expanding
access to essential health and system navigation services.
b.PRIORITY ACTION: Deepen collaborative strategies and services for legal and
financial support to prevent evictions and to keep Boulder community members
housed.
c.PRIORITY ACTION: Collaboratively implement and fund local and regional strategies
to increase affordable housing stock and other potential innovative strategies that
could provide increased housing options for our unsheltered community.
Attachment B- Citywide Strategic Plan
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Citywide Strategic Plan | 2024-20264
Accessible and connected
A safe, accessible, and sustainable multimodal transportation system that
connects people with each other and where they want to go. Open access to
information is provided both physically and digitally to foster connectivity and
promote community engagement.
Strategy 6. Define and establish Boulder’s 15-minute neighborhood model.
a. PRIORITY ACTION: Define set of essential economic realities and ideal conditions, as
well as zoning changes needed for success of 15-minute communities in Boulder.
b. PRIORITY ACTION: Activate spaces, including city rights-of-way, for community,
neighborhood, recreation and central gathering use through short-term programming
and long-term land use changes.
c. PRIORITY ACTION: Identify and prioritize key connections and relationships of
commercial areas, cultural amenities, parks, trails, and open space areas as a part of
the 15-minute neighborhood model.
Strategy 7. Invest in and maintain a transportation system with an array of multi-modal
choices to reduce vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions.
a. PRIORITY ACTION: Implement programs and services that enhance equitable
mobility.
b. PRIORITY ACTION: Strengthen regional transportation collaboration with strategic
partners (e.g. RTD, CDOT, Boulder County) to accelerate the reduction of single
occupancy vehicle trips and connect people to opportunity.
c. PRIORITY ACTION: Identify and implement key trail connections and access
improvements to open space areas throughout the city that encourage multi-modal
options for access.
Strategy 8. Improve accessibility to city meetings, information, and programs through
equitable engagement.
a. PRIORITY ACTION: Fully integrate the use of the Racial Equity Instrument (REI) in city
project management and policy decision making.
b. PRIORITY ACTION: Provide individuals with limited or no English proficiency with
meaningful access to information, services, programs, activities, and decision-making
processes.
c. PRIORITY ACTION: Ensure full compliance with state requirements on digital
accessibility including revising critical internal and external digital content to meet
WCAG 2.2 accessibility guidelines and development of continuous training for staff.
Attachment B- Citywide Strategic Plan
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5City of Boulder
Environmentally sustainable
A sustainable, thriving, and equitable community that benefits from and supports
clean energy; preserves and responsibly uses the earth’s resources; and cares for
ecosystems.
Strategy 9. Increase community and ecosystem resilience to the current and future
impacts of climate change.
a. PRIORITY ACTION: Relaunch our adaptable, long-term, and holistic resilience
strategy—that encompasses economic, environmental, community, and
infrastructure components to complement implementation of resource and
ecosystem management plans.
b. PRIORITY ACTION: Develop and implement a city-wide extreme heat management
strategy.
c. PRIORITY ACTION: Design and launch tools that align the city’s climate actions with
community members most impacted from climate-related risks.
Strategy 10. Continue advancement toward the city’s goal of an eighty percent reduction
in emissions and the community’s goal of a seventy percent reduction by 2030.
a. PRIORITY ACTION: Expand efforts that eliminate carbon from (“decarbonize”) the built
environment, vehicles, and operations and replace fossil fuel-based energy systems
b. PRIORITY ACTION: Prioritize climate-related elements in city-owned facilities and
operationalize key climate-related elements of the Facilities Master Plan.
c. PRIORITY ACTION: Implement a city fleet electrification strategy and related
community accessible electric charging infrastructure.
Strategy 11. Prioritize sustainability values through new and existing policies.
a. PRIORITY ACTION: Revise the City’s purchasing policies to reflect our priorities for
underserved businesses and sustainably sourced materials and products.
b. PRIORITY ACTION: Update the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan and other city
planning documents to minimize environmental impacts, support biodiversity
conservation, reduce emissions and increase community resilience.
c. PRIORITY ACTION: Develop policies that reduce the embodied carbon in the built
environment through the use of low-carbon alternatives and adaptive reuse.
d. PRIORITY ACTION: Expand and provide appropriate resources for the Community
Connectors program.
e. PRIORITY ACTION: Implement recommendations related to city boards and
commissions management practices including recruitment of board members,
accessibility of meetings, and engagement practices.
Attachment B- Citywide Strategic Plan
Item 3A - 2024 Council Retreat Preparation Page 26 Packet Page 41 of 50
Citywide Strategic Plan | 2024-20266
Responsibly governed
A local government that provides an excellent customer experience, responsibly
manages the city’s assets, and makes data-driven decisions informed by
community engagement inclusive of those who have been historically excluded
from government programs and services. The city organization exemplifies an
employer of choice with policies and programs to support employee inclusion and
well-being.
Strategy 12. Implement organizational and financial best practices to continuously
improve asset management, customer experience, and project and program performance.
a. PRIORITY ACTION: Operationalize the citywide customer experience principles,
including through the implementation of the “one-stop shop” center for the Western
City Campus.
b. PRIORITY ACTION: Establish a citywide project management office to help support,
coordinate, and lead effective project management.
c. PRIORITY ACTION: Prioritize and deploy a citywide asset management system that
informs the annual capital improvement program.
d. PRIORITY ACTION: Analyze core service levels, performance, and determine service
level targets.
e. PRIORITY ACTION: Develop a long-term financial strategy that guides responsible
fiscal decision-making and complements the full implementation of outcome-based
budgeting.
Strategy 13. Improve retention by investing in employee growth, leadership development,
and empowerment.
a. PRIORITY ACTION: Catalog job description/employment requirements and
competencies and ensure the regular review of compensations and related rewards
structures.
b. PRIORITY ACTION: Develop a communications strategy and platform that reaches all
employees in the organization.
c. PRIORITY ACTION: Provide expanded training for supervisors, including on how to
provide quality feedback and set measurable goals for their teams.
d. PRIORITY ACTION: Provide training and reinforcement related to the organizational
leadership philosophy and values and emphasize employee recognition efforts.
e. PRIORITY ACTION: Deploy effective succession planning to ensure continuity of
institutional knowledge and the effective delivery of services and programs within the
city and for stakeholders while providing for clear career paths for employees.
Attachment B- Citywide Strategic Plan
Item 3A - 2024 Council Retreat Preparation Page 27 Packet Page 42 of 50
7City of Boulder
Economically vital
A healthy, accessible, resilient, and sustainable economy based on innovation,
diversity, and collaboration that benefits all residents, businesses, and visitors.
Strategy 14. Enhance collaborative efforts to support an inclusive, healthy, sustainable,
and resilient local economy that builds on core economic strengths, promotes economic
mobility, and aligns with community values and priorities.
a.PRORITY ACTION: Explore policy and funding options that could enable continuation
of direct cash assistance projects.
b.PRIORITY ACTION: Explore increasing the minimum wage for people who work in
Boulder, as part of a collaborative regional initiative.
c.PRIORITY ACTION: Update the Economic Sustainability Strategy to reflect changes in
local economy and business climate and align with other city strategies and plans.
d.PRIORITY ACTION: Develop and implement a plan to increase awareness, availability,
and accessibility of business resources and support offered by city and community
partners.
e.PRIORITY ACTION: Enhance efforts to promote Boulder as an ideal location to work
and to start or grow a business through coordinated messaging and materials.
f.PRIORITY ACTION: Update and implement the Citywide Retail Strategy to reflect
emerging trends, meet community needs and leverage market potential to increase
sales tax revenue.
Strategy 15. Streamline processes for housing, parking, infrastructure, land use, and
events that tie directly to priority community outcomes.
a.PRIORITY ACTION: Identify and implement ways to reduce bureaucracy, improve
efficiency, and facilitate quicker approvals for initiatives that align with and enhance
the City’s priorities related to sustainability, safety, economic vitality, and community
well-being.
b.PRIORITY ACTION: Develop a community engagement approach (inform and
outreach focused) that provides clear communication about how the streamlined
permitting process benefits all City stakeholders.
c.PRIORITY ACTION: Develop ways to make it easier for individuals and businesses to
understand and navigate city processes.
Attachment B- Citywide Strategic Plan
Item 3A - 2024 Council Retreat Preparation Page 28 Packet Page 43 of 50
City Workplan Projects by Sustainability, Equity & Resilience Framework Goal Area
Safe Community
•30th and Colorado Underpass
(Stormwater)
•63rd WTF Campus Electrical & HSPS -
610WA94400
•Advancement of Fire Adapted Community
efforts
•Albion Dam Rehabilitation
•Backflow Prevention Program BRC Updates
•Barker Dam Outlet - 610WA10900
•Barker Dam Stability Project -
610WA11100
•BDA Policy Creation
•Bear Canyon Creek Floodplain Mapping
•Bear-resistant Trash Expansion
•Boulder Creek Flood Mitigation -
610SW01500
•Boulder Reservoir operating agreement
•BPD-CU Joint Police Academy
•BWTF Chemical Feed Systems R&R -
610WA94750
•BWTF Disinfection & Corrosion -
610WA94500
•CALEA Accreditation
•Capital Improvement Projects
•CARE Program
•Chautauqua Infrastructure Improvements
•City -wide De -escalation Training
•City -wide Defense Against Encroachment
Policy/Protocol
•Citywide Siren Alert
•Community Engagement
•Dam Safety Program and SEO Inspections
•Develop Communication Plan
•E. coli TMDL Implementation Plan Update
and Community Outreach/Education
•East Pearl Stormwater (MB_LI2)
•Emergency Action Plan (EAP) and Fire
Protection Plan (FPP)
•Emergency alert enhancements
•Evacuation Preparedness
•Local Drainage Improvements -
610SW77000
•Lower Goose Creek Trunk Sewer Repl -
610WW40100
•Main Sewer Improvements - 610WW46000
•Natural Medicine Licensing
•Nederland IGA Renewals
•Preflood Property Acquisition -
610SW62200
•Recruitment and Retention
•Reimagine Policing Implementation
•Resilient Chautauqua
•Revamp WRRF Paging system / warble
•Safe and Managed Public Spaces (SAMPS)
•SAMPS Program
•Sanitary Sewer Manhole Rehab -
610WW42000
•Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation -
610WW40000
•Service Line Inventory and Replacement
Plan and Develop School Lead Monitoring
Program
•Skunk Creek/Bluebell Canyon Creek/ King's
Gulch Flood Mitigation Plan
•South Boulder Creek Flood Mitigation
Project Annexation
•South Boulder Creek Flood Mitigation/CU
South
•South Boulder Crk Flood Mitigation -
610SW01800
•Spring Valley Neighborhood Annexation
•Storm Sewer Rehabilitation - 610SW76000
•Stratified Policing
•Sunshine Floodplain Mapping
•Support FOG Education Outreach for
Domestic and Restaurant Sources
•Tanks Repair & Rehabilitation Program -
610WA67050
•Traffic Safety/DUI
•Transmission System R&R Program -
610WA00500
Attachment C- Additional work plan items by goal area
Item 3A - 2024 Council Retreat Preparation Page 29 Packet Page 44 of 50
• Facilities strategic rehabilitation
study/plan/work
• Fire Station #2 Replacement
• Fire Station #4 Replacement
• Four Mile Canyon Creek (Flood) -
610SW02000
• Four Mile Canyon Creek (Stormwater) -
610SW02000
• Four Mile Canyon Creek (Underpass) -
610SW02000
• Fourmile/Wonderland Floodplain Mapping
• Gregory Creek Flood Mitigation -
610SW02400
• High Utilizers Collaboration
• Hydro Facilities Rehab Program -
610WA94100
• Immigration Legal Defense Fund Policy
• Implementation of Boulder Creek Safety
Improvements
• Interagency Taskforce on Boulder's High
Utilizers
• Irrigation ditch policy
• Licensing code cleanup
• Transportation Coordination - 610SW78000
• Update WRRF Tour and Safety Materials
• Upper Goose Creek/Twomile Canyon
Creek Flood Mitigation Plan
• Vision Zero Action Plan Implementation
• Water leasing program
• Water Meter replacement
• Water Utility Rehabilitation
• Wildfire Programing and Source Water
Protection
• Wildfire Resilience
• WRRF Electrical - 610WW63900
• WRRF HVAC Improvements
• WRRF Lab QA/QC, Laboratory Information
Management System (LIMS)
improvements, and instrument
optimization
• WRRF PAS Phase II Improvements
• WRRF Permit Improvements -
610WW61700
• WRRF Roofing Repair and Replacements
• WRRF Secondary Clarifiers - 610WW60600
Accessible & Connected
• Accessibility Project
• ADA Assessment for Transition Plan
• ADA Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan
• Artificial Intelligence Program
• Axon RMS Property & Evidence
• Boulder ATSPM/Signal Communication
• Boulder@Work Intranet Replacement
• Broadcasting integration with Chambers
• CAMP/Chautauqua Progam and Evaluation
• CAN - 30th St. Corridor Arapahoe to Iris
Study
• CAN - Baseline Rd Design & Construction
Phase 2
• CAN - Iris Ave Priority Corridor
• Chronic nuisance program support
• CO 119 Multimodal Improvements
• CO 7 Arapahoe Repaving and Near-term
Bus Lane
• Fiber Backbone Construction
• Finalize and implement social media policy
and guidance
• Financial Model (including hardware /
licensing)
• Fire resources DataMart
• HB21-1110 Digital Accessibility Program
• HHS secure data depot
• Human Centered Design Program
• iClass Access Control Implementation
(Badging)
• Internet accessibility
• IT Infrastructure Modernization Program
• North Sky Trail Construction
• OneMeeting Novus Replacement
• Oracle Database Decommissioning
• Parking Management System
Modernization
Attachment C- Additional work plan items by goal area
Item 3A - 2024 Council Retreat Preparation Page 30 Packet Page 45 of 50
• CO 7 Final Engineering (28th to FH Pkwy)
• Community Broadband P2
• Council Chambers Remodel
• CRM & Digital Platform Exploration
• Enhancement of the Fire Station & Hydrant
Locator App
• Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW) Phase 5
• Equity Program Analytics
• Exploration of citywide information app
• Public Safety IT - E-Citation & E-Crash
(Brazos)
• Public Safety IT - PD Training Room AV
Overhaul
• Public Safety IT - PDP Program - Upgrades
and Public Safety Data Analytics
• SAMPS
• Shared Micromobility / Way of the Path 2.0
• Sumac Avenue
• Workday Financials
Healthy & Socially Thriving
• 2024 The Peoples’ Crossing Events
• Advancement of Departmental Racial
Equity Efforts
• American Rescue Plan Act-funded Projects
• Boulder Social Streets 2.0
• CARE
• City Behavioral Health Strategy
• Civic Area Historic District
• Cultural Plan Refresh
• Determine ongoing customer assistance
programs
• Digital Asset Management
• Downtown Places Planning Coordination
• East Boulder Community Center Deep
Energy Retrofit
• EBCC Annual Shutdown
• Finalization of Wellness Fitness Initiative
(WFI)
• Food Tax Rebate
• Fort Chambers/Poor Farm Site Plan
• Golf Course website
• Grants Program
• Health Equity Fund
• Health Equity Fund and Human Services
Fund
• Hiring Process Updates
• Human Rights and Failure to Pay Wages
Ordinances
• Lead Day of Remeberance
• Lead Independence Day Celebration
• Lifelong Boulder
• NBRC Annual Shutdown
• New volunteer asset system
• OSMP Department Racial Equity Plan
• Outdoor Pool Preparation and De-
Winterization
• Outdoor Pool Winterization
• Recertification as a Service Enterprise
Organization by Volunteer Strategies
• SBRC Annual Shutdown
• Special Event Study
• "Support (P&R and P&DS)
• for pathway and ADA ramp Capital Project"
• Support the EWM/ANS Management Plan
development and implementation
• Web Accessibility
Attachment C- Additional work plan items by goal area
Item 3A - 2024 Council Retreat Preparation Page 31 Packet Page 46 of 50
Livable
• 2024 State Legislative Session Code
Changes
• Alpine Balsam Code Changes
• Alpine Balsam Housing
• Area III-Planning Reserve Baseline Urban
Services Study
• Boulder Junction Phase 2 Implementation
• Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan
Scoping and Research
• Civic Area Phase 2: East Bookend Land Use
and Downtown/Hill Connectivity Strategy
• Day Service Center
• East Boulder Subcommunity Plan
Implementation
• East Boulder Subcommunity Plan Zoning
Implementation
• Embodied Energy/Carbon Code
• Historic Preservation Code Changes
• Historic Preservation Plan Update
• Landlord/Tenant Engagement
• Modular Factory
• Parking Code Changes & NPP Integration
• Regional Housing Partnership
• Repeal Residential Growth Management
System
• Zoning for Affordable Housing 2.0 Code
Changes
Environmentally Sustainable
• 2023-2024 WUI Fuel Reduction Pilot
Program
• Absorbent Urban Landscapes
• Accessibility System Plan
• Addressing the Impacts of Landscaping
Equipment
• Asset Management Program
• Biochar Systems Development
• Boulder Creek Management Plan
• Boulder Junction Pocket Park Plan
• Child-Friendly City Initiative
• Citywide Organics Assessment/Process
Development
• Climate Resilient Landscapes
• Climate Strategies & Solutions
• Collaborate on IPM Policy/Program
updates
• Courts System Plan
• Crestview Park
• Cross departmental strategic engagement
plan with business community
• Desertification Risk Assessment
• EBCC Facility Revitalization Plan
• EBCP Park Plan
• Move-in/Move-out Reuse Program
Development
• MS4 Permit Compliance Enhancement and
Coordination
• MSC Vactor Decant, Sweeper Washout,
and Oversized Vehicle Wash Station
Feasibility Assessment and Concept Plan
• Natural Cooling/Urban Forestry Expansion
Initiative
• Natural Lands Systems Plan
• North Boulder Site Plan
• Play Areas Guidelines
• Pleasantview Park Plan
• Reimagining Civic Area Phase 2
• Restore Irrigated Ag Fields with Prairie Dog
Conflict through 2027
• Single-Use Plastics Policy
Options/Development
• South Boulder Creek Instream Flow
Program (Gross Environmental Pool)
• Sustainable/Circular Purchasing Policy
• System Change Through Regulatory Action
• Update/Develop Industrial Pretreatment
Program Guidance Documents
• Violet Park Plan (working title)
Attachment C- Additional work plan items by goal area
Item 3A - 2024 Council Retreat Preparation Page 32 Packet Page 47 of 50
•Embodied Carbon Options & Policy
Development
•Erosion Control and Revegetation
Standards Development
•Eurasion Water Milfoil (EWM) Management
for Boulder Reservoir
•Fire Mitigation Materials Management
•Flatirons Golf Course Facility
•Greenways Program Planning
•Healthy, Resilient, Fossil-Free Buildings
•IPM Program Update
•Marshall Mesa Trailhead Renovation
•
• Water conservation program
•Water policy review
•Water Quality Monitoring Internal Data
Dashboard Creation
•Watershed Protection Code Updates
•Wetland Program Evaluation
•Wildland Fire Program: 2024-2028
•Xcel Energy Partnership
•Xcel Streetlight Acquisition and LED
Conversion
Economically Vital
•3rd immigration "Charla" Information
Session
•Affordable Commercial Pilot Program
Development
•BJAD Program Enhancements
•BURA Exploration
•Business Outreach Program
•CAGID Program Enhancements
•CHIPS Zone Exploration
•Coordinated Business Messaging
•Dairy Lease Renewal
•District Access Initiatives
•Economic Recovery Programs
•Economic Resilience Planning
•Economic Sustainability Planning
•
• Economic Vitality Communication Plan
•Economic Vitality Partnerships
•Elevate Boulder
•Fee Analysis
•Management and Enhancement of Outdoor
Dining Pilot Program
•Map Layers for Racial Equity Index
•MOU Management
•North Boulder Subcommunity Plan
Amendment
•Retail Study Update
•UHGID Program Enhancements
•Use Review Standards & Thresholds Code
Changes
•Vendor Review Dashboard/ Platform
Responsibly Governed
•2024 Program Self-assessment
Process/Reaccreditation
•2024 Storm/Flood Bond (approx. $63M)
•2024 W+WW Bond Issuance (approx.
$80M)
•Accessibility Training of all employees
•Airport Community Conversation Study
•Alpine Balsam Implementation / Western
City Campus Consolidation
•Internal Service delivery - Budget &
Strategic Financial Management
•Intraweb accessibility
•Language Access capacity-building and
enhancements
•Long-term Financial Strategy
•Maintenance Integration into Beehive
•Manager Training Program
Attachment C- Additional work plan items by goal area
Item 3A - 2024 Council Retreat Preparation Page 33 Packet Page 48 of 50
•Beehive Software Governance
•BMEA Labor Relations Working Group
•BMEA Labor Relations/Safety Issue support
meetings
•BMEA Negotiations
•Budget/Grants Internal Service Delivery
Model Analysis & Implementation
•Budgeting for Resilience - Year 3
•Bulk Water
•CAPRA Chapter 4 - Human Resources
•CAPRA Chapter 5 - Fiscal Management,
Responsibility, and Accountability
•CAPRA Chapter 6 - Programs and Services
Management
•CAPRA Chapter 7 - Facilities and Land Use
Management
•CAPRA Chapter 8 - Law, Risk Management,
Safety and Security
•CIP Data Schema & Construction Project
Coordination
•Citywide Safety Program
•Citywide Strategic Planning
•Consolidate printing services
•Departmental Equity Assessments
•Development Approval Extension Code
Changes
•Digital Asset Management enterprise
solution
•District Alternatives Analysis and 20 Year
Capital Plan
•Employee Handbook Development
•Engagement data collection and
warehousing improvements
•Enhanced funding compliance
•Equity Ambassador Recruitment
•Extracting New Account Set -ups Data from
Energov
•Financial Services Transition for Facilities &
Fleet
•Fleet Electrification Stategic Plan
•Future of Departamental Strategic Planning
(formerly Master Planning)
•Implementation of existing Water Budget
Rules and Policies.
•Market Study/Compensation
•Natural Medicine
•Performance Management
•Police Oversight Dashboard
•Policy Review Project
•Position Management Improvement
•Public Infrastructure Data Management
(As-Builts) Initiative - In conjunction with
Document Management Strategic
Assessment
•Public Works Document Management
Process Improvement Project (inc. As-
Builts)
•Public -facing BPD audio/video portal
•Purchasing Policy Manual Update
•PW-BSD Asset Management Program
Development and Strategic Asset
Management Plan
•Radio Infrastructure Fund Balance
Adjustments
•Radio Reorganization
•Revisions to Title 3 of the B.R.C.
•Revisit Water Budget rules, policy and
administration.
•RMS Evaluation and Selection
•Small Cell Code Changes
•Support, expand and continue use of Asset
Management to support maintenance
activities and work planning
•Talent Acquisition Supports
•Thresholds for Mandatory Planning Board
Hearings Code Changes
•Update Cost Allocation
•UTB softwares (CIS) upgrade support
•Utility Billing phone tree optimization
•Various Code "clean ups"
•Water Quality Compliance Software
Exploration
•Webpage content optimization and
redesign
•Well-Being program improvement
•Public Safety Building Assessment
Attachment C- Additional work plan items by goal area
Item 3A - 2024 Council Retreat Preparation Page 34 Packet Page 49 of 50
C OVER SHEET
MEETING DATE
March 14, 2024
AGENDA ITEM
Update on Day Services Center
PRIMARY STAFF CONTACT
NA
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
No Attachments Available
Packet Page 50 of 50
Agenda Item 5B Page 65
MEMORANDUM
TO: Open Space Board of Trustees
FROM: Dan Burke, Director, Open Space and Mountain Parks
Jeff Haley, Deputy Director of Visitor Experience and Infrastructure
Bill Wildenberg, Senior Landscape Architect
Ilene Flax, Senior Landscape Architect
DATE: May 8, 2024
SUBJECT: Sawhill Ponds Improvements
________________________________________________________________________
Sawhill Ponds is a popular open space managed/operated by City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain
Parks (OSMP) under a long-term lease agreement with the owner of the property, Colorado Parks and
Wildlife (CPW). It is located west of 75th Street and north of Valmont Drive in Boulder County. In Fall
2023 through Spring 2024, the City of Boulder Utilities Department implemented construction of the
Main Sewer Improvements (MSI) project through the Sawhill Ponds area, which involved placement of a
large sewer pipe beneath the south and east sides of the Sawhill Ponds Trail loop. In conjunction with
Main Sewer Improvements construction, OSMP will address visitor experience and infrastructure
sustainability by improving visitor amenities throughout the Sawhill Ponds site. Improvements include
resurfacing trails, renovating the trailhead, and providing a nature discovery area, bird blind, fishing pier,
and benches. As required by the lease agreement between OSMP and CPW, OSMP is coordinating with
CPW on all proposed improvements.
The eighteen ponds at Sawhill are a result of several decades of historic gravel mining along the
floodplain of Boulder Creek. When mining ceased in the late 1970’s, groundwater filled the mining pits
resulting in open water and wetland habitat for many species of wildlife. The trailhead, picnic structure,
and trail system are accessible from 75th Street to the east. Sawhill Ponds Trail extends west from the
parking area 0.2 miles before making a 1.3-mile loop around and among the restored gravel mining pits.
The Main Sewer Improvements project will enhance and rehabilitate the city’s main sanitary sewer line,
located next to Sawhill and Boulder County Parks and Open Space’s Walden Ponds. The project aims to:
strengthen wastewater infrastructure by rehabilitating the existing sewer line; protect public health by
increasing wastewater capacity; reduce flood vulnerability by moving wastewater flow out of the
floodway; and protect and conserve the environment by decreasing the risk of wastewater discharge.
Trails
To improve trail conditions, repair remaining trailside slope erosion, and support accessible trail use,
OSMP has partnered with City Utilities to have the contractor repair and resurface the existing Sawhill
Ponds trail loop. This work is approximately 90% complete. This trail also serves as agricultural access to
ditch infrastructure along Boulder Creek and throughout the property. Trail re-construction adheres to
trail accessibility standards consistent with Federal guidelines outlined in the US Forest Service Trail
Accessibility Guidelines (FSTAG). These guidelines comply with the Architectural Barriers Act
Accessibility Standards and are applicable to natural area trails in rural or undeveloped settings as
typically managed by public land management agencies. FSTAG guidelines also apply to furnishings
around the trail, trailhead, and nature discovery area.
Agenda Item 5C Page 1
New benches will be installed to provide visitors with places to rest, contemplate nature, and improve
accessibility. Locations around the main trail loop were selected for access to shade, good views of the
ponds and mountains, and spacing of generally less than 1,000 feet between benches, all features
identified as important for accessibility by the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA).
Trailhead
The main parking area will be reconfigured to accommodate a bus turn-around and designated accessible
parking. The parking lot will include 16 standard parking spots, two accessible parking spots, and a
shuttle/bus turnaround loop. The parking area will be bordered by concrete curb and gutter that will direct
water into two bioretention areas/raingardens. The bioretention areas will be seeded with a native grass
mix and planted with native trees and shrubs. The trailhead will be gravel road base over compacted
subgrade except for the accessible parking spots and bus turnaround, which will be concrete.
OSMP is planning to formalize eight road base parking spots on the north side of the access road. Three
picnic tables will be installed adjacent to these parking spots in an area already devoid of vegetation.
These improvements will also serve to deter overnight car camping, which is prohibited on OSMP, and
has been a regulatory issue in the past.
The existing restrooms have reached the end of their lifecycle in terms of repairs and condition and do not
meet the department’s current standards. As a result, both the above-ground structure and the
underground vaults will be replaced in the vicinity of the existing restroom.
The education and outreach framework (EOF) process identified Sawhill Ponds as a good location for
school groups. To support that use, the trailhead was designed to support bus turn movements. A
gathering area near the drop off will allow school groups and families to gather before heading down the
trail. This area includes accessible seating, boulders, and native shrub and grass plantings.
Fishing Pier
After an inspection early in 2019, a structural engineer declared the old fishing pier, located immediately
west of the trailhead, unsafe. The fishing pier was closed to public use and eventually deconstructed in
September 2019. To improve visitor experience, and to honor agreements for use of the property between
OSMP and CPW, OSMP is proposing to replace the fishing pier.
The ponds at Sawhill are generally shallow, under six feet deep, which allows submerged aquatic
vegetation to flourish. Dense submerged vegetation can make fishing difficult (because of snagging).
Further, fluctuations in water levels at the location of the old pier meant that occasionally, the entire pier
was out of the water. To locate the new pier in a location where it would have continual access to water
and relatively less dense aquatic vegetation, OSMP surveyed water depths in several of the ponds to
locate the deepest water. OSMP also reviewed aerial photos taken over the last decade to see which ponds
maintained consistent water levels throughout the year. With that in mind, and a desire to keep the fishing
pier accessible from the current parking area, OSMP is proposing to locate the new pier in Pond 1B, east
of the main parking area. Doing so will require a trail connection between the redesigned trailhead and the
existing picnic structure to the pier. The new trail will be constructed at existing grade and will be
composed of crusher fines.
Nature Discovery
Implementation plans include an area for nature discovery that offers youth and their families
opportunities to interact with the natural environment in engaging ways aligned with OSMP Master Plan
outcomes. The Sawhill Ponds nature discovery area will be an Education & Outreach program space
designed to foster youth nature connection. Nature connection experiences support healthy development
of youth while also fostering care for the natural world. Sawhill Ponds is a Boulder Youth Nature
Agenda Item 5C Page 2
Initiative (BYNI) site. It is one of two OSMP BYNI pilot sites (and one of 6 total pilot sites across the
city). The space uses a Wellness by Design Method that aims to align tangible site features with
intangible goals such as community values, landscape character, wellness, placemaking, and space
activation. Nature discovery is site-based interactive interpretation that offers physical challenge and is
part of an OSMP program led by staff or a trained volunteer. The space will not be distinguishable when
programming is not occurring.
The nature discovery area was influenced by an Education & Outreach Framework (EOF) that
recommended features to support programs such as a bird blind for shade and wildlife viewing, native
trees for additional/minimal shade, seeding native wildflowers, utilizing logs and stumps for
climbing/balance features, arranging rocks for climbing, sitting, and exploration. Other features will
include:
•Trail Improvements: The existing spur trail off the main trail loop currently ends at the existing
bird viewing blind and into a series of social trails. A new trail loop will instead extend from the
dead end and extend along Sawhill No. 3. The loop will convert a portion of a social trail to the
designated trail system, be accessible (FSTAG), and provide access to water. The trail will be 6'
wide and constructed with crusher fines.
•Water Access: Rocks will be placed along the pond edge to stabilize the slope and provide access
to Sawhill Pond #3, which will allow visitors to safely explore along the water’s edge.
•Benches: Several benches around the trail loop will allow visitors to rest, take in the views, and
passively enjoy youth discovering nature in many forms.
•Bird Blind Replacement: The existing, dilapidated bird blind will be replaced with a shade
structure featuring interpretive elements.
Accessibility
Sawhill Ponds improvements support visitor accessibility. Starting from the paved parking spaces at the
trailhead, newly surfaced trails crusher fines trails provide a loop around the entire set. Accessible
benches, many of them shaded, will be set at regular intervals around the trail to support users in rest and
contemplation. The restrooms, fishing pier, and shade shelter will all be accessible by surfaced trails.
Regulations
Staff will update the dog regulations at ponds 1A and 1B to be in alignment with the existing
management agreement with Colorado Parks and Wildlife that states "dogs must be on a leash at all
times.”
Signs and Interpretation
The Sawhill Ponds kiosk sign was a pilot in the Equity in Open Space Welcoming Signs (OSBT Sept
2020). The bilingual, graphic-oriented sign will be updated and replaced as the welcome kiosk in the
gathering area. Additional interpretive information will be provided at the fishing pier and bird blind.
Restoration and Planting
Any areas disturbed by construction will be restored using native seed mixes appropriate for the site. New
trees and shrubs will be planted in association with the nature discovery area, trailhead gathering areas,
existing picnic existing shelter, and the fishing pier.
Driveway
The entry drive will be better defined, and the access road will be re-graded as a routine maintenance
activity to improve drainage. This road serves as access to agricultural infrastructure throughout the
property including a diversion structure and headgate along Boulder Creek.
Agenda Item 5C Page 3
Schedule
Sawhill Ponds have been closed since October 2023 for the Main Sewer Improvements project. OSMP
anticipates the area opening for summer 2024 following the completion of that work and the trail
restoration required. The remainder of the improvements are anticipated to begin in the last quarter of
2024. Closure of the Sawhill Ponds Trailhead is expected during trailhead re-construction – visitor access
during the closure will need to occur from Walden Ponds (managed by Boulder County Parks and Open
Space) neighboring Sawhill Ponds to the north.
Attachments
•Attachment A – Trailhead Site Plan
•Attachment B – Nature Discovery Site Plan
•Attachment C – Site Recommendations from Sawhill Ponds E&O Framework report
Agenda Item 5C Page 4
Attachment AAgenda Item 5C Page 5
TREES, TYP.
PROPOSED 6' CRUSHER FINES (CF) TRAIL
LEGEND
DRY CREEK BED USING ROCK FOUND ON-SITE
DIGGING AREA (NO-SILICA PLAY SAND)
SEATING - STONE SEAT BLOCK (RETAINS SLOPE)
-ACCESSIBLE BENCH WITH BACK
-STONE MEMORIAL BENCH
NATURAL ROCK FOR NATURE DISCOVERY / SLOPE
2520 55th St.
Boulder, 80301
303.441.3440
sheet
sheet name
Sawhill
Ponds
nature
3651 N. 75th
discovery
Boulder, 80306
drafted
checked
revised
call before
base map:
date:
issued for:
R
you dig:
All drawings and written
material appearing herein
constitute original and
unpublished work of City of
Boulder and may not be
duplicated, used or disclosed.
BW
4.11.2024
SET
CONSTRUCTION
GIS
SURVEY
BW
NORTH
0 10' 20' 40'L1.2
SITE
PLAN
DRY STREAM BED AT EXISTING LOW SPOT
END OF PROPOSED 6' C.F. TRAIL
START OF PROPOSED 6' CRUSHER FINES TRAIL(END OF EXISTING DESIGNATED TRAIL)STONE STAIRCASE
ACCESSIBLE BENCH
REPLACE EXISTINGBIRD BLIND
BERMS, TYP.
WAYFINDING POST (BY OTHERS)
EXISTING COTTONWOOD TREE TO REMAIN
PROPOSED TREES, TYP.
NATURE DISCOVERY NOOK, TYP.(SITE MATERIALS: STUMPS / BOULDERS)
NATURE DISCOVERY LOGS / STUMPS
EXISTING C.F. TRAIL TO REMAIN
ROCK RETAINER (BOTH SIDES)
STONE MEMORIAL BENCH
WAYFINDING POST (BY OTHERS)
(2)ACCESSIBLE BENCHES
ROCK RETAINER
Attachment B
Agenda Item 5C Page 6
15PUP/CBI Consulting Team PageCity of Boulder
Open Space and Mountain Parks
SITE RECOMMENDATIONS
Sawhill Ponds – LOES 2
Education and Outreach Framework Report February, 2020
0 150 300 600 ft N
OSMP Property Boundary
OSMP Pro
p
e
r
t
y
B
o
u
n
d
a
r
y
Sawhill No.
1
Sawhill No.
16
Sawhill No.
2
Sawhill No.
8
Genes
Reservoir
Sawhill No.
7
Sawhill No.
12
Sawhill No.
13
Sawhill No.
14
Sawhill No.
15
Boulder CreekWeiser
Wetland
Sawhill No.
3
Sawhill No.
4
Duck Pond
Cottonwood
Marsh
Sawhill No.
5
Bass Pond
Sawhill No.
1B
abandon
e
d
r
ail li
n
e
a
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a
s
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Conceptual Site Diagram - Summary of Education and Outreach Elements
Sawhill No.
1A
to N
75th St
access ro
a
d
WALDEN PONDS
(BOULDER COUNTY
OPEN SPACE)
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
E
D
H
C
B A
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
F
G
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS
1.Continue shared parking and access
from BCPOS Walden Ponds Site.
Explore collaborative programming
opportunities with BCPOS.
2.Encourage school/organized group
use at this site to reduce pressure on
Chautauqua.
3.Coordinate with CPW for potential
to allow water contact in some ponds
to support educational programs and
nature play opportunities.
4.Implement angler etiquette at all
ponds to include educational signage
and fishing line collection stations.
Include Spanish bilingual signage.
5.Evaluate opportunities to formalize
fishing access at most desirable fishing
locations for both live bait and lure
fishing. Maximize ADA access to
formalized fishing access points.
6.Focus interpretive signage and site
amenities to support aquatic species
and water habitat enhancements.
7.Provide additional bench or
alternative natural materials seating at
approximate locations shown.
SITE RECOMMENDATIONS
Remove day and overnight parking along
access road south of Sawhill No. 1.
Evaluate potential to reconfigure trailhead
parking to accommodate up to 15
cars and single bus with proper turning
movements.
Establish formalized and signed ADA
access point at trailhead. Add staging and
gathering area.
Establish additional designated trails to
provide small loop near trailhead area and
to provide better connectivity to shared
access locations on the north side of the
site.
Re-purpose bird viewing blind. Research
memorial aspect of the bird blind.
Evaluate opportunities to provide access
to creek for interpretive and nature
discovery opportunities.
Provide boardwalk or other suitable, well-
defined all-weather surface to encourage
users to stay on designated trail.
Explore potential to install new pier on
Sawhill No. 4.
B Bench Proposed
Bench
Pedestrian
Access
Point
Designated
Trails
Undesignated
Trails
OSMP
Property
Boundary
Seasonal
Osprey
Closure
Education & Outreach Program Area
Trailhead
Attachment C
Agenda Item 5C Page 7
16PUP/CBI Consulting Team PageCity of Boulder
Open Space and Mountain Parks
SITE RECOMMENDATIONS
Sawhill Ponds – LOES 2
Education and Outreach Framework Report February, 2020
Sawhill No.
1
Sawhill No.
1A
abandon
e
d
r
ail li
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a
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e
a
s
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OSMP Pro
p
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r
t
y
B
o
u
n
d
a
r
y
Shade
Shelter
Picnic
Table
Picnic
Table
Picnic
Table
Picnic
Table
Power
Pole
Overhead Power LinesVault
Toilet
Kiosk/
Trash
Bench
Bench
approx bus turning
radius requiredapprox expanded
parking footprint
Informal
Parking Area
Informal
Parking Area
Bench
Access Ro
a
d
0 25 50 100 ft N
Designated
Trails
Undesignated
Trails
OSMP
Property
Boundary
Parking
Approx 15
Standard
Vehicle
Spaces
Conceptual Site Diagram - Summary of Education and Outreach Elements - Trailhead Area
A
B
C
I
J
J
K
L
K
L
C
I
B
A
Designated
Trails
Undesignated
Trails
OSMP
Property
Boundary
SITE RECOMMENDATIONS
Remove day and overnight parking along
access road south of Sawhill No. 1. Install
natural material vehicular barriers such as
fencing, downfall or boulders. Provide ADA
designated trail, benches in this area.
Evaluate potential to reconfigure trailhead
parking to accommodate up to 15
cars and single bus with proper turning
movements. Coordinate with adjacent
topography and rail line easement for
ability to modify those areas.
Establish formalized and signed ADA
access point at trailhead.
Establish emergency shelter location at
trailhead and retrofit to be a lightning safe
structure.
Establish gathering site at former pier
location.
Install new pier on Sawhill No. 1A.
Integrate picnic tables into developed pad
with designated and ADA compliant trail
access.
GENERALRECOMMENDATIONS
1. Provide clearly delineated use areas
with decomposed granite, aggregate
base course or other suitable
material for all developed areas
within the trailhead.
2. Use fencing, downfall, boulders or
other natural materials to delineate
all edge-of-paving conditions to
discourage off-trail use. Supplement
delineators with signage encouraging
users to “stay on the trail” to
prevent erosion and soil compaction
particularly at water’s edge.
3. Provide improved angler education
and other signage as directed in
signage section of this document.
Education & Outreach Program Area
Attachment C
Agenda Item 5C Page 8
MEMORANDUM
TO: Open Space Board of Trustees
FROM: Dan Burke, Director, Open Space and Mountain Parks
Jeff Haley, Deputy Director of Visitor Experience and Infrastructure
DATE: May 8, 2024
SUBJECT: Written Information: 2024 Visitor Infrastructure Projects Update
Background
To support the ongoing access, enjoyment and protection of Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP)
lands, staff within the Visitor Experience and Infrastructure Service Area manage a variety of assets to
provide visitor use, while also ensuring responsible recreation and protection of the ecological values on
OSMP properties. These infrastructure assets provide sustainable trails for visitors to enjoy while
providing safe and accessible locations that limit or discourage disturbance to sensitive ecological areas
that provide critical habitat for many species. Similarly, trailheads are developed with sustainability in
mind and allow visitors to have a welcoming and comfortable experience, and learn about the rules and
regulations, while visiting our public lands to ensure protection and appreciation of the sensitive resources
that exist.
One of the key aspects to managing visitor infrastructure is to understand all aspects of our visitors and
the trends associated with visitation. This information fully informs the management and prioritization of
work each year. To fully understand current visitation on OSMP properties, this fall the Recreation and
Cultural Stewardship work group will provide the Open Space Board of Trustees (OSBT) with a
comprehensive update on current visitation estimates and give an in-depth view of survey results and
other relevant data. The team has completed several recent system-wide monitoring efforts, and the
results are ready for sharing and discussion. These efforts include new comprehensive data on:
•Visitation Estimates: Numbers and distribution of visits, with changes since 2017
•Visitor Surveys: Visitor attributes, recreation choices, service ratings, and trends since 2005
•Designated Trails: Conditions of designated trails and infrastructure, with trends since 2015
•Undesignated Trails: Distribution and condition of undesignated trails, with trends since 2012
This fall, the Human Dimensions and Recreation Stewardship staff will discuss each study individually
and explore how they can be used collectively to gain a deeper understanding of visitation patterns,
visitors, and associated infrastructure and resource conditions. Given the depth and value of these
datasets, staff will allow for more in-depth exploration and interactive discussion with board members
and provide opportunities to further explore how these data can be used for data-informed and adaptive
recreation management.
Master Plan and City-Wide Strategic Plan
The department master plan and the recent city-wide strategic plan guides the work that staff perform
each year through a variety of outcomes and strategies including key focus areas such as Ecosystem
Health and Resilience (EHR), Responsible Recreation, Stewardship and Enjoyment (RRSE), Community
Connection, Education and Inclusion (CCEI) and Financial Stability (FS). Within these focus areas there
are many outcomes and strategies that directly relate to the vistior infrastructure work across OSMP
inlcuding:
Written Information - Item A - Page 1
• EHR. 1) Preserve and Restore important Habitat blocks and corridors
• EHR. 4) Reduce Undesignated trails
• EHR. 6) Control Invasive Species
• RRSE. 1) access and manage increasing visitation
• RRSE.3) Upgrade Guidelines and standards for Quality trail design and construction
• RRSE6) Support a range of passive recreation experiences
• RRSE.7) build new trails as guided by past and future plans
• RRSE.8) provide welcoming and inspiring visitor facilities and services
• RRSE.9) develop a learning laboratory approach to recreation
• RRSE. 2) Reduce Trail maintenance back log
• CCEI1) welcome diverse backgrounds and abilities
• CCEI.3) connect youth to the outdoors
• CCEI6) inspire environmental literacy and involvement in OSMP
• CCEI.7) cultivate leaders in stewardship
The city’s new Citywide Strategic Plan also provides a variety of strategies and actions that directly
inform the infrastructure work including:
• Identify and implement key trail connections and access improvements to open space areas
throughout the city that encourage multi-modal options for access.
• Identify and prioritize key connections and relationships of commercial areas, cultural amenities,
parks, trails, and open space areas as a part of the 15-minute neighborhood model.
• Prioritize and deploy a citywide asset management system that informs the annual capital
improvement program.
Trails
Approximately 155 miles of trail are currently managed through routine preventative maintenance and
annual capital maintenance as well as new trails being implemented such as the current North Sky Trail.
A variety of factors present challenges in managing a complex trail system on OSMP including high
visitation throughout the year, clay soils that are prone to mud and erosion, increasing extreme weather
events such as fire, flood and heavy rain, and managing several legacy trails that were built many years
ago and are not sustainable to manage for current visitation. The trails workgroup has developed a
comprehensive asset management program consisting of a thorough inventory and classification of trails,
regular inspections of trail condition, prioritization based upon visitation, resource protection, etc. and has
informed 2-year, 6 year and 10-year work plans that outline operating projects and capital projects.
Throughout the past year staff have implemented quarterly work planning meetings, develop and planned
maintenance cycles (e.g., 3–5-year resurfacing cycles), focus on cost estimate and budgeting projections,
develop near-term (6 year) staffing strategy and developed and fine-tuned a near-term (6 year) work plan
for undesignated trails.
A recent calculation of the overall current replacement value (CRV) of the OSMP trail system was
estimated at $70M to $80M which industry standard recommends spending about 3% of this value each
year on operations and maintenance of the system to ensure trails are maintained in good condition.
Currently, staff are spending approximately 4.5% between ongoing operations and annual capital
maintenance projects or around $3.6M annually to ensure taking care of what we have. However, a large
backlog of deferred maintenance still exists and must sustainably and consistently be reduced by effective
work planning and budgeting as described previously. This is why grant funding such as the recent
LWCF grant for Mt. Sanitas trails is so effective in providing a one-time infusion of over $2M to bring
Written Information - Item A - Page 2
the trails up to current standard and reduce the deferred maintenance backlog in that area of the system,
one of the most popular.
To illustrate how all the strategic work planning and budgeting provides real improvements that our
visitors and natural resources benefit from, a few of the upcoming trail projects in 2024 include:
• Shale Trail: OSMP will construct the new Shale Trail as called for in the North Trail Study
Area (NTSA), which will connect Boulder Valley Ranch Trailhead to city-managed open
space on a mesa north of Boulder. The trail will be open to horses and hikers. As part of this
work, OSMP will close and restore trails to help protect important plant habitats. OSMP
anticipates beginning this work late this year.
• Cragmoor-Shanahan Connector: OSMP will design and designate the trail connection
between Cragmoor Connector and North Fork Shanahan Trail on Shanahan Ridge in south
Boulder. OSMP plans to conduct trail construction work this summer. The current
undesignated trail alignment will be restored after the new alignment is completed.
• New bridge over South Boulder Creek: As called for in the Gebhard Site Plan, OSMP
plans to install a new bridge over South Boulder Creek and will build a new, small trail to
connect community members living near South Boulder Road and Cherryvale Road to the
new bridge. The department also will remove invasive species as part of ongoing work to
help protect rare and federally threatened wildlife and plant species in the area. The
department plans to begin work this fall.
• Eagle and Sage trails: OSMP is almost finished completing extensive maintenance work on
Eagle and Sage Trails north of the city. These trails provide important connections into
Boulder from neighboring communities and areas north of the city, including Gunbarrel.
OSMP is implementing trail closures to help expedite repair and maintenance efforts and
reminds visitors to visit OSMPTrails.org to see current trail closures.
• Mount Sanitas Trail: OSMP will continue repair and maintenance efforts on the Mount
Sanitas Trail in 2024. This work will include replacing old trail infrastructure, installing new
steps and conducting repairs to reduce soil erosion. OSMP reminds visitors to help us protect
vegetation in the area by staying on trail and walking through mud to help us minimize “trail
braiding” caused by visitors walking off trail and which widens the trail and compromised
drainage and infrastructure.
• Royal Arch Trail: OSMP will continue ongoing work to improve the trail by installing
additional timber stairs near the end of the trail. The department will implement closures from
8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday, to help complete this work.
• Cobalt Trail: As called for in the NTSA, OSMP will re-route the trail to improve drainage,
avoid rare and sensitive plants, and create a better visitor experience. The trail is currently
open to equestrian and hiker use, after the new alignment is completed, the trail will also be
open to bikes. Work is expected to start in the fall.
Trailheads
The other primary asset category the department manages to ensure safe and welcoming experiences and
visitation are the trailheads and access points across the system. OSMP currently has an inventory of 37
distinct trailheads on OSMP property and 76 access points connecting within adjacent neighborhoods and
Written Information - Item A - Page 3
public rights of way. Like trails, staff are currently focusing on a strategic approach to managing
trailhead assets through completing budget projection development to inform future operational and
capital budgets, developing the Total Replacement Costs (CRV) understanding to ensure adequate
funding for trailhead infrastructure, develop a staffing strategy based upon work plans and maintenance
needs and developing a 6+ year CIP and Operation work plan. A few of the key goals that staff consider
ensuring a strategic approach to this asset class includes considering the following aspects of trailheads:
• Using standardized infrastructure and design that meets current industry standards.
• Promote respect and stewardship of OSMP lands.
• Balance short-term costs with long-term sustainability
• Maintain a strong connection to the natural landscapes.
To illustrate how all the strategic work planning and budgeting provides real improvements that our
visitors and natural resources benefit from, a few of the upcoming trailhead projects in 2024 include:
• Sawhill Ponds Trailhead: OSMP will implement several trailhead improvements, including
constructing a new fishing pier, enhancing bus parking and upgrading a “bird blind” to help
visitors observe wildlife. The department also will improve parking and the Sawhill Ponds
Trail for community members experiencing disabilities, helping them to better experience the
fishing pier and picnic areas. OSMP plans to complete this work in the fall.
• Chapman Drive Trailhead: Trailhead improvements will include a new pedestrian bridge
connecting Boulder Canyon Trail to the Chapman Drive Trailhead across Boulder Creek.
OSMP also will improve parking at the trailhead. Additional visitor amenities will include
more bike racks and a new picnic table. This work is expected to occur in the fall.
• Chautauqua Trailhead and Ranger Cottage: as one of the most visited areas of the system,
this area has been identified as a priority for improvement for many years and especially
because of the high visitation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff are currently
developing site plans for improvements and a renovation plan for the Ranger Cottage to
support access, education and outreach. Construction is anticipated in 2026 and beyond.
Summary and Next Steps
This brief memo provides a background and overview of infrastructure work currently on the 2024 work
plan and more detailed information of projects will be included in upcoming budget presentations and
additional agenda items for OSBT throughout the year. Staff will also keep OSBT informed of updates
and key status throughout the year as appropriate as projects are completed.
Written Information - Item A - Page 4
MEMORANDUM
To: Open Space Board of Trustees
From: Dan Burke, Director, Open Space and Mountain Parks
Heather Swanson, Deputy Director Resource Stewardship
Ryan Prioreschi, Wildlife Ecologist
Date: May 8, 2024
Subject: Written Information: Preble’s meadow jumping mouse Site Conservation Team Update
________________________________________________________________________
Preble’s meadow jumping mouse (PMJM) is a small mammal that inhabits creekside riparian habitats and
adjacent uplands along the Eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and Southeastern
Wyoming. The species was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1998 due to
habitat loss related primarily to development and urbanization.
Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) manages habitat along several streams known to be occupied
by PMJM including South Boulder Creek and associated tributaries and ditches as well as some foothills
drainages. Habitat surrounding South Boulder Creek between Eldorado Springs and Baseline Road and
the adjacent Spring Brook were designated by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) as Critical
Habitat for the species in 2010.
The recovery plan for PMJM was updated and completed by USFWS and the Preble’s meadow jumping
mouse Species Recovery Team in 2018. This plan identified localized “Site Conservation Teams” (SCT)
as a necessary strategy to identify recovery populations and help organize grassroots support, education,
conservation, and restoration across the range of the PMJM. SCT areas are defined by Hydrological Units
(HUC, roughly sub-watersheds) and Boulder County falls within the Saint Vrain HUC identified to be
covered by an SCT. The “Saint Vrain SCT” covers the Saint Vrain Creek as well as tributaries, including
South Boulder Creek on OSMP property. The Recovery Plan identifies the Saint Vrain HUC as capable
of supporting at least one “medium” population of PMJM to help support recovery goals. This size of
population is defined as at least 11 linear miles of occupied stream/riparian habitat, supporting at least an
estimated 500 mice.
OSMP have been involved in the Site Conservation Team (SCT) for Preble’s meadow jumping mouse in
the St. Vrain Watershed since 2021. Currently OSMP staff members, Heather Swanson and Ryan
Prioreschi, are serving as co-chairs for the group. The group is made up of OSMP, other local
governments (Longmont, Boulder County), landowners, local conservation and resource management
groups, water stakeholders, State and Federal biologists and community members.
The Preble’s SCT has recently completed and submitted the nomination packet identifying both South
Boulder Creek and the St. Vrain Creek as two distinct medium-sized recovery populations (Attachment
A). The nomination packet includes information on the species, data on species occurrence and density in
the two populations (South Boulder Creek, St. Vrain Creek) and information supporting nomination of
both creeks as “Medium Recovery Populations”. Now that the Nomination packet has been submitted to
USFWS, it will be reviewed by the Preble’s Recovery Team and we anticipate that staff will be invited to
present the nomination to the Recovery Team in the next couple of months.
This designation, if accepted, will mean these populations will be monitored along with other recovery
populations across the state to provide data on when the species may be considered recovered, and de-
Written Information - Item B - Page 1
listed from the Endangered Species Act. Related efforts will include work to identify restoration or
conservation activities within these stretches that may support habitat enhancement or creation. The
designation of a recovery population does not include any additional regulatory requirements and does not
dictate management of the lands included. However, this designation will provide ongoing, robust
monitoring and may provide opportunities for partnerships or funding to accomplish identified projects on
OSMP properties.
Next steps following acceptance of the nomination will include robust outreach and education efforts and
creation of a conservation plan to identify actions that can be taken to continue to support robust
populations of Preble’s mice and identify areas for potential restoration or enhancement. Monitoring of
the populations may begin as early as summer, 2024, but the timing is still to be determined.
Attachment
•Attachment A: Map of Nominated Recovery Reaches
Written Information - Item B - Page 2
Attachment A: Map of Nominated Recovery Reaches
Attachment A
Written Information - Item B - Page 3