CU South7From:Kimman Harmon
To:OSBT
Subject:CU South
Date:Thursday, February 22, 2024 7:11:09 AM
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Hon. Open Space Board of Trustees,
Thank you for all of your hard work in creating and protecting Boulder Open Space.
Though it will be a hard decision because of incredible pressure from City Council
and CU Boulder, I ask that you reject the City of Boulder request to dispose of and
remove Open Space protection from critical wetlands habitat in the South Boulder
Creek floodplain.
A key question: is this dam required for public safety? The answer is no. To protect
the CU South Campus and maximize buildable land, Boulder City Council rejected
wetlands based 500 year flood protection in favor of the weak 100 year flood
protection that allows CU to build in an ecologically sensitive flood plain.
The CU South proposal actually threatens public safety by reducing flood protection
for downstream communities to inadequate 100 year levels.
By rejecting the City request to dispose of Open Space you open the door to cost
effective 500 year flood protection of downstream communities, save renters and
homeowners likely $300 to $500 per year being added to their water or tax bill and
most importantly you will protect the federally endangered plant and animal species
that make their home in the area.
Lastly, despite numerous community requests, the City of Boulder and the University
of Colorado Boulder have refused to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment
(EIA) of the proposed project area.
As guardians of Boulder Open Space, it would be both logical and ethically fair
for you to either A) reject the proposal to dispose of Boulder Open Space
outright; or B) require an EIA prior to making this critically important decision.
Your decision will impact both the environment and the safety of downstream
communities for hundreds of years to come. Thank you sincerely for your
consideration.
With deep respect,
Kimman Harmon
City of Boulder resident since 1993
Survivor of the 2013 Flood