HomeMy WebLinkAbout04.09.25 OSBT PacketOpen Space Board of Trustees
April 9, 2025
MEETING AGENDA
(Please note that times are approximate.)
I. (6:00) Call to Order and Roll Call
II. (6:03) Welcome and swearing in of Harmon Zuckerman to a 5-year term on OSBT
III. (6:08) OSBT Officer Elections
IV. (6:18) Acknowledgement and thank you to outgoing board chair
V. (6:23) Approval of the Minutes
VI. (6:30) Public Comment for Items not Identified for Public Hearing
VII. (6:40) Matters from the Board
A. Trustee questions on Written Information items or public comment
VIII. (6:45) Matters from the Department
A. Volunteerism and Service Learning Update and Declaration to Honor
OSMP Volunteers During National Volunteer Week April 20 –26, 2025
(20 min)
B. Update on Flagstaff Operations and Management (35 min)
C. Update on the citywide Long-term Financial Strategy initiative -
Presented by City Finance Department (20 min)
D. Draft 2026 Work Plan and Budget (40 min)
E. Director Verbal Updates (5 min)
IX. (8:45) Adjourn
Open Space Board of Trustees
Members:
Michelle Estrella
(2021-2026)
Jon Carroll
(2022-2027)
Brady Robinson
(2023-2028)
Sarah Glynn
(2024-2029)
Harmon Zuckerman
(2025-2030)
Open Space Board of Trustees
*TENTATIVE Board Items Calendar
(Updated, March 24, 2025)
May 14, 2025 May 9, 2025
OSBT Field Trip
June 11, 2025 July 9, 2025
Matters from the Board:
• Trustee questions on
Written Memo items (10
min)
Action Items:
• Approve the conversion of
the Bartlett Development
Rights Agreement to a
Deed of Conservation
Easement which allows for
additional development
rights pursuant to the
disposal procedures of
Article XII, Section 177, of
the Boulder City Charter
(15 min)
Matters from the
Department:
• Update on OSMP Equity
Plan and Implementation
(40 min)
• Program Update:
Accessibility programming
and infrastructure (30 min)
• Update on the OSMP-
related elements of the
South Boulder Creek Flood
Mitigation Project (30 min)
• Director verbal updates (5
min
Topic: Wildfire
mitigation and Ecosystem
Health: A walk on
Shanahan Ridge.
Specific Time and
meeting location TBD
Matters from the Board:
• Trustee questions on Written
Memo items (10 min)
Action Items:
• Consideration and
Recommendation of an OSMP
Mineral Rights Acquisition (25
min)
• Consideration of a request to
dispose of an approximately
250 square foot portion of the
Lousberg Open Space property
to an adjacent landowner to
cure a boundary line
discrepancy pursuant to the
disposal procedures of Article
XII, Section 177 of the City of
Boulder Charter, conditioned
on Boulder County's approval
of the associated boundary line
adjustment. (10 min)
Matters from the Department:
• Update on Marshall Mesa
Trailhead Renovation Project
(20 minutes)
• 2026 OSMP Budget Update -
OSBT's 3rd Budget "touch" (45
minutes)
• BOSC: Annual Update
including OSMP sponsorship
approach (15 min)
• Update on OSMP's 2025
Projects Webmap (10 min)
• Director verbal updates (5 min
Matters from the
Board:
• Trustee questions on
Written Memo items
(10 min)
Action Items:
• Consideration and
Recommendation of
OSMP's 2026 Budget
(45 min)
Matters from the
Department:
• Update on OSMP's
assessment of its
residential housing
portfolio (35 min)
• Program Update:
OSMP's Facilities
and Fleet Program
(35 min)
• Overview of OSMP
Nature Discovery
Areas (35 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 March 12, 2025
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
Sarah Glynn
OSMP STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT
Dan Burke Jeff Haley Jennelle Freeston Lauren Kilcoyne Heather Swanson
Sam McQueen Ann Lezberg George Greenwood Kacey French Brian Anacker
Paul Dennison
GUESTS
Jacob Watts, PhD Candidate, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (CU Boulder)
AGENDA ITEM 1 – Call to Order and Roll Call
The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m.
AGENDA ITEM 2 – Approval of the Minutes
Harmon Zuckerman moved the Open Space Board of Trustees to adopt the minutes from February 12,
2025, as amended. Michelle Estrella seconded. This motion passed four to zero; Brady Robinson was
absent.
AGENDA ITEM 3 – Public Participation for Items not Identified for Public Hearing (4:40)
Bart Windrum spoke about their concern and frustration regarding public safety and fire management on
OSMP, specifically the lack of focus on human-caused ignition and deterrents.
James Balog, on behalf of the Fire Prevention Action Committee, spoke about their concern for public
safety and fire management on OSMP.
Giles Troughton spoke about their concern for fires starting on open space land and the need to address
common causes such as human-caused ignition. He said as risks increase the controls need to as well.
Karen Hollweg asked about a dog hiking service that was highlighted in the Daily Camera and if they
have the appropriate permits to operate on OSMP.
AGENDA ITEM 4 – Matters from the Board (16:00)
The board asked about the Written Information Items. On the “Open Space & Mountain Parks
Comprehensive Fee Study Results” Jon asked about next steps for the various efforts, are fees matching
administrative costs, and would we consider eliminating the parking fee program. The board asked if all
forms of payment are required to be taken in the Boulder Revised Code (BRC) and could cash be
collected through a system like Park Mobile. Michelle added that looking at this with an equity lens, how
could the OSBT convey their interest in removing fees for parking, to enable those who can’t afford to
live in Boulder to still be able to use public lands. Sarah asked what the benefits are for charging parking
fees.
Agenda Item 5 Page 1
Michelle said it makes sense to condense the voice and sight fee structure.
The board discussed the “Trailhead Renovation Status and Bike Rack Implementation Update”. Michelle
said she was surprised to see South Mesa being taken off the table. She added that the last couple of
Sundays at Flatirons Vista people are parking in the horse trailer parking spaces and also on the west and
east side of Hwy 93. Other trailheads in this area are also so full its causing people to park elsewhere and
the work at Marshall Mesa is only going to further this issue. She asked what the plan is for keeping
people safe and what will be explored to promote alternate transportation.
AGENDA ITEM 5 – Matters from the Department (44:00)
Jeff Haley presented the “Update on The Chapman Drive Trailhead Renovation Project”. The board asked
how closures will be communicated to users. Jeff said social media, updates to partners and the interactive
web map on the OSMP website will be continuously updated. Once the areas are opened permanently
press releases will also be sent out.
Ann Lezberg, and Jacob Watts, PhD Candidate, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (CU Boulder),
presented the “Funded Research Program Update”. Ann reviewed the funded research program, several
projects that OSMP has funded, and Jacob shared the project he has been working on for over a year
studying lichen habitat on OSMP.
Brian Anacker, Science and Climate Resilience Senior Manager, George Greenwood, Wildfire Resilience
Program Manager, and Paul Dennison, Wildland Fire Senior Program Manager, presented the “Update on
Wildfire Resilience Implementation Plan”. The board answered staff questions on, what would the board
like to see for future updates? And if they had any feedback on the planned WUI fuels management
project.
The board asked what animals would be used as part of this project, if staff have looked at using drones to
help bring water to fires, and about the forest agricultural tax credit. The board suggested having
something like a YouTube video on the website of all the fire projects OSMP is working on, to provide a
lot of information in an easy-to-digest way.
Kacey French, Planning Senior Manager, presented the “Update on OSMP’s Planning and Design
Program Area: Future Planning Projects on the Horizon”. The board agreed to hold the majority of their
questions for when the budget is discussed next month.
Dan Burke gave a verbal update that the Fort Chambers Poor Farm will have the first engagement
window open Friday, March 21 at the Penfield Tate II Building, and the engagement window is currently
open online.
ADJOURNMENT – The meeting adjourned at 8:56 p.m.
These draft minutes were prepared by Leah Russell
Agenda Item 5 Page 2
MEMORANDUM
TO: Open Space Board of Trustees
FROM: Dan Burke, Director, Open Space and Mountain Parks
Jennelle Freeston, Deputy Director of Community Connections
Debbie Cushman, Volunteerism and Service Learning Program Manager
Kris Weinberger, Volunteerism and Service Learning Program Manager
Natasha Steinmann, Community Outreach Senior Manager
Beau Clark, Trail Asset Manager
DATE: April 9, 2025
SUBJECT: Volunteerism and Service Learning Update and Declaration to Honor OSMP Volunteers
During National Volunteer Week April 20 –26, 2025
Introduction
The purpose of this memo and the upcoming presentation to the OSBT on April 9 is twofold: to share
Volunteerism and Service Learning (VSL) workgroup key 2024 accomplishments; and a declaration to honor
Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) volunteers in celebration of National Volunteer Week 2025.
Master Plan Alignment
The OSMP Master Plan guides VSL programming for the department. The main policy guidance is under the
focus area CCEI: Community Connections, Education, and Inclusion with this community value statement:
Together, we build an inclusive community of stewards and
seek to find our place in open space.
VSL staff involve the community in hands-on land management and conservation work that supports many
OSMP Master Plan priorities. In 2024, the VSL team continued working and developing partners in
stewardship within the larger community to implement the OSMP Master Plan. In addition to supporting the
CCEI outcomes and strategies, on-the-ground programs and projects also support all other Master Plan focus
areas. Examples are further covered in the 2024 VSL Annual Report (Attachment A).
Volunteer Services Highlights
In 2024, volunteers helped to inform visitors, engage youth, connect with the land through hands-on
projects, monitor wildlife, and protect the resources that make OSMP a special place. Over 1,668
volunteers contributed over 20,739 hours, equaling $754,070 in value, which is the equivalent to 13
full-time staff (FTE). As mentioned above, OSMP volunteers contributed their time and unique
talents to support OSMP’s Master Plan goals and departmental priorities. For example, ambassador
volunteers made over 90,000 public contacts, which was over 25,000 more than last year, welcoming
and assisting visitors at trailheads, on trails and at the Ranger Cottage and Flagstaff Nature Center,
which supports CCEI.2, as well as OSMP’s goal to have uniformed presence on the land. Please see
Attachment A for additional volunteer services highlights for 2024.
The 2024 Volunteer Satisfaction Survey for our 300 on-going program volunteers indicated an overall
satisfaction rate of 4.59 on a scale from 1 to 5, with positive feedback such as:
•“This organization is extremely supportive to volunteers and their growth!”
•“Visitors are impressed the city has friendly volunteers providing outreach on trails.”
Agenda Item 8A Page 1
•“I've had people on trails thank me for being a volunteer...that's always nice!”
•“This is the most meaningful job I've ever had--welcoming people, helping them and their families to
stay safe while expanding their knowledge and love of the natural world, and fulfilling their desire
for adventure and achievement.”
•The City of Boulder worked hard to achieve the renewal of its national Service Enterprise
accreditation in strategic volunteer engagement, awarded by the Association of Leaders in Volunteer
Engagement (AL!VE). This recognition highlights the city’s exceptional capability to engage
community members and volunteers to meet the community’s needs effectively. The City of Boulder
was the second municipal government to receive Service Enterprise certification and is among the
top 11% of organizations in the country in volunteer management and organizational performance.
•Volunteer Spotlight Award: OSMP highlighted two of our long-term Bike Patrol volunteers on our
website for all the incredible work they are doing for OSMP! Check out the Q&A with them about
why they love volunteering with us: https://bouldercolorado.gov/news/osmp-featured-volunteers-
mitch-smith-chuck-anderson
Service-Learning Highlights
In 2024 the Bridge House Ready to Work (RTW) Crews worked 185 project days in total. This
resource was the sole workforce for the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) fine fuels mowing for a total
of 22 acres (summer and fall mowing) and four acres of defensible space. RTW Crews also supported
Water Resource, Restoration, Vegetation Management, Forestry, Trailheads and many Agriculture
Teams. Other key accomplishments include clearing over 15 miles of irrigation ditch to support water
resources and agricultural priorities, removing thousands of feet of barbed wire, planting hundreds of
forbs for restoration, and removing pounds of invasive species and hundreds of tons of cattails for
spotted leopard frog habitat. The bulk of the work the RTW Crews are tasked with directly impacts
Climate Action for wildfire fuels management in grasslands, de-fragments range land from unused
cattle fencing, carbon sequestration for healthy and thriving native flora and increasing the quality of
habitat for wildlife.
As was shared at the August 2024 OSBT Meeting, 112 Junior Rangers (youth employees aged 14-17)
worked 691 crew hours (that’s over 8,047 individual hours contributed)! These youth crews worked
on high priority OSMP projects including cleaning up 19,614 feet of trail (reducing maintenance
backlog), reducing fuels on 15 acres for community fire mitigation, and improving 589 drains on our
trails to keep them from becoming muddy.
Declaration for National Volunteer Week
Open Space and Mountain Parks staff ask the Open Space Board of Trustees to join them in honoring these
dedicated volunteers during National Volunteer Week with a declaration at the forthcoming April OSBT
meeting:
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 2025. 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.
Agenda Item 8A Page 2
Attachments:
•Attachment A: Volunteerism and Service Learning 2024 Annual Report
Agenda Item 8A Page 3
2024 Annual Program Metrics
In 2024, over 1,668 volunteers contributed a total of 20,739 hours of service.
•Ongoing Program Volunteers: 307 volunteers spent over 12,000 hours out on
OSMP land and made 25,000 more public contacts than in 2023.
• One-Day Volunteer Projects (ODVP): 1,242 volunteers spent over 6,350 hours
volunteering for various land management projects through service-learning.
• Bridge House Ready to Work (RTW) Crew: Two RTW Crews of six worked ~7665
hours in 2024 which is a 27% increase from 2023.
• Junior Ranger Program: 112 youth hired from 256 applicants in 2024.
• The Boulder Open Space Conservancy (BOSC) raised 60K for OSMP in 2024.
Volunteer Participation Trends - 2008 to 2024
The Volunteerism and Service Learning (VSL) team aspires
to grow an inclusive culture of service and a community
of stewards that gives back to the City of Boulder Open
Space and Mountain Parks.
Volunteerism and Service Learning
2024 Annual Report
DISFRUTA.PROTEGE.
ENJOY.PROTECT.1
Agenda Item 8A Page 4
VSL Program Highlights
Dog Ambassador Volunteers
Bike Patrol Volunteers
Flagstaff Nature Center, Chautauqua Ranger Cottage and Trailhead
Ambassadors continue to help thousands of hikers and visitors with
trail and safety assistance. They made over 35,000 public contacts
in 2024. Flagstaff Nature Center volunteers increased public
contacts by over 2000 this season.
Visitor Ambassador Volunteers
Wildlife Monitoring Volunteers
2024 Annual Report
DISFRUTA.PROTEGE.
ENJOY.PROTECT.
2
Monitors spent many field hours out on the land counting and
reporting on animal presence and behavior for OSMP’s staff
ecologists to use while managing land for bat and raptor species.
Raptor monitors give one of the highest hour amounts of all the
volunteer groups! (Along with OSBT and the Trail Ambassadors.)
This new volunteer program finished its first year. Designed to model
appropriate dog/guardian behavior, 10 Ambassadors and their 8
furry companions educated visitors on dog-related topics. Important
subjects included the voice and sight program, canine related safety
suggestions, land stewardship priorities (such as ground nesting
birds), and OSMP dog events.
Volunteer patrollers were instrumental in helping with a successful
opening of the North Sky Trail by providing numerous patrol shifts.
Bike Patrollers also staffed 8 outreach tables often in partnership
with the Boulder County Horseman's Association and Boulder
Mountainbike Alliance educating over 2000 mountain bikers. Two
patrollers were celebrated as “Spotlight Volunteers” on our website!
Agenda Item 8A Page 5
Restoration Steward Volunteers
Another class of new volunteers joined OSMP in fall. There are now
65 trained Trail Ambassadors who are making more contacts on the
land. Decked out in updated OSMP volunteer uniforms, they made
over 45,000 public contacts (this number includes contacts made
by Dog Ambassadors).
Trail Ambassador Volunteers
Staff trained a new group of 10 Education Naturalists. These
volunteers are tasked with educating Boulder's youth both in
schools as well as on OSMP land. They go through approximately
100 hours of training and shadowing! What dedication!
Naturalist Volunteers
Five OSBT board members continued to record high hours
working towards planning, change and progress with the
community and OSMP staff.
Open Space Board of Trustees (OSBT) Volunteers
VSL Program Highlights
2024 Annual Report
DISFRUTA.PROTEGE.
ENJOY.PROTECT.
3
Boulder Community Hospital group and Skunk Canyon Weeder
volunteers continued to have a strong presence doing manual weed
control work including Myrtle Spurge. Chautauqua Native garden
volunteers keep our gateway to the Flatirons looking great by
weeding, transplanting and collecting seeds for native perennials
and shrubs.
Agenda Item 8A Page 6
Wellness Volunteers
Trail Project Volunteers
Trailhead Project Volunteers
Additional Ongoing Program Volunteers
Total: 707 Volunteers, 4551 hours
VSL Program Highlights
2024 Annual Report
DISFRUTA.PROTEGE.
ENJOY.PROTECT.
4
Total: 237 Volunteers, 1805 hours
Wellness Volunteers included 1 yoga teacher leading weekly
summer classes on Flagstaff, accessible bike ride leaders and 3
trained naturalists who work with OSMP's pathways partnership
program at Boulder Community Health to share guided
experiences that provide healing through connections in nature.
Many other skilled volunteers lended their talent and time to make
an impact at OSMP, including: Photographers, Recreation (fishing
programs), Cultural Stewardship Researchers and Administrative
volunteers (who helped us move to a new volunteer database!)
During National Trails Day this year, over 50 volunteers helped with
final construction of the brand-new North Sky Trail! The
continuation of “Trail Work Tuesdays/Wednesdays” provided
opportunities for individuals to join a trail crew for a day and get
more hands-on experience with trail maintenance. In Fall, a
multitude of volunteers contributed to a reroute of Cobalt Trail that
was also upgraded to provide a more accessible trail experience to
the community – including those who use adaptive mountain bikes.
The Trailheads team works with community service, Eagle Scouts,
and other volunteer groups to support projects to improve and
maintain infrastructure across the OSMP system. 2024 included
122 Community Service volunteers who contributed 1,250 hours,
and 115 One-Day volunteers who gave 555 hours, including a large
annual Flagstaff cleanup day with volunteers from Workday and
Leave No Trace (see photo).
Agenda Item 8A Page 7
BridgeHouse Ready to Work (RTW) Crews
Equity & Inclusion with Agriculture - Natural Highs
Equity & Inclusion with Agriculture - Rocky Mt. Equality
In 2024, Junior Rangers (14-17 year old summer employees)…
• Cleaned up 19,614 feet of trail reducing maintenance backlog.
• Reduced fuels on 15 acres for community fire mitigation .
• Improved 589 drains on our trails to keep them from becoming
muddy and expanding.
OSMP Junior Ranger Program
VSL Program Highlights
2024 Annual Report
DISFRUTA.PROTEGE.
ENJOY.PROTECT.
5
A group of 15-20 youth from Rocky Mt. Equality (LGBT+ middle
schoolers) joined Esoterra Culinary Garden for monthly programs
that taught students about vegetable farming, the preservation of
agriculture lands on OSMP, and pollinator health. Students picked
out what seedlings to plant, observed growth changes, trimmed
tomatoes and learned companion planting basics.
This multilayered program involves the teen group Natural Highs
that cultivate, grow and harvest an herbal apothecary with Light
Root Community Farm for a holistic approach to sustainable
regenerative organic agriculture practices. Teens in this program
also learn about OSMP’s agriculture lease program along with
wellness and recovery practices.
RTW Crews (vulnerable populations) supported the work of ~12
work groups and a great bulk of their work supports Climate Action
projects. Both Crews supported the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI)
mowing for the four corridors that were identified in 2024 with two
mowing cycles. The RTW Crews excelled at this project work, and it
was the most successful season so far due to leadership practices.
Agenda Item 8A Page 8
“This experience was one of the best I've had since moving to Boulder.
I've taken for granted all the hard work that goes into trail building/
maintenance. I'll remember this experience for a long time and will be
more inclined to find opportunities like this in the future."
A Trailwork Tuesdays/Wednesdays volunteer
VSL Program Testimonials
2024 Annual Report
EHR.1 Preserve and restore important
habitat blocks and corridors
EHR.2 Update and continue
implementing system plans guiding
ecosystem management
EHR.3 Address the global climate crisis
here and now
ATT.1 Reduce maintenance backlog for
agriculture and water infrastructure
EHR.4
EHR.5
EHR.6
EHR.7
ATT.4
ATT.5
RRSE.3
MASTER PLANSTRATEGIES
6 DISFRUTA.PROTEGE.
ENJOY.PROTECT.
6
“I LOVE Junior Rangers and I've had so much fun during my 3 years. I've
developed a serious admiration for my city and the natural world, and
I've found a passion for stewardship and found many new friends.”
Tessa N, 3rd year Junior Ranger Crew Member
"I so enjoy doing this, it’s the highlight of my week :)"
Deborah Yin, new Raptor Monitor
“Light Root Community Farm has helped me immensely. Every single time I
have visited this heaven on earth, I feel so much better than I did when I came
in. This farm is so healing in a beautiful, beautiful way and I'm so thankful I
got to visit multiple times and connect with the animals as well with Cameron
and Daphne.”
Aster, Natural Highs Peer Leader
“This is the most meaningful job I've ever had--welcoming people, helping
them and their families to stay safe while expanding their knowledge and
love of the natural world, and fulfilling their desire for adventure and
achievement.”
Miki Laws, Trail and Flagstaff Ambassador
Agenda Item 8A Page 9
7
2024 Annual Report
Master Plan Strategies
trail requirements
Develop a learning laboratory
Protect water resources in a
innovative
standards
EHR.8 Reduce impacts from noise, light
and nearby land uses
EHR.9 Reduce and offset OSMP
greenhouse gas emissions
ATT.6 Support the success of ranchers
and farmers
ATT.7 Integrate native ecosystems and
agriculture
ATT.8 Further reduce or eliminate
pesticide use
ATT.9 Enhance enjoyment and
protection of working landscapes
RRSE.6 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
Preserve and restoreimportant
habitat blocksand corridors
implementing system plans guiding
Addressthe global climatecrisis
Reduce maintenancebacklog for
agricultureand water infrastructure
resilience
agricultureand prairiedogs
Assess and manageincreasing
Reduce trail maintenancebacklog
Welcome diverse backgrounds
Enhancecommunications with
EHR.4 Reduce undesignated trails
EHR.5 Extend on-trail requirements
EHR.6 Control invasive species
EHR.7 Develop a learning laboratory
approach to conservation
ATT.4 Protect water resources in a
warmer future
ATT.5 Encourage diverse and innovative
agricultural operations
RRSE.3 Update guidelines and standards
for quality trail design and
construction
RRSE.4 Encourage multimodal access
to trailheads
RRSE.5 Manage passive recreation
activities requiring a permit
CCEI.3 Connect youth to the outdoors
CCEI.4 Support city-wide engagement
with federally recognized
American Indian Tribes and
Indigenous Peoples
EHR.8 Reduce impacts from noise, light
and nearby land uses
EHR.9 Reduce and offset OSMP
greenhouse gas emissions
ATT.6 Support the success of ranchers
and farmers
ATT.7 Integrate native ecosystems and
agriculture
ATT.8 Further reduce or eliminate
pesticide use
ATT.9 Enhance enjoyment and
protection of working landscapes
RRSE.6 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
CCEI.5 Foster wellness through
immersion in the outdoors
CCEI.6 Inspire environmental literacy and
new involvement in OSMP
CCEI.7 Cultivate leaders in stewardship
CCEI.8 Heighten community understanding
of land management efforts
CCEI.9 Preserve and protect Boulder’s
cultural heritage
TIER 2 TIER 3
MASTER PLANSTRATEGIES
EHR.1 Preserve and restore important
habitat blocks and corridors
EHR.2 Update and continue
implementing system plans guiding
ecosystem management
EHR.3 Address the global climate crisis
here and now
ATT.1 Reduce maintenance backlog for
agriculture and water infrastructure
ATT.2 Increase soil health and resilience
ATT.3 Address conflicts between
agriculture and prairie dogs
RRSE.1 Assess and manage increasing
visitation
RRSE.2 Reduce trail maintenance backlog
CCEI.1 Welcome diverse backgrounds
and abilities
CCEI.2 Enhance communications with
visitors
EHR.4 Reduce undesignated trails
EHR.5 Extend on-trail requirements
EHR.6 Control invasive species
EHR.7 Develop a learning laboratory
approach to conservation
ATT.4 Protect water resources in a
warmer future
ATT.5 Encourage diverse and innovative
agricultural operations
RRSE.3 Update guidelines and standards
for quality trail design and
construction
RRSE.4 Encourage multimodal access
to trailheads
RRSE.5 Manage passive recreation
activities requiring a permit
CCEI.3 Connect youth to the outdoors
CCEI.4 Support city-wide engagement
with federally recognized
American Indian Tribes and
Indigenous Peoples
EHR.8 Reduce impacts from noise, light and nearby land uses
EHR.9 Reduce and offset OSMP
greenhouse gas emissions
ATT.6 Support the success of
and farmers
ATT.7 Integrate native ecosystems and
agriculture
ATT.8 Further reduce or eliminate
pesticide use
ATT.9 Enhance enjoyment and
protection of working landscapes
RRSE.6 Support a range of passive
recreation experiences
RRSE.7 Build new trails as guided by past
and future plans
RRSE.8 Provide welcoming and
visitor facilities and services
RRSE.9 Develop a learning laboratory
approach to recreation
CCEI.5 Foster wellness through
immersion in the outdoors
CCEI.6 Inspire environmental literacy and
new involvement in OSMP
CCEI.7 Cultivate leaders in stewardship
CCEI.8 Heighten community understanding
of land management efforts
CCEI.9 Preserve and protect Boulder’s
cultural heritage
TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3
MASTER PLANSTRATEGIES
EHR.1 Preserve and restore important
habitat blocks and corridors
EHR.2 Update and continue
implementing system plans guiding
ecosystem management
EHR.3 Address the global climate crisis
here and now
ATT.1 Reduce maintenance backlog for
agriculture and water infrastructure
ATT.2 Increase soil health and resilience
ATT.3 Address conflicts between
agriculture and prairie dogs
RRSE.1 Assess and manage increasing
visitation
RRSE.2 Reduce trail maintenance backlog
CCEI.1 Welcome diverse backgrounds
and abilities
CCEI.2 Enhance communications with
visitors
EHR.4 Reduce undesignated trails
EHR.5 Extend on-trail requirements
EHR.6 Control invasive species
EHR.7 Develop a learning laboratory
approach to conservation
ATT.4 Protect water resources in a
warmer future
ATT.5 Encourage diverse and innovative
agricultural operations
RRSE.3 Update guidelines and standards
for quality trail design and
construction
RRSE.4 Encourage multimodal access
to trailheads
RRSE.5 Manage passive recreation
activities requiring a permit
CCEI.3 Connect youth to the outdoors
CCEI.4 Support city-wide engagement
with federally recognized
American Indian Tribes and
Indigenous Peoples
EHR.8
EHR.9
ATT.6
ATT.7
ATT.8
ATT.9
RRSE.6
RRSE.7
RRSE.8
RRSE.9
CCEI.5
CCEI.6
CCEI.7
CCEI.8
CCEI.9
TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3
MASTER PLANSTRATEGIES
Agenda Item 8A Page 10
MEMORANDUM
TO: Open Space Board of Trustees
FROM: Dan Burke, Director, Open Space and Mountain Parks
Jeff Haley, Deputy Director, Visitor Experience and Infrastructure
Jennelle Freeston, Deputy Director, Community Connections
Bill Wildenberg, Senior Landscape Architect
Gretchen Bolivar, Ranger Supervisor
Lisa Goncalo, Recreation Stewardship Senior Program Manager
DATE: April 9, 2025
SUBJECT: Update on Flagstaff Operations and Management
_____________________________________________________________________________
Summary
This purpose of this agenda item is to provide an update on the Flagstaff Mountain Operations and
Management project that was initiated within 2024. This memo and upcoming presentation at the
April business meeting will provide the Open Space Board of Trustees (OSBT) with an update on the
ongoing operations & management, project updates, and next steps. This important project was
prioritized to review the current practices and protocol for management of OSMP assets and visitor
use areas along the Flagstaff Road corridor and explore options to increase visitor safety within the
area, as well as opportunities to ensure the long-term viability of the ecological and recreational values
in the area related to climate impacts, high visitation and opportunities for collaboration among a
variety of public agencies that have jurisdiction within the area. OSBT received a written update in
September of 2024 and the memo can be viewed here as well as a more detailed discussion at the
OSBT fall retreat in October of 2024.
Purpose
The overall purpose of this project is to review and identify potential improvements to OSMP
managed land along the Flagstaff Road corridor including trail connections, trailheads, access points,
and parking with an emphasis on addressing management challenges and safety concerns. It supports a
variety of OSMP Master Plan strategies as outlined in this memo and achieves several citywide
initiatives related to public safety, asset management and community access to OSMP properties. The
project will focus on the completion of a site plan (infrastructure) and management plan (operations)
for the Flagstaff Road corridor, standardize best
practices for parking management informed by
existing visitor safety and management
challenges, define a process for making
decisions about management and
closures/formalization of roadway parking, and
implementation. Staff will evaluate opportunities
to improve visitor safety and natural resource
protection using infrastructure and operational
updates to manage visitor use, including
prohibiting parking near sensitive habitat areas.
Agenda Item 8B Page 1
In Scope
•Understand the existing management, visitor safety and natural resource impact concerns.
•Review existing designated and undesignated trails in the corridor and any improvements
and realignments that might be warranted as guided by the various plans.
•Meet with stakeholders including but not limited to residents, resident groups, BCSO,
BPD, Boulder Fire and Emergency Services.
•Compile existing planning guidance that informs the management of the area, including
Boulder County’s “Flagstaff Mountain Cultural Landscape District”.
•Continue coordination with BOCO regarding their improvement project.
•Identify criteria for site distance pull-offs (via a traffic engineer).
•Identify County standards that would support / not support closures.
•Identify preferred parking location, formalization and designation if needed.
•Identify parking closure locations and infrastructure to support the decision.
•Identify infrastructure that supports an increase in safety, including gates.
•Update documentation and data to reflect the management decisions for parking areas.
•Implementation
Current Management Practices
Within the Flagstaff Mountain corridor, OSMP has been making incremental improvements to
improve visitor safety, after hours, on Flagstaff Mountain and along the Flagstaff Road corridor for
many years. Below is a list of management actions taken to date and leading up to this current project.
2019: Identified need for visitor management updates.
2020: Multi-jurisdictional effort of OSMP, Boulder County Rangers, and Boulder County
Transportation to close pull-off parking adjacent to Habitat Conservation Areas. This
included the installation of temporary flexible fiberglass “no parking” signs by OSMP and
permanent “no parking” signs by County Transportation.
Visitors continue to park in these pull-offs adjacent to Habitat Conservation Areas and
temporary posts are frequently removed or damaged by vehicles and snowplows.
2020: Boulder Star is closed during the COVID-19 pandemic to limit gathering and remains
closed to limit natural resource impacts and illegal activities to increase public safety. The
closure included Variable Message Board (VMS) notifications and temporary closure of the
Halfway House trailhead parking. Ranger patrols were increased as well.
Visitors continue to illegally access the area immediately below the Boulder Star.
2021: Night-time parking hours updated to “No Parking” 9pm – 5am.
Visitors continue to park illegally after 9pm.
2022: OSMP Ranger patrols increased during night-time hours through overtime opportunities.
Visitors continue to engage in illegal activities regularly along Flagstaff Road.
2022: All regulation boards were updated with new kiosks, including rules and regulations and
supporting universal symbols to reinforce desired visitor behavior.
Visitors continue to engage in illegal activities regularly along Flagstaff Road.
2023: Planning for roadway improvements initiated by Boulder County.
2024: Proposed Flagstaff Safety and Visitor Use Management Project and scoping initiated.
Agenda Item 8B Page 2
Project Area
A key focus for the project includes visitor use areas / visitor behavior on Flagstaff Mountain and how
the associated challenges with safety, vandalism and natural resource impacts including wildfire risk.
OSMP staff have inventoried and begun to assess the current state of vehicle parking and visitor
access along the Flagstaff corridor. The Trailheads and Access Points were designated through the
West Trail Study Area (TSA) Plan and allow for 62 total designated parking spaces along the Flagstaff
Corridor between the 1- and 5-mile markers (mm). The project area is defined as the following:
Five (5) designated trailheads: Panorama Point (1.0 mm) Halfway House (1.3 mm) Crown Rock (2.1 mm) Realization Point (3.4 mm) Lost Gulch (4.4 mm)
Five (5) designated access points: Upper Crown Rock (2.2 mm) Baseline Picnic Area (3.0 mm) Ranger Trail (3.5 mm) Long Canyon (4.7 mm) Green Mountain West Ridge (5.0 mm)
Five (5) undesignated access points: Campbell Cliffs (1.4 mm) Capstan (1.8 mm) Contact Corner (2.6 mm) Top Shop (3.6 mm) Cathedral Park (4.5 mm)
Forty-five or more (45+) undesignated pull-offs Refer to map below
Agenda Item 8B Page 3
To demonstrate meaningful change addressing visitation growth, impacts, and illegal activity requires
a thoughtful and holistic management approach. Beginning in June 2024, a staff team, comprised of
interdisciplinary subject matter experts within the department, worked to understand and define the
existing management, visitor safety, and natural resource impact concerns on Flagstaff. Staff also met
with external stakeholders like the Boulder Police Department, Boulder County Sheriff’s Office,
Boulder County Transportation, and Flagstaff residents to better understand their concerns. Through
this coordination, OSMP staff identified 5 key management objectives.
Flagstaff Mountain Operations and Management Objectives
Within these management objectives, staff developed an initial list of potential management actions
with anticipated cost (low, medium or high), time frame to implement, strengths, and risks. Each of
these actions will need to be analyzed and vetted in detail and communicated with internal and
external stakeholders to determine the implementation strategy. A phased implementation approach
consisting of short-term, mid-term, and long-term improvements allows staff to move more quickly on
short-term items that are relatively lower in cost, occur within the OSMP property boundary, and can
be implemented quickly, while allocating the necessary time to design and fund long-term
improvements. Long-term improvements may also require additional coordination with external
stakeholders, such as Boulder County Transportation, and are higher cost to implement.
In order to provide the OSBT with a sense of the methodology that staff is using to generate and assess
potential ideas and actions, below are a few examples from a longer list of POTENTIAL short-term,
mid-term, and long-term actions/ideas being considered by staff. Once assembled, this full list of
actions/ideas will then be vetted over the next few months of the project. The full list of potential
actions and staff’s assessment of each will be provided to the OSBT later in 2025.
Agenda Item 8B Page 4
Additional Project Updates
As the project team continues to identify and vet/assess actions and ideas, staff have also concurrently
implemented several improvements detailed below as well as key engagements with stakeholders.
Web Camera Installation
OSMP staff have installed two web cameras on Flagstaff, one at Panorama Point and the other at
the Flagstaff Nature Center. These web cameras will provide real-time information to the public,
primarily for parking capacity and trip planning. While these web cameras have been installed,
staff anticipate these going live to the public later this year.
Agenda Item 8B Page 5
License Plate Readers (LPR)
OSMP staff have met with the Boulder Police Department and Boulder County Sheriff's Office
to better understand License Plate Reader Camera usage in solving and reducing crimes and
other safety-related matters. License Plate Readers capture objective evidence like license plates
and vehicle characteristics, which are then compared to databases of stolen and wanted vehicles.
When a vehicle of interest is detected, real-time alerts are sent to local law enforcement. Some
LPR’s also include gunshot detection technology. Both agencies expressed support for adding
LPR’s to Flagstaff Road and OSMP is exploring this option.
Community Engagement
On February 5, 2025, OSMP staff met with the Fire Prevention Action Committee (FPAC),
comprised of City of Boulder residents concerned with illegal activity on Flagstaff. Staff
listened to residents’ concerns of human-caused ignition from illegal activity. There was interest
in what steps they can take to be more involved, as well as a conversation around possible
solutions.
Jefferson County Open Space Engagement
On April 2nd, OSMP staff met with Jefferson County Open Space management to learn about the
process they took to install a vehicle gate at the base of Lookout Mountain, as well as lessons
learned.
Master Plan Strategies
EHR.1) Preserve And Restore Important Habitat Blocks And Corridors
RRSE.1) Assess And Manage Increasing Visitation
EHR.4) Reduce Undesignated Trails
RRSE.4) Encourage Multimodal Access To Trailheads
RRSE.6) Support A Range Of Passive Recreation Experiences
RRSE.8) Provide Welcoming And Inspiring Visitor Facilities And Services
EHR.8) Reduce Impacts From Noise, Light And Nearby Land Uses
Next Steps
The project scope and charter
are complete and OSMP staff
will work to assess the ideas /
potential actions outlined
above. The team will also
continue to engage with
stakeholders including
residents, BCSO, BPD, Boulder
Fire and Emergency Services.
Staff anticipates updating
OSBT on a quarterly basis with
a more in-depth review and
discussion at the next update.
Agenda Item 8B Page 6
MEMORANDUM
TO: Open Space Board of Trustees
FROM: Dan Burke, Director, Open Space and Mountain Parks
Lauren Kilcoyne, Deputy Director of Central Services
Samantha McQueen, Business Services Senior Manager
Cole Moffatt, Senior Accountant
DATE: April 9, 2025
SUBJECT: Draft 2026 Work Plan and Budget
________________________________________________________________________
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this update is to begin providing the Open Space Board of Trustees (OSBT) with
information that will help in its upcoming reviews and recommendations of the Open Space and
Mountain Parks (OSMP) Department’s 2026-2031 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and 2026
operating expenditures. In this memo, staff provides an overview of economic conditions and 2024
revenue collections; details the OSMP budget structure; provides the OSBT with an overview of the
2026 operating and capital budget development processes; and provides a draft list of the department’s
proposed 2026 CIP projects for potential OSBT discussion at a future meeting.
A five-part series of OSBT meeting agenda items relating to the budget is as follows: In January,
OSMP staff presented strategic, high-level budget guidance to the OSBT. This month’s item will
include an introduction to the 2026 budget and CIP list. In May, staff will share a written update on
the 2026 budget, including changes from information shared during the April OSBT meeting. In June,
staff will give updates on the draft CIP budget and operating budget, as well as out-year revenue
projections. The July OSBT meeting will include a public hearing for the community to comment on
the proposed 2026-2031 CIP and 2026 operating budget. After public comment, the OSBT will make
a recommendation.
DRAFT 2024 REVENUE COLLECTIONS
OSMP staff review draft revenue collections each year and partner with the city’s Finance Department
to develop realistic scenarios for funding the CIP and operating budgets in future years. The Finance
Department expects to present financial forecast information at a May City Council Study Session. At
the June OSBT business meeting, OSMP staff plan to present out-year revenue projections from the
Finance Department to assist with review and recommendation of the CIP and operating budget. The
following section details draft 2024 revenue collections and explains how economic conditions will be
factored into the 2026-2031 CIP and 2026 operating budget.
After declining revenues as a result of COVID-19 led to budget reductions in 2020 and 2021, the 2022
budget was the first to return to pre-COVID staffing levels, including full seasonal and temporary
hiring, incorporating additional investments in Tier One Master Plan strategies in the operating
budget, and increasing the annual CIP to a level that was consistent with pre-COVID averages. As the
cost to maintain services increased, the 2023 budget included additional investments in the operating
budget to account for higher costs of goods and services. The 2024 budget focused on programming
additional revenues to pay for cost increases to maintain existing levels of service delivery, accelerate
priority investments, and fund several previous CIP projects with an ongoing maintenance focus in the
operating budget instead.
Agenda Item 8D Page 1
As noted above, OSMP staff are partnering with the Finance Department to understand our financial
landscape for the upcoming budget years. The department depends heavily on sales and use taxes as a
form of revenue. In 2023, sales and use tax categories represented 93% of the Open Space Fund’s
overall revenue. Draft sales and use tax revenues show a decrease of 0.64% from 2023 to 2024,
excluding audits. In contrast, these same sales and use tax categories increased 2.54% from 2022 to
2023. The department expects slowed revenue in these categories over the next several years and
considered this in the draft 2026 CIP presented later in this memo. As noted above, more detailed
revenue projections from the Finance Department are expected in time for the June business meeting.
Since 2025 budget approval, revenue collections have met expectations, though final 2024 revenue
and expenditure numbers have not yet been released to departments. It is anticipated that actual
revenues will be finalized in advance of the June OSBT business meeting. Staff will share updates
with the OSBT during the next several OSBT business meetings. Draft 2024 revenues are presented in
Table 1. These numbers remain in draft form as the Finance Department completes audits and
accruals. The 2024 revenues that have posted to the Open Space Fund as of March 18, 2025, are as
follows:
Table 1: Draft 2024 Revenues
Description of Revenue 2023 Actual
Revenue
2024 Draft
Revenue
Percent
Change
Retail Sales Tax 27,474,977 27,767,434 1.06%
Construction Use Tax 3,299,682 2,976,984 -9.78%
Consumer / Business Use Tax 2,053,220 1,962,397 -4.42%
Motor Vehicle Use Tax 1,286,186 1,190,103 -7.47%
Intergovernmental Charges 285,384 961,895 237.05%
Interest: Pooled Investments 607,577 734,210 20.84%
Sales Tax Audits 322,466 421,857 30.82%
Parking Charges 320,764 296,585 -7.54%
Agricultural Leases 196,656 190,663 -3.05%
Penalties/Interest: Audit/Compliance 188,331 165,665 -12.04%
Facility Rentals 155,075 165,108 6.47%
Federal & State Grants 468,340 160,178 -65.80%
Residential & Caretaker Leases 262,223 135,631 -48.28%
Business Use Tax Audits 299,012 127,816 -57.25%
Contributions & Donations 56,900 123,753 117.49%
Penalties/Interest: Non-Audit 81,784 83,521 2.12%
Special Activity Permits 47,722 56,607 18.62%
Voice & Sight Dog Tags 70,723 102,312 44.67%
Miscellaneous Revenues* 35,679 45,535 27.63%
Insurance Proceeds 212 1,537 626.29%
Oil/Gas Leases 1,411 1,459 3.42%
Energy Efficiency Improvements 3,860 0 -100.00%
TOTAL $37,518,184 $37,671,252 0.41%
*Miscellaneous revenues include small payments to the Open Space Fund for transactions like refunds.
Agenda Item 8D Page 2
The draft 0.41% increase in Open Space Fund revenue in 2024 meets expectations for revenue
forecasts set during the 2025 budget process. While collections are still in draft form, total 2024
revenue collections to date of $37.67M are in line with the $37.47M programmed into the Open Space
Fund for 2024. Additional revenue may be posted to the Open Space Fund as the Finance Department
completes audits and accruals.
There were changes to revenue collections in several categories from 2023 to 2024. Notably, revenue
decreased in the categories for Construction Use Tax, Consumer / Business Use Tax, and Motor
Vehicle Use Tax. Revenues in these use categories change year-over-year depending on projects and
timing of permitted activities. Retail Sales Tax more closely aligns with economic conditions and
spending trends. A 1.06% increase in Retail Sales Tax is expected based on the slower revenue growth
projected during the recent budget cycles.
Additionally, the category for Intergovernmental Charges increased significantly from 2023 to 2024.
Revenues in this category included a payment from Boulder County for their portion of the Chapman
Drive Trailhead and pedestrian bridge. This one-time reimbursement for costs was already considered
in the budget for the Chapman Drive Trailhead CIP project.
OSMP staff will update the OSBT in future 2026 budget planning meetings if there are significant
changes to revenues collected in 2024. Final 2024 revenues will also be included in the Open Space
Fund Financial later in the planning process.
OSMP BUDGET STRUCTURE
This section provides funding and structure reminders as reference as we move through the 2026
budget process. First, OSMP is grateful for the support of the community in passing the 2019 ballot
measure to extend a 0.15 percent sales tax to the Open Space Fund for 20 years. As of 2021, the Open
Space Fund is made up of the following three sales tax increments:
• 0.40 percent sales tax which has no sunset;
• 0.22 percent sales tax, to be reduced to .10 percent Jan. 1, 2035, then exists in perpetuity; and
• 0.15 percent sales tax which expires Dec. 31, 2039.
In addition to revenues collected in the Open Space Fund, the Parks & Recreation Department,
Utilities Department, and OSMP were historically appropriated funds through the Lottery Fund since
2011. The appropriation was managed in alignment with an agreement coordinated by the Finance
Department. As part of that agreement, if revenues shifted significantly or departmental needs
changed, appropriations to departments could change. To utilize the funds in areas of significant need,
the Lottery Fund will not be appropriated to departments based on the legacy agreement from 2011
and will be appropriated at the direction of a citywide Executive Budget Team and the City Manager’s
Office. OSMP did not appropriate money from the Lottery Fund in the 2024 and 2025 budget years
and does not expect to receive Lottery Funds again in the 2026 budget. Staff will inform the OSBT if
that expectation changes.
OSMP staff also serve on a citywide team that recommends allocation of dollars from the Climate Tax
Fund to priority projects for wildfire resiliency efforts. The cross-functional city team has started to
convene to recommend 2026 needs, and staff will update the OSBT throughout the budget process as
priorities are determined.
The annual budget process seeks to develop a budget that reflects financial realities and upholds our
commitment to stewarding the land system, implements the 2019 OSMP Master Plan, the city’s
Agenda Item 8D Page 3
Sustainability, Equity & Resilience (SER) Framework, the Citywide Strategic Plan, and furthers other
priority commitments. As a reminder, the overall OSMP department budget is made up of:
• Operating Expenditures – The operating budget accounts for core and ongoing service
activities, including day-to-day maintenance and management, safety and enforcement,
monitoring, strategic and resource planning, wildland fire programming, community
engagement and visitor outreach, education and events, media and web services, permitting
and fees management, administrative and financial support, and more. Operating expenditures
include dollars for staff salaries, cost allocation, and non-personnel funding for smaller scale,
less expensive, or more continuous projects and programs related to ecosystem health,
agriculture and water, recreation, and others.
•Debt Service – This includes annual payments of principal and interest related to long-term
debt associated with past land, water, and mineral acquisitions. For OSMP, this includes
general obligation bond issuance and Boulder Municipal Property Authority (BMPA) notes.
• Capital Improvement Program (CIP) – 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.
2026 CAPITAL AND OPERATING BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
OSMP continues to utilize the robust work planning system that was outlined during the 2025 budget
process. CIP and operating budgets drive our work plan as a department. OSMP’s cross-functional
leadership team, comprised of the department’s Director, four Deputy Directors, as well as budget and
project planning representatives, has convened to work on prioritizing, ranking, and recommending
2026 CIP projects and operating budget changes to the city’s Executive Budget Team and OSBT.
Projects and requests for operating budget changes were submitted by staff through the work plan
system in late 2024 into early 2025, and draft prioritized recommendations are included later in this
memo as CIP recommendations. Staff anticipate that the city’s Finance Department will provide
updated out-year revenue projections in advance of the June OSBT meeting, and these will be used to
refine financial targets for the CIP and operating budgets, if needed.
As noted above, OSMP expects continued slow revenue growth heading into the 2026 fiscal year, as
the department is currently experiencing in 2025. The department’s 2026 work plan will still make
progress on implementing department approved plans as well as delivering core service activities
supporting the important work required to protect, maintain, and sustain our open space system.
Projects and programs that are a part of the department’s core mission include day-to-day and capital
maintenance of facilities, trailheads and trails; agricultural lands management; safety and enforcement;
ecosystem monitoring, maintenance and restoration; climate resilience, including wildfire resilience;
ongoing strategic property acquisitions; conservation easement compliance; data management and
geographic/mapping information; strategic and resource planning; community engagement and visitor
outreach, education and events; providing media services, web-based information and social media;
permitting and fees management; providing support for the OSBT; delivering on equity initiatives; and
more.
To prepare the 2026 budget, OSMP staff will share budget information with the OSBT across five
meetings and will seek recommendations for the CIP and operating budget together in July. OSMP
staff discussed strategic budget guidance with the OSBT at the January business meeting. This date is
incorporated into the annual budget planning calendar. The timeline to discuss 2026 CIP and operating
budget is as follows:
Agenda Item 8D Page 4
Table 2: 2026 Budget Planning Milestones
Milestone Date
OSBT Strategic Budget Guidance Update January 15
OSBT Draft 2026 CIP & Operating Budget Introduction April 9
Financial Forecast & Budget Update to City Council May 8
OSBT Draft 2026 Work Plan & Budget Written Update May 14
OSBT Draft 2026 CIP & Operating Budget Update June 11
OSBT 2026 CIP & Operating Budget Public Hearing and
Recommendation July 9
City Executive Budget Team (EBT) Review of Proposed Budget Late July TBD
Planning Board City CIP Hearing Mid-August TBD
City Council Budget Study Session September 11
City Council Budget Consideration (1st Reading) October 9
City Council Budget Consideration (2nd Reading) October 23
DRAFT 2026 CIP
This section details OSMP’s draft 2026 CIP. Many projects reviewed during the initial CIP intake
process were not ready to move forward, whether they required additional project scoping and/or cost
estimating, needed to be phased and funded in appropriate years (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 $16.9M in 2026 CIP
requests during the work planning process. Of these requests, $11.3M were put on hold, adjusted for
phasing and future funding, or rejected to allow more time for coordination. Table 3 includes a few
examples of projects that were reviewed and then subsequently adjusted down or are not reflected in
the department’s draft 2026 CIP list. OSMP staff will provide a list of projects to be funded in future
years, beyond 2026, for the June business meeting. Projects listed in Table 3 may be included on that
list.
Table 3: Examples of 2026 Requested CIP Projects Changed or Omitted from Draft 2026 CIP
List
Project Title Amount
Requested
2026 Amount
Funded
Reason for Omission or
Change
Local Food Farm Sites
Improvements
$260,000 $220,000 Project scaled down to
complete most work in 2026
and continue scoping
remaining work for future
years.
Dry Creek Trailhead Redesign $970,000 $833,776 Project scoped for more
accurate cost estimates.
Restore Boulder Creek
Floodplain Riparian Habitat
and Wetlands
$600,000 $0 Grant opportunities have been
identified for the project.
OSMP expects this project to
be funded with grant dollars in
2026.
Tallgrass Prairie East Site
Planning and Habitat
Conservation Area (HCA)
Activation
$100,000 $0 Project needs additional
scoping and can be completed
in a future year, and timing
should align with the six-year
Planning and Design
Workgroup work plan
Agenda Item 8D Page 5
Project Title Amount
Requested
2026 Amount
Funded
Reason for Omission or
Change
presented to OSBT in February
2025.
Implement Resource
Information Services Standard
Operating Procedures
$50,000 $0 Operating funds have been
identified for reallocation to
cover the project.
Additional to the projects recommended in the 2026 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 2026 will be directed
towards capital carryover projects, new 2026 capital projects, and a host of programs, ongoing
services, and projects funded out of the 2026 operating budget.
The draft $5,949,199 2026 CIP presented in this memo represents a decrease of $874,901 compared to
the $6,824,100 CIP in 2025. The Fund Financial submitted during last year’s budget process signaled
that out-year CIP budgets would be reduced, and the draft CIP stays within the projection submitted
last year. Gradual, balanced reductions allow stewardship of the Open Space Fund through the
forecasted slowed revenue growth over the next several years, as well as increases to the cost of doing
business. At the January business meeting, the OSBT requested trend data as part of the 2026 budget
presentations. The ten-year CIP is provided in Table 4.
Table 4: Total CIP Funding by Year
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 above, OSMP does not expect to receive
Lottery Funds in the 2026 budget. The funding sources for the 2026 draft CIP include a federal grant
for trail work and recreation improvements for Mt. Sanitas. Climate Tax dollars for 2026 have not
been allocated across the city yet, and OSMP will provide an update around any anticipated Climate
Tax dollars earmarked for OSMP projects in future budget materials.
Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Grant
Information in this section was shared with the OSBT during the 2025 budget planning process. In
2023, staff applied for a competitive LWCF grant to support a variety of trail work and recreation
improvements for Mt. Sanitas, including the main trail leading to the summit, designating and
$0
$2,000,000
$4,000,000
$6,000,000
$8,000,000
$10,000,000
$12,000,000
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
Agenda Item 8D Page 6
improving current social trails, and providing safe access to bouldering. This grant application was in
partnership with the Boulder Open Space Conservancy (BOSC), which 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. In early 2024, 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. 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 through 2027. Of the $5,949,199 draft 2026 CIP, $5,599,328 will be
funded by the Open Space Fund and the remaining $349,871 will be reimbursed with a portion of
grant dollars awarded. The draft 2026 CIP list later in this memo includes a project titled Mount
Sanitas Trail Improvement Project.
Master Plan Alignment with 2025 CIP Projects
The 2026 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 titled Stockwater Planning for Drought Resilience and Support of Diversified
Agriculture is funded at $90,000 in the 2026 draft CIP and is captured as follows:
Table 5: 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% $30,600
Secondary 1 EHR.1) Preserve and restore important habitat
blocks and corridors 33% $29,700
Tertiary 2 ATT.4) Protect water resources in a warmer
future 33% $29,700
Total 100% $90,000
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 seven 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 Agriculture Today and Tomorrow (ATT) and Ecosystem Health and Resilience (EHR). The chart
below displays the seven-year cumulative investment in each focus area since investments were
tracked against Master Plan priorities.
Agenda Item 8D Page 7
Table 6: 2020-2026 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 seven-year period is consistent with the integrated budget guidance.
To highlight key changes from previous years, EHR will receive less funding as a percentage of the
total CIP budget in 2026 for several reasons. First, as noted in Table 3, OSMP expects to receive grant
funding for a $600,000 project titled Restore Boulder Creek Floodplain Riparian Habitat and
Wetlands. A majority of the funds for this project support EHR strategies, and while the department
expects this project to move forward in 2026, the Open Space Fund will not be the funding source.
Another significant 2026 EHR effort that the Open Space Fund will not be funding is the upcoming
multi-million dollar restoration of 119 acres of CU-South property to be transferred to the City and
managed by OSMP as part of the South Boulder Creek Flood Mitigation Project. As noted in the
OSMP Budget Structure section of this memo, the citywide Climate Tax Fund is currently and may
continue to support EHR-based projects in the department. OSMP staff will inform the OSBT of
projects approved for Climate Tax funding at an upcoming business meeting. Finally, 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 strategies were 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 2026 operating budget as opposed to CIP.
Additionally, ATT projects will receive more funding in the 2026 CIP than previous years. Several
projects that support implementation of the Agricultural Resources Management Plan are proposed for
2026, including a project titled Fort Chambers/Poor Farm Site Management Plan Implementation:
$9,255,060
$11,997,415
$9,863,346
$4,426,132
$5,664,101
$0
$2,000,000
$4,000,000
$6,000,000
$8,000,000
$10,000,000
$12,000,000
$14,000,000
EHR RRSE ATT CCEI FS
Agenda Item 8D Page 8
Wells House with a proposed budget of $805,776. This project will support the overall Fort
Chambers/Poor Farm Site Management Plan project and will focus on rehabilitation of the historic
Wells House. Many water and irrigation projects that are tied to ATT strategies will also receive
funding in the 2026 proposed CIP, including an increase to the project titled Stockwater Planning for
Drought Resilience and Support of Diversified Agriculture, which received $60,000 in the 2025 CIP
and is proposed on the department’s 2026 CIP list for $90,000.
Table 7: 2020-2026 CIP by Master Plan Focus Area (Target Percentages)
Focus Areas
10-Year target
percentage to inform
MP implementation
spending
2026 CIP percentage
($5,949,199)
Cumulative 2020-
2026 CIP
Ecosystem Health and
Resilience 25-40%10% 22%
Responsible
Recreation,
Stewardship, and
Enjoyment
20-35%33% 29%
Agriculture Today and
Tomorrow 15-30%41% 24%
Community
Connection, Education,
and Inclusion
10-25%11% 11%
Financial Sustainability 10-25%5% 14%
The draft 2026 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 2026 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 2026 CIP is consistent with the department goal to prioritize Tier 1 strategies in a fiscally
constrained environment, with 68% of funding advancing Tier 1 strategies. Table 8 details draft 2026
CIP funding by Master Plan tier and Table 9 displays this information over a cumulative seven-year
period.
Agenda Item 8D Page 9
Table 8: 2026 CIP by Master Plan Tier (Excludes Financial Sustainability)
Table 9: 2020-2026 CIP by Master Plan Tier (Excludes Financial Sustainability)
Proposed/Recommended 2026 CIP Projects
The 2026 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 a later OSBT meeting, staff will provide the board with a list of proposed CIP
projects in the coming years, beyond 2026.
$3,802,997, 68%
$867,566, 15%$959,136, 17%
$0
$500,000
$1,000,000
$1,500,000
$2,000,000
$2,500,000
$3,000,000
$3,500,000
$4,000,000
Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3
$24,725,834, 70%
$5,402,999, 15%$5,413,121, 15%
$0
$5,000,000
$10,000,000
$15,000,000
$20,000,000
$25,000,000
$30,000,000
Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3
Agenda Item 8D Page 10
Please note that this list may change as revenue forecasts and operating budget estimates are refined.
In partnership with the Finance Department, OSMP is planning for additional increases to the 2026
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, and Finance/Accounting. There may be other increased costs to account for in the
operating budget. If changes are needed to this draft CIP 2026 CIP list to account for revenue forecasts
and increasing costs in the operating budget, OSMP staff will inform the OSBT.
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 2025 for a project that will
occur in 2026 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 2026 CIP
Project Proposed
2025 Funding
Initiate/
Continue/
Complete
Associated
Department
Assessment/Plan
Chautauqua Ranger Cottage and Trailhead
Redesign 1,000,000 Initiate West Trail Study Area
Plan
Development of a Food Forest on an Open Space
Location 100,000 Continue Agricultural Resources
Management Plan
Dry Creek Trailhead Redesign 833,776 Initiate Visitor Master Plan
Facility Maintenance and Rehabilitation 425,000 Continue OSMP Facilities
Assessment and
Citywide Strategic Plan
Fort Chambers/Poor Farm Site Management Plan
Implementation 150,000 Continue Visitor Master Plan and
Citywide Strategic Plan
Fort Chambers/Poor Farm Site Management Plan
Implementation: Wells House
805,776 Initiate Agricultural Resources
Management Plan
Irrigation Infrastructure Improvements and
Maintenance 138,000 Continue Agricultural Resources
Management Plan
Livestock Corrals Installation on Leased
Properties 80,000 Continue Agricultural Resources
Management Plan
Local Food Farm Sites Improvements 220,000 Continue Agricultural Resources
Management Plan
Lower Bluestem Trail Design and Construction 406,776 Initiate Visitor Master Plan
Mount Sanitas Trail Improvement Project 349,871 Continue Visitor Master Plan and
Trail Study Area Plans
OSMP Climate Plan Implementation 150,000 Continue Master Plan and
Citywide Strategic Plan
Replacement of Dry Creek #2 Pipeline and Trestle 75,000 Continue Agricultural Resources
Management Plan
Replacement of Van Vleet Boundary and Interior
Fencing 80,000 Initiate Agricultural Resources
Management Plan
Restoration of Irrigated Agricultural Fields with
Prairie Dog Conflict 500,000 Continue Master Plan and
Preferred Alternative
Agenda Item 8D Page 11
Project Proposed
2025 Funding
Initiate/
Continue/
Complete
Associated
Department
Assessment/Plan
Approach for Managing
Irrigated Agricultural
Fields with Prairie Dog
Conflict
Restoration of Vegetation, Riparian Habitats, and
Wetlands 50,000 Continue Grassland Management
Plan
Soil Health Improvement Projects on Leased
Agricultural Properties 115,000 Continue Agricultural Resource
Management Plan
Soil Health Improvement Projects on Unleased
Agricultural Properties 100,000 Continue Agricultural Resource
Management Plan
South Boulder Creek Instream Flow Initiative 50,000 Continue Grassland Management
Plan and Agricultural
Resource Management
Plan
Stockwater Planning for Drought Resilience and
Support of Diversified Agriculture 90,000 Continue Agricultural Resource
Management Plan
Swartz Property Irrigation Improvement
Implementation
130,000 Initiate Agricultural Resources
Management Plan
Wildfire Resilient Landscapes: Fuels Mitigation 100,000 Continue Master Plan and
Citywide Strategic Plan
TOTAL 5,949,199
The department looks forward to feedback from the OSBT at the April 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 future business meetings.
Agenda Item 8D Page 12