Board and Commissions '23 call for volunteers
Happy New Year!
We've got news, community board volunteer opportunities and some interesting tidbits to kick the new year off right. Let's get rolling!
A Help request:
Each year we ask for volunteers to contribute their time and talents to Boulder’s many advisory boards. These small groups study current issues and make recommendations to city staff and electeds. Planning Board, the Arts Commission, Transportation Advisory Board, and many more play an important role in shaping city decisions from the start. Most boards require no special qualifications, and the city values diverse perspectives in its appointment process. Interested? We have resources to help you apply. Get started today by filling out this form and we’ll be in touch!
Awesome:
Boulder is revisiting the question of how to use downtown public streets. When city staff re-opened west Pearl St. to noisy and polluting personal vehicles, they promised community engagement to review future use.
We at BP loved the temporary conversion of downtown pavement to pedestrian and gathering spaces during the pandemic. And based on the number of folks who contacted City Council last year, we know we weren’t alone.
Show your support for pedestrian zones, safe streets, people-focused landscaping and more by taking the Downtown Streets as Public Spaces survey. After hitting “submit”, keep going to select specific streets where you’d like to see improvements. This section works best on your desktop, and can be accessed directly here.
Ready for one more open streets challenge? Ask your favorite restaurant, cafe, or brewery to apply to the Boulder Outdoor Dining Pilot Program. This program is available city-wide - not just downtown! Applications open on February 1 for one month only.
Not Awesome:
Boulder, like cities nationwide, continues to grapple with how to balance compassion and human rights with a desire for order and predictability in the public realm. Too often, unhoused members of our community pay a steep price for our choices. With a ban on camping or sleeping covered, and no daytime facilities, it’s not surprising that dozens of unhoused and formerly unhoused people die in Boulder every year. At Boulder’s annual Homeless Day of Remembrance memorial, community members shared their memories of those lost.
Our local discussion of homelessness took a new turn in December, with the discovery of meth contamination in the Main Library. We’re grateful for the city’s fast action on testing and remediation, and welcome progress towards a day shelter that will reduce the burdens on our library and librarians - which the community has relied on too long as front-line service providers.
Finally, we’re frustrated by recent actions taken to constrain Boulder’s Police Oversight Panel (POP). In November, the Boulder Police Department dismissed the POP’s discipline recommendations in a case involving multiple officers who failed to investigate cases assigned to them. One panel member resigned in protest. Then, in December, City Council delayed approving new POP members. Representatives from the NAACP and El Centro Amistad - charged with making nominations on behalf of impacted communities - were required to review and resubmit their selections to satisfy a vocal group of homeowners. We will continue to advocate for transparency and accountability in community-police relations, and a strong POP is an essential part of that process.
Up Next:
We've got a few calls to action for those so inclined to try to sway advisory boards and staff to advance cycling in Boulder.
First up, on Wednesday, February 8th, the Open Space Board of Trustees will be voting on whether to allow e-bikes on Open Space gravel trails. This vote has the opportunity to contribute to commuter routes or encourage less able bodied access of open space. There are three options available and we are suggesting folks to advocate for B (+Chapman) or A. If you aren't able to attend the meeting to speak at open comment, send them an email (OSBT-Web@bouldercolorado.gov) to let them know you support e-bikes.
Additionally, there is the matter of North Broadway and the disastrous implementation of cycling and pedestrian infrastructure. The path to mending this, and putting forth a vision for a truly protected bike lane, starts with the Transportation Advisory Board meeting on Monday, February 13th. We encourage the community to let transportation staff know that the current conditions are unacceptable and will lead to more severe injuries like what happened to Cherry Anderson, Mayor Aaron Brockett's wife this past weekend. Lend your voices for truly safe bike infrastructure by attending the meeting or by emailing board members.
Interesting:
The Canadian city of Montreal is a transit and bike infrastructure leader, and goes to great lengths to keep sidewalks and streets accessible to pedestrians and bicyclists during cold and wet winters. Two weeks after a wet storm left a deep layer of cement on the Front Range, we’re marveling at their quick and comprehensive snow removal operations. Enjoy!
