[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: Trail Around Boulder

[cmosupport at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Becker, KC

Council:

At the conclusion of the West TSA process, Council directed that Open Space and Mountain Parks prioritize completing some regional trail connections. And at the retreat there was some talk again about wanting to focus on regional trail connections. One idea that has been around but didn't surface at the time- I think for no other reason than we didn't think of it- is a trail around Boulder. As we all know, Boulder is virtually surrounded by open space that the city has diligently and effectively worked over many years to assemble. Almost all of this land has some trail on it, and yet there are a few pieces here and there which are missing. If these pieces were to be added, it would create a 34 mile loop around Boulder.  Conceptually, I personally think it's a really neat idea. I wonder how many cities in the United States have a trail system that fully encircles them.

However, I have no idea what practical, legal, or environmental issues there may be in finishing these last few segments. I don't know what our public, our Open Space Board, or the County would think of the idea. But I'd like to find out and 'd like to add this, if possible, to the list of regional trail connections that we'd like Open Space to complete.

I'm bringing this up here because I'd like the Council Agenda Committee to schedule this for a brief discussion under Matters. I'm not sure if it takes a council vote to add it to our list of priority regional trail connections, or if the City Manager would like to get a nod of 5 to have OSMP study it a little more and report back to us, or if OSMP can reply by email before our next business meeting (or our business meeting 2 weeks out) when we would potentially discuss it. I can bring a map of the existing and missing links and perhaps ask a couple people who know more about it than I do to speak to the issue during Open Comment, once we know when the item will be scheduled.

I'm sending this out on the hotline so that OSMP and any one else who may want to engage can know that I intend to, at a minimum, ask for more information and have Council take an initial look at the idea and weigh in.


KC Becker
beckerk at bouldercolorado.gov<mailto:beckerk at bouldercolorado.gov>