[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: Bear Protection Ordinance

[cmosupport at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Yates, Bob

Council Colleagues:


On Tuesday evening, we will receive a report from city staff on the implementation of the Black Bear Protection Ordinance that Council adopted in 2014.  As part of that report, staff will remind us that, this June, certain multifamily housing complexes will be required to use new bear-resistant dumpsters, with heavy lids.  However, as noted at page 361 in Tuesday's Council packet, representatives of two multifamily complexes have contacted the city staff asking if there may be exceptions or other alternative arrangements made for residents in those complexes who are elderly or who have physical disabilities that make it difficult or impossible for the residents to use the new dumpsters required by the ordinance.  Regrettably, our ordinance does not grant the City Manager this discretion.


As we discuss the staff's report on the bear protection ordinance on Tuesday evening, I will ask my Council colleagues if they would be willing to request that the City Manager and City Attorney prepare a draft amendment to the ordinance that provides the City Manager the authority to grant exemptions or variances to the multifamily dumpster requirement, where good cause is shown, and only so long as no bear intrusions occur at the relevant location.  I would expect that there would be few exemptions sought or granted, but those granted will aid our elderly and disabled residents, while still achieving our bear protection objectives.


Because this matter is already on Council's agenda as Item 6C, I don't believe that a separate "nod of five" item needs to be added to Section 8 of the agenda.  However, I defer to the judgment of the Council Agenda Committee in this regards.

Best,
Bob