[BoulderCouncilHotline] Re: FW: Citizen concern re Master Plan citizen input

[Burke, Dan]

Good morning, Cindy. I am following up on your email from Monday to provide additional information concerning an email Council received regarding OSMP-related questions. I have CC’ed Rebecca Trafton and Jan Liverance, who sent emails to you recently regarding these questions.

1)  There is a projected focus on agriculture that is huge and costly. According to the Daily Camera, the city will acquire a property and lease for $1 per year to BOSC, the new Boulder Open Space Conservancy, to create an Agricultural Center. Where will these city funds come from? Is agriculture an identified focus of public concern?

To first address the question if agriculture is a public concern: Agriculture is a specific city Open Space Charter Purpose: “Preservation of agricultural uses and land suitable for agricultural production.” About one-third of city open space is currently associated with agricultural use.

In regards to the new non-profit organization, Boulder Open Space Conservancy (BOSC): BOSC and OSMP have been discussing ways we can partner in identifying and working on issues of mutual interest facing our agricultural community. As part of this effort, BOSC and OSMP recently held three listening sessions to hear what is important to the community in regards to agricultural issues facing our community. OSMP staff is now reviewing the comments and feedback.

This feedback will help OSMP determine what components of the council-approved Agricultural Resource Management Plan<https://bouldercolorado.gov/osmp/osmp-agriculture> are priorities for implementation and to also help identify ways that BOSC can leverage community resources in carrying out these priorities. While the concept of establishing an agricultural center has been part of the dialogue between our two organizations, these discussions have not advanced beyond the discussion phase. There is no agreement in place that is committing the City to acquire property and lease for $1/year to BOSC. If you would like more information on partnership efforts with BOSC, please feel free to contact Mark Davison, OSMP’s community connections and partnerships manager, at 303-441-4415.

3) Former director Winfree convinced the city to allocate $8 over 5 years for an aggregated campus. Should this be a top priority when the city is in a budget shortfall?

OSMP initiated two studies in 2015 and 2016 to help determine the best path forward to address numerous issues facing OSMP buildings. Those include:


  *   Health and safety issues
  *   Major upgrades and major remodeling needs, some that cannot take place with staff occupying the buildings
  *   Significant space limitations associated with our existing office buildings
  *   Considerable inefficiencies of having OSMP staff spread out over four separate campus locations and six buildings throughout the Boulder area.

It was determined through these studies that an “interim” office location should be identified where staff can reside for the next five years or so until a permanent campus location is determined and until upgrades and remodeling can be completed. Thus, the plan is to address the issues, needs and inefficiencies facing our current office buildings during this interim period – with hopes that OSMP’s Cherryvale location will become our permanent hub after remodeling and upgrades. In the meantime, the majority of our staff will finally be housed under one roof at office space located at 2520 N. 55th street. Move-in date is expected to occur late July/early August. No cost estimates have yet been determined for establishing a permanent campus location. I hope this response helps to clarify things a bit and let me know if you would like more information. If you have additional questions regarding this, you can contact Jim Reeder, OSMP’s trails and facilities manager, at 303-859-1555. Thanks.

Sincerely,

Dan


From: Carlisle, Cynthia <CarlisleC at bouldercolorado.gov>
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2018 11:37 AM
To: Weideman, Mary Ann <WeidemanM at bouldercolorado.gov>; HOTLINE <HOTLINE at bouldercolorado.gov>
Subject: [BoulderCouncilHotline] FW: Citizen concern re Master Plan citizen input

Dear Mary Ann,
Here is the letter I referred to earlier. Please ask OSMP staff to have information regarding #1 and #3 below for tomorrow night’s study session.  We’ve had some discussion about the second item and I’d expect to have more information about it in future.
Sincerely,
Cindy

From: Rebecca Trafton [mailto:rebeccatrafton at gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, June 8, 2018 8:09 AM
To: Council <council at bouldercolorado.gov<mailto:council at bouldercolorado.gov>>
Cc: Rebecca Trafton <rebecca.trafton at gmail.com<mailto:rebecca.trafton at gmail.com>>; Jan Liverance <janliverance at gmail.com<mailto:janliverance at gmail.com>>
Subject: Citizen concern re Master Plan citizen input


To the members of City Council:

I write to express my deep  concern about the direction that OSMP is planning for the future.
Staff has completed the first stage of  the Master Plan and, as a result of the Citizen Input Process, has determined  Five Focus Areas.   This has been widely invited and publicized (see below this letter.)
We are being told our voices will be heard.

However, in significant ways, OSMP seems headed in a very different direction.

1)     There is a projected focus on agriculture that is huge and costly.     According to the Daily Camera, the city will acquire a property and lease for $1 per year to BOSC, the new Boulder Open Space Conservancy, to create an Agricultural Center.        Where will these city funds come from?       Is agriculture an identified focus of public concern?

2)     The city has recently acquired the Poor Farm, a major expense that will require significant expenditure in restoration and ongoing maintenance.  To date, no information has been made public about the projected use of this facility.     Will this be another lengthy and costly process like that at Alpine-Balsam, a process to determine the best use of a facility?   Does it not make sense that a facility be procured after a need has been identified?

3)      Former director Winfree convinced the city to allocate $8 over 5 years for an aggregated campus.       Should this be a top priority when the city is in a budget shortfall?
I have heard from more than 4 staff that the multi-stage and temporary move and renovation  have been wasteful of time and money.
               (  My source:  I volunteer in 4 different capacities for OSMP. I know a number of staff members well.)

On a positive note:
The five focus areas share a common theme.     Good planning will make it possible to work efficiently and coordinate need and focus.
That theme is EDUCATION.         It is not acquisition.        It is not agriculture.
Education is key to stewardship, the vital next step of caring for the land that has been acquired over 50 years, directed by the vision of the 1960’s.

How can we all, as citizens,  focus the direction of OSMP?
A Master Plan is a good first step.
Now we must focus on what citizens have expressed and what is best for the future of our department and our city.

Please, please do not let OSMP staff lead us in the wrong direction.

With sincere thanks for your consideration,

    Rebecca Trafton
    OSMP volunteer naturalist, native plants gardener, restoration volunteer, and herbarium team member

2424 Fourth Street   Boulder, CO  80304
434-249-3376


FROM OSMP ANNOUNCEMENTS:

From an e-announcement on May 7, 2018:
"Based on your input, OSMP is proposing to focus staff work over the next five to 10 years on the following major themes…”


From an OSMP email on February 14, 2018
The Open Space Board of Trustees invites all citizens to tell us why open space is important to you and to share your vision for the future. Traditionally, public process is driven by those who have the time and stamina to attend multi-hour public meetings and city council hearings. This time will be different. Taking the recommendations of the city’s Public Process Working Group to heart, OSMP is actively seeking the input of all users and admirers of open space—the overworked families, the college students, the kids, the retirees, those new and old to Boulder. We are all part of the fabric of this community, and as owners of the land we all have a say in the future of the open space that literally defines our city. You can play an important part in framing both the challenges and the possible solutions.


Public e-mail, May 9, 2018”
After reviewing about 1,500 comments about the future of City of Boulder open space, Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) staff drafted five focus areas – or management themes – to guide the development of the future OSMP Master Plan. Based on your input, OSMP is proposing to focus staff work over the next five to 10 years on the following major themes


From an OSMP announcement, May 10, 2018:
These lands are your lands. We need your valuable input to guide the way we manage your precious lands and support the way you enjoy them over the next decade.

From the February 14th OSMP email:
Please join the conversation, and sustain this treasure that is a gift to ourselves!





-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://list.ci.boulder.co.us/pipermail/bouldercouncilhotline/attachments/20180614/6654db51/attachment.html