[BoulderCouncilHotline] Suggestions for the Hill

[Wallach, Mark]

What happened during the riots on the Hill on March 6 was unacceptable. The safety of our first responders was jeopardized and their equipment damaged; community members’ cars were damaged and overturned. In addition, the  longer-term health consequences of this potential super-spreader event are as yet unknown.

It is also clear that the relationship between the long-term residents of the Hill and the student population is not in balance, and we believe that we as a City can take some steps to improve this situation. After decades of turning away from the problem, it is time for a direct, focused analysis of what has gone wrong and what needs to be done.  Our focus is not on being punitive towards students, but on putting into place policies that will reduce the likelihood of a recurrence of the events of March 6, and ensuring that all residents routinely have the quiet enjoyment of their homes.

There are a myriad number of ways in which life on the Hill and other impacted neighborhoods  can be improved. We are asking for a nod of five to allow the city attorney’s office to work with stakeholders including representatives from CU, students, landlords and impacted neighborhoods to come up with a list of workable solutions. We do not have a fully-formed list of changes to propose, but rather offer some examples of the types of changes that could ultimately be implemented, as follows:

1) Consistent code enforcement. We should identify what currently inhibits consistent enforcement and implement changes that promote compliance.

2) Amend our code where needed. For example, we can make changes to better permit complaints to be lodged on a confidential basis. Too many times those who have filed reports have been named, and have suffered acts of retaliation.

3) Embed processes that better include landlords in our efforts.  Many property owners are more than willing to work with the City and CU to promote better behavior; process changes like notice to landlords that their tenants have been issued a ticket will assist them in doing so. Code  changes could supplement this as well.

4) Actions must have consequences. CU can be the most influential player in curbing poor student behavior. When necessary, we urge CU to go beyond mere education to actually uphold its values in terms of student discipline.

5) We greatly appreciate that CU has taken ownership of the incident of March 6, and has apologized for all that transpired. What would go even further is a contribution from CU to offset the extraordinary expenses incurred by the City as a result of the March 6 riot.

We urge our colleagues to join with us in supporting a review and analysis of how the relationship between our long-term residents and students on the Hill and other university-affected neighborhoods can be improved for the benefit of all. It is time for a change.

Rachel Friend
Mark Wallach




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