[BoulderCouncilHotline] Staff follow up on Open Comment items

[Rivera-Vandermyde, Nuria]

Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem and Council Members:
Below please find follow up information based on questions or comments that have come up at recent council meetings during Open Comment.  As always, please reach out if you have further questions.


1.      Clarifying the staff summary regarding broadband engagement.

Staff’s engagement direction is to understand the full “spectrum of need” for high-speed fiber-based internet from the community (residents, businesses, transportation providers, education providers, medical providers, etc.). We intend to do this both directly and through proxy data from peer cities who have gone down either the B or C path. The purpose of this is to inform both financial modeling for option C and to gauge areas of specific need that could filter into future negotiations in option B or operating model design for option C.



In the study session summary bullet points, the example of needing to understand the population with no current access to wired internet based was provided to address Council’s desire that we also report that data point and ensure those without any wired access are addressed in all potential paths forward. If you have further questions, please feel free to contact IT Deputy Director Mike Giansanti.



[An additional update pertaining to last night’s question around when staff anticipates coming back to City Council on the topic. A final date has not been set but staff is targeting late August/early September.]



2.      Regarding staffing levels in the Police Department’s Victim Services Unit.

The Boulder Police Department's (BPD) Victim Services Unit is currently staffed with one full time Victim Services Senior Manager, and they are currently recruiting for one full-time Victim Advocate Specialist which is partially grant funded. Our Victim Services Senior Program Manager is on call 24/7 to assist with crime incidents that arise. In addition, BPD has approximately 50 trained volunteer advocates that are also on call and respond to any crime or critical incident where officers in the field need assistance. This includes requests from the Fire Department and the Coroner’s Office.  Victim’s Advocates conduct on scene advocacy, follow-up, and outreach for crime victims and witnesses.


In 2022, BPD’s Victim Services Unit contacted and supported 1,875 victims and witnesses. They are an incredible resource for our community, and we are proud of the ongoing work they do for crime victims and witnesses daily. To learn more about BPD’s Victim Services Unit click here<https://bouldercolorado.gov/services/victim-services>.


3.      Regarding signage on Chautauqua open space trails.

We appreciate the concerns raised about the amount of signage and fencing out on the open space system. Staff recognizes the importance of maintaining the natural character of the open space system both visually and physically and dedicate a lot of staff time and capacity to ensure there is a careful balance between conservation and recreation in all aspects.  However, to manage high visitation (approximately 5.5 million visits a year, about 300,000 on the Chautauqua trail alone) and to help encourage and support responsible recreation, staff relies on a variety of approaches to ensure the vision and mission of the department is met for our visitors and future generations.



We have heard and understand the frustration with the additional fencing that is installed in the Flatirons area specifically. Staff uses fence as a last resort to protect natural and cultural resources and to direct visitor travel. Fencing for some can be an eyesore, but visitation in this area has reached a point where “gentler” methods of guiding visitors and protecting natural and cultural resources are no longer as effective as they were in the past. When possible, staff start with less obvious interventions. If those prove ineffective, staff utilizes other tools, such as new signage and fencing to help manage both the recreational enjoyment of the Flatirons, but also protect the wonderful natural and cultural resources that are prevalent.

 

We also acknowledge there has been an increase of signs, especially the use of temporary plastic signs during the Covid pandemic and for closures during trail repair projects that have been occurring in the area. There were over 90 signs on the system for covid information alone. Fortunately, all the signs are now removed.  Trail closures have been especially relevant as the trail team does major repairs on the Royal Arch and 1/2 trails. These additional temporary signs have significantly added to the quantity of signs but provided necessary safety information. That said, staff are looking to phase out as much of these types of signs as possible.

 

Finally, there has been an effort to standardize our signage approach across the system to balance providing necessary information, while reducing infrastructure when possible. Yes, some of the signs, such as main trailhead kiosks may be a little larger, for there are often complex regulations and messages that we must provide, but there is much consideration and strategy behind what and where they are installed.  The team has a set of standards and guidelines that use natural materials and colors to be complimentary with the landscape. Additionally, staff has been working with our Community Connectors to make sure more signage is bilingual more accessible to all community members and visitors.

 

Overall, the OSMP Signs team is working to find a balance that meets the collective desires to manage the reality of current visitation levels and our commitment to more equitable wayfinding, the associated resource management challenges, and OSMP’s strategic goal of updating to low maintenance (yet reduced) sign infrastructure as much as possible.  Again, we appreciate the concerns raised and we commit to being mindful of them as we continue to manage for both enjoyable, responsible recreation and the protection and stewardship of the rich natural and cultural resources that grace this landscape.



4.      Regarding the North Broadway Reconstruction project.

We understand that some members of the community share the perspective that the final design of North Broadway falls short in protecting people bicycling. The design represents an effort to balance the desires of some community members to retain space for existing and future on-street parking with the need to enhance safety for people bicycling and walking, while maintaining reliable vehicle travel. A previous update on this matter was sent to Council on Dec. 23, 2022.



Current leadership agrees things could have been done differently in the past that perhaps would have led to different outcomes but are committed to evaluating what we can do now at this stage of the project. Based on input largely from the bicycling community and TAB, staff is exploring some additional measures, including:

  *   Completing final striping of the bicycle facility to clearly demarcate it from the on-street parking spaces on the east side of Broadway.
  *   Exploring prohibiting overnight parking to allow for improved snow and ice clearance.
  *   Stepping up parking enforcement to ensure that people are parking as close to the curb as possible.
  *   Posting additional signage to educate drivers that this is shared space.
  *   Completing the southbound raised bike lane from Yarmouth to Violet, which has been paused due to winter conditions and resource constraints.

The project construction, including these measures, will continue through April with the expected full project completion to occur in early May. If you have further questions, please feel free to contact Interim Director of Transportation and Mobility, Natalie Stiffler.



Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde

City Manager

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O: 303-441-3090

riveravandermyden at bouldercolorado.gov<mailto:riveravandermyden at bouldercolorado.gov>



City Manager’s Office

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The City of Boulder acknowledges the city is on the ancestral homelands and unceded territory of Indigenous Peoples who have traversed, lived in and stewarded lands in the Boulder Valley since time immemorial. Those Indigenous Nations include the: Di De’i (Apache), Hinono’eiteen (Arapaho), Tsistsistas (Cheyenne), Nʉmʉnʉʉ (Comanche), Kiowa, Čariks i Čariks (Pawnee), Sosonih (Shoshone), Oc’eti S’akowin (Sioux) and Núuchiu (Ute).  We recognize that those now living and working on these ancestral lands have a responsibility to acknowledge and address the past and must work to build a more just future. Read our full staff land acknowledgement.<https://bouldercolorado.gov/projects/staff-land-acknowledgment>
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