Boulder Bulletin

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There is no Plan B
By Bob Yates

For decades, the city of Boulder has been working to protect residents from the danger and destruction wreaked when creeks coming out of the mountains fill with rainwater or snowmelt and surge into our town. One of the least-controlled of these is South Boulder Creek, which imperils 2,300 of our town’s residents and threatens Highway 36. Many of these affected families fled their homes and Highway 36 was closed in the 2013 event, the sixth flood in 80 years. It’s just a matter of time before the seventh flood occurs.

Since even before the 2013 flood, expert hydrologists had determined that the best way to slow flood water coming down South Boulder Creek is to build a berm and detention pond on property just southwest of Highway 36, as the creek enters town. The 2013 flood accelerated that planning.

The city found a willing partner in the property’s owner, the University of Colorado. After nearly a decade of testing, planning, and design, the city arrived at a model for South Boulder Creek flood mitigation facilities, which the state university agreed could be built on its land, property known as CU South. In exchange, the City agreed to annex the property. As part of the deal, the city will receive 119 acres of prime riparian habitat from the university, to become part of the city’s Open Space system. City staff and water engineers are finalizing the flood protection and habitat rehabilitation plans and obtaining state and federal permits, with construction of flood safety facilities to begin in a little over a year. We just have to hope another flood doesn’t happen before then.

But, as more fully discussed below, a group of residents wants to block this crucial flood mitigation work at CU South. Their ostensible objections range from a belief that the planned flood protection facilities are inadequate, to a general fear of change in this part of town. I lay out below some of the myths that opponents of the project are propagating. These folks have succeeded in getting a measure on this fall’s ballot to repeal last year’s annexation. If that passes, there undoubtedly would be a lawsuit, and all flood protection work likely would be brought to a halt while that is pending. No planning and design, no permitting, no construction. Millions of dollars will have been wasted. And lives will remain in peril.

We have no Plan B. We have no other way to protect 2,300 of our friends and neighbors, to say nothing of the overtopping of Highway 36 by flood waters, shutting off escape routes. With no flood protection, people will remain in harm’s way and our emergency access to the south and east could be cut off, as it was in the 2013 flood. It’s that simple.

And, what of the land at CU South where the flood mitigation facilities are to be built? As part of the negotiation between the city and the university for the city’s use of the university’s land for the flood facilities, the university agreed to many restrictions on those portions of its land that it will be able to develop. If this fall’s anti-annexation ballot measure succeeds, those limitations on university development will go away. The university could do something different with its land at CU South, including closing off the generous public access that the community now enjoys. The city has no planning jurisdiction over the state university, so it’s anyone’s guess what they might do with the land.

Didn’t we already vote on this?

Yes, we did. Twice already. But, some folks are determined to slow or halt the project—using distortions and falsehoods—hoping to convince others to... Read more ☞

OUR COMMUNITY

Crime Counts

If I had an hour to solve a problem, I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem,
and 5 minutes thinking about the solutions. –Albert Einstein

Crime is on the rise in Boulder. There is no denying this fact. Some people already know this, because they have been victims themselves or they know somebody who has been affected. I was a victim of a crime two weeks ago. It wasn’t fun. But, below, I’ll move us from anecdotes to actual numbers, as collected by the people who know best: The Boulder Police Department, to whom crimes are reported.

There are some people who don’t like to hear the bad news that many crimes are trending up. They say that, by presenting crime statistics, we are “scaring people.” I’m sorry, but putting our heads in the sand won’t make our problems go way. Information and transparency are the first steps towards recovery. If we are not honest with each other, we will never get better.

To be sure, the rise in crime is not unique to Boulder. Many cities in our state are doing even worse. And, while there has also been a rise in crime nationally, Boulder still has less crime per capita than many other cities our size around the country. We started at a low base and—even with our recent increases—we’re still doing better than comparable cities like Kansas City, Memphis, Milwaukee, or Stockton, which have violent crime rates four to five times higher than Boulder’s; or Albuquerque or Spokane, which have property crime rates twice as high as ours here.

But, that’s cold comfort if you’re a Boulder resident who has been a victim of a crime. If your car or bike has been stolen, or if you’ve been robbed or assaulted, it still sucks. You probably care little about what’s happening in Stockton or Spokane. You want crime to be prevented here.

There are a lot of great things to say about Maris Herold, who has been... Read more ☞

Nonprofit Grants: At the July 14 city council meeting, I joined the council majority in asking city staff to re-allocate the grant pools for nonprofit organizations, funded by the recently-passed Community Culture Resilience and Safety Tax. What was I thinking ☞

Even-year Elections: At the July 21 city council meeting, I continued my opposition to shifting city council elections from odd-numbered years to even years. But, there was some drama. What was I thinking ☞

July 2022 issue on even-year election proposal here
Find other recent past issues here
Next monthly issue September 5

Unless otherwise noted, meetings begin at 6:00.
Council meetings and study sessions are virtual but can be viewed on Channel 8.
Information current as of first Monday of the month, but subject to change.
Updated agendas here.
Council meetings are now held on Thursday evenings.

Thursday, August 4: Council Meeting
Parks & Rec Master Plan; public space management

Thursday, August 11: Study Session
Ballot measures

Thursday, August 18: Council Meeting
Electronic smoking devices; outdoor dining

Thursday, August 25: Study Session
Disposable bags; use tables; site review criteria

Thursday, September 1: Council Meeting
Audit; noise ordinance; homelessness update

Thursday, September 8: Study Session
2023 budget

Email: yatesb@bouldercolorado.gov
Voice Message: 720.310.5829

Office: 1777 Broadway, Boulder (email in advance for appointment)

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Council Meetings & Study Sessions