MEETING OF THE PARKS & OPEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

BOULDER COUNTY, COLORADO

Regular Meeting Minutes

-
Third Floor Hearing Room
County Court House
1325 Pearl Street, Boulder
Members Present:
  • Tony Lewis
  • Trace Baker
  • Kristine Johnson
  • Derek Turner
  • Carol Byerly
  • Joan Lutz
  • John White
  • Viki Lawrence
Members Excused:
  • Janet George

Boulder County aims to ensure all digital content and documents are accessible. While efforts have been made to maximize accessibility, some types of content have inherent technical limitations. See the Accessibility Statement to learn more.

1.
Call to Order

 

2.
Roll Call

 

3.
Election of Officers

 

Tony Lewis nominated Janet George for Chair. Janet George accepted the nomination via Zoom. Carol Byerly seconded the nomination. Janet George was unanimously approved for Chair. 

Carol Byerly nominated Trace Baker as Vice Chair. Trace Baker accepted the nomination. Tony Lewis seconded the nomination. Trace Baker was unanimously approved for Vice Chair

4.
Approval of Last Month's Minutes

This item has attachments. 
1.March Minutes .pdf

The March minutes were unanimously approved after noting two typographical errors.

  • Moved byTrace Baker
    Seconded byDerek Turner
    APPROVED

5.
Presentations

 

5.1
Rangeview Property Acquisition

This item has attachments. 
1.Rangeview.pdf

Staff Presenter: Tina Burghardt, Land Officer Supervisor


Action Requested: Recommendation to BOCC

Q: Will prairie dogs be allowed to continue onto this parcel from nearby parcels?

Response: I can't answer that because the land around this parcel is owned by the city. 

Q: Why is the City of Boulder not purchasing this parcel?

Response: I've been in discussions with the city when this parcel came on the market. Currently, the city doesn't have the funds to purchase this property.

Q: Will this parcel remain open to the public?

Response: It will be determined after the purchase, but staff are recommending it remain closed.

Q: I'd like information on the county's real estate budget and how much will remain after this purchase. I would like to see that information as part of all acquisition presentations.

Response: I can have Janis Whisman, Real Estate Division Manager, provide that to you later, but I don't have that information available tonight. 

Q: What is the timeline for purchase?

Response: We are looking at the end of July.

Q: Because this parcel is surrounded by city open space, how will this be managed in coordination with the City of Boulder OSMP?

Response: This is a question for our Wildlife staff, but I imagine that they will coordinate with city OSMP staff.

 

Public Comment:

Joyce Frailey, Gunbarrel Estates, Boulder County. She is with Preserve Rural Gunbarrel 501(c)(3). She spoke in support of the purchase of this parcel by Boulder County for its benefits to wildlife.

 

  • Moved byTrace Baker
    Seconded byJohn White

    The purchase was approved 7-2. Tony Lewis and Derek Turner voted against due to the lack of budget information. 

    APPROVED

5.2
CSU Extension Volunteer Programs Update

This item has attachments. 
1.CSU Extension Volunteer Programs.pdf

Presenters: Eric Hammond, County Director Boulder County Extension; Petrea Mah and Pat Butler, Boulder County Colorado Master Gardeners; Aaron Richmond and Kelly Thomas, Boulder County 4-H Leaders


Action Requested: Information Only

Q: When is the Boulder County fair?

Response: This year's fair will run Aug. 6-10. The Horse Show starts July 27. 

Q: What trends are you seeing for new kids coming to 4-H? Is 4-H as popular as in the past?

Response: The numbers were down about 33% for a time after COVID, but in recent years we have seen increased numbers. Involvement in livestock programs are also increasing. We are always looking for new pathways for kids and families to get involved.

Q: What is a Wildlife Master?

Response: There is a training program, similar to that for Master Gardeners. Wildlife Masters assist Boulder County residents in answering questions about dealing with conflicts with wildlife.

Q: Can you explain Extension's relationship with the county?

Response: Extension is the outreach arm of CSU. Our offices are nested with each county in Colorado. Boulder County has a Memorandum of Understanding with CSU to provide services, office space, and some staff for the Extension program.

 

Public Comments:

None

 

5.3
BCPOS Public Outreach Guide

This item has attachments. 
1.Public Outreach Guide.pdf

Staff Presenter: Heidi Wagner, Strategic Foundations Deputy


Action Requested: Information Only

Q: Is serving on the Community Engagement Team a full time job with the department?

Response: For some of the Community Engagement Team, it is their job. Other team members have roles in the department in addition to their role on the team. 

Q: BCPOS tries hard to anticipate every question or contingency, but that's not always possible. It's the areas of interest you do not anticipate that causes the issue. What might be missing is the response to this? How do you respond and when do you respond when things go awry? Is there a protocol?

Response: That's right. You can follow best practices but still encounter conflict at the end. We will be talking about this as we go forward. 

Q: What are some creative ways to have a bigger forum for POSAC with the BOCC for some Tier 1 projects.

Response: We can bring up those opportunities with the commissioners for some projects. Joint Field trips also are a great way to have POSAC and the Commissioners collaborate. 

 

Public Comments:

None

 

6.
Public Comment Period for Items Not on Agenda

 

None

7.
POSAC Members Comment Period for Items Not on Agenda

 

None

8.
Director's Update

 
  • There is a new structure for the Parks & Open Space department, which includes Deputy Directors. Vivienne will send you the high-level new org chart.
  • Another POS University session is scheduled for staff and POSAC members are invited. It's on CSU Extension, June 3 at 10 a.m. -12:30 p.m. at the fairgrounds. Look for an invitation email.
  • Jeresneyka Rose has been hired as the new bilingual Community Engagement Specialist. She will start May 27th.
  • CSU Extension Office’s Emma Dimitri got a $14K grant to support a climbing program for kids.
  • The department’s 5-year visitor study starts on Friday.
  • Owl and hawk release at Heil tonight, working with the Birds of Prey Foundation.
  • Tucker Elk Draw forest management near Nederland, which will involve tree cutting. There will be community engagement before the work starts. 
  • Two bald eagle nestlings at Rock Creek Farm. This is a new site after lightning took out the nest last year.
  • Steam Weeding contract awarded to Edaphic Solutions to work on Rabbit Mountain parking lot. 
  • Nine contractors showed up to the pre-bid for the Sherwood Creek Conger mine project.
  • Local PBS Documentary will be highlighting the native plant landscapes and CSU Extension will be starting a  Sustainable Landscapes Certification.
  • Vivienne is developing a Newspaper Insert – celebrating the 50th Anniversary. It will be hitting the papers soon – print and on-line.
  • The BCPOS Podcast is getting close to launching our “Voices of Open Space”.
  • The Four Mile Steps are being converted to rock for sustainability – this trail connects Four Mile to the Benjamin Loop at Betasso Preserve.
  • Another stretch of the LOBO trail will be getting resurfaced.
  • Prairie Run is at 100% design, moving to contracting process. The goal is to open SW trailhead and trail before the end of this year.

9.
Adjournment

 

8:51 p.m.

No Item Selected