Boulder West TSA Neighborhoods

Last CCG Meeting

2011-01-02T19:03:00.000-07:00

The last CCG meeting will be held January 6th, 6-9 PM. Several undecided items will be discussed. Subsequent meetings will be before the Open Space Board of Trustees. For a listing of meetings, go here:
http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13324&Itemid=3763

Winter Solstice dawn (click on photo for a larger version):

CCG tentative agreements posted

2010-12-01T08:26:00.000-07:00

After much deliberation the CCG has come to consensus on a number of items. Please visit the OSMP web site to review them. The link is here:
http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/files/openspace/pdf_TSA_West/CCG/CCG_Proposals/CCG_Preliminary_Recommendations_11-30.pdf

Items that are still up for discussion are here:
http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/files/openspace/pdf_TSA_West/CCG/CCG_Proposals/Not-Decided_CCG_Decision_Items_11_30.pdf

The public comment period will be from November 30 - December 12, 2010. A public meeting will be held on December 6, 2010 from 6-9 pm at the East Boulder Recreation Center.

Preliminary agreements

2010-11-17T21:07:00.001-07:00

The Community Collaborative Group (CCG) has finally negotiated a draft agreement regarding trails and the management of the West TSA. The document will be posted on the OSMP web site November 29, 2010. We will post a link to it then. This agreement will be explained and public input will be sought at an Open House on Monday, December 6, 2010, 6pm to 9pm, at the East Boulder Recreation Center. More information on the agreement and Open House will be posted on the OSMP CCG website.

Anemone trail before the fire

2010-11-07T21:22:00.000-07:00

The Anemone trail starts in the Red Rocks area and heads West. An undesignated trail extends beyond the Anemone trail following the prominent ridge in the area. There is a proposal before the CCG that this trail become a designated trail. The map below shows the trail under consideration - it roughly parallels the dashed red line. Click on any image to see a larger version.

The start of this trail climbs up to the top of the ridge. This is right in the heart of the burned area.

Towards the top of the ridge there are a few piles of quartz, apparently created as diversions.

This is an interesting trail that winds along the ridge cutting through a few rock outcrops.

The trail goes through some open areas with nice views.

Signs of an old fire.

And the persistence of nature.

Heading back East, a view of Dome rock where the fire started.

At one point the trail splits and and goes along both sides of the ridge (see map). This is the Southern side.

Proposed trail along upper Flagstaff

2010-10-07T20:34:00.000-06:00

This trail was proposed and then pulled back because OSMP's mapping showed that its possible influence extended substantially into Highly Suitable Habitat (HSH). Some consider that a slightly steeper tread for the trail would have much less impact.

The map below shows my track. Click on it to see a larger view. Near the lower end of the track there is an old trail that heads slightly downhill to the West.

Traces of an old road or trail are apparent along much of the lower part.

There are some nice views through the trees

More old track

The trail would pass by Lost Gulch overlook

Social trail above Cathedral park

Further up there is a spring. If the trail goes between it and the road it would traverse this slope.

Above the spring the trail would head West and cross the drainage to this view

Turning SW to follow the ridge, an old trail with switchbacks appears

The track intersects the road near the crest

Proposed trail near Long Canyon

2010-08-27T20:31:00.000-06:00

This route will likely be discussed in future meetings. It would climb the ridge North of Long Canyon and connect up with the Green Mountain West Ridge trail. Click on a picture enlarge it.

If the trail starts climbing before the mouth of Long Canyon it would likely head up through this area.

Another option is to follow the Long Canyon trail a short ways as shown on the map above. Then cut up the ridge to the right just before a rock outcrop that crosses the trail.

The goal in the distance.

The route on the map parallels the road, eventually crossing a drainage near its head just below this old car.

The route then climbs to the Southwest between Flagstaff road and Long Canyon. It meets the Long Canyon trail as it climbs towards the road.

At the road the route could follow an old dirt road.

It would logically follow some old switchbacks climbing toward the ridge.

Many feathers were found.

The route hits the ridge and bends towards the East to connect with the Green Mountain West Ridge Trail.

Proposed route of West Sanitas Trail

2010-08-02T20:41:00.001-06:00

This route has been proposed to replace the social trail in the area. The social trails would be reclaimed.

The start off of Sunshine Canyon road would have to be reworked.

Evidence of an old switchback above a private road.

The trail would parallel Sunshine Canyon road somewhere through here.

The trail head at the first switchback on Sunshine Canyon would connect with the proposed trail, which would continue heading North.

There's an old track North of the switchback. The proposed trail may follow it.

The old track fades into a field of wildflowers.

It gets rocky further up the route. The trail should probably switchback up to the NE before this.

The route may connect up with a social trail which doesn't appear in the OSMP data base.

Near the NW corner of this part of Open Space the proposed trail would have to climb a bit to a neighborhood trail which does appear in the OSMP inventory. This trail contours back to the SE. This part is actually a nice trail.

There are some nice views from this section.

The neighborhood trail rounds a ridge and would likely contour around to the ridge North of Mount Sanitas - beyond the trees here.

Comment Gathering Web Site Launched

2010-07-20T10:43:00.005-06:00

The Boulder West TSA neighborhood representatives have just launched a new and improved website for gathering your comments and updating you on the latest developments in the CCG process. This website can be reached at:

http://west-tsa-neighborhood-comments.blogspot.com/

If you're interested in learning more about the CCG, process, adding your name to our mailing list, contributing your insights, or commenting on the various ideas being considered, this is the place to go.

With a few exceptions (listed below) this blog contains older and often outdated information.

Undesignated trails West of Sanitas

Meeting for neighbors who live in the “central” neighborhoods of the West TSA

June 10 Board of Trustees Meeting

Notes from the Neighborhood Listening Session April 7th

2010-07-05T11:31:00.002-06:00

Meeting for neighbors who live in the “central” neighborhoods of the West TSA

The Community Collaborative Group (CCG)* is now actively considering a broad range of suggestions for improving the way in which Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) manages the so-called "West Trail Study Area" (West TSA), which are comprised of OSMP properties in the area north of Eldorado Springs, south of Linden, and west of Broadway / Colorado 93.

Under consideration are suggestions about expanding and/or restricting various types of recreational access with the goals of reducing adverse impacts from visitors on Open Space neighbors, improving the visitor experience while reducing user conflicts and providing physically and environmentally sustainable trail systems. Some of the issues being addressed include the rules under which dogs are allowed access to Open Space properties, the accessibility of the area to mountain bikes, and strategies for handling parking issues and social trails.

If you live west of Broadway/north of Table Mesa/south of Canyon you are considered to be a “neighbor” in the central region of the West TSA. The neighborhood representative for the central region is Shelley Dunbar and she will be hosting an open forum to gather neighbor input on the proposals that will be put forth in the upcoming CCG meetings. If you are interested in voicing your ideas for “on the ground” actions that you would like to see in the West TSA, please join Shelley Dunbar at this neighborhood meeting.

Where: Chautauqua Park “Rocky Mountain Climber’s Club” room (lower level of the Community House)
When: Monday July 19th at 6:30 PM

Please come prepared to share your specific, well-thought out solutions to issues you have as a “neighbor” of Open Space! If you are unable to attend this meeting, you can email your ideas directly to the neighborhood rep at shelley.westtsa@gmail.com.

* To find out more about the Community Collaborative Group go to http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11843&Itemid=3763

Change in Time and Location of the July 7th CCG meeting

2010-07-05T09:18:00.003-06:00

Change in Time and Location for the July 7th CCG meeting
Please note that the Wednesday July 7th CCG meeting will be held at the West Senior Center at Arapahoe and 9th street (not Cherryvale). We also have a new meeting time, starting at 5:30 and concluding at 9:30pm. Public participation is scheduled for the start of the meeting, so if you plan to speak please arrive by 5:30 PM.
Agenda for this meeting
The agenda is to finish the discussion of proposals for the Sanitas / Anemone Hill / Red Rocks Sub-area. It is important for the CCG to strive for tentative agreement on as many of the proposals as possible, so that the CCG can move on to the next sub-area.
· At Wednesday's meeting it is possible that the CCG will finish the Sanitas / Anemone Hill / Red Rocks Sub-area before the end of the meeting. If that is the case, the CCG will begin discussion of ideas and possibilities for the Western Mountain Parks / Flagstaff Sub-area, with the starting point being proposals already made by CCG members.

Undesignated trails West of Sanitas

2010-06-14T19:51:00.001-06:00

Below are some pictures of undesignated (social) trails West of the Sanitas area. These trails are currently being discussed by the CCG. They could be left as is, some of them could be reclaimed, some of them could be re-routed, and some of them could become designated.

The ridge North of Mount Sanitas

Outcrops along the ridge

Looking East back towards the Mount Sanitas ridge

Looking West from the high ridge in the Northern part of the undesignated trail area.

Undesignated trail heading NW in the Northwestern part of the area.

Heading back towards Mount Sanitas ridge along the fence line

Steep part of the trail back up to the ridge.

June 10 Board of Trustees Meeting

2010-05-05T08:41:00.004-06:00

At the June 10 Open Space Board of Trustees meeting the South Boulder representative to the Community Collaborative Group, Scott Gordon resigned and I, as the alternate, was appointed by the Board to take his place.

Also, based on comments received, I have withdrawn the prior materials that I had written.

In consultation with the OSMP staff, the CCG facilitator, the other neighborhood representatives, I will be putting together a plan for better representing the interests of the caucus. I will be sending out this plan, with a request for comments and suggestions, as soon as possible.

Guy Burgess

Notes from the Neighborhood Listening Session April 7th

2010-04-30T19:30:00.004-06:00

The second neighborhood Listening Session was held at the Chautauqua Community House on April 7^th. Around 90 “neighbors’ of the West TSA showed up to participate. Neighbors were asked to frame their input as suggestions of “what they would like to see” as a future condition in the West TSA. The following is a compilation of the input we received that evening.

Parking

Better education & enforcement of designated parking areas in Chautauqua.
Add more parking on the north end of the Chautauqua meadow.
Address the parking situation on Eldorado Springs Rd at Dowdy Draw.
Address parking (dangerous) and social trails along Baseline; find a way to direct users to designated trails so that there is less use of social trails.

Trail maintenance/trail closures

Temporary (seasonal) closures for trail conditions that warrant it – in particular, very muddy trails.
Closure of the 3^rd & 4^th St trail when muddy
Add gravel to trails that are prone to muddiness.
Harden the trail surfaces against mud where possible.
Increased, aggressive, proactive trail maintenance.
Have OSMP coordinate with the various users groups to get their participation in maintaining trails and in helping with the upkeep of the trailheads and trails that they use.
All trail closures justified and monitored for “need” on a regular basis.

Trail access & trails (general)

Maintain the status quo in the West TSA
Bike parking (bike racks) at all/most trailheads.
Encourage people to ride bikes or to walk to trailheads rather than drive.
Maintain access to the West TSA.
Designate a trail between the Enchanted Mesa and the McClintock trails – tentatively named the “Enchanted Vista” trail.
Allow neighborhood volunteers to post relevant and timely information on the trailhead “reg” boards.
Increase ADA trail access.
Education of users about their noise impact on neighbors - especially at trailheads.
Create an “alternating use schedule’ in the style of Jefferson County’s “Centennial Cone Park “ – essentially a calendar of use for hikers and bikers.
Designate the Goat Trail.
Maintain trail access for NOAA/NIST/NCAR employees.
More access points
Create more trails to achieve less crowding/congestion
Fewer signs
Fewer internal fences

Trails - trail design and trail designations

Establish which social trails should stay and which should go; the ones that are to be kept need to be sustainably designed and maintained.
Be mindful that the common denominator of trail use in the West TSA is “walking”.
OSMP should use up-to-date, sustainable trail building practices.
Designate small, meandering social trails – use the social use as an indicator of desirable user experiences.
Designate trails by user type to avoid user conflicts.
Design trails to reduce user conflicts.
Better quality of single track trails – both hiking and biking trails
Build trails that do not encourage users to trespass on neighbor’s property.

Preservation & Conservation

Better seasonal signage
Reduce invasive weed species. Preserve wildlife corridors in the area of Shanahan Ridge 4 and others.
Maintain existing Voice & Sight and explore options for more V & S trails.
Dusk-to-dawn closures of HCAs and Natural Areas.
Conserve and preserve the area between Walker Ranch and Eldorado.

Mountain Bikes

Designate a north/south mountain bike trail (trail from Chautauqua to Eldorado) that would be a “single use” trail.
Reaffirm the prohibition of mountain bikes west of 93 & Broadway.
A possible mountain bike trail from Green Briar to South Boulder Creek Trail.
Access to mountain biking trails that can be accessed from home without having to drive to the trailhead.
Manage bike access specifically for neighbors, not as a destination for users who are not neighbors.
Loop trail for mountain bikes in the southern part of the West TSA.
Mountain bike trail between Boulder and Walker Ranch
Communication with Shanahan 6 neighbors and priority to be given to those neighbors living near proposed mountain bike trails.
Sustainably built north/south single track mountain bike trail to be built.
Make use of existing fire roads to accommodate mountain bike users.
Development of a “bike etiquette” program to educate bike users with the objective of decreasing user conflicts.
Implement a speed limit on all bike trails of 20 mph max with a 5 mph “passing” speed limit.

Dog Walkers

More Voice & Sight trails
Maintain existing Voice & Sight trails.
More enforcement of the Voice & Sight regulations.
Need more education about not leaving poo bags behind, more community “poo clean up” days, more trash bins and poo bag dispensers at trailheads.
Expansion of the trailhead leash program (leashed for first 100 yards of the trail) to all trailheads.
Education about “packing out” dog waste.
Dog leash regulations to extend to Thomas Lane (West part of South Boulder Creek Trail / Big Bluestem area).
During ground nesting bird season have seasonal leash regulations.

Miscellaneous

Reintroduction of extirpated species such as antelope (“extirpated species” are those that are no longer existing in a specific location such as the West TSA, but are not extinct as a species.)
Affirmation of the Open Space charter.
Better enforcement in Eldorado Springs and a budget for emergency response needs to be adequate to the use and more aggressive fire and pine beetle mitigation plan.
Explore a fee system for non-Boulder county users.
Direct communication with neighbors who have given their emails to OSMP for the West TSA (West TSA list-serve).
Discourage use of headphones on trails.

2010-02-25T14:24:00.002-07:00

Hello,

The CCG has completed the formal learning phase and is now moving into establishing our Desired Future Conditions. In order for the neighborhood reps to best serve you we have developed a survey for the residents who live west of Broadway or with-in one-half mile of OSMP lands affected by the west TSA. These are the areas the Open Space Board of Trustees has intended the CCG Neighborhood Reps to serve, Thank you for observing the Trustee's intentions and the honor system.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WestTSAneighbors

Please help us distribute the link to additional community members and leaders like HOAs, etc who are in the intended area.

If you'd like to provide more feedback please feel free to email it to us at:
Westtsa.reps@gmail.com

We recognize that every survey has its limitations and flaws. That said we've drawn guidance from topics that have arisen in the CCG process and themes voiced by neighbors in prior outreach. From there, we've put in quite a bit of effort to find the balance between drilling down for details and keeping the survey to a manageable size.

If it proves helpful, we may use similar tools for gaining feedback to incrementally more specific concepts as we progress through the CCG process.

Thank you for your time and community involvement.

North Boulder West TSA Neighbors Field Trip - January 30, 2010 @ 1PM

2010-01-26T22:32:00.006-07:00

The West TSA CCG has been meeting about twice per month for the last few months. These meetings have largely been informative, meaning that much of the time has been spent being briefed by OSMP on the current state of the West TSA system. We are now moving into the next phase where we need to bring forward our 'Desired Future Conditions'. For Joe Zamudio and I to best represent the desires of our North Boulder neighbors, we need to hear from you.

Some of you have provided some written or verbal desires to us previously. However, Joe and I (and the other Neighborhood CCG Reps) thought it might be helpful if we could visit with you personally; to have you show us precisely what your neighborhood-related Open Space issues are (trash, parking, congestion, noise, access points, animals, social trails, etc), to see these items from your point of view, and to hear possible solutions that you might be interested to bring forward. We also desire discussion regarding items that you think are working well and that you recommend not changing.

As outlined by the West TSA, our focus is on individuals living north of Canyon, west of Broadway, and south of Linden. So if you live in this general area and have 'desired future conditions' that you would like voiced during the West TSA planning process, please come meet us for an afternoon excursion around our North Boulder Open Space on Saturday January 30, 2010. The plan is to meet at the Centennial Trailhead parking lot on the south side of Mapleton/Sunshine Canyon) at 1 PM.

When: January 30, 2010 (Saturday), 1PM
Where: Centennial Trailhead on Mapleton/Sunshine Canyon

What to bring: Ideas to share, walking shoes, warm clothes, water, bike
Who: Anyone, really - but focusing on North Boulder West TSA neighborhoods

Due to the relatively short notice for this invitation, we plan to provide at least one more opportunity like this during this phase of the CCG process (likely either February 20 or 21, weather dependent).

We hope that you'll take the time to come educate us so that we can properly represent your desires in this West TSA planning process. Please pass this information on to your neighbors if you think they'd be interested.

We sincerely look forward talking with you on Saturday.

Regards,

Ned Patton and Joe Zamudio

A field trip stop viewed from space

2009-12-06T21:16:00.002-07:00

Chautauqua was scheduled to be one of the last stops of the cancelled field trip. However, this site is best viewed from above. A Google satellite image shows a real neighborhood issue - several undesignated trails accessing Chautauqua from the neighborhood below. Many access points are marked by red arrows in the image below. (Try clicking on the image to enlarge it.)

The next image shows more of the undesignated trail network - sub-parallel trails across Chautauqua meadow.

Some field sites visited.

2009-11-22T21:10:00.004-07:00

Saturday seemed like a nice enough day to visit some of the sites of the postponed field trip. At least it was a good enough excuse to get outside.

Up Flagstaff -
First stop was the Civilian Conservation Corp wall along old Chapman drive off of Realization Point.

Then through the gate for the road to Green Mountain Lodge.

Green Mountain Lodge - another CCC project.

Evidence of wildlife

Another wall along E.M. Greenman trail

A re-route of E.M. Greenman trail. I'm not sure when this one dates to but the old route followed the drainage more. This newer section gives us a great view from some nice rocks.

Wildlife spotted.

Snow covered much of the north-facing slopes, masking some of the re-routes. This area is well worth another visit.

Field trip guide available

2009-11-20T09:10:00.003-07:00

Maybe some of you were champing at the bit to get out in the field. I made an inquiry and the OSMP staff was nice enough to put together a short field trip guide for anyone who wants to visit the field trip sites on their own. Go to the West TSA CCG Field Trip page to download the pdf file of the guide.

Snow likely to cover trail design issues this weekend

2009-11-16T21:51:00.001-07:00

Another reason the field trip has been postponed till January.

Another field trip postponement

2009-11-16T16:50:00.002-07:00

We just got word that there will likely be too much snow and ice to safely do the field trip this coming weekend. Therefore it is postponed until January. Stay tuned for further details as we receive them.

Potential Topics for the West Trail Study Area Plan

2009-11-16T11:27:00.003-07:00

The CCG field trip scheduled for Saturday 11/14 was unfortunately canceled due to weather.

We are planning to try again next Saturday 11/21.

We received a question about enforcement of rules and staffing levels. This seems like a common theme however doesn't appear directly in the list of Potential Topics for the West Trail Study Area Plan we have been given by staff. I will bring it up at the next meeting.

From OSMP
What Kinds of Topics Will Be the Focus for the Community Collaborative Group’s Work?
The Community Collaborative Group (CCG) will likely develop recommendations on the following topics. This is not a definitive list. The CCG may not address all these items given their preferences and the limitations of a 12-month timeframe. The CCG may decide that some of these issues may best be addressed by staff. The CCG will identify what they intend to accomplish, prioritize their work tasks, and focus on what’s most important first.
Recreational Resources

Trail Reroutes. Locate corridors for rerouting existing trails to improve visitor experience, trail sustainability, and access to key destinations.

Undesignated Trails. Determine which undesignated trails should be designated and upgraded, in order to provide sustainable access to key destinations not served by designated trails and provide a high quality visitor experience.

New Trails. Determine if any new trails should be constructed to provide physically and environmentally sustainable trail access (and trail corridors).

Existing Recreational Access. Determine where certain existing recreational activities can occur (e.g., horseback riding, fishing, sledding, dog/no-dog opportunities).

New Recreational Activities. Determine if and where new recreational activities might occur (e.g., bicycling).

Access Points / Concentrated Use Areas. Identify improvements to parking, facilities, and trail-road crossings.

Visitor Conflict. Identify ways to reduce or minimize visitor conflict for existing or new activities.

Natural Resource Protection

Trail System. Modify the existing trails system and identify undesignated trails to close, in order to improve protection and restoration of high value habitat areas.

Visitor Activities. Manage visitor activities to minimize resource impacts.

Weed Management. Manage visitor access to minimize spread of noxious weeds.

Education / Interpretation. Provide new or enhance interpretive opportunities.

Cultural Resource Protection

Trail System. Modify the existing trails system to improve protection of cultural resources and provide sustainable access to places and features that promote visitor appreciation and stewardship of cultural resources.

Visitor Activities. Manage visitor activities to minimize resource impacts.

Education / Interpretation. Provide new or enhance interpretive opportunities.

Neighborhood Access

Impacts on Neighborhoods. Minimize impacts from visitor use on neighborhood properties (e.g., parking and traffic congestion, litter and waste management, privacy, noise, and safety).

Access in Neighborhoods. Provide convenient and sustainable neighborhood and visitor access at trailheads and access points.

Collaborative Learning Meeting 1 complete. Field trip on Saturday

2009-11-12T09:42:00.004-07:00

Tuesday night was the second CCG meeting and the Reps had lots of reading to do beforehand. Our homework assignment are here: http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11994:ccg-kick-off-and-orientation-meeting-102109&catid=719:west-tsa-ccg-meetings&Itemid=4039#hw

The meeting was primarily staff presentations on the Grasslands Ecosystem Management Plan (GEMP), Forest Ecosystem Management Plan (FEMP) and Visitor Master Plan (VMP).

OSMP also announced that the CCG field trip this Saturday will be open to the public. If you would like to attend please review the information and let the city know as they would like to plan accordingly.

West TSA Field Trip information here:
http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12012:ccg-field-trip-and-pre-trip-meeting-&catid=719:west-tsa-ccg-meetings&Itemid=4039#agenda

and here:
http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/files/openspace/pdf_TSA_West/CCG/Agenda_and_locations_web_info_CCG_Field_Trip_11-14-09.pdf

Minutes from 10/22 Neighborhood Listening Session

2009-11-10T13:30:00.005-07:00

Minutes from the Neighborhood “Listening Session” for the West TSA
October 22, 2009

This was a meeting intended to hear what neighbors to Open Space had to say to their “Neighborhood Representatives” of the Community Collaborative Group. Although the meeting was designed primarily to get input on what topics were of concern to neighbors as it pertains to Open Space near their homes, there were a few other issues that needed to be aired before that could happen.

Here are the minutes from that meeting:
Introduction
Joe Mantione, Environmental Planner from the OSMP introduced the concept of the West Trail Study Area and what the Community Collaborative Group was conceived to do. He also introduced the representatives who were elected through a caucus format. He fielded questions about the process of selecting the representatives at the September 15th caucus meeting.

There were several people in attendance who expressed strong concerns that the caucus process that evening was flawed and that the neighborhood representatives selected in that process do not representative them. The focus of their concern was that the resulting neighborhood representatives had too much “recreation” perspective. They were specifically targeting the reps that had affiliations with mountain biking organizations in the past.

There were several other participants at the meeting that voiced the following concerns (paraphrased here):
Why should we believe that OSMP is going to listen to the concerns of neighbors when they haven’t done so before? What is going to be different about this process than other times when OSMP has asked for community input?

Others expressed disappointment that the original caucus meeting on September 15th was not adequately publicized to the community at large. They felt that OSMP did not give the community sufficient notification about the meeting nor did they convey its importance, which resulted in much less participation of the broader community who are not involved in specific conservation or recreation groups.

Once the concerns and issues about the process were aired, the meeting shifted to the original purpose: to get neighbor’s input on their concerns for the West TSA. The goal was to get ideas about what problems neighbors of Open Space encounter, what things neighbors would like to see changed and what ideas neighbors who live near Open Space might have to improve the trails and trailheads in their neighborhood.

Transcription of Giant Post-It Notes
Below are the “notes” that were taken at the meeting and posted on big white sticky sheets around the room. The “bolded” questions at the top of each sheet were meant as conversation starters. Attendees were also given smaller pads of sticky notes and could write down their ideas/suggestions, which are also included below.

Why did you choose to live west of Broadway?·
Proximity to Mesa Elementary·
View of the Flatirons·
Proximity to trailheads·
I decided to live west of Broadway to be close to nature and the conservation areas that preserve nature·
Being able to hike with my dogs off-leash·
Ability to walk to trailheads rather than drive

What benefits do you enjoy by living close to Open Space?-
Local access for each neighborhood-
Good trail quality (must stay good)-
Being near solitude/peaceful retreat-
Knowing it’s there and protected (areas w/ no human access)-
Beauty- Access to great hiking-
Access to wild areas-
Wild life-
The great hiking trails

What drawbacks are there in living close to Open Space?-
Parking-
Trash-
Privacy-
Noise-
Damage to private property-
Trail braiding-
Noise after hours-
Dog waste-
Increased traffic / cars-
Bears & mountain lions (or is this a plus?)

What topics merit conversation and are unique to neighborhoods near Open Space?-
Sustainability: use of mountain bikes and their impact on trails, mountain biking is not compatible with other users (creates dust, street traffic, noise, etc)-
Parking needs increasing-
Garbage-
Invasion of privacy-
Noise-
Damage-
NIMBYism-
Too many restrictions means our Open Space is less welcoming-
Restrictions that close off access to open space from neighbor’s properties, loss of access to home owners near Open Space-
Creation of HCA’s equates to loss of access to trails-
There should be access for everyone NOT just for people who live adjacent to Open space-
Quality of the trails - Desire for loop trails & greater trail diversity-
We need thoughtful location of trailheads and diversity of trailheads-
Mountain bikes impair the solitary, peaceful experience of open space trail use-
More limited access-
The idea that Open Space can be a wilderness, and pristine is not reasonable or possible because OS backs right up to urban areas/people’s homes.-
Concerns about funding for any ideas that we come up with-
Need to have more trail connectivity.

What creative Open Space related ideas would make your neighborhood a nicer place to live for you and your neighbors?-
Disperse trail users throughout the West TSA, ability to walk rather than drive to access trails (x 3)-
What should extent of access of mountain bikes? One idea: designated mountain bike trails-
Build a new mountain bike trail through Open Space that runs North to South [it is worth noting that this idea was put forth by someone who also voiced a strong opposition to mountain bikes in Open Space – sd]-
Plan for dog waste, dog latrines further back in OS, closer-in dog waste disposal supplied by OSMP-
For better trail connectivity OSMP needs to design trails that connect areas that users have shown are necessary by evidence of social trails. Use the social trails as an indicator of where we need better connectivity.-
Need bike racks @ trailheads-
Bus access to neighborhood trailheads- Have more neighborhood access points (that can only handle a low volume of users) eliminating car-parking problems, as they are meant to be accessed on foot/bike only. Trailheads that are specifically created for neighborhoods users.

More ways to reach out to neighbors to get their participation and input-
Create flyers for handout-
Post flyers/updates @ Trailheads and Kiosks-
Avoid acronym soup-
Volunteer canvassers-
HOA distribution-
Via the newspapers-Daily Camera-
Chain Email-
Networks-
Obtain email lists from Colorado Div of Wildlife [sign-up list from meetings they held in the Newlands, Freelands]-
“Field Trip” Meetings-
More in-person meeting [geographic spread]-
Conversation starters onto blog to get comments-
Neighborhood email groups-
Mapleton contact: LSCHWEIGER@INDRA.COM

Transcription of individual notes written by attendees

Person A
Creative ideas: The WTSA is not a pie to be divided among interest groups. It is foremost a conservation area and we have a duty to protect it. So, let’s think about limiting access, not expanding it. Consider it a privilege to have the WTSA in Boulder.
Creative ideas: Preserve the WTSA as a nature preserve, with limited access only to low-impact use.
Creative ideas: I remember when there were mountain bikes in the WTSA. For walkers, it was terrifying. What would it be like 18 years later, now that the popularity of the sport has exploded?
Wildlife and HCA’s
I think that limited access to preserve open space and natural habitat is a good thing
Other topics.
Mountain bikes make natural areas less appealing to wildlife. We need to consider the impact of mountain bikes to wildlife.
Other topics. Bikers often drive to trailheads. There is no more room in Shanahan Ridge for parking near Open Space

Person B
Creative OS ideas
Reverse OSMP policies of “restrict, restrict, restrict”—welcome a diversity of user groups, income levels, and modes of transportation to the trailhead!
Creative OS ideas
Bike racks at trailheads (so many Boulderites can get to their hike by using a cruiser, not a car)

Person C
Other topics
- In areas open to mountain biking, other uses decreases. For instance, a recent survey of Dowdy Draw conducted since the trails were opened to biking showed that 87% of users now were bikers.
- Better use of trailside information. Boards for communication to neighbors/users
1. More detailed maps posted to include ALL trails/Access points in the immediate area of each Trailside Information Board.

Person D
- Need more trails
- Suggest diverting land acquisition dollars to trail building, access, impact mitigation and maintenance.

Person E
- An improvement would be to have dogs remain on leash at the beginning of the trails that pass by houses [situated] close to trails.

Person F
Dog Waste:
Need better plan for dog waste – possibly use the Envirowag system (created by Rose?)
- Encourage the use of biodegradable bags
- Dog Latrines
- Active pickup [of trash]
- Compost, high use areas
- Some $ from OS to do this
- Make it easier to clean up
Access:
- Map with locations to show neighborhood access points – to show, big, medium and local access points.
- Access w/out having to drive
- Don’t want to lose local access points

Neighbor participation in this CCG process:
- This a NIMBY issue, so how much weight should be given to the complainers that always show up and speak at neighborhood meetings like this.
- How to recognize the diverse number of opinions and what people are thinking - CCG Not a Democracy
- Hopefully some shade of everyone’s INDiViDual ideas will make it through
- Why just involve neighbors west of Broadway? Aren’t other neighbors relevant?

Improvements, suggestions & concerns:
- Loop trails in neighborhoods where possible
- Identify areas w/parking issues such as Chautauqua vs smaller areas where Neighbors think more parking issues are more likely to occur
Want to recognize public parking in high use / popular areas like Chautauqua or Eben Fine versus the number of small areas that are impacted, for whatever reason.
- OSMP management, what should it be? Disney Land Management or Rocky Mountain Park Experience or a personal local park experience
- Will Open Space have its budget funded to be able to implement whatever the outcome of this WTSA process?

Person G:
- Better use of Trailside Information Boards for communication to neighbors/users
1. More detailed maps posted to include ALL trails/Access points in the immediate area of the Trailhead Info board.
2. Communication of local cultural interest spots, natural wonders and/or conservation issues in the immediate area of each Trailhead Information board.

- Build trail from Mesa/Shadow Canyon/Big Blue area to Shirttail peak

Person H
- We want to be able to walk, rather than drive, with our dogs to trails from our home, so maintaining and expanding voice & sight areas near neighborhoods is important.
- Disperse users! We need more neighborhood access, not less. Walking or biking to neighborhood trailheads will be better for the environment, will reduce parking congestion and will reduce the impacts at the major trailheads (Sanitas, Shanahan Ridge, Chautauqua).
- To avoid issues with parking in neighborhoods, do not include neighborhood access points on trail maps. That way, the neighbors will be the primary users and will typically walk to the access point rather than drive.
- Require dogs to be leashed is the first 300 ft of trailheads. This is where most dogs do their business, so owners will be more likely to pick up their poo.
- Dog waste seems to be a big issue for everyone. Why not require all dog owners to carry poo bags?

Person I
- Negotiate a “trickle” of water year-round through normally dry ditches. Makes great riparian zone – good for all.

Thank you to CU grad student, Steve Konieczka, who transcribe these notes into a Word document and Shelley Dunbar who further clarified them.

Its on, the CCG has our first meeting

2009-10-22T14:35:00.004-06:00

On Wednesday 10/21 the West TSA CCG met for the first time with a kickoff meeting. The meeting went smoothly and I was struck by the vast knowledge, experience and good will in the room. The agenda:
1. Public Participation
2. Member Introduction
3. Hopes, Needs and Commitments
4. CCG Operation
5. Proposed Meeting Schedule for November - December
6. Homework

We're planning for two meetings a month plus field trips into the West TSA.

We're about to begin the fifth step of the CCG process, Collaborative Learning. Here's a link to stages of the whole process:

http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/images/departments/openspace/images_wtsa/wtsa-ccg3.jpg

We have decided that appointing an alternate in each area can only help our neighborhood representation. We chose the runners up from the initial caucus voting. Please join us in welcoming your new Neighborhood Alternates:
Central - Shelly Dunbar - Shelley.westtsa@gmail.com
North - Joe Zamudi0 - Joe.westtsa@gmail.com
Our current alternate, Guy, will be the South alternate.

Next up:
Tonight the neighborhood Reps, including your new alternates, will hold our first meeting to hear neighborhood feedback. Details are in the posts below.

2009-10-10T11:08:00.007-06:00

TALK to US:

We are hosting a West TSA Neighborhood listening session on Thursday 10/22 at the Municipal Building (Broadway & Canyon) from 6:30pm-8:30pm so we can hear which topics are most important to you and so you can hear your neighbors ideas.

We’ve assembled the questionnaire below to start discussion and so folks who can’t make the listening session can still comment.

We have also created emails so you can contact us directly. While we live in different parts of town, we’re collaborating to find solutions that help all adjacent neighborhoods. That said none of us is focusing only on our North/Central/South and that residents should feel free to approach any of us.

You may contact all of us at: west.tsa.neighborhood.reps@gmail.com

Art Schwadron art.westtsa@gmail.com
Guy Burgess (Alternate) guy.westtsa@gmail.com
Ned Patton ned.westtsa@gmail.com
Scott Gordon scott.westtsa@gmail.com

Neighborhood Caucus
Collaborative Group Process
Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks Western Trail Study Area
Request for Ideas

We are writing to follow-up on the Open Space and Mountain Parks Western Trail Study Area Meeting that you attended on September 15. More specifically, we are writing to ask you to help shape the issues that your neighborhood representatives will bring to the Community Collaborative Group process. Our charge is to work with other CCG participants to develop a comprehensive plan for managing the City's mountain backdrop in ways that advance the interests of the Neighborhood Caucus, the larger community, and the natural environment.

Based on input we received at the meeting, it's clear that caucus participants would like to see us develop and advocate for policies that provide the best balance of the many competing interests of the caucus members and the larger community. In addition to neighborhood protection and access issues, caucus members also made it clear that they were interested in the bigger picture.

More specifically, they expressed a clear desire to move beyond unnecessary either/or choices between either environmental protection or recreation. Instead, they wanted us to, wherever possible, look for creative both/and solutions which advance both conservation and protection interests.

Request for Ideas
As we prepare for CCG discussions, we wanted your help in assembling a detailed catalogue of issues that you would like the CCG address and, more importantly, your specific suggestions for addressing each issue. Here, it is obviously true that it will be easier for us to persuade the larger CCG to adopt recommendations that are broadly attractive to all OSMP constituents. We, therefore, urge you to try to anticipate what opponents might say about your proposals and adjust your suggestions in ways that increase their attractiveness and address concerns that others are likely to have.

Questionnaire
To gather your ideas, we are using an open-ended questionnaire that recognizes the conventional, closed-ended (checkbox) surveys can't really do justice to the complex issues that need to be addressed. Such surveys also do a very poor job of tapping the community's creative problem solving capabilities. We have developed both a Quick Questionnaire (for folks who have just a few minutes to give us their ideas) and a More Detailed Questionnaire (for those willing to take the time to help develop proposals that are likely to stand a good chance of implementation).

Quick Question:
What neighborhood impacts, access issues, or opportunities do you think need to be addressed? Where?

More Detailed Questions:
If you have time and energy, we would also invite you to write a couple of paragraphs that tell us four things for each issue that you think needs to be addressed:

What is the problem that you would like to see corrected and/or the opportunity that you would like to see pursued?
How important is it that CCG address this? (Here answers could range FROM: This issue critically important -- failure to address it will lead to serious adverse consequences (please specify) TO: This would be nice to address if time, money, and energy permit.
Your suggestions for addressing the issue (remember that prospects for implementing your ideas will be much greater if you can craft them in ways which maximize support and minimize opposition).
Who we can contact for more information.

We are interested in a number of possible strategies for improving Open Space and Mountain Parks management including:

Strategies for limiting adverse impacts on Open Space neighbors,
Strategies for providing equitable and adequate access to Boulder residents,
Strategies for providing access to user groups that may be currently underserved,
Strategies for managing inevitable demands for increased Open Space visitation in ways which provide access while minimizing adverse environmental and neighborhood impacts, and
General ideas for improving the visitor experience and/or enhancing the environment.

For More Information
You may contact all of us at: west.tsa.neighborhood.reps@gmail.com

Art Schwadron art.westtsa@gmail.com
Guy Burgess (Alternate) guy.westtsa@gmail.com
Ned Patton ned.westtsa@gmail.com
Scott Gordon scott.westtsa@gmail.com

2009-09-25T14:07:00.002-06:00

Your West TSA CCG Neighborhood Representatives are currently working on our plan to solicit feedback and intend to distribute it by October 5th.

IF you aren't using an RSS feed, we have started a List Serve to notify you of new postings to this blog for your convenience.

If you would like to be notified of new posts by your Neighborhood Representatives via email please go to: http://groups.google.com/group/boulder-west-tsa-neighbors

Click on "Join this Group" on the right side of the page and follow the instructions.

2009-09-17T20:42:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the Boulder West TSA Neighborhood Representative Community Collaborative Group Blog.

We are:

Scott Gordon
Ned Patton
Art Schwadron
Guy Burgess (A)

First, thank you for your support. We are just getting started but are planning a Neighborhood Listening Session where all 4 neighborhood reps are present and we can all find out more about the issues on your minds.

More information will be available next week.