The purpose of this memorandum is to review upcoming Open Space trail projects and discuss the next steps in pursuing these projects.

Open Space staff reviewed upcoming Open Space trail projects, including trail projects recommended by the Boulder Area Trails Coalition (BATCO) at the July 12, 2000 Open Space Board of Trustees meeting. The Open Space Board of Trustees directed staff to work with various interest groups to develop a "top list" of potential trail projects that could be pursued in the near future.

Criteria used by staff to develop a 'top list" of potential near-term trail projects include: existing land ownership, additional easements required, minimal environmental impacts, broad community support, relatively low costs and potential connections to existing trails. Staff has informally discussed these trail projects with some board members from Boulder Area Trails Coalition (BATCO), PLAN Boulder, Boulder County Nature Association, Sierra Club and the Boulder County Audubon Chapter. Based on input from these members and the criteria described above, staff has developed a "top five" list of potential trail projects. These potential trail projects include:

This "top five" list is not meant to address comprehensive long-term trail needs. The trails elements of the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan and the Boulder County Comprehensive Plan, along with existing and future trail-related Open Space plans, will address comprehensive long-term trail needs.

The proposed "top five" list of trails would add approximately 8 miles of new multi-use trails to the more than 80 miles of the Open Space trails system. All of the proposed trails would provide a safe, quality recreation experience and complete important connections to existing city and county trails.

All of the "top five" proposed trails are supported and recommended in the trail elements of the Boulder County Comprehensive Plan (BCCP) and the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP). Open Space has informally discussed these proposed trail projects with individuals from BATCO, PLAN Boulder, Boulder County Nature Association (BCNA), Sierra Club and the Boulder Chapter of the National Audubon Society. Initial discussions with these groups indicate there is general support for these trail projects.

BATCO recommended an initial list of five trails in its August 7, 2000, memorandum to the Board plus five additional trails that it supports. Two of BATCO's initial five trails are not included in staff's "top five" list. Staff does not feel these trails meet the criteria established by staff for consideration at this time (South Eldorado Canyon to Walker Ranch - involves multiple jurisdictions and potential environmental impacts, user conflicts have not been evaluated; South Boulder Creek Trail to Teller Farm - resource issues have not been evaluated east of 75^th Street and trail from Dry Creek to South Boulder Creek should be completed prior to making this connection). All of the trails in staff's "top five" list are supported by BATCO. PLAN Boulder supports the first four proposed trail projects as described by staff and would like to further evaluate the Greenbelt Plateau to Flatirons Vista. Boulder County Nature Association conceptually supports these trail projects as described by staff and wants to ensure that raptor impacts are avoided along the Boulder Feeder Canal and the vacated portions of Coal Creek Drive. Sierra Club and Boulder County Audubon Chapter generally support these "top five" trails projects, but share the concerns on impacts to wildlife and wildlife habitats identified by BCNA.

The following section briefly describes potential issues and costs that must be further analyzed to pursue these trail projects. Attachment A is a matrix summarizing key issues associated with each proposed trail. Attachment B is a map depicting the conceptual alignment of the "top five" proposed trails. If rights-of-way or private lands are unavailable or impacts from various alignments on Open Space are determined to be unacceptable, these connections may not be completed, or on-street routes may be used. In-depth analysis for each trail project will occur once specific alignments have been determined.

Phase 2 of this project will connect the new trail north from Cottontail Trail to Monarch Trail that leads to Niwot. Boulder County Parks and Open Space (BCPOS) and COBOS submitted a GOCO grant to complete this project estimated at $613,000 but only $35,377 was funded. Additional funds will be required to complete this project and wetland permitting issues will need to be addressed.

The majority of this land is owned by the Bureau of Reclamation and managed by the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District (NCWCD). Portions of the canal are privately owned and will require acquisition of trail easements. COBOS and BCPOS have been working with NCWCD to develop a policy for recreational use of their waterways. The NCWCD board approved their recreational use policy at their meeting on June 9, 2000. This blanket policy "opens the door" for agencies to submit specific project proposals for their review. COBOS has also been meeting with city Water Quality staff on water quality concerns associated with trail use of the feeder canal. Water Quality has contracted CH Diagnostic to review existing state and federal legislation and develop a report that summarizes existing laws related to recreational use near drinking water sources and list of specific water quality concerns associated with this project. City and county staffs have provided extensive comments on the first draft and a second draft will be available for review within the next month. Open Space and Water Quality will then prepare staff recommendations concerning the trail project. The recommendations will be reviewed with the public and other boards as necessary. If the city (both Open Space and Public Works) comes to an agreement on resolving water quality issues. Open Space will submit a project to NCWCD to complete the section of trail from Boulder Reservoir to Niwot Road. If the first section of trail is approved and successful with NCWCD, Boulder County will submit a project to complete the remainder of the trail to Lyons. Costs associated with the first section of this trail are estimated at $30,000 to $50,000 and would primarily involve trail surfacing, installation of new signs, resolving safety issues and mitigating potential water quality impacts. Open Space would also have responsibility for ongoing maintenance and patrol.

COBOS currently owns the majority of land in this area and this potential trail would go from Greenbelt Plateau Trailhead (at the northeast corner of State Highways 93 and 128) east along the right-of-way of State Highway 128 or adjacent COBOS lands to the southern end of Coalton Trail. The primary environmental issue would be getting a trail across Coal Creek. There is an existing box culvert that extends out from Highway 128 on the north side of Coal Creek and a trail could be constructed over the top of this structure to get across the creek. Use of the Highway 128 right-of-way and/or culvert will require a permit from the Colorado Department of Transportation. Depending on the specific alignment of the trail, a wetland permit will probably be needed at the Coal Creek crossing. Costs are estimated at approximately $20,000 to $40,000 and primarily involve installing culverts, crossing Coal Creek and new fencing. The trail would be natural surface and constructed by staff (similar to the Left Hand Trail). Open Space would also have responsibility for ongoing maintenance and patrol. Costs would be significantly higher if the right-of-way along Highway 128 could not be used. If the proposed trail was located on Open Space, additional fencing and a new bridge to cross Coal Creek would be required (approximately $250,000).

This trail connection would use COBOS lands along Marshall Road east to South 66^th Street, following South 66^th Street south to Coal Creek Drive and east into the town of Superior. This trail would eventually connect to the Rock Creek/Coal Creek Trail in Louisville and to the eastern end of Coalton Trail.

The first section of this trail would be from Marshall Mesa to South 66^th Street. COBOS currently owns the majority of land in this area and there are several undesignated social trails that could potentially be used. Further evaluation is needed to determine whether one of these undesignated trails or a new alignment would provide the best connection. The second section of this connection is to get from South 66^th Street to Superior using right-of-way along the first portion of South 66^th Street and vacating the remainder of this road and Coal Creek Drive into the town of Superior. Eventually a trail connection will be completed along McCaslin Boulevard to the eastern end of Coalton Trail and east to the Rock Creek/Coal Creek Trail. Open Space staff is currently working with Boulder County Transportation and the two landowners who have access through these roads to determine the feasibility of vacating these roads. The County and landowners support vacating the road and need to finalize an agreement on the type of gates that should be installed and who will have responsibility for long-term maintenance of these gates. Additional issues to be considered include how the trail would connect to Superior, potential environmental impacts to the Arsenault property (Prebles meadow jumping mouse habitat, riparian area along Coal Creek and raptors) and determining the need for a new trailhead on the eastern terminus of this trail.

Costs are estimated at $5,000 and primarily involve reworking the steep section of South 66* Street. Additional costs associated with the project include new gates at the vacated portions of South 66'h Street and Coal Creek Drive (approximately $25,000) and a potential new trailhead on the east end of Coal Creek Drive (approximately $20,000 to $30,000). Staff would be responsible for construction of a natural surface trail on Marshall Mesa and Damyanovich, installation of new signs and ongoing maintenance and patrol.

Other than rights-of way along State Highway 93, COBOS currently owns the lands needed to construct this connection. Several options need to be further evaluated to connect these trailheads. One option uses the existing underpass near the old restaurant ruins and construct a new trail along the west side of Highway 93 to connect to Flatirons Vista. Issues to consider with this option include discouraging use of social trails and parking along Highway 93. Costs for this option are estimated at $15,000 to $25,000 and primarily involve installation of new culverts, fencing and resolving safety issues around the old restaurant site on the Matterhom property. Construction of a natural surface trail on both sides of Highway 93, installation of new signs and ongoing maintenance and patrol is included in this option. Another alternative requires construction of a new underpass at Highway 93 near the existing Greenbelt Plateau Trailhead. This option has extensive costs associated with the new underpass (approximately $1,000,000) but creates a more direct connection to Flatirons Vista and would alleviate use of social trails and dangerous parking near the old restaurant ruins. Construction of a natural surface trail on both sides of Highway 93, installation of new signs and ongoing maintenance and patrol is included in this option.

Further resource evaluations and cost estimates are needed to determine which option should be used for this potential connection.

This item is being heard at this public meeting, advertised in the Daily Camera. These trail proposals and others were also discussed at the July 12, 2000 Open Space Board of Trustees meeting. Numerous public meetings have been held during the development of recent versions of the BVCP, BCCP and other related planning outreach efforts. Initial informal discussions have been held with key individuals from BATCO, BCNA, Plan Boulder, Sierra Club and the Boulder County Chapter of the National Audubon Society.

Open Space staff recommends focusing efforts on completing Lockout Road north to the Cottontail Trail and further evaluation of the Boulder Feeder Canal, Greenbelt Plateau east to Coalton Trail and Marshall Mesa to Superior for the remainder of 2000. During 2001, staff efforts will focus on constructing these projects and further evaluation of Greenbelt Plateau to Flatirons Vista.

Open Space staff will continue to work with interested groups, surrounding agencies and cities, and private landowners to pursue other appropriate connections. Further analysis and specific alignments for these potential trail connections will be addressed in future planning efforts and pursued as land and funding becomes available.