|
PLAN-Boulder CountyThe Boulder County Peoples Advocate Jan. 1, 2007Boulder County public affairs news and analysis |
In this issue
Planning Director Search Starts Anew
Boulder City Manager Frank Bruno rejected all three finalists for the position of planning director. The position became vacant last summer when Planning Director Peter Pollock suddenly resigned. Since then the City has conducted a search to find a new director for the important position.
About 80 people were contacted during the process with 59 making applications. Bruno narrowed the field to three finalists, two from Larimer County and one from Minnesota. During November the three met with the City Council, Planning Board members, City staff and the public.
Bruno commended the qualifications of all three finalists but said in a statement "no candidate came out on top as the best fit for our community at this time." The City will restart the search process in early 2007. In the meantime, Ruth McHeyser will continue to serve as acting planning director.
Parks and Recreation Master Plan Approved
The Boulder City Council, at its Dec. 19 meeting, approved the 2006 update to the master plan for the Parks and Recreation Department. The plan is intended to guide park and recreation policy for the City of Boulder until 2016.
Council members voted unanimously to approve the plan, with Robin Bohannan and Tom Eldridge absent. Council member Crystal Gray offered an amendment to respond to complaints from two recreation groups that fees for their use of City recreational facilities were to be increased. On a 4 to 3 vote Council approved Gray's motion, which would waive the increases for Aqua Teens and Boulder Aquatic Masters until City staff completes an analysis of the fee structure for nonprofit organizations that use City facilities. Voting with Gray were council members McGrath, Polk and Stoakes. Council members Ageton, Ruzzin and Schultheiss were opposed, citing concerns over fairness for other users of City recreation facilities. Council members Bohannan and Eldridge were absent from the meeting.
About 40 people spoke at a public hearing on the issue, mainly representing recreation groups. Disc golf and bicycling enthusiasts lobbied Council to build a disc golf course and cyclocross track at Valmont Park. Councilman McGrath was a strong advocate for their causes, seeking to require City staff to construct those facilities in the park. McGrath's Council colleagues would not go that far but instead informally instructed staff to "evaluate additional uses" for the park during the 2007 update of the Valmont Park plan.
Speakers at the hearing also voiced concerns about rising fees for some uses at City parks and recreation centers. The increases are part of City Manager Frank Bruno's "business plan model" approach to City services, whereby staff ranks various users on a priority list ranging from basic services to "enterprises" that are meant to pay their own way without any City support.
Council Expands Sentencing for Hate Crimes
At their Dec. 5 meeting members of the Boulder City Council voted to adopt a "sentencing enhancement" provision for bias-motivated crimes prosecuted in Boulder Municipal Court. The ordinance, which was drafted by City legal staff at the request of Boulder Citizens United, would increase the maximum fine for such crimes to $2,000 from the current $1,000.
The change was strongly opposed by the Boulder County chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, which pointed out that existing state law would be duplicated by the City ordinance. The ACLU also reported that provisions of the state law on bias-motivated crimes were stricter than those in the proposed City ordinance. The ACLU also had concerns that the ordinance could be misused to limit freedom of expression and speech.
The proposed ordinance did not recommend increasing jail sentences for bias-motivated crimes, including third degree assault, brawling, physical harassment, threatening bodily injuring and using "fighting words." On a motion by Robin Bohannan the proposed ordinance was expanded to include property crimes, such as graffiti, in addition to crimes against persons. That amendment passed on an eight to one vote, with Shaun McGrath opposing. The vote on the amended ordinance was unanimous.
Boulder Council Reverses Course on Legislative Agenda
The Boulder City Council changed course at the last minute on its agenda for state legislative action in the 2007 session of the Colorado legislature. As proposed by City staff Boulder's long advocacy of equal marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples was removed as a priority, reflecting the outcome of a statewide vote denying state government recognition of such rights.
Upon receiving numerous complaints from Boulder citizens the Council, at its Dec. 5 meeting, approved the legislative priorities and instructed City staff to add back Boulder's support for equal rights for all Colorado citizens, regardless of sexual orientation. The Council also instructed staff to consider adding other recommendations for legislative action to combat discrimination, including a state law extending prohibition of bias in employment to include sexual orientation. Boulder, Denver and a number of other cities have such laws but the protections are not in effect statewide.
Robin Bohannan offered the motion to include the GLBT issues, pointing out that Boulder voters had rejected the statewide anti-gay marriage amendment by a margin of over two-to-one and supported an initiative authorizing civil unions by an even larger margin. Her motion was approved unanimously, with Councilmen Tom Eldridge and Richard Polk absent.
Council Rejects Landmark Status for Historic House
The Boulder City Council rejected recommendations from the Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board and City staff and refused to give landmark status to a house at 1802 Canyon Boulevard threatened with demolition by a developer. The 102-year-old house had been proposed to be part of a five-unit residential development on the site by developer Norman Murphy.
A site plan approved for Murphy's project required preservation of the house, which was to be moved thirty feet in order to allow construction of four new units on the property. The developer ran into difficulties in moving the structure and asked that the plan be changed to allow him to demolish the historic building. The Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board and City staff sought to keep the original site plan requirements in place, saying that it was the fault of the developer that the building's move was improperly done, resulting in structural damage. An engineering study commissioned by the City found that the building could be moved and restored.
On a motion by Shaun McGrath the Council acquiesced to the developer's request, voting 7 to 2 to reject landmark designation for the house. Voting in favor of McGrath's motion were Council members Ageton, Bohannan, Eldridge, McGrath, Polk, Ruzzin and Schultheiss. Council members Crystal Gray and Jack Stoakes voted against the motion.
The house was demolished on Dec. 18 after witnessing over a century of Boulder history. It will be replaced by a new residence, part of Murphy's five-unit project on the site.
Longmont Businesses Organize Against Big Boxes
Government leaders in Longmont have long been receptive to the siren call of big box retailers. Many of Longmont's thoroughfares are lined with the large out-of-town chain stores that typically draw the blood out of the local economy and ship the profits off to their headquarters in Arkansas, Michigan or North Carolina. Now Longmont's local businesses are organizing to combat the big boxes and promote the benefits of local shopping.
The Longmont Small Business Association will hold its second annual Small Business Summit on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2007 at the Radisson Hotel Conference Center, 1900 Ken Pratt Boulevard. The featured speaker at the event will be Michael Shuman, author of The Small-Mart Revolution: How Local Businesses Are Beating the Global Competition. For additional information, contact the Longmont Small Business Association at 303-532-2868.
PLAN-Boulder County's 47th Annual Dinner
Register now for the Annual Dinner, Sunday Jan. 28 at A Spice of Life Event Center. Stephen Schneider will present, "Can We Define, Let Alone Prevent, 'Dangerous' Climate Change?" Deadline for registrations is approaching.
Across the country people are concerned about the lack of good local journalism in their communities. In many cases the problem revolves around out-of-town corporate ownership of newspapers, radio and television stations that puts higher priority on profit than quality. The concentration of so much of the nation's media under a few corporations also limits the diversity of views and often results in a pro-business slant on the news. Boulder, with both of its daily newspapers owned by the same firm, is no exception.
PLAN-Boulder County is pleased with the response from Boulder County residents to the Peoples Advocate. We'll keep working to let you know how your city and county representatives are voting on important issues, and we'll continue to provide detailed information on the nuts and bolts of public process.
In order to spread the word we encourage those of you who are receiving this publication to pass it around. Please forward the Peoples Advocate to your friends and associates. Encourage any community organizations in which you are a member to distribute the Peoples Advocate to their membership.
If you like what you read, please sign up to receive the newsletter directly to ensure continuity and simplify our process by contacting PLAN-Boulder board member David Cook. And most importantly, let us know what you think about the publication and the issues we cover.
| The Boulder County Peoples Advocate is published monthly by PLAN-Boulder County and distributed free to persons interested in local public affairs issues. Eric Karnes, Editor
|