Conservation Corner - April 2026
City of Boulder Staff’s Public Realm Tax Proposal Threatens Dedicated Open Space Sales Tax Funds
Boulder’s Iconic Flatirons
At their March 12 Study Session, Boulder City Council had a discussion of potential November 2026 tax ballot measures, including a measure that would combine revenues from the dedicated Open Space Sales Tax Fund with funds for Transportation and Parks and Recreation into one “Public Realm” sales tax fund. This restructuring would take away the dedication of Open Space Sales Tax funds and allow those funds to be diverted to other city services and amenities, such as roads. Council decided on March 12 to allow this measure to move forward for further consideration as a possible November 2026 ballot measure.
Mayor Pro Tem Tara Winer has stated publicly that her opinion has changed since the March 12 meeting, due to community feedback. Council’s next discussion of the matter will be at their May 14 study session and it is important that they keep hearing from the community that there is overwhelming support for keeping the dedicated Open Space Sales Tax Fund just that - dedicated to Open Space, and not included in a shared pot with other programs.
See this article for background, talking points, and how to contact Council.
Boulder’s Multimodal Assessment Project
Project Timeline
Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) staff have started working on a project to improve access to the City's Open Space trails. This coming April through June, they will be asking for YOUR input on how to enable you to get to trails in ways that reduce climate impacts (e.g. by foot, bus, bike, or e-vehicle).
Learn about the background for this project, submit comments, and sign up for updates here.
The Fairview High Mountain Bike team and Boulder Mountainbike Alliance are asking the City for a direct trail connection on Open Space from Fairview High to Doudy Draw, which would mean adding bikes to existing trails and possibly constructing new trails. The existing trails in that area were designated bike-free during the 2011 West Trail Study Area Process, and the area has been designated as Colorado Tallgrass Prairie State Natural Area because of the high-quality habitat.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
CURRENT PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR APRIL 2026
Take the online survey by May 3: Scroll down on this website to the brown button under the heading “Take the Online Questionnaire.”
Submit Comments for the project here.
Save the date, June 10 : OSMP plans to present Assessment and Preliminary Opportunities/Strategies to the Open Space Board of Trustees (OSBT) on Wednesday June 10. OSBT meetings begin at 6:00 PM.
If you want to keep the OSMP area and trails from Shanahan to South Mesa bike-free, safe for pedestrian use and preserve the grassland habitat for native species, we need you to speak out! In addition to the above actions, you can let us know where to send action alerts and details to help guide your comments by sending your e-mail address to: conservationissues@boulderaudubon.org. When you email, please use the message header “Boulder City Trails.” If you’re a current BCAS member, you should already receive our action alerts about this and other projects/issues.
Boulder to Erie Regional Trail
See this article for background information on this project.
Sunrise along the BERT. Photo by Linda Andes-Georges.
BCAS continues to follow this project as it enters the design phase, and we will alert our members of public comment opportunities, including the land use review process. The project website was recently updated, and you can send comments and questions to the project team at any time here.
Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan Major Update
The Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP) seeks to protect the natural environment of the Boulder Valley while fostering a livable, vibrant and sustainable community. The plan provides an overview of the community’s desires for future development and preservation of the Boulder Valley. The city and county use it to guide long-range planning.
The major update, which kicked off with a public open house on October 19, 2024, will be the eighth major update to the plan, first adopted in 1977. Since then, major updates have been completed in 1982, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2017.
The online community survey closed on April 6. City and County staff will review submitted comments and refine the draft plan. A recommended draft of the BVCP will be posted here on May 18 for public viewing ahead of adoption hearings beginning in June 2026. Community members will be able to share final comments with the City Planning Board, City Council, County Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners at upcoming public hearings. See the project website for the schedule of upcoming public hearings.
NoCo Places
BCAS is a stakeholder in NoCo Places, a coalition of nine municipal, county, state, and federal public land agencies from north-central Colorado who are actively collaborating to address conservation and recreation challenges across jurisdictional boundaries in Northern Colorado.
NoCo Places is one of over twenty Regional Partnerships around Colorado - part of Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Regional Partnership (RPI) Program, established by Governor Polis in 2020. Great Outdoors Colorado has $50 million over the next several years for RPIs and Colorado Outdoor Strategy to address the problem of increased demand for recreation. No other state has attempted this on this scale.
NoCo Places projects include Unauthorized Trails Rehabilitation: “Unauthorized, or ‘social’, trails emerge when visitors create unplanned shortcuts or wander off designated routes, often harming sensitive habitats and causing erosion. NoCo Places is working with partners and volunteers to map, prioritize, and rehabilitate these trails across Northern Colorado.” This quote is from the project webpage where you will also find a summary of progress to date and a fact sheet. For 2026, NoCo Places secured a grant to fund a crew to work across boundaries and begin making progress on the ground rehabilitating unauthorized trails.
The Boulder County Audubon Society leadership thanks the members of the BCAS Conservation Committee for their time and efforts in helping educate and advocate for Boulder County’s birds, wildlife, and their habitats. If you are interested in joining this effort, or any other BCAS committees, please contact us.