It’s Friday, May 31, 2024.
Howdy Boulder, here we are at another Friday before a beautiful June weekend. Let’s get to it.
For today, we’ve got news on the measure to close the Boulder Municipal Airport. Signatures are being counted to determine whether closing the airport and replacing it with housing will be on this fall’s ballot. Though advocates in favor of closing the airport feel good about having enough signatures, that would be just the first battle. The measure would likely be hotly contested by pilots who use the runways and by residents who see it as a source of sales tax revenue and a place for emergency vehicles to land.
Also, the Longmont City Council voted to get rid of parking minimums that often add expense and space needs to developments. The first non-coastal city out West to do so, Longmont’s choice could foreshadow Boulder’s future, as the idea of cutting the practice has already been established as a city council priority over the next two years. And, Patagonia is hosting a Running Up For Air event on the city’s Anemone trail tomorrow to raise funds for nonprofits improving air quality.
Have a tremendous weekend. It should be gorgeous out there.
— Tim, reporter
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I’m Tina Mueh, running to represent us in HD10. We all have our own stories and lived experiences, and being a good representative means cherishing our community voices and seeking solutions thoughtfully and collaboratively. I have the deep experience and skills necessary to be an effective legislator, and I’d treasure your support.
Featured stories
Boulder officials counting signatures for ballot measures to close the city airport and build housing
A ballot measure to close the airport would be the most politically contentious question on this year’s city ballot. The debate underscores one of the many tradeoffs under consideration as the city searches for land to address its housing shortage. Continue reading…
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In other news
Last day in the 70s
Today is slated to hover in the mid-70s. After that, the forecast shows nothing cooler than 80. While we’ll enjoy sun abated only by a few clouds for the next several days, there is a stretch of thunderstorms on the horizon. So if you’re looking to test your theory of electricity by flying a kite in such a storm, that opportunity is coming. It should be noted, however, that a Russian physicist named Georg Wilhelm Richmann died trying to conduct a similar experiment. So unless your name is Ben Franklin and the year is 1752, when you hear thunder, I’d go inside.
No more parking minimums in Longmont
On May 29, the Longmont City Council voted unanimously to eliminate minimum parking requirements for new developments, replacing them with parking maximums. The move aims to lower housing costs, boost economic growth and cut transportation pollution
“This policy change puts people over parking,” said Ben Ortiz, transportation planner with the City of Longmont, in a news release from SWEEP, a regional environmental group. “While city staff recognize that people own cars and need places to store them, not everyone chooses to own a car or can afford one. For these individuals, eliminating minimum parking requirements will be particularly beneficial, as the cost of parking increases the costs of goods, services, and housing for everyone, including those who do not drive.”
Longmont is the first non-coastal city in the American West to take this step, joining 74 other U.S. cities, according to the Parking Reform Network.
The change follows the recent state law, House Bill 24-1304, which bans cities from enforcing parking minimums for certain multifamily projects near transit. Longmont went beyond that law by removing parking minimums altogether. Boulder has been debating removing parking minimums itself, and the new city council has made it one of its priorities. Just about everywhere in Boulder, developers must provide at least one off-street parking spot per housing unit, according to the city’s zoning laws. These requirements result in costly underground parking, which can drive up the cost of housing projects. In an underground lot, each space costs about $50,000.
“I want to at least reform those requirements, and potentially get rid of minimums entirely,” Mayor Aaron Brockett told Boulder Reporting Lab in January. “I think the time is right.”
CPR’s deep dive into Los Seis
The 1974 car bombings in Boulder, which killed six Chicano activists, remain a contentious part of the city’s history 50 years later. On May 27 and 29, two car bombs exploded, killing six members of the Chicano movement. Authorities concluded the activists accidentally detonated the bombs they were making, but these conclusions were never tested in court, and no one was charged. This week, CPR published a 4,000-word story based on records from the university, police, FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and others.
The six victims, known as Los Seis de Boulder, were involved in protests against the University of Colorado’s control over the Mexican-American student association and the Chicano studies program. They included a young attorney, a former homecoming queen and an aspiring doctor. Many activists distrusted the law enforcement investigations, arguing that sabotage or external attacks were not fully considered. Modern forensic standards also reveal gaps and errors. The bombings occurred amid widespread Chicano activism in Colorado, including protests against limited opportunities for Latino students. Surviving Chicano activists did not speak to the CPR reporter.
From the story: “Federal agents, local Colorado police and sheriff’s deputies interviewed about 150 people, collected evidence from the two bombing scenes, analyzed chemical samples, and executed additional search warrants. A grand jury was convened in Denver to hear evidence in the case, but its racial makeup was challenged and several people called to testify refused to cooperate, in the view of authorities. Grand jury proceedings are secret, so the reasons no one was indicted, or even if the jurors were asked, is unknown. But, with all but one of the people in the cars killed, no one was charged in the explosions. The Boulder district attorney at the time also declined to prosecute the sole survivor of the blasts on state charges.”
Fifty years later, the University of Colorado and Boulder have acknowledged this history with memorials and scholarships honoring Los Seis. The City of Boulder dedicated a new public artwork this week by artist Jasmine Baetz at the corner of 17th and Pearl Streets, titled “El Movimiento Sigue.”
As ozone season nears, consider running up Anemone
Patagonia, the outdoor clothing company, is hosting a Running Up For Air event on the Anemone Loop Trail in the city starting Saturday, June 1, at 9 a.m. The goal is to complete as many laps as possible, gaining as much vertical elevation as possible, to raise money for nonprofits seeking to improve air quality. The event will be tracked on Strava with the baseline goal of gaining 1,000 vertical feet. Running Up For Air is not just taking place in Boulder but is a global effort to improve air quality, as a large portion of humanity, including those living in the Denver metro area, breathe air that is less than ideal.
How should the county spend $10 million for mobile home communities?
Boulder County, in partnership with the City of Boulder, is applying for $10 million in federal funding to support mobile home communities — and it’s looking for public input on its application. If they get the grant, it means mobile home community residents and owners would be able to apply for money to fund repairs, energy efficiency, infrastructure and more. You can read the funding application here.
“This funding would mark a significant expansion of our capacity to invest in the preservation of manufactured home communities,” said Crystal Launder, a climate initiatives policy adviser for the City of Boulder. “Aging homes and infrastructure, and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, have underscored the urgency of stabilizing households in these communities, many of which are inhabited by residents with lower incomes.”
A virtual meeting will be held on June 4, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Spanish interpretation will be provided. You can register now.
More murals coming to Boulder
The City of Boulder is now accepting applications for the Creative Neighborhoods Mural Program. Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis within 10 subcommunities, including Gunbarrel, South Boulder, Uni Hill and others. While businesses cannot apply to get a mural on their building — or at least not one funded by the city — applications are open to neighborhood-based groups, neighborhood associations, individuals and place-based nonprofits.
Along with prioritizing low-income communities that have not enjoyed city-funded murals before, the city will also consider how durable the projects will be.
Applicants must get mural design approval from neighboring residents, and projects must be completed by Sept. 30, 2025. For more details, visit the Creative Neighborhoods Mural Program webpage.
More opportunities for artists at the city’s Western Campus
The City of Boulder is also looking for artists. It announced three Requests for Qualifications for art installations at the new Western City Campus. The campus will be located at the intersection of Alpine and Balsam where the Boulder Community Health hospital once stood. The art projects, with budgets from $100,000 to $450,000, will hopefully reflect the area’s history, landscape and culture.
“For the first time in almost three years, the City of Boulder is excited to open calls for entry to artists in Colorado and beyond,” said Public Art Program Manager Brendan Picker-Mahoney. “It’s a great opportunity for artists to showcase their creativity and help build the identity of the city’s new municipal building.”
Artists must apply by June 28. Community members are also welcome to provide input on the art.
Homeless solutions dashboard launch
Boulder County has introduced a first public data dashboard for the Homeless Solutions for Boulder County project. The dashboard shows data on trends and services for single adults who are homeless. It includes information about people who have existed homelessness and how they did it, like finding housing or reconnecting with friends and family. It also tracks when people enter the homelessness system and when they leave the service area.
Bike to Work Day fast approaching
Wednesday, June 26, is the day to leave your car at home and hop on two wheels — or three if you prefer — to get to work. Pledge to ride now and be entered to win prizes, including an e-bike. Join over 2,400 riders at 124 stations, representing 432 companies that have already pledged to participate.
In the month leading up to Bike to Work Day, there are other cycling events. Hosted by the City of Boulder and Community Cycles, the events include a bike theft awareness expo and a bike show.
Explore ALL upcoming events in Boulder. If you have something to promote, use the self-submission form on our events page, for free.
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