Hello, Boulder. We’ve got a full slate of news today — let’s dive in.
First, last night the Boulder City Council voted to gather input on urbanizing the Area III-Planning Reserve for potential housing development and to hold a public hearing on the St. Julien Hotel expansion, which has drawn community opposition.
In other news, the BVSD Board of Education voted 6-1 this week to approve a universal cell phone ban for all schools, set to take effect in January, Jenna Sampson reports. Some parents and students have raised concerns about enforcement and emergency communication. The board plans to monitor the policy and make adjustments as needed.
Also this week, BOCO Cider, Boulder’s only cidery, has been preparing to close its doors for good, Por Jaijongkit reports. After five years, owner Michael Belochi cited limited visibility in North Boulder’s industrial zone, zoning restrictions and stagnant growth as reasons for closing, despite weathering Covid challenges relatively well. “We’re in that position right now where we have to go big or go home,” he said. A post-Thanksgiving sale of cidery items is planned.
Meanwhile, crews have begun excavating the Marshall Mesa Trailhead to extinguish an underground coal fire that has been burning for over a century. I visited the site to capture photos of the process, which is expected to take three months, followed by eight months of trail repairs and revegetation to restore the area.
Finally, as we approach Thanksgiving, we’re compiling a list of ways to give back to the community. If you work with or run a nonprofit and would like to share your needs, please email me at brooke@boulderreportinglab.org by Monday night to be included. We’ll publish a guide next week to connect people with opportunities to contribute. Information on how to help beyond monetary donations is especially welcome.
Have a lovely weekend,
— Brooke, reporter
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Featured stories
‘The end of the distraction era’: BVSD board approves cell phone ban, leaves implementation to schools
The policy restricts phone use from bell to bell, bringing Boulder Valley high schools in line with no-phone rules already in place for younger grades. Continue reading…
BOCO Cider, Boulder County’s only cidery, is closing after five years
Owner Michael Belochi cites limited visibility in the industrial zone in North Boulder and stagnant growth, with hopes to reopen in a new location — but the future of Boulder’s beloved cidery remains undecided. Continue reading…
In photos: Crews work to extinguish century-old Marshall Mesa coal fire in Boulder
State experts say they are using the most reliable method of extinguishing the fire: excavating the coal, cooling it, mixing it with soil and then replacing the mixture. Continue reading…
In other news
Soak up the sun before rain and snow roll in
Enjoy two mild, partly cloudy days with highs in the 60s — Saturday might even hit a toasty 67, the warmest we’ll see for a while. But don’t get too comfy — Sunday cools down with rain expected by mid-afternoon and a chance of snow sneaking in by evening. Classic Colorado mood swings!
Boulder City Council to hold public hearing on St. Julien expansion
The Boulder City Council voted 7–2 last night to hold a public hearing on the St. Julien Hotel’s proposal to expand its property at 900 Walnut Street, creating uncertainty for the owner’s plans to add extended-stay guest suites and a nonprofit meeting space.
Mayor Aaron Brockett and Councilmembers Taishya Adams, Matt Benjamin, Lauren Folkers, Tina Marquis, Mark Wallach and Tara Winer voted in favor of calling up the site review amendment. Mayor Pro Tem Nicole Speer and Councilmember Ryan Schuchard voted against it.
The decision follows months of public scrutiny surrounding the project, with opposition led by neighboring condominium residents citing concerns about obstructed views, increased traffic and waste management.
The expansion is made possible by a site review amendment approved with conditions by the city’s Planning Board last month. Under the proposal, St. Julien Partners LLC plans to construct a four-story building with a fifth-floor mechanical mezzanine. The project includes approximately 39 extended-stay guest suites and a first-floor meeting space designated for nonprofit use. The new building would be located east of the existing 201-room hotel, atop an underground parking garage. Read more on BRL.
Boulder City Council votes to consider urbanizing Area III-Planning Reserve
Also last night, the Boulder City Council voted 8-1 to consider urbanizing the city’s Area III-Planning Reserve as part of the upcoming update to the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan, a joint document between the City of Boulder and Boulder County that guides land use and development decisions.
The decision allows city officials to begin gathering community input on potential uses for the property, located northeast of the city and long regarded as a significant opportunity to address Boulder’s affordable housing shortage. Earlier this week, the city’s Planning Board also approved a motion to consider expanding city services to the planning reserve.
The decisions do not authorize development. Even if approved in the coming years, development would not occur until at least the mid-2030s, according to a city official.
The nearly 500-acre property, located east of U.S. 36 and north of Jay Road, was first identified as a potential site for urban expansion in 1993. The city owns about 220 acres, purchased primarily with sales tax revenue designated for city parks and affordable housing, according to city officials. Most of the remaining land is privately owned. Read more on BRL.
Small grass fire extinguished on Flagstaff Road
A reminder of Colorado’s year-round fire risks came Wednesday night as a small grass fire broke out near the 2000 block of Flagstaff Road, west of Boulder. First responders arrived around 9 p.m. to find a ground fire covering about 200 by 200 feet in steep terrain near the 1800 block of Flagstaff Road.
The fire was quickly extinguished, with no structures damaged. Boulder Fire Rescue is investigating the cause. Agencies responding included Boulder Fire Rescue, Mountain View Fire Rescue, Boulder Rural Fire Department, Boulder Police, the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office and Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks.
Boulder’s planned winter prescribed burns are also happening
Also on Wednesday, the City of Boulder did a prescribed burn just west of South Cherryvale Road and south of South Boulder Road. Over the next few months, the city is planning more burns in agricultural ditches, depending on the weather. If you see smoke in these areas, that’s likely why:
North Boulder
- North of Coot Lake, west of 63rd Street, and south of Monarch Road.
- North of Coot Lake, west of 63rd Street, and north of Monarch Road.
East Boulder
- East of 75th Street and north of Valmont Road.
- East of the Meadow Glen neighborhood and north of Baseline Road.
Southeast Boulder
- Near the East Boulder Community Recreation Center, west of Cherryvale Road, and north of South Boulder Road.
- In the small triangle between U.S. 36, South Boulder Road, and South Cherryvale Road (three burns are planned here).
These burns are all about improving the ecosystem, keeping irrigation ditches in good shape, and getting rid of woody debris that can make wildfires worse.
Drop-in sessions offered to help with Boulder’s new utility billing portal
Starting Nov. 25, the City of Boulder Utility Billing will roll out a new self-service billing portal. To use the updated system, all customers will need to re-register on the new portal.
An additional change is coming in February 2025, when the city transitions to paperless billing.
Utility billing staff will be available at the West and East Age Well Centers to answer questions about the new system and paperless billing. These are drop-in sessions, and customers will be seen in the order they sign up at the front desk.
Drop-in session details:
- West Age Well Center: Dec. 10, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
- East Age Well Center: Dec. 12, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
States remain divided over Colorado River water management
The seven states that rely on the Colorado River remain deeply divided over how to address the river’s shrinking water supply, KUNC reported this week. At a meeting Monday, Arizona’s water chief, Tom Buschatzke, highlighted major disagreements between the Upper Basin states (Colorado, Utah, New Mexico) and Lower Basin states (California, Arizona, Nevada) about reducing water use.
The current water-sharing rules expire in 2026, and states face mounting pressure to agree on a new plan. Each group has proposed competing strategies: Upper Basin states emphasize their existing conservation efforts, while Lower Basin states push for broader cuts tied to reservoir levels.
Despite calls for collaboration, tensions are rising, with both sides preparing for possible legal battles. Federal officials at the Bureau of Reclamation will ultimately decide how the river is managed if the states fail to reach an agreement.
Boulder gets about one-third of its water from the Colorado River, with the rest coming from senior rights to local sources like Boulder Creek. Nearby towns such as Louisville and Longmont have similarly diversified water portfolios, making them less dependent on the Colorado River. In contrast, cities like Superior and Erie rely almost entirely on Colorado River water, leaving them more vulnerable to shortages as the river’s flow continues to decline.
BRL’s weekend to-do list: Music edition
☀️ Explore more events in Boulder and use the self-submission form on our events page to reach thousands in our community — for free! To have your event featured on this list, make sure to submit it to our events calendar.
Queen50 at Dairy Arts Center: Friday, Nov. 22, 7–8:30 p.m., 2590 Walnut St. Additional dates: Saturday, Nov. 23, 7–8:30 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 24, 1:30–3 p.m. Read More
Live DJ Set and Dance Floor at Rosetta Hall: Friday, Nov. 22, 10 p.m., 1109 Walnut St. Read More
Skyler Sun/Will Deheeger/Echo at Trident Café: Friday, Nov. 22, 6–8:30 p.m., 940 Pearl St. Read More
Spafford at The Fox Theatre: Friday, Nov. 22, 8 p.m., 1135 13th St. Read More
Strange Americans with Faceman at The Velvet Elk Lounge: Friday, Nov. 22, 8–11 p.m., 2037 13th St. Read More
5280s Band at The Louisville Underground: Saturday, Nov. 23, 8–11 p.m., 640 Main St., Louisville. Read More
Andy Babb & Lara Elle with Daniel Wander and Ghost of Caroline at The Velvet Elk Lounge: Saturday, Nov. 23, 8–11 p.m., 2037 13th St. Read More
Colorado Connection at Roots Music Project: Saturday, Nov. 23, 7 p.m., 4747 Pearl St., Suite V3A. Read More
Ethan Jodziewicz & Maya de Vitry at Gold Hill Inn: Saturday, Nov. 23, 7 p.m., 401 Main St. Read More
Free Family Concert with Zivanai Masango & Friends at Boulder Public Library: Saturday, Nov. 23, 11:15 a.m.–12 p.m., 1001 Arapahoe Ave. Read More
Johnsmith w/ Dan Sebranek at Muse Performance Space: Saturday, Nov. 23, 7 p.m., 200 E. South Boulder Rd., Lafayette. Read More
Leif Vollebekk at The Fox Theatre: Saturday, Nov. 23, 8 p.m., 1135 13th St. Read More
Rocky Mountain Chorale Presents: Stories in Song at First United Methodist Church Boulder: Saturday, Nov. 23, 7:30–9:30 p.m., 1421 Spruce St. Read More
Free Live Music by Lionel Young Duo at The Velvet Elk Lounge: Sunday, Nov. 24, 8–10 p.m., 2037 13th St. Read More