Good Monday morning, Boulder. Today’s BRL Today is sponsored by SVP Boulder County — learn how to become a Partner Member or get nonprofit support.
Leading today’s edition: Boulder’s new fire‑hardening standards took effect Aug. 1 for new construction and major remodels in wildfire‑prone areas, requiring noncombustible buffers, fences and plantings. The rules now cover areas encompassing more than 16,000 properties. You can check our interactive map to see if your home is included. Now, city council is weighing whether to apply the rules to older homes — a step supporters say is vital for public safety but would require more staff during a hiring freeze and budget shortfalls. John Herrick reports.
In other news: Longmont City Council has tabled a vote on the Distel‑Tull land swap, adding uncertainty to Boulder County’s composting plans. The swap would shift part of the Distel property, a gravel‑scarred site southeast of Longmont, from the open space program to utilities. That could eventually free up 8 to 10 acres for a regional compost facility run by the county, but neighbors and others warn of noise, traffic, groundwater contamination and impacts on bald eagles. Por Jaijongkit has the latest.
And in BRL Opinion today: Columnist Bob Yates writes that while Boulder helps one person a day exit homelessness, nearly twice as many arrive. He argues the city needs to better manage that inflow to sustain services.
Plus, much more, Below the Fold:
- Airport hire: Boulder names new airport manager.
- Tax debate: Council split on mental health proposal.
- Ballot input: County seeks feedback on November measures.
- Garden rules: Should Boulder allow planting in wildfire zones?
- Energy rebates: New state tool helps residents find them.
- EPA cuts: CU Boulder tracks 23% workforce drop.
- Things to Do: Doc fest, sunflower hike, hip hop fest, weaving, cello, silent film, art show, disco party + more.
Thanks, as always, for reading. A quick heads‑up: You’ll be seeing less of us in your inbox this week as our small team takes time to recharge, so we can return with even more reporting you won’t find anywhere else.
– The BRL team
Our community is stronger when we’re all working together. For 25 years, Social Venture Partners has strengthened nonprofits by connecting them to community members who share our vision for a thriving Boulder County. Learn more about joining as a Partner Member or receiving support for your nonprofit.
Boulder City Council considers extending wildfire safety rules to existing homes but faces financial hurdles
New fire-hardening standards for new construction took effect Aug. 1. Councilmembers are now weighing whether older homes should comply, a step seen as important for public safety but one that could require significant staffing increases amid a citywide hiring freeze. Continue reading…
Longmont delays decision on Distel‑Tull land swap, adding uncertainty to Boulder County compost plans
At the center of the fight are about 8 to 10 acres that could host a regional composting facility for Boulder County. The land, wedged between an active gravel site and open space, has sparked Longmont’s biggest land‑use battle in years. Continue reading…
Bob Yates: Boulder cannot house the world
To continue effective sheltering and housing, we must address the flow of homeless people into our community. Continue reading…
Hot and sunny start to the week
Boulder will see plenty of sun today with highs in the low 90s. Tuesday looks even hotter, topping out around 95 with a few gusts up to 20 mph before cooling to the low 60s overnight.
Boulder hires new airport manager
The City of Boulder has hired Eric Vences as the new manager of Boulder Municipal Airport, following a national search launched after former airport manager John Kinney left last fall to lead the Northern Colorado Regional Airport.
Vences, who starts Aug. 11, brings about a decade of experience in general aviation and commercial airports, including roles at Denver International Airport and the Rantoul National Aviation Center in Illinois, the city said.
Vences succeeds interim airport manager David Ruppel, who has run operations since October 2024, when Kinney’s departure came amid fierce debates over the airport’s future — including whether the land should someday be repurposed for housing. The city is also suing the FAA to clarify whether it even has the legal authority to close the airport.
Boulder Municipal Airport, which began as a dirt airstrip in 1928, primarily serves private pilots, flight trainees, gliders and scientific researchers.
Council signals mixed views on mental health tax
Following our coverage last week on Boulder County’s proposed mental health sales tax: Most members of the Boulder City Council said on July 31 they are not yet ready to support a proposed countywide sales tax that would generate an estimated $15 million annually for mental health services. Several councilmembers said the measure needs more time and refinement, stating they had some hesitation about backing it without greater clarity on how the money would be spent.
“I would hope that it would be implemented in ways that were transformative,” Mayor Aaron Brockett said during last Thursday’s council meeting. “I’m a little bit — actually more than a little bit — worried about the timeframe.”
The current draft of the proposal would impose a 0.15% countywide sales and use tax to fund prevention, crisis response, addiction treatment, recovery services and programs to help residents navigate the mental health system. The funding would support both county-run services and grants to private providers. Some of the revenue would be used to sustain existing programs funded with one-time federal stimulus dollars, such as mental health navigation services and a non-police response team for mental health emergencies. Boulder County commissioners plan to hold a public hearing on Aug. 12 before deciding whether to refer the measure to the November ballot. Read more on BRL.
Want to weigh in on November’s ballot measures?
Boulder County is asking for feedback on two potential measures for the November election: making the county’s 0.15% open space sales tax permanent and adding the new 0.15% sales tax for mental health services.☝️
You can share your thoughts through an online form or at a public hearing on Aug. 12 at 1 p.m. at 1325 Pearl Street (or via Zoom or phone). Registration is required to comment.
There’s also another hearing on Aug. 19 for a community-proposed measure to create a Public Improvement District for Niwot.
There are no resident-led ballot measures on the City of Boulder ballot this year, where council elections are expected to take center stage. Councilmembers also opted not to put a property tax measure on the ballot and are still considering an extension of the city’s 0.30% Community, Culture, Resilience & Safety (CCRS) sales and use tax, which funds capital projects.
Should Boulder allow small gardens in wildfire buffer zones? Councilmembers wrestle over how
City officials have recommended against allowing raised garden beds or other vegetation within the recently mandated five-foot noncombustible zone around new buildings in Boulder’s wildland-urban interface. The buffer zone is a key part of the city’s new wildfire safety rules, designed to reduce the risk of flames spreading from house to house in fire-prone areas.
But some councilmembers have raised equity concerns about the rules. Residents in denser neighborhoods with small yards may be disproportionately affected by the restriction, as they would have limited or no space left to grow food.
A recent staff memo said officials consulted the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, which found that no research supports allowing vegetation, including gardens, in the noncombustible zone.
At a meeting last week, councilmembers asked city officials whether exceptions could be made for potted plants on decks. Current city rules are unclear on whether such plants would be allowed. Read more on BRL.
New state tool can help you find energy rebates
Colorado just launched an Energy Savings Navigator — a quick, 10‑minute online tool that asks a few questions about where you live and who your utility provider is, then shows you what you qualify for. That could mean help paying your bill, free or low-cost home efficiency upgrades, or hundreds of dollars in rebates on things like heat pumps, electric stoves and insulation.
Many of those rebates are funded through the federal Inflation Reduction Act, which means the amounts — and how long they last — could change depending on future federal budget decisions.
You can try the navigator at puc.colorado.gov/energy-savings.
CU crunches numbers on EPA cuts
In its latest update tracking Trump administration actions, CU Boulder reports the Environmental Protection Agency is shutting down its Office of Research and Development. Since January, the agency has cut its workforce by 23%, from more than 16,000 employees to about 12,400.
The research division oversees EPA grants to universities and helps shape environmental policy. Its work will be folded into other offices, while a new Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solutions is being created.
Earlier this year, EPA also closed its Environmental Justice and DEI offices. We’ve reported previously on how some of these grant cuts are hitting local organizations.
☀️ Explore 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 our Monday to-do list, make sure to submit it to our events calendar.
Mimesis Documentary Festival: Tuesday, Aug. 5, 10:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m., Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St. Additional dates: Aug. 6-Aug. 10, same time. Read More
Summer Sunflowers Hike: Tuesday, Aug. 5, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Chautauqua Park, 900 Baseline Rd. Read More
Waxahatchee with Brennan Wedl: Tuesday, Aug. 5, 7:30-11:00 p.m., Chautauqua Auditorium, 900 Baseline Rd. Read More
FreshMode Fest3: Wednesday, Aug. 6, 12:00-8:00 p.m., Junkyard Social Club, 2525 Frontier Avenue Unit A. Read More
Weaving Workshop: Wednesday, Aug. 6, 3:00-5:00 p.m., Dairy Arts Center 2590 Walnut St. Read More
Shaun Diaz @ Canyon Theater with special guest Særa Fiøra: Wednesday, Aug. 6, 4:30-6:00 p.m., Boulder Public Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave. Read More
Beers + Cameras: The Photo Show: Wednesday, Aug. 6, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Backcountry Pizza, 2319 Arapahoe Ave. Alternative dates monthly. Read More
Live Music at Zeal – Mike Vitale: Wednesday, Aug.6, 6:00-8:00 p.m., Zeal Food, 3101 Pearl Pkwy. Read More
Silent Film: Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ: Wednesday, Aug. 5, 7:00 p.m., Chautauqua Auditorium, 198 Morning Glory Dr. Read More
Colorado Brazil Fest presents Gabriel Santiago Project & Gisele Duque: Thursday, Aug. 7, 7:30-10:30 p.m., Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl Suite V3A. Read More
Art Show & Sale Special Event: Friday, Aug. 8, 5:00-9:00 p.m., First United Methodist Church of Lafayette, 1255 Centaur Village Dr, Lafayette. Additional dates: Saturday, Aug. 9 12:00-4:00 p.m.; Sunday, Aug. 10 12:00-2:00 p.m. Read More
Damon Wood and Harmoniou Junk: Friday, Aug. 8, 9:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m., Mountain Sun Pub, 1535 Pearl St. Additional date: Saturday, Aug. 9 same time. Read More
An Afternoon Honoring Colorado’s Tuskegee Airmen: Saturday, Aug. 9, 2:30-5:30 p.m., Museum of Boulder at Tebo Center, 2205 Broadway. Read More
Gimme Gimme Disco: Saturday, Aug. 9, 9:00 p.m., The Fox Theater, 1135 13th St. Read More