Good Wednesday morning, Boulder. Today’s BRL Today is sponsored by the Chautauqua Association — check out their summer lodging deals and reduced minimum stay requirements, now extended.
Leading today: A story about what happens when your primary source of shade — and natural beauty — is taken away in the heat of summer, with little recourse. Residents of Table Mesa Village Mobile Home Park say the owner cut down all mature cottonwood tree on the property, worsening conditions in homes already vulnerable to extreme heat, Brooke Stephenson reports. They filed a complaint with the state, but regulators sided with the owner. With summer temperatures climbing and little relief in sight, many worry their homes will become dangerously hot.
The issue is the latest flashpoint between the owner and residents, and it raises broader questions about investor ownership of mobile home parks — a critical source of Boulder’s affordable housing — and the limits of tenant protections.
Also today: Boulder voters are skeptical of a new property tax that could appear on November’s ballot, John Herrick reports. A recent city-commissioned poll finds just 38% support for a proposed $7 million “public realm tax” earmarked for parks, sidewalks and other infrastructure, short of the majority required. With a $380 million backlog in capital repairs and shrinking sales-tax revenue, Boulder officials must decide in August whether to include the measure alongside a possible extension of existing taxes.
More, Below the Fold:
- BoulderCAST: Wet Wednesday in Boulder before sun, heat return.
- Council comment rules: City revisits open comment after attack, rising tensions.
- Erie Pride flags: Town removes, then re-raises flags amid proclamation gap.
- Land sale blocked: Senate removes GOP plan to sell public lands.
- Support Harold: How to help Boulder’s “angel without wings.”
- Pearl Street Mile: Downtown race and expo return June 28.
Thanks, as always, for reading,
– The BRL team
Enjoy an unforgettable staycation at a Chautauqua cottage or lodge this summer. Our reduced minimum stay requirements for July and August have been extended! It’s never been easier to step away from the everyday and stay just feet away from Boulder’s best trails.
‘It just will be too hot’: Boulder mobile home residents face summer without shade trees after owner cuts them down
Residents of Table Mesa Village Mobile Home Park say the owner removed all mature cottonwood trees, worsening conditions in homes with little protection from extreme temperatures. Continue reading…
Most Boulder voters not keen on raising property taxes for infrastructure, survey finds ahead of potential ballot measure
As the city eyes the November ballot to help fund $380 million in repairs while facing a budget deficit, polling reveals skepticism toward higher property taxes. Continue reading…
Last day of storms for the week
The broader weather setup hasn’t changed much from early in the week. We’ve still got a dip in the jet stream out West and a major heat dome dominating the eastern U.S., with Colorado somewhere in between, leaning cool and rainy.
Expect another round of wet weather in Boulder on Wednesday. Clouds will stick around for most of the day, which should keep storms from getting too strong. Still, with all the moisture in the air, scattered thundershowers are favored this afternoon into the evening. Temperatures will stay on the cooler side, topping out around 78 degrees.
Starting Thursday, we’re in for returning sunshine and a warm-up. Highs will climb into the 80s, and by Friday, we’ll be flirting with the 90-degree mark once again.
City council to revisit rules for public comment after attack, rising tensions
Boulder City Council will once again discuss possible changes to its open comment period this Thursday, June 26, the portion of meetings where residents can speak directly to their elected officials. The conversation follows a year of increasingly divisive and hateful rhetoric, and the recent act of terrorism targeting participants in the Run for Their Lives gathering for hostages still in Gaza.
The June 1 attack on Pearl Street, in which several people were burned by Molotov cocktails, was allegedly carried out by a man who echoed language similar to what has been used at times during council meetings in recent months. A small number of public commenters — many calling on the council to take a stand against the war in Gaza — have levied antisemitic slurs and personal attacks at Jewish councilmembers. The terror attack prompted the city to suspend open comment temporarily and restrict public attendance at the June 5 council meeting, citing safety concerns.
The upcoming discussion may include changes aimed at making meetings more manageable while preserving public access, such as limiting comment to recent or upcoming agenda items, allowing brief responses to personal attacks and imposing longer bans for disruptive behavior.
No decisions have been made, but Thursday’s conversation signals that the council is still grappling with how to balance free expression and community safety amid heightened tensions, and a renewed debate over the line between hate speech and free speech.
Erie officials remove Pride flags, then raise them again after Polis proclamation
Pride flags flown from town flagpoles in Erie were briefly removed last week after the town determined they had been raised in violation of a 2021 policy limiting ceremonial flag displays to “those supported by a Presidential or Gubernatorial proclamation.” President Trump has not issued such a proclamation, and Gov. Polis had not yet done so this year when the flags were first raised.
The removal came after a resident inquired about the flags, prompting the town to realize it was out of compliance with the policy.
On Monday, the town issued a statement reaffirming “its deep commitment to inclusion, equity, and the rights of LGBTQIA+ individuals” and pointed to its formal proclamation recognizing June as Pride Month.
Mayor Andrew Moore said in the statement that the “situation has generated significant emotion,” and acknowledged the symbolic importance of the Pride flag. “I believe in an inclusive community where everyone, regardless of their background, beliefs, or identity – gay, straight, bi, trans, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and all others – is valued and respected as a human being,” he wrote. Read more on BRL.
Senate must remove public land sale plan from budget bill, rules say
On Monday, Republicans were forced to remove a plan to sell between 2.2 and 3.3 million acres of federal land from their budget bill after the Senate parliamentarian ruled they could not include it. The proposal sparked pushback from Democrats, recreationists and environmental groups. We reported last week that popular recreational areas near Boulder, like Sport Park, a well-known climbing area, or western sections along Boulder Creek, could be vulnerable to sale under the provision.
The Senate parliamentarian, a nonpartisan adviser for the budget reconciliation process, said the land sale provision violated restrictions on adding “extraneous” matters unrelated to the budget in reconciliation bills, according to Politico and others. The proposal prompted significant pushback not just from Democrats and environmental groups, but from other Republicans.
Boulder’s Rep. Joe Neguse and Rep. Jeff Hurd, who both represent districts in Colorado’s Western Slope, helped block a similar but less expansive proposal in the House. On Tuesday, they issued a joint statement in response to the provision’s removal from the Senate bill.
“Neither of our districts asked for this land sale, and any efforts to sell off these shared spaces are deeply unpopular with the hunters, ranchers, fishermen, recreationists, conservationists, and outdoor enthusiasts we are proud to represent in Congress,” they wrote. “Republican or Democrat — representing red, purple, or blue districts — one sentiment continues to ring true: public lands are not for sale.”
An update: How to support Harold, ‘an angel without wings’
People have reached out to us asking how to donate to support Harold Niedzielski, who has helped place more than 800 people in treatment for addiction and is working to open his own clinic in September. (We published a profile about him this week.) The clinic, Our House, is accepting donations through its website. Money will go toward finding a building and expanding the number of beds the clinic can offer. Niedzielski plans to start with 10 and hopes to reach 50 by the end of the year.
Some have also asked how to give nonmonetary items, like food, hygiene products and bikes, which Niedzielski distributes to unhoused people and those in recovery communities. He said to reach out via text at 720-584-6999 to coordinate those donations. He can also be reached at Harold@Recoverycafelongmont.org.
Thank you to everyone who’s reached out wanting to help. Niedzielski said the article has already led to positive developments.
Pearl Street Mile returns June 28 with all-day expo, evening races
Downtown Boulder’s iconic Pearl Street Mile is back for its 28th year on Saturday, June 28, with races starting at 4:30 p.m. and an Outdoor Retail Expo running from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on the Pearl Street Mall.
Expect a high-energy evening of 1-mile races on a fast, multi-lap course looping the Boulder County Courthouse. Race waves include kids, families, high schoolers, masters and elites — plus the crowd-favorite waiter relay. More than 2,000 spectators are expected to line the route. Strollers welcome. No dogs allowed. More details here.
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