Good Wednesday morning, Boulder. Enjoying this delightfully sunny, mild and decidedly non-wintry start to December? Let’s dive in.
Boulder is considering adding a police substation in North Boulder to address rising crime reports. A substation would let officers work from the neighborhood and respond more quickly to calls. While some neighbors tie the increase in reported crime to the June expansion of day services at All Roads homeless shelter, police data shows crime has been rising in North Boulder since 2023. The area was flagged as a hotspot earlier this year. Police Chief Steve Redfearn said he has boosted officer deployment and implemented proactive measures to reduce crime, which he hopes will decline by next year.
A substation may also take time, as City Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde has said budget and staffing constraints are slowing the decision-making process.
In other news:
- Our monthly restaurant roundup is here, capturing the highs and lows of Boulder’s food scene this holiday season. Eight local favorites have closed, but there’s good news too.
- City council will elect a new mayor pro-tem on Thursday.
- Boulder’s largest homeless shelter, All Roads, plans to cut 20 shelter beds by April 2025.
- Boulder’s open space sees over six million annual visits, but survey data reveals inequities.
- The free Boulder Canyon Extra bus service is here.
Finally, a quick correction: On Monday, we mistakenly reported that Meta Burger’s closure marked the end of exclusively vegan restaurants in Boulder. That was incorrect. As Meta Burger closed, a new all-vegan restaurant is opening — read more about it in today’s food roundup.
Have a lovely mid-week, and thanks for reading,
— Brooke, reporter
Featured stories
Boulder considers North Boulder police substation amid rising crime reports
Some residents are pushing for a North Boulder substation, a decision the city manager says will happen slowly, if at all, as police take other steps to address the hotspot. Continue reading…
Boulder Eats: 20 things to know about this month’s restaurant openings, closings and other local food news
Boulder Reporting Lab’s latest food roundup includes the closures of Thrive, Meta Burger, Maine Shack and more, the arrival of vegan Lotus Moon, updates on Relish Food Hall, and North Boulder dining highlights. Continue reading…
In other news
Sunny skies and early sunsets
Get ready for another gorgeous day with sunny skies and highs in the mid-50s. Tomorrow will bring more of the same, with a few extra clouds. Sunset today is at 4:37 p.m., but don’t worry — only two and a half more weeks until the winter solstice and the slow return of longer days.
Boulder City Council to elect new mayor pro tem on Dec. 5
The council will hold nominations and elections for a new mayor pro tem at the Dec. 5 city council meeting.
The mayor pro tem serves as a representative for the city council across the region, state and county. The person in this role also helps with logistics, including setting the agenda for council meetings. The vote can be an awkward test of collegiality, political preferences, and adherence to a stated tradition of rotating the position each year to the next councilmember based on tenure.
So far, Councilmembers Tara Winer and Lauren Folkerts have expressed an intention to run for the role. Winer and Folkerts were first elected in 2021. They fell on opposite sides of the last major divisive issue before council: the minimum wage hike, during which Folkerts pushed for a 15% increase and Winer voted for the 8% hike ultimately adopted by council.
The vote for mayor pro tem will likely be held by a show of hands and preceded by a public hearing. Any city councilmembers interested in running are required to express their interest before the Dec. 5 meeting, according to a city official. If the council does not arrive at a majority vote during the election, an elimination and impasse process will begin.
Boulder’s largest shelter announces plan to cut 20 beds by April 2025
All Roads, Boulder’s largest homeless shelter, plans to cut 20 beds by April 2025, according to a fundraising email from Chief Financial Officer Sandy Halin-Adams. The reduction, driven by a $300,000 (30%) cut in Boulder County funding, will not take effect until spring to maintain winter capacity.
The funding cut is part of a larger county decision to reduce millions in safety net services for 2025, citing budget constraints and decreases in state and federal contributions. Since the announcement in October, city councilmembers have questioned how these cuts will impact the shelter.
All Roads expanded its capacity from 160 to 180 beds earlier this year, but even at 180 beds, the shelter turned away a near-record number of people last month. The planned reduction would bring capacity back to 160 beds.
Free extra bus service connects Nederland and Boulder through Jan. 17
Boulder County is launching the free “Boulder Canyon Extra” bus service to provide additional weekday travel options between Nederland and Boulder. Running from Dec. 2, 2024, through Jan. 17, 2025, the service adds one morning and one afternoon round-trip to fill gaps in RTD’s NB route. The temporary service, operated by Via Mobility Services, aims to improve connections to schools and other key destinations until RTD updates the NB schedule in 2025. Service will not operate on Dec. 25 or Jan. 1.
Boulder’s open space sees over 6 million visits annually, report finds
Boulder’s open space now hosts more than six million annual visits, according to the latest estimates — a rise from previous years driven by an expanding trail system and improved monitoring methods.
The City of Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) visitation report, published in November, draws on data from 196 monitoring sites, including both designated and informal trails. The data aims to guide management decisions that balance recreation with conservation.
With increased visitation, about half of surveyed visitors reported some sense of crowding, though only 13% said it negatively affected their experience. Chautauqua remains the most-visited area, followed by Wonderland Lake and Sanitas. For those looking for quieter trails, OSMP offers an online visitation dashboard to help plan outings.
The report also highlights inequities in who visits Boulder’s open space. Latino residents and households earning less than $100,000 annually are underrepresented compared to Boulder’s overall population. Additionally, the median age of visitors is rising faster than the city’s overall median age.
There is some progress in transportation habits, with more visitors biking, walking or running to trailheads. However, a majority of open space users still drive to access trails, according to the survey.
Several trails closed due to muddy conditions
North of the city, the North Sky, Left Hand, Eagle, Hidden Valley, Mesa Reservoir and Cobalt trails are closed to prevent damage during muddy conditions. To the south, trails connected to the Marshall Mesa trailhead — which remains closed for coal fire mitigation — are also shut due to mud.
Gregory Canyon Trailhead is closed to vehicles as of Nov. 29 because of icy conditions but remains open to pedestrians. It is expected to reopen this week. For the most current updates, check the OSMP trail closures map.
Friday, Dec 6th come laugh while supporting women in comedy and local business at Junkyard Social with Comedy Fempire! Comedy Fempire features women doing stand up for the first time along side nationally touring headliners.
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