✈️ A decision that could lock in Boulder’s airport

Good Wednesday morning, Boulder. Today’s edition of BRL Today is sponsored by EFAA, which has supported thousands of Boulder residents with food, financial assistance and other essential resources. Join them at Friend Fest at The Rayback on Sunday, April 26.

Leading today: Tomorrow, Boulder City Council will weigh whether to accept new federal funding for its airport, a decision that could commit the city to operating it indefinitely and limit future plans to repurpose the land for housing. Councilmembers appear divided on the path forward. John Herrick reports.

Also today: A group of Boulder residents is dropping its ballot measure to tax both empty homes and commercial spaces, as the city council considers a narrower vacancy tax on homes only for the November 2026 ballot. Herrick reports. 

And in BRL Opinion: A perspective from a Boulder advocate who supports repurposing the airport land, ahead of tomorrow night’s discussion. Plus, another critical fire weather day, so please be cautious, avoid activities that could spark a fire and stay alert.

More, Below the Fold:

• BoulderCAST: Red Flag conditions with wind, heat and dry air.
• Bomb squad: Suspected pipe bombs were not explosive.
• Restaurant pay: Public input opens on tipped wage changes.
• Park naming: Residents asked to help name new downtown space.
• Tree disposal: Free drop-off returns as beetle risk builds.
• Aerial drills: Helicopters overhead, Button Rock temporarily closed.

Thanks, as always, for reading,

– The BRL team

Boulder City Council to consider accepting federal money for city airport, rekindling debate over its future

Accepting federal funding would ease maintenance costs and challenges, but could close the door on repurposing the land for housing. Continue reading…

Boulder group drops vacancy tax that included commercial spaces as council eyes homes-only version

The resident-led proposal would have taxed both homes and commercial spaces, but organizers are stepping back as the city considers a narrower measure. Continue reading…

Critical fire weather before a cooler pattern arrives

We’re stepping into a high‑end fire weather day across Boulder County as strong southwest downslope winds ramp up ahead of a storm system passing to our north. Highs will push into the mid‑80s — 20 degrees above late April norms — but the real story is the wind and the exceptionally dry air.

Southwest gusts of 25 to 40 mph will develop by late morning and continue into the evening. Relative humidity will plunge toward 5%, supporting widespread critical to locally very critical fire weather conditions today. A Red Flag Warning runs from 10 a.m. to midnight, and any ignition could spread rapidly. Stay fire aware!

A dry cold front sweeps through tonight, ushering in a cooler stretch that will last into the weekend and likely much of next week. Even so, Thursday brings another round of elevated fire danger despite highs falling back into the 60s; humidity simply won’t recover fast enough.

There is at least a silver lining: Guidance strongly supports a cooler, more active pattern carrying us into early May, with today’s 80s looking like the last of the summer-like warmth for a while.

— BoulderCAST

Devices found on Ponderosa Way were not explosive

The Boulder County Bomb Squad determined that five suspected pipe bombs reported April 19 did not contain explosive material and were not capable of detonating. The devices had components consistent with pipe bombs but lacked the key element needed to explode.

Authorities safely relocated the items before examining them. The Sheriff’s Office, with federal partners, is continuing to investigate their origin.

Boulder opens debate on tipped wages to public input

Boulder is opening one of its most contentious issues to public input, asking residents to weigh in on potential changes to the city’s tip offset, the policy that allows employers to pay tipped workers less in base wages as long as tips make up the difference.

As Boulder Reporting Lab reported earlier this month, city council is considering options that could slow how quickly tipped wages rise, as officials try to balance pressure from restaurants with concerns about low-wage workers.

A new state law now allows cities like Boulder to widen that gap. The city’s questionnaire is open through June 2, with a council vote expected later this year.

Help name Boulder’s new downtown park

The City of Boulder is asking residents to help choose a name for a new downtown park, part of the Civic Area Phase 2 project to update infrastructure and create an urban hub from 9th to 14th streets between Boulder Canyon Drive and Arapahoe Avenue.

Eight names are under consideration: Creekside Park, Civic Soul Park, Heart Park, Sunset Plaza, Peace Park, Populus Park, Boulder Central Park and Boulder Creek Park. Residents can vote through an online form until May 4. A final name is expected this summer, with construction slated to begin in 2027.

Boulder County sort yards reopen in May as beetle outbreak risk grows

Boulder County community sort yards will open in May, with the Nederland location opening May 6 and the Meeker Park location opening May 13. Residents can drop off branches, logs, grass, leaves, weeds, forbs, pine cones and needles for free disposal from spring through fall.

The sort yards also accept wood infested with mountain pine beetles for grinding and disposal. An outbreak of mountain pine beetles is expected to intensify this summer, with potential impacts on forest health, recreation and wildfire risk.

Landowners are urged to monitor for signs of beetle activity, such as resin clumps on tree trunks, small exit holes and needles turning yellow or red, and take action before beetles begin flying in July.

Helicopters overhead this week as fire training closes Button Rock

More helicopters may be flying overhead through April 28 as state and local agencies conduct aerial fire suppression training across the Front Range.

Known as the Colorado Fire Aviation Summit, the training includes Boulder Fire-Rescue, Longmont Fire Service, the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, the Colorado National Guard, the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, with aircraft taking off from Vance Brand Airport in Longmont.

The training includes aerial water drops at three locations, including Ralph Price Reservoir in the Button Rock Preserve. Temporary public safety closures are in effect at Button Rock Preserve.

Laura Kaplan: Boulder must not give permanent control of city land to the FAA

New FAA grant terms would require the city to operate the airport indefinitely, limiting local control over land use, noise and environmental decisions. Continue reading…

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