Good Wednesday morning, Boulder. Today’s BRL Today is sponsored by Bank of Colorado, offering local, relationship-based banking at 45 locations statewide. Learn more.
Leading today: In his own words, former Boulder City Councilmember Mark Wallach explains why he abruptly resigned moments after casting the sole vote against accepting new federal grants for the municipal airport. The move shocked many. Wallach says it was not a decision he took lightly or one he had made in advance. He writes that the council’s vote effectively surrendered a rare opportunity to transform the airport’s 179 acres into 1,500 to 2,000 housing units, and that casting a dissenting vote was not enough.
Also today: We’re clearly on the politics beat this week. After profiling Aquiles La Grave as he prepares to challenge incumbent Mayor Aaron Brockett, Brooke Stephenson profiles the mayor himself: why he’s seeking reelection, the record he’s running on and how he has navigated a turbulent council term marked by repeated meeting disruptions and a councilmember’s resignation. Other candidates still have about a month to enter the race, but Boulder’s election season is already taking shape. And we’re on it.
Plus more, Below the Fold:
- BoulderCAST: One more bout of rain before weekend heat returns.
- Pool pause: Staggered North Boulder closures begin Aug. 1.
- Broom Bear: Boulder’s first electric sweeper hits the streets.
- Power up: Xcel offers thousands for qualifying battery systems.
- Cattle crew: Shanahan Ridge pilot puts grazing to work against wildfire.
- Tenant updates: New email list covers rights, events and city programs.
Thanks, as always, for reading,
– The BRL team
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Mark Wallach: Why I resigned from Boulder City Council
‘The Aspenization of Boulder will continue unimpeded. And that is why I resigned my seat on the council. … I stand by my decision.’ Continue reading…
Aaron Brockett seeks reelection as Boulder mayor after turbulent council term
The incumbent is campaigning on his housing record and calling for more aggressive wildfire protections as Boulder confronts a budget deficit and other contentious issues. Continue reading…
One more active monsoon day
Deep monsoon moisture hangs on for one more round across the Boulder area today before we start to dry out and heat back up heading into the weekend.
Just like yesterday, the atmosphere is primed for scattered to numerous late‑day thunderstorms. You know the drill: bright morning sunshine, storm clouds bubbling over the foothills around lunchtime, then storms drifting east through the afternoon and evening. Any storm that forms will be capable of intense rainfall rates — think around an inch in 30 minutes — which could trigger brief urban flooding. As always with the monsoon, it’s a bit of a roulette wheel. Some neighborhoods will get drenched, while others stay dry.
Even if you miss out on the best rain, the blossoming cloud cover will keep temperatures in check with highs in the mid- to upper 80s, right around or even a touch below what’s typical for late July in Boulder.
Storms fade near midnight, and we settle into the lower 60s overnight.
Looking ahead, the monsoon pipeline starts to kink later this week as a broad Desert Southwest heat dome expands. We may still squeeze out an isolated storm or two Thursday or Friday, but the bigger story is the warming trend. Highs return to the 90s, and by Sunday we could be sizzling in the low 100s again.
North Boulder Rec Center pools to close for maintenance
The North Boulder Recreation Center will undergo several maintenance closures in August. The lap pool and hot tub will close Aug. 1 and are scheduled to reopen in early October. The leisure pool and sauna will be closed Aug. 8–31, and the entire facility will shut down Aug. 15–23.
The closures come amid broader questions about the future of Boulder’s aging recreation centers. All three are beyond their recommended renovation or replacement timelines. Renovating the North Boulder facility is estimated to cost between $50 million and $85 million. It is among 15 deteriorating city buildings that need an estimated $500 million in renovations or replacements, with only about $100 million in funding identified. City council is considering asking voters to approve a property tax-backed bond to help address the city’s infrastructure backlog, but a June 2025 city-commissioned survey found just 38% of likely voters supported the proposal.
Meanwhile, the pool at the East Boulder Community Center is closed through July 31 for a filter replacement. The city is encouraging residents to use other recreation centers and pools during the closures.
Boulder deploys its first fully electric street sweeper
Boulder has replaced its primary diesel-powered street sweeper with its first fully electric model. The new vehicle, dubbed “Broom Bear” by its manufacturer, will clean city streets without producing tailpipe emissions.
The diesel sweeper will remain in the city’s fleet as backup equipment. Boulder also operates a plug-in hybrid sweeper and a smaller vehicle used to clean sidewalks and multiuse paths.
The city said large, heavy-duty vehicles such as street sweepers consume significant amounts of fuel and contribute disproportionately to vehicle emissions. Electrifying Boulder’s fleet is part of its broader climate strategy. Transportation accounts for roughly one-third of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions. Other efforts include expanding infrastructure and programs for electric vehicles and e-bikes.
Xcel renews incentives for home and small-business batteries
Homeowners installing qualifying battery systems may be eligible for payments through Xcel Energy’s Renewable Battery Connect program.
The program allows Xcel to draw up to 80% of a participating battery’s capacity during peak electricity demand, generally on hot afternoons and evenings. Xcel expects to use the batteries no more than 60 times a year, with each event lasting no more than three hours.
Participants can receive $250 per kilowatt of alternating-current capacity, up to $5,000 per application, with larger incentives available to income-qualified households. They can also receive a $100 annual participation credit for five years. Qualifying batteries include the Tesla Powerwall and Enphase IQ, and installers apply on customers’ behalf.
The program functions like a virtual power plant, drawing on distributed energy sources to help stabilize the grid. Following the loss of a $12.7 million federal grant for a Boulder-area virtual power plant project, Xcel’s program remains another way the technology can be deployed locally.
Boulder completes wildfire grazing pilot at Shanahan Ridge
Boulder completed a pilot project this spring that used targeted cattle grazing to reduce wildfire risk at Shanahan Ridge.
The project covered 12 acres of private land and was a partnership between the City of Boulder and The Watershed Center, a Longmont nonprofit. The neighborhood was selected because of its proximity to open space and its large grassy areas near homes.
Grazing can reduce wildfire risk by removing grasses and other potential fuels while supporting ecosystem health. Crews will later cut the grass even shorter near homes to create more defensible space and improve access for firefighters and evacuation.
According to surveys conducted as part of the pilot, the cattle also became a neighborhood attraction, drawing residents together. Respondents expressed strong support for future grazing projects.
Boulder launches email resource for renters
The City of Boulder has created a new email list to help renters stay informed about local housing resources. Emails, sent several times a year, will include information about upcoming housing events, tenant rights and responsibilities and city programs.
Renters can sign up here. More information is available on the city’s Landlord, Tenant and Roommate Resources webpage.
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