Rob Kaplan, 60, is a former captain with Boulder Rural Fire-Rescue and a manager at a commercial real estate firm. He helped found Pro Peloton Cyclery, a since-closed bike shop, and was appointed to the city’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Board earlier this year. Kaplan has said wildfire protection is among his top priorities. He said he is running out of a deep love for Boulder and to focus on core issues like wildfire preparedness, infrastructure, housing and support for small businesses and unhoused residents.
Endorsements: Open Boulder, PLAN-Boulder County, Safer Boulder and Stop Antisemitism Colorado
Answers to questionnaire:
Perspective and experience: What perspective or lived experience would you bring to city council, and how would it shape your approach to policy?
I would bring a combination of hands-on public safety experience, small business ownership, and real estate and finance expertise to city council. My 18 years in fire and EMS give me an in-depth understanding of the operational and human challenges in public safety, from complex multi-jurisdictional coordination to training, staffing, and specialized rescue operations. My experience founding, operating, and growing a small business in the city (Pro Peloton Bike Shop) and managing commercial real estate has taught me strategic planning, fiscal responsibility, and how to balance multiple priorities effectively. Together, these perspectives shape my approach to policy: I focus on practical, solutions-oriented decisions that protect public safety, support city employees, and ensure responsible stewardship of community resources.
Camping ban: Should Boulder enforce its camping ban when the All Roads shelter is full? Please answer yes or no and explain.
Yes. Boulder should enforce the camping ban to keep public spaces safe, healthy, and accessible. The only exception should be during extreme weather events, such as dangerous cold or severe storms, when conditions could be life-threatening. In those situations, outreach teams should have discretion to temporarily pause enforcement and focus on immediate safety. Alongside enforcement, the city must offer real solutions like diversion programs to connect people with services and reunification options to help individuals return to family or support networks. This approach holds everyone accountable while providing a compassionate safety net in true emergencies.
Wildfire mitigation/home hardening: Should the city require wildfire mitigation and home hardening — such as a five-foot buffer of noncombustible material around the home, or banning wood fences and gates within eight feet of a home — for existing homes? Please answer yes or no and explain.
Yes. With my working experience in the wildland urban interface (WUI) for over 18 years, it is clear that without retroactive requirements, the International WUI code is just a piece of paper with words, not a tool for real change. To truly protect our community, I would recommend phasing in the code with three basic and effective measures for existing homes, all of which can be substantially subsidized through the city’s $2,000 WRAP program and the county’s $500 rebate. These measures are: limbing tree branches up to six feet from the ground, installing 1/8-inch mesh on all passive venting to keep embers out, and creating a five-foot noncombustible perimeter around the home. These steps are practical and cost-effective, and they give firefighters a better chance to protect homes and save lives during a wildfire.
Housing supply: Boulder needs thousands of new homes by 2032 to meet demand and keep rents and home prices from rising further out of reach. Yet projects often face cost overruns, community pushback or zoning hurdles. What specific steps would you take to address the city’s housing shortage?
Yes, I support the goal of 1,000 permanently affordable middle-income units by 2030, but with only 150 expected to be completed, we must be realistic where we stand. The target was well-intentioned, but it didn’t fully account for today’s escalating costs of land, construction materials, and labor that we’re facing today. To make meaningful progress, we need to reassess and focus on policies that will actually result in more housing built rather than setting goals that sound good but aren’t grounded in reality. That said, we can’t afford to give up, we need innovative, practical strategies to close the gap.
First, increase supply through smart zoning by allowing targeted density along transit corridors and near employment centers.
Second, leverage innovative financing tools like land-lease models, down payment assistance, and Private Public Partnerships.
Third, cut red tape by streamlining our permitting process to reduce costs and timelines. At the same time, we must build flexibility into our policies so when innovation or a unique opportunity presents itself, the city can move quickly.
Finally, we must acknowledge reality: even with aggressive housing efforts, many workers will continue commuting into Boulder by expanding Park-and-Ride facilities, partnering with local businesses to operate van shuttles, and improving regional bus services.
Council’s role on foreign affairs (and Gaza): Should the Boulder City Council take positions on foreign affairs? Regardless of your answer, what actions, if any, should the city council take in response to Israel’s war in Gaza and the related disruptions and demonstrations in council chambers (e.g., open comment rules, safety, hate speech, First Amendment considerations)?
No. Boulder City Council should stay focused on local governance, not foreign affairs. Our responsibility is to ensure safety, uphold free speech, and keep meetings productive and accessible to all.
Recently, we’ve seen troubling escalations of threats and violence against Jewish members of council and the public. Allowing hate speech and threats to go unchecked are the embers that can ignite tragedies like the June 1 attack on Pearl Street, which claimed the life of a peaceful demonstrator. The city must enforce open comment rules consistently, protect First Amendment rights, and draw a clear line: peaceful protest must be protected, but hate speech and threats of violence will not be tolerated. Given these escalating risks, I would suggest stronger security measures, including installing metal detectors at council chambers to ensure the safety of everyone who participates in our local government.
Budget priorities: With sales tax growth slowing, the city manager imposed a hiring freeze this year and the city council faces tough trade-offs. The city also has an estimated $380 million capital maintenance backlog and uncertain federal funding. With limited dollars, what are your top priorities, and what would you cut or delay?
My top priority is to protect core services that keep Boulder safe and functional: Fire, Police, EMS, and maintaining our basic infrastructure like roads, utilities, and snow removal. We must also invest in wildfire mitigation and home hardening, which save lives and prevent catastrophic future costs.
With limited resources, every city department must take responsibility for identifying opportunities to increase revenue and pinpoint where expenditures can be reduced. This shared accountability ensures we are making the most of every dollar. Projects critical to safety, basic services, or regulatory compliance should move forward, while non-essential expansions or new amenities may need to be delayed. Each city department knows its budget best and is in the strongest position to identify line items or projects where costs can be reduced or eliminated.
This process shouldn’t just be about getting through this year or next, it must be a long-term commitment to smarter spending. By holding departments accountable for proactive and transparent budget management and focusing on safety, reliability, maintenance, and fiscal discipline, we can make sustainable, data-driven decisions that steadily reduce the $380 million maintenance backlog and keep Boulder strong for years to come.