YOU NEED TO GO--Pick your city meeting!

LISTEN UP!!!!! This newsletter came from the city today. I'm told that we need to have representation at the three citizen input for Comprehensive Plan meetings listed in the first item. Call or email me ASAP and tell me which meeting you'll cover. We need about 2-3 people each night.

Jerrie 303 444 3475 or jerrie@jerriehurd.com

NEWS

Monday, Oct. 25, 2010
Contact:
Sarah Huntley, Media Relations, 303-441-3155

City of Boulder News Briefs

Community input sought for Comprehensive Plan

The City of Boulder is seeking community input on changes to the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan, which is the guiding document for development, redevelopment and social and environmental policies for the Boulder Valley. The comprehensive plan will be a focus topic at the next three Boulder Matters meetings:

· Thursday, Oct. 28, 5 to 7 p.m.
East Boulder Community Center, 5660 Sioux Drive
Comprehensive Plan break-out session: 6:15 p.m.

· Saturday, Nov. 6, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Foothills Elementary School, 1001 Hawthorne Ave.
Comprehensive Plan break-out session: 11:15 a.m.

· Wednesday, Nov. 10, 5 to 7 p.m.
West Senior Center, 909 Arapahoe Ave.
Presentation: 5:30 p.m.

The community is asked to weigh in on desired changes to the comprehensive plan policies, Land Use Map, and the process for reviewing potential Planning Reserve proposals. Presentation participants will have the opportunity to use clicker technology to instantly register their preferences during the presentation, as well as opportunities to provide written and verbal feedback to city and county staff. Input gathered at these meetings will be used to develop potential updates to the comprehensive plan, which will then go to through a review process with the city’s Planning Board, the county’s Planning Commission, City Council and the County Commissioners in spring 2011. The Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan goes through a Major Update process like this one every five years. For more information, go to www.bouldervalleycompplan.net or contact Chris Meschuk at 303-441-4293.

Orientation to Family Child Care Workshop Offered Oct. 26

The City of Boulder's Division of Children, Youth and Families (CYF) is offering a workshop to help participants determine if becoming a licensed family child care provider is the right profession for them. The costs and benefits of licensing, Colorado’s rules and regulations and the steps required to become licensed will be discussed. This class will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 26, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Children, Youth, and Families Building, 2160 Spruce St. in Boulder. Cost is free to City of Boulder residents.

For more information and to register, call 303-441-1912 or go online to www.bouldercolorado.gov/cyfhhs/rt. CYF is a division of the Department of Housing and Human Services.

Halloween Carnival for kids Oct. 29 at South Boulder Recreation Center

The South Boulder Recreation Center will host the “Creatures of the Night” Halloween Carnival from 3 to 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 29. The South Boulder Recreation Center is located at 1360 Gillaspie Drive. This indoor event is open to all children ages 1 to 7 (older siblings are also welcome) and admission is $5 per child. There will be carnival games, crafts, snacks, prizes and a wizard bounce house. All participants are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes. To register, visit www.BoulderParks-Rec.org and click the “Halloween Carnival Oct. 29” link, or pay at the door.

Coot Lake walkway improvements and shoreline stabilization work to begin Nov. 1

The City of Boulder’s Parks and Recreation Department is scheduled to begin walkway improvements and shoreline stabilization work (to help prevent erosion of the shoreline) at Coot Lake on Monday, Nov. 1. Coot Lake is located at 5600 N. 63rd St. (adjacent to Tom Watson Park). The project is anticipated to take three to four weeks. Shoreline stabilization work will include replacement of the existing rock walls on either side of the fishing pier with a reinforced, stable surface.

The Coot Lake parking lot will be closed during construction. Visitors are asked to park at Tom Watson Park and use the crosswalk across 63rd Street to access the lake. A lakeside walkway detour will be provided. For park improvement updates, visit www.BoulderParkNews.org.

Insider tip: Good times to swim and dive at South Boulder Recreation Center

Sundays from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. are great times to swim and dive at the South Boulder Recreation Center (1360 Gillaspie Drive). Swimmers and divers looking for a quieter time to enjoy the pool are encouraged to visit during this time – when two lap lanes and the diving board are open for use.

Admission to the recreation center also includes access to the cardio/weight room, gymnasium (dependent on availability), hot tub, dry sauna and all drop-in classes. For a full schedule, visit www.BoulderParks-Rec.org

Forwarded by Jenny Devaud

Pick Your Way to Participate!!

I'm forwarding this message because it offers a variety of ways to get involved with Boulder planning. Pick your favorite and let your voice be heard!!!
Jerrie

Hello!

Thank you so much for participating in the focus group discussion for the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan Update. The discussions were fantastic and we learned a lot about the issues you care about. It helped us revise the papers and have better recommendations for moving forward.

We are starting our third phase of the update process which focuses on getting more input from community members on the recommendations. A major outreach effort titled “Boulder Matters: Harvesting Ideas” is being planned to consolidate public outreach on a number of Planning Department projects, including the BVCP update. Several events are scheduled at different times and locations from mid-October through mid-November to provide people a variety of opportunities to get information, engage in discussions and give feedback. Here is a link to the meeting dates, locations and focus topics: Boulder Matters

These meetings are family-oriented and planned to be a lot of fun. Please feel free to pass this information on to your members.

Each event will provide input opportunities and breakout sessions on:

• Boulder’s Energy Future
• Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan
• SmartRegs
• Post WWII Historic Preservation Survey
• Bear and Mountain Lion
• Waste Reduction
• Solar Gardens
• Urban Gardens
• Energy Efficiency

The last 3 meetings will have a primary focus on the comprehensive plan update.

The final briefing papers will be available on the website next week (by October 27) and the public comment period will go through November 19. The five briefing papers are on:

• Community Design / Urban Form
• Social Sustainability
• Economic Sustainability
• Local Food & Sustainable Agriculture
• Energy and Climate Action

We welcome you or your organization to provide suggestions or comments to staff and decision-makers about the recommendations. If you would like us to provide materials for a group discussion or have a staff member attend one of you meetings, please contact me and we can make arrangements.

Thanks again so very much for your help. We hope you will attend one of the Boulder Matters meetings!

Warm Regards,

Jean

Jean Hagen Gatza, AICP

Sustainability Planner

City of Boulder, Colorado

gatzaj@bouldercolorado.gov

303.441.4907

October 21st Meeting Minutes and Election Results

Goss-Grove Neighborhood Association

Minutes of October 21, 2010 meeting

Eight neighbors and two visitors gathered at the home of our co-chairs, Jerrie and Jon Hurd.

Officer election

The co-chairs, Jerrie and Jon Hurd, the treasurer, Michele Bishop, and the secretary, Maria Krenz, were unanimously reelected for another year.

Treasurer’s report

We made $73.34 from the garage sale, and spent $14.75 for flyers and refreshments. Current balance is $736.08.

Bike and car share programs

Rich Points from Community Cycles updated us on the activities towards making Goss-Grove a car-lite neighborhood. They are working with CU and Naropa to have students who will rent in the neighborhood make a pledge to live car-free while here. There will be incentives for them, including helping them find work nearby. They envision a 3-5 year campaign.

There will be a walk-through in the neighborhood with the Transportation Department to explore how to redesign the medians to let bikers move through where our streets are blocked for car traffic. Jerrie will notify the neighbors of the date.

The next bike clinic in the neighborhood will be Sunday, April 17, 2011.

Karen Warminghouse from eGo CarShare explained the program. It offers an alternative to personal car ownership or a way to pare down cars in the household. The number of car-share vehicles available in Boulder has increased, including a truck parked at McGuckin. If you have a car that you use seldom, you can loan it to CarShare. You still have the use of it when you need it, you get usage credit, and CarShare will cover the insurance and maintenance.

Rezoning issues

Several neighbors went to a meeting with planning staff, including GGNA representatives, Jerrie Hurd and Mary Hey. The staff was very responsive. Of the three possible maps for RMX-1 zoning, we chose the largest, with some additions on the north side of Goss. The staff understands that we want to preserve the character of the neighborhood and are not looking for historic status. We envision a stable neighborhood where young families can buy a home and modify it to work for them.

The first step will be the revision of the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan. The staff hopes that it will happen by Spring 2011.

Community Garden

Michele Bishop attended the organization’s meeting. We are doing well with two leaders and fourteen plots. Water has to be turned off by October 31 or before, depending on the weather. Plots need to be cleaned out by November 15^th. Renewals are due by February, all current gardeners will receive a notification. There is some maintenance work needed in the garden, but whether we can receive the materials needed depend on the funding of the organization.

Respectfully submitted,

Maria Krenz, Secretary

Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow and YOU

Election of officers is tomorrow. YOU need to have your voice heard. Maybe you need to think about stepping up to become one of the organizers of this organization. At the very least, you need to show up (Jon and Jerrie's yellow house 2010 Goss Street) at 6 p.m. to eat gumbo and other goodies, discuss the last city meeting, vote and get to know you neighbors better.
See you tomorrow.

Election of Officers Thursday

It's time to elect new officers. We don't have any Tea Party Candidates running (that I know of) but we do need a quorum in order to make this official. Also we have several issues to discuss including a debrief of the last meeting with the City of Boulder. Always worth a discussion.

What's more we will have shrimp gumbo to eat and other goodies that are always added to the table.

Come join your neighbors and vote!

Thursday, October 21, 6 p.m. Jon and Jerrie's yellow house 2010 Goss Street.
See you there!!!

Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow and YOU

Last chance reminder
Tomorrow, Wednesday, October 13, Creek Room Boulder Public Library!
City planners will be there with maps and things to discuss the possible land use changes that affect our neighborhood. We voted to support this. A mailing went to all property owners including those from out-of-state and out-of-country. Let's not let them have the last word. That means you and your words need to show up!
Got it?
See you there.

Message About ECO Pass

I wanted to get the word out to anyone who is interested in helping with getting the Neighborhood ECO pass program going for Goss Grove. I've met with Karen Worminghaus, the director of eGo Carshare and a NECO pass coordinator, for some ideas and went to the meeting for neighborhood coordinators a couple of weeks ago. Karen and I are planning on meeting with Rich Points tomorrow afternoon at 1:00 p.m. to discuss a plan for getting the surveys completed and pledges made. Rich is also interested in helping since this ties in well with the Car-Free/Car-Lite campaign.

I know it is really last minute, but if anyone is interested get in touch with me. Meeting is at the eGo Carshare office. 1919 14th St., Suite 330D, in the Colorado Building.


Thanks!
Mindy Hurd
303-325-4764

October 13 Meeting--All Property Owners Will Be Notified

According to Louise Grauer, senior planner, the city will notify all property owners in the Goss-Grove area of the meeting Wednesday, October 13, regarding possible land-use changes. That means members of the neighborhood association need to be in attendance to make sure our voices are heard, since we are the ones who have drafted the memo of support and have been paying attention to this issue from the first.

Also means this meeting, October 13 6 p.m. at the Boulder Public Library Creek Room is essential. Don't miss this one. Don't even think about missing this one.

Scroll down and you'll find a blog entry with the agenda and maps. That's the info that's being mailed out.