Boulder County News
Published by the Boulder County Commissioners
Past Issues
June 2000
County Issues Fire Ban June 13th
Boulder County Sheriff George Epp formally requested an immediate fire ban in
Boulder County because extreme fire hazard exists and the Commissioners approved the ban
on June 13th. The ban covers "open burning" defined as any outdoor fire,
including but not limited to campfires, warming fires, charcoal grill fires or the
prescribed burning of fence rows, fields, wildlands, trash and debris. The ban excludes
fires contained within liquid-fueled or gas-fueled stoves, fireplaces within all
buildings, charcoal grill fires at private residences and permanent fire pits or fire
grates located on developed picnic grounds and campgrounds.
Sheriff Epp said the relatively dry winter, combined with recent hot, dry weather and
low humidity, have created ideal conditions for wildfires, especially in the forested
mountains in the western half of the county. Wildfires that started June 12th in southern
Larimer County and near Bailey further emphasized the urgent need for the ban, Epp said.
Several neighboring and nearby counties also issued fire bans early in the week of June
12th, including Jefferson, Larimer, Gilpin, Weld, Clear Creek and Grand Counties. By the
end of the week, 40 of Colorado’s 63 Counties had issued fire bans. In addition, the
U.S. Forest Service issued a fire ban for the Arapahoe and Roosevelt National Forests. For
more information about Boulder County’s fire ban, call Sheriff George Epp at
303-441-4609.
U.S. 36 Corridor Intergovernmental
Agreement Approved
The Commissioners approved the County’s participation in an intergovernmental
agreement for the U.S. Highway 36 corridor May 30th. The Cities of Boulder and Louisville
and Town of Superior are co-signers of the agreement, which is called the U.S. 36 Corridor
Comprehensive Development Plan. The IGA allows the parties to plan for and regulate land
uses in the area roughly between Broomfield and Boulder along U.S. 36 in order to minimize
the negative impacts of development and protect the environment. The IGA has several
goals: to mitigate increased traffic congestion that would result from future development
in the corridor; to maintain existing viewsheds along the U.S. 36 corridor; and to
maintain buffers between communities.
The agreement designates a rural preservation area in which any proposed annexation
must be approved by all four government entities. In addition, the agreement prohibits
open space purchases within incorporated areas and designated influence areas without the
expressed consent of the affected City or Town. For more information about the U.S. 36
intergovernmental agreement, contact County Attorney Larry Hoyt at 303-441-3435.
Several Diverse Open Space Areas Acquired in May
In May, the Commissioners approved acquisition of the following list of diverse properties
for open space:
Parrish Property This 250-acre property is bordered by the existing
Rabbit Mountain Open Space area on the south and west, and on the north borders by
North County Line Road. It is pasture and irrigated agricultural land and is designated as
critical wildlife habitat on the County’s comprehensive plan. The Little Thompson
River runs through the property. It is listed as both an open streamside corridor and
archeologically sensitive area on the county’s Open Space map. This acquisition is a
conservation easement. The proposed purchase price is $750,00, which includes some decreed
water rights from the Little Thompson River.
Braly Property This 112-acre property is west of Hygiene on the west side
of North 61st Street north of Hygiene Road. The land is currently under lease
for sand and gravel mining. The main and south branches of the St. Vrain Creek cross the
property. The St. Vrain corridor has numerous designations on the County’s open space
map, including critical wildlife habitat, stream habitat connector, and streamside open
corridor. The property consists of three parcels. The proposed purchase for two
northernmost parcels is $1.8 million, with the County sharing the costs with Great
Outdoors Colorado through a Legacy Grant. The purchase price for the third parcel is
$600,000.
Blue Jay Mine This 37-acre property is at the end of County Road 87S just
south of Jamestown and is surrounded on three sides by Forest Service land. The Old Blue
Jay mine is on the parcel, and Historic Boulder indicated the site has historical value.
The land includes both forest and meadow. Discussions with some Jamestown residents and
town officials showed that for about the last 50 years, townspeople have used the property
for recreation and access to Forest Service land. The County will purchase the property
for $155,000 and has agreed to allow Jamestown to purchase a conservation easement over
the property for $5,000.
Johnson/Nugget Hill Property This 50-acre property is on the north side
of Lefthand Canyon and is bordered by U. S. Forest Service land on the north and by
private property on the other three sides. The land is within the 7,500-acre Walker
Mountain Environmental Conservation Area and the area is designated as stream habitat
connector on the County’s open space map. The proposed purchase price is $44,000.
Kelsey Property This 62.15-acre property is on the east side of North 95th
Street, north of Lafayette and west of Erie. It is bordered on the west by the
County’s Holderby open space property and on the west by City of Boulder owned open
space. The property is under irrigated agricultural production and is designated as
significant lands of national importance. Preserving this property will enhance the open
view from U.S. Highway 287 for several miles to the west as well as prevent further
development of significant agricultural lands. The proposed purchase price is $600,000,
which includes some water shares.
Palizzi Property This 37.29-acre property is on the east
side of U.S. Highway 287 (North 107th Street) midway between Isabelle and
Arapahoe Road. The property is undeveloped irrigated farmland and pastures, currently used
for raising alfalfa and grass hay. It is designated significant agricultural land of
national importance. The land is rolling and has excellent views of the foothills and back
range. It is in the Rural Preservation Area designated by Boulder County, Erie and
Lafayette. The proposed purchase price is $500,000, including water rights.
Swanson Property This 160-acre property is on Prospect Road about a half
a mile west of North 119th street. The County intends to exercise its right to
purchase the land, which it currently has under a conservation easement, for $600,000. The
property is designated as agricultural land of national importance and is part of the East
County Conservation Area. Irrigated agricultural production will continue on the site,
which includes shares of the Six Mile Reservoir No. 2 and shares of the Leggett Ditch.
For more information about these May open space acquisitions, contact Parks and Open
Space Director Ron Stewart at 303-441-3500.
Dougherty Museum Near Longmont
Opens For Summer
One of the most impressive displays of antique farm
equipment in the United States is on display at the Dougherty Museum, which is open for
the Summer season. The museum is one mile south of Longmont on U.S. Highway 287 and is
open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sundays through September 5th.
Admission is $3 for children (ages 6 - 12) and $4 for adults.
The museum is also home to 35 classic automobiles, dating from 1902 to 1929, including
two Stanley Seamers, a 1913 Lozier, a 1924 Rolls Royce, and 1920 Pierce Arrow. The
collection also includes antique musical instruments, phonographs, pianos, reed organs and
music boxes.
The County helps staff the museum with volunteers and senior tax work-off participants.
For more information, call the Commissioners’ Office at 303-441-3500.
Boulder County Days The next one will be in Boulder Tuesday,
June 27th, beginning at 12:00 noon and ending with a working dinner with the
Boulder City Council at 5:30 p.m. For more details about the various meetings, call the
Commissioners’ Office at 303-441-3500. In July, the Commissioners and other elected
officials and staff will visit Jamestown July 12th beginning with the
traditional hot dog roast at 5:30 p.m. in Town Square and ending with a Town Meeting at
Town Hall at 6:30 p.m. The next visit for July is Monday, July 24th, to Gold
Hill, and the last visit is Monday, July 31st, to Eldorado Springs.
Call 303-441-3500 for more details.
Planning Commission Meets Wednesday, June 21st, beginning at
1:30 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Hearing Room on the third floor of the Boulder County
Courthouse, 13th and Pearl Streets, Boulder. The Commission takes a dinner
break and then reconvenes at 7:00 p.m. For more information, call the Land Use Department
at 303-441-3930.
Independence Day - County offices will be closed Tuesday, July 4th,
in observance of the holiday.
Consortium of Cities – Does not meet again until Wednesday, August 2nd,
at 7:00 p.m. with the location to be announced. For any questions concerning the June 7th
Consortium meeting, contact Intergovernmental Relations Director Dickey Lee Hullinghorst
at 303-441-3500.
May Contract and Bid Awards
Information Technology Bid Award:
- For IBM RS/6000 computer to NASA ($29,709)
Architects Division Bid Awards:
- For 33rd St. Facility asphalt paving to Boulder Valley Paving ($25,299);
For Boulder County Courts Building in Longmont:
- Nixcavating, Inc. (earthwork: $19,156);
- RC Heath Construction (concrete footings & foundation: $62,900);
- Willmark Enterprises (concrete slabs: $87,000);
- Mountain View Welding (steel fabrication & erection: $236,000);
- B&M Roofing (roofing: $84,495);
- Thyssen Dover Elevator (elevator: $34,356);
- Nixcavating, Inc. (site utilities: $16,680);
- Ozark Mechanical (mechanical & plumbing: $578,721); and
- Fire Tech (fire protection: $40,524).
Transportation Department Contract Awards:
- With Brannan Sand & Gravel for 2000 Overlay & New Paving Projects ($169,275);
- With Western Mobile Denver for 2000 Overlay & New Paving Projcts ($999,916);
- With Asphalt Specialties Company, Inc. for Palo Park Filing 3 LID Project ($237,208);
- With RMCS Surveying for Dime Road Surveying ($10,500)
Solid Waste Division Contract Award:
- With Western Disposal Services for the Household Hazardous Waste Facility site ($18,230)
2000 Non-profits Contracts:
- With Boulder Shelter for the homeless ($57433); and
- With Boulder Emergency Squad ($30,955)
Commissioners Contracts:
- With Tourism and Recreation Partnership for Economic Development Program ($15,300)
- With Niwot Business Associates for Economic Development Program ($564)
Finance Division Contract:
- With Dental Aid, Inc. for 2000 non-profit contract ($78,395)
Boulder County News is published monthly by the Board of County Commissioners. The
purpose of the newsletter is to provide information concerning Boulder County Government
to Boulder County municipalities and others interested in County government information.
Whenever possible, contact names and phone numbers are included. Please direct comments
and suggestions to the editor, Margaret McKinney, Public Information Officer, at
303-441-3399, or E-mail: mmckinney@co.boulder.co.us.
Board of County Commissioners
P.O. Box 471
Boulder, CO 80306
Phone: 303.441.3500, Fax: 303.441.4525
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