Thread by @shayshinecastle

Here's staff's presentation on the OSMP master plan: (OSMPMP?)

Oh crap, I was being so clever I forgot to include the link: www-static.bouldercolorado.gov/docs/5C_OSMPMP…

OSBT unanimously recommended plan adoption on July 31
Planning Board unanimously recommended plan adoption Aug. 1

TONS of public feedback on this: More than 10,000 comments received
900 attendees at 9 community events
1,400 ppl from under-represented groups (Latinx, youth, ppl with disabilities)
1,300 responses from statistically valid survey
2,300 responses from online survey

OSBT has put in over 300 hours on the master plan, Deryn Wagner, senior planner, says.

Reminder: This is the *first* open space master plan, per council's memo.

Sorry I'm not tweeting more; these master plan things are kinda hard to boil down. I'm just gonna share the refined Focus Areas and then the strategy prioritization within that.

The plan is using a tier system.

These are the focus areas and the "value statements" underlying them:

Ecosystem Health and Resilience: Using the best available science, we protect healthy ecosystems and mend those we have impaired

Agriculture Today and Tomorrow: Our legacy and future are based on working landscapes that are in harmony with nature

Responsible Recreation, Stewardship and Enjoyment: We are united by our connection to and enjoyment of nature and our obligation to protect it

Community Connection, Education and Inclusion: Together, we build an inclusive community of stewards and seek to find our place in open space

Financial Sustainability: We steward public funding to fulfill the City Charter purposes for Open Space.

Before I go on, here's a link to the Master Plan itself. Some cool stuff in there! www-static.bouldercolorado.gov/docs/osmpmp-fi…

A really cool timeline in there of acquisitions. Well, not exactly a timeline. But it has acquisitions by time period.

More than 46K acres — three times the amount of land in the city itself — "provide habitat for 741 native plant species, 303 native bird species, 138 native butterfly species, 61 native mammal species, 21 native reptile and amphibian species and 18 native fish species."

Clarification: ALMOST 3X as much as the city land itself.

I didn't have time to read this plan before the meeting tonight, but I will read it before I write the ballot measure story for the voter guide. Scout's honor.

But I DO have some cool facts to pull out from it, like this one: Since 1898, roughly $650 million has been spent to protect (read: acquire) 46,000 acres of open space.

Any questions? Jones asks
Morzel raises her hand.
"Of course you do," Jones says.

Only 6 speakers for public hearing.

I think I'm gonna share some of the plan priorities here rather than public comment, which is all (probably) going t be along the lines of "Yay! We love open space!"

Wait, nvm: Adam Swetlik has a concern: No measurable goals to accompany priorities.

(From what I've seen so far of the plan, I agree.)

You'll see what I mean when I start sharing the "strategies" for each focus area. Like this:

The FS (financial sustainability) Strategies didn't have anything labeled for Tier 1 or 2, just these tier 3 things:

Participate in acquisition efforts with partners, protect land outside city boundaries, prioritize acquisitions in rural areas of Boulder Valley

CCEI (community education, etc.) Strategies
Tier 1: Enhance visitor communication, welcome diverse backgrounds and abilities
Tier 2: Support city’s engagement with indigenous peoples, connect youth with outdoors

Tier 3: Foster wellness through being outdoors, inspire environmental literacy and OSMP participation, cultivate stewardship literacy, heighten understanding of land management, preserve and protect Boulder’s cultural heritage

Good time to say that Tier 1 is things OSMP is going to accelerate; Tier 2 will be tackled if extra $$ is found, and then on to Tier 3.

A quick word about acquisitions, from my previous reporting: The dept. has enough $$ to complete the 3-5 ongoing negotiations for acquisitions, but only about $700K/yr for acquisitions after that.

We are about 80-85% toward completing desired acquisitions.

OK, back to strategies. RRSE (recreation and stewardship) Tier 1: Manage increasing visitation, reduce trail maintenance backlog
Tier 2: Update trail design standards, encourage non-driving transportation to trailheads, managed permitted passive recreation (off-leash dogs, etc.)

Tier 3: Support passive recreation, build new trails, provide welcoming and inspiring visitor facilities, develop learning laboratory approach to recreation

ATT (ag) Strategies: Tier 1: Reduce maintenance backlog for infrastructure, increase soil health, address conflicts between prairie dogs and agriculture
Tier 2: Protect water resources, encourage diverse and innovative ag

Tier 3: Support ranches and farmers, integrate natural ecosystems with ag, reduce or eliminate pesticide use, enhance landscapes and historic structures/viewsheds on farms

EHR (ecosystem health) Strategies
Tier 1: Preserve and restore habitat, update grassland and forest ecosystem management plans, address climate change
Tier 2: Reduce undesignated trails, control invasive species, develop “learning laboratory” approach to conservation

Tier 3: Reduce impacts from noise, light etc. nearby and offset dept. GHG emissions

Back to public hearing: Alan Delamere has some concerns, too. When I first looked at this, "I defined it as a non-plan. I couldn’t find the meat in it."

Has walked 30 miles of "red trails" — trails staff ID'd as in need of maintenance. Some don't need it, in his opinion, but some "green trails" that aren't ID'd as in need, are.

That's all for public hearing.

Carlisle is asking about any changes at Wonderland Lake, which an open comment speaker brought up earlier.

Now I'm wishing I paid more attention. All I caught was that she claimed there was still stuff on the table (wading at the lake, etc.) but that doesn't seem to be what is being talked about right now.

Sorry I'm not more helpful!

Morzel: There was for many years a sign calling it the Wonderland Lake sanctuary. "Mysteriously that sign disappeared."

That was the other thing the woman said, if you'll remember: She wants the name changed to Wonderland Lake Wildlife Sanctuary.

"It wold be good if you could allay people's concerns," Morzel says. "Never before have we seen" paved wading areas, shade structure, etc. (Other things the lady said were happening.)

"There needs to be a really clear line between (OSMP) and (Parks & Rec)."

Guys, I'm dragging. It's hard to follow what staff is saying. Many gov't buzzwords.

Jones: "That sounds like a lot of planning for a lot of years. But you guys are doing stuff on the ground."

Yes, Wagner says: A lot in the plan reflects strategies we already have in the works.

Jones asked about restoration, specifically. I caught something about volunteers, the Junior Ranger program, etc.

Dan Burke, OSMP director, jumping up to take this.

A "key" part of the master plan is figuring out how to "track" metrics of success.

Guys, you're killing me with all these planning and strategy buzzwords. My brain feels so fuzzy.

Jones: The comment about measurable objectives.... that is a great approach.

Finally, something I understand!

Morzel asking about the public engagement process. The OSMP master plan was the pilot for that new process, which came out of the Public Participation Working Group.

Feedback on how it went would be helpful, Morzel says, bc a lot of other dept. are waiting to see.

Brockett: "I felt it was an absolutely Goldilocks process. I would hope we get a case study out of that."

There were no angry mobs, Jones says. That's a good sign.

Brockett does say how exhausting going through the full 9-step process was. "It cured my addiction to process."

I just last night watched an excellent Season 3 episode of The Good Place that had the *best* scene about gov't process. I can't find the clip online, but here's an article about it. vulture.com/2019/01/the-go… It was very reminiscent of Boulder.

OK, back to the meeting.

"Having the opportunity to weigh in as the (master plan) grew," worked really well, said one of the OSBT members. I think either Curt Brown or Tom Isaacson; I didn't catch the name. I'm sorry!

Morzel also asking for metrics to measure success — and failures.

"I would hope, with respect to prairie dogs, that we move forward." It's OK to be a Tier 1 priority, but we need to complete the working group recommendations.

Praising all the work to get a master plan into the BVCP. "That is not a small feat."

Brockett also citing the lack of an "angry mob" as evidence that the plan is good. "The breadth... and discipline of the outreach" was impressive.

Carlisle: This was a "learning experience" that I was super grateful for, being able to get out on the land and see ag lands, etc.

Weaver: "You're deserving of all the praise you're getting."

Weaver referencing the historic nexus of conservation and racism. Praising those parts of the master plan specifically, including working with tribal groups and getting under-represented groups "onto the land."

"It's going to take more outreach than ever before to get the next generation on these lands."

Unanimous vote to adopt the master plan, followed by applause. Next up: Use tables and the opportunity zone. Goody.

@threadreaderapp, please unroll. Thank you!