On Thursday, April 13, 2023, at 5:30 p.m. Boulder County Commissioners Claire Levy, Marta Loachamin, and Ashley Stolzmann met with Nederland and Eldora residents, local government officials, and
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On Thursday, April 13, 2023, at 5:30 p.m. Boulder County Commissioners Claire Levy, Marta Loachamin, and Ashley Stolzmann met with Nederland and Eldora residents, local government officials, and town staff at the Nederland Community Center for a Town Hall meeting concerning local trails and open space.
Boulder County Commissioners, Colorado Rangers, and members of Boulder County Parks and Open Space spoke during the Town Hall meeting about the effect population growth has had on area parks and trails, and about the opening of a new trail. The three Commissioners present first introduced themselves and detailed their areas of focus.
Commissioner Levy is the current acting Chair of the Board of County Commissioners; she represents District 1 and was elected in 2020, with her term continuing through to January 2025. In her short introduction Levy mentioned her work on issues concerning environmental and human services, as well as her work on the Denver Regional Council of Governments.
Commissioner Loachamin, representing District 2, was elected in 2020 with a term continuing through January 2025. Loachamin noted her work on community engagement and for social justice, as she focuses on stabilizing the workforce, providing opportunities for equity in communities, and advocating for housing initiatives.
Commissioner Stolzmann, representing District 3, was elected in January 2023 to a four-year term and is the current acting Vice Chair of the Board of County Commissioners. Stolzmann has served on the Louisville City Council and has served as the Mayor of Louisville, elected in 2019. Stolzmann described her primary focuses to be community engagement and environmental issues, including natural disaster preparedness and climate action.
Public Affairs Specialist for Boulder County Jennifer Churchill and Acting Chief of Staff Natalie Springett were also present at the Town Hall meeting.
After formal introductions there were three short presentations given before a questions and answer session with those in attendance closed the meeting. Stefan Reinold, the Resource Management Division Manager for Boulder County Parks and Open Space presented detailed information concerning visitation to Mud Lake and Caribou Ranch Open Space, and results from visitor surveys indicating issues and concerns.
Reinold noted that recent population growth has increased visitation to all Boulder County parks from 1.5 million people in 2019, to 1.8 million people in 2022; while Caribou Ranch visitation numbers have remained steady, Mud Lake numbers have grown. Provided graphs and charts indicated that complaints of overcrowding and conflicts on Boulder County’s trails have steadily increased since the COVID 19 pandemic, though recent survey results show that 65% of people did not feel crowded on Mud Lake trails.
The visitor surveys also highlight any noted visitor conflicts, though only 3% of those surveyed answered at Mud Lake, specifying speeding cyclists and off-leash dogs as causing the most conflict.
Chief Park Ranger for Boulder County Parks and Open Space Bevin Carithers presented to attendees information regarding parking and traffic concerns at the increasingly popular Hessie and 4th of July trailheads. Carithers noted that there are just over 130 parking spaces total for the trailheads, and detailed that 400 vehicles on average on a typical day in July get turned away at the traffic checkpoint, before hitting the Town of Eldora.
The Hessie Trail Shuttle transported 42,000 hikers in 2022, with 99% of riders boarding the shuttle from Nederland High School. Carithers stated 77% of shuttle riders stated Lost Lake as their primary hiking destination. Carithers also mentioned that more than 60% of shuttle riders end up spending money in Nederland.
Carithers provided results gathered from visitor surveys that pointed to the three major requests from visitors to Hessie and 4th of July trails, which were for shuttle service on the weekdays, extending the shuttle route to the 4th of July trailhead, and for providing more toilet paper at the trailheads.
The number one request from Eldora residents was for a timed entry, and/or permit-based parking system like at Brainard Lake, to alleviate traffic issues through the town. Carithers stated that he hopes a new parking system can be implemented by 2025.
Recreation and Facilities Manager for Boulder County Parks and Open Space Jarret Roberts presented information regarding the opening of a new 5 mile trail, tentatively named the Tolland Trail. The trail, once opened, will be accessible off of a 2.5 mile West Magnolia trail, and will stretch through areas of Tolland Ranch, Jenny Creek, and Eldora.
The trail will allow for hiking, biking, horses, and for dogs on leash, but a gate at the West Magnolia connection to the Tolland Trail will be added to dissuade from any motorized vehicle use, as it is prohibited on the Tolland Trail. Connection to Rollinsville through Deadman’s Gulch is being worked on with the US Forest Service trails and remains a hope for the future.
Roberts stated that, depending on the weather, the Tolland Trail is expected to be open for public use before July of this year, and will be accessible for Spring through Fall.
After the presentations from Boulder County Parks and Open Space staff the Town Hall meeting was open up to a question and answer session with the public. Public concerns ranged from how Boulder County officials planned to manage the population influx, what actions are planned for area trails in relation to potential connectivity to Nederland trails and parks, the proper enforcement of campfire bans, and traffic concerns for the town of Eldora.
In regards to managing the population influx, Commissioner Levy specified how partnership and collaboration with neighboring entities, such as the US Forest Service and City of Boulder, is key to finding solutions to the issues that come from excessive population growth.
Commissioner Stolzmann noted that though reservation-based and permit-based parking systems may not be popular with visitors and tourists, they are an important part of proper town management and will help alleviate population influx issues.
Commissioner Loachamin added that the best ideas and solutions will come from those closest to the problem, and that her job as a commissioner is to listen to the communities that the county represents and to institute the best course of action from what is discussed and learned at the ground level.
In regards to the concerns raised of the increase of visitors to Boulder County trails and open space resulting in more campers who are not observant of instituted fire bans due to wildfire risk, Levy noted that in addition to regulations on fire pits in Boulder County short-term rental properties, Boulder County Sheriff’s Office utilizes smoke detecting cameras that can analyze and determine fire risks.
Stolzmann clarified to the audience that though fire bans should be enforced and that wildfire risk should be taken seriously, Boulder County Commissioners can not legally regulate the sale of firewood bundles at retail stores.
In regards to issues of traffic overflow, speeding, and illegal parking in the town of Eldora due to access to the popular Hessie and 4th of July trailheads, Boulder County Parks and Open Space Director Therese Glowacki specified that her department is currently increasing its staff and is directing its efforts towards addressing the overcrowding issue.
General Manager of Eldora Mountain Ski Resort Brent Tregaskis mentioned that though Eldora would be open to providing parking solutions via its relatively unused lots during the Summer, their Special Use permit does not allow it, nor does it allow for more than six events to be held at Eldora Mountain Ski Resort during the off season.
Representatives of the Eldora Civic Association stated to the commissioners that the speed limit through their town is 25 miles per hour and it is constantly being broken. The Eldora community has tried posting their own signs and have appealed to the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office for assistance, and were hoping that a reservation parking system for the Hessie and 4th of July trails would be implemented this year.
Chief Park Ranger Carithers noted that Boulder County had not received any acceptable bids for the proposed Hessie and 4th of July parking system overhaul project, and remains hopeful that a system will be implemented next year, before the stated estimate of 2025.
Boulder County Commissioners are scheduled to return to Nederland on Monday, May 8, 2023, to discuss with the Nederland Board of Trustees trail connectivity between the town, the county, and US Forest Service land.
For more information on the Tolland Trail go to: https:// bouldercounty. gov/open- space/ management/tolland-ranch-trail/.
For more information on the Board of County Commissioners and/or Boulder County Parks and Open Space go to: https://bouldercounty. gov.