The Nederland Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Advisory Board (PROSAB) met on Thursday, January 19, 2023, at 7 p.m. to discuss the Trails Master Plan. PROSAB also discussed a plan to rename and redesignate an existing Open Space as a Town asset, with the success of the project expecting to gain traction on creating a Parks and Open Space zoning designation.

Alan Apt, board member on Nederland’s Sustainability Advisory Board (SAB), led PROSAB on a presentation about the Rights of Nature resolution. By adopting the Rights of Nature resolution a municipality and its community recognizes the responsibility that humans have to act as environmental guardians. Nederland adopted the Rights of Nature resolution on July 6, 2021, giving “fundamental and inalienable rights” to its 448-square-mile watershed.

The SAB are responsible for appointing the “environmental guardians,” and will also be forming a Rights of Nature subcommittee which will provide quarterly and yearly reports to help in the circulation of up-to-date information. Apt detailed how the main goal of the Rights of Nature resolution is to protect the ecosystem and to keep the residents informed concerning potential harm to the ecosystem, especially our watershed.

Environmental guardians speak for the rights of nature at local government meetings and hearings concerning issues that affect the town’s surrounding ecosystem. Guardians also keep in touch with entities who have jurisdiction over matters concerning the ecosystem. Such entities as the state of Colorado, the Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety (DRMS), Boulder County, and the city of Boulder all have jurisdiction over our watershed.

Though the Rights of Nature resolutions 2021-11 and 2021-11a have already been passed, an additional amendment concerning specification of the roles of the environmental guardians and how they are appointed was in need of approval. PROSAB approved a motion to endorse resolution 2023-04, which allows SAB to appoint guardians and set their responsibilities.

PROSAB heard from graduate students from the University of Colorado college of Architecture and Planning concerning their partnership with the Town of Nederland to provide updates involving the town’s Trails Master Plan. Students Amanda and Sarah provided PROSAB with a draft of their proposed schedule of goals for the semester, which include writing comprehensive reports analyzing each step in the Trails Master Plan drafting process.

Board members desired more time to review the students’ draft timeline in order to provide helpful and accurate feedback.

PROSAB engaged in a discussion concerning the formal recognition of a Parks and Open Space zoning designation. The desire is to eventually go before the BZA in order to amend the zoning map, to “preserve the assets of public parks” by rezoning them. Board members recognized that the rezoning issue was a big undertaking. However Board member CT Hutt detailed two initiatives to focus on first.

Hutt explained to fellow Board members a plan to officially designate the “Tammy Forrest Open Space,” currently the Indian Peaks Open Space, as an area allowed for public use. Hutt wishes to give the space the recognition it deserves as a Town asset by adding signage to its path entrances and by naming it after a long-time resident, Tammy Forrest.

Forrest is a retired Nederland Elementary school teacher whose family has resided in the mountains for generations. The land in questions is the lot located between the Caribou Room and Tejas Lane, connecting to Joe Smith Memorial Park and Sundown Trail.

PROSAB discussed with Parks Department director Nicki Dunn creating signage that sponsors continuity between all Nederland parks signs and decided to match the Joe Smith Memorial Park sign. Hutt stated that a name change and a formal park dedication would help bring public attention to the space, and expressed that approval from the Forrest family was the necessary first step.

Next steps include bringing the matter before the SAB once the Forrest family approves the park dedication and the signage is posted at three of the four path entrances to the space. PROSAB will reach out to the private property owner of the fourth entrance to the open space and attempt to come to an agreement concerning an easement. Final steps involve approval and official dedication made by the Mayor and the Board of Trustees.

PROSAB heard an update on their Adopt-a-Bench program. The Board had sent an updated bench site map and draft application language for the upcoming program and is awaiting Town staff to review the latest iterations. Fee amounts for the benches were changed to reflect the 2023 fee schedule, and once the updates are confirmed by Town staff the program can be made official and be posted on the Parks Department and PROSAB websites.

PROSAB currently has an opening for an alternate board member. An alternate member attends all meetings and can vote on actionable items whenever quorum is not met or a board member is missing. Applications are currently being accepted until February 13, 2023, by 5 p.m.

The Nederland Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Advisory Board meets on the third Thursday of every month. Their next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 16, 2023, and can be attended online.

For more information go to: https:// townofnederland.colorado.gov/parksrecreation open-space-advisory-board