NEDERLAND - I follow nearly every one of the Town of Nederland’s advisory boards and commissions for my work with The Mountain-Ear, including the Board of Trustees (BOT) and Downtown Development Authority. And though I truly love reporting on all these three to four hour meetings for this community, there are certain advantages for those interested to follow some of these other organizations every month. 

Here are my recommendations for why you should follow…

…the Nederland Fire Protection District?

1. Transparency.

The Nederland Fire Protection District (NFPD) reports and provides data on all aspects of their operations during the monthly meeting of their Board of Directors.

Chief Charlie Schmidtmann and Fire Marshal Andrew Joslin report the calls of significance answered by district firefighters and medical personnel, all inspections of local commercial and municipal buildings, and even detail service to the district’s vehicles and updates to the station, including whenever furniture is replaced or shelving is installed.

Additionally, Board members provide an update on the district’s financials every month.  

 2. Staying Informed.

Listening to, or reading, Chief Schmidtmann’s and Fire Marshal Joslin’s report can keep you informed on personnel matters, from the hiring of new recruits, to training programs being completed, conferences being attended, and badging and promotion ceremonies. 

Updates to fire code regulations and wildfire mitigation requirements related to insurance coverage, as well as information on wildfire risk prevention and hosting educational programs for the community, are just some of the topics covered in an NFPD meeting. 

3. The Work.

The work done by the members of the NFPD, from routine inspections to live vehicle extrication practice and helicopter rescues in the mountains, is integral to maintaining public safety. Following the taxing work of these life-saving professionals can be exciting, harrowing, emotional, inspiring, and educational. 

Also, no one gets cooler equipment to work with than the NFPD, including their unique and well-maintained trucks, each with its own important function, a kitted-out UTV for deep backcountry operations, and a new custom ambulance currently being constructed. 

Currently Working On: a new ambulance; improving communication equipment; full integration of their reporting procedures into the First Due software system; an intergovernmental agreement for a shared mechanic with Timberline Fire Protection District (TFPD); a proposal for a joint Mitigation Authority with TFPD. 

The Nederland Fire Protection District Board of Directors meets on the third Wednesday of every month. Meetings can be attended online via Microsoft Teams. Their first meeting of the new year will be on Wednesday, January 15, 2024, at 7 p.m. 

For more information go to: https://www.nfpd.org.

…the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Advisory Board?

1. The Newest.

The Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Advisory Board (PROSAB) is the Town’s newest advisory board, and is an extension of the Parks Department, which is Nederland’s newest municipal department.

But PROSAB is worth following for not only being new, but also because they’re growing so quickly, as our surrounding parks and open spaces have been defined as Nederland’s greatest assets, and the care and updating for these assets is one of this community’s top priorities. 

2. Land Use

PROSAB operates according to several goals, one of them being the expansion of recreational opportunities in Town by working towards creating new trails, researching possible agreements for trail connections, dedicating new open spaces, identifying possible partnerships with neighboring counties and entities, and assessing Town-owned properties ripe for recreational development.

The proposals that begin at PROSAB can present prospective changes to typical land uses, as well as potential challenges to existing intergovernmental and civil agreements, which requires review from the Planning Commission and/or the BOT as these proposals can directly affect residents, positively or negatively. 

3. Volunteer Opportunities

No other Nederland board or commission yields as many opportunities for the community to volunteer towards worthwhile goals than PROSAB.

This year, on Saturday, September 14, PROSAB Board Member CT Hutt, with assistance from fellow PROSAB members, Town staff, Boulder Watershed Collective, former organizers of Saws and Slaws, and Wildfire Partners, organized up to 30 volunteers and mitigated a significant portion of Nederland’s newest open space, Moose Meadows.

PROSAB plans to develop more volunteer opportunities of this kind, as well as community weed pulls and other similar initiatives. 

Currently Working On: The Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Trails Master Plan; ADA-compliant playground equipment for Chipeta Park; inter-jurisdictional trail connectivity. 

The Nederland Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Advisory Board meets every third Thursday of the month at 5:30 p.m. Their first meeting of the new year is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, January 16, 2024. Meetings can be attended online via WebEx.

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

…the Planning Commission?

1. Hits Home.

The Planning Commission’s intimate work within Nederland Municipal Code (NMC) affects what one is permitted to do, or prohibited from doing, on their own property, commercial, industrial, or residential.

Whether it be Keeping Animal Ordinances, Short Term Rental regulations, changes to the Use Group Table pertaining to what kind of home you can build on particularly zoned land, or the question of whether childcare centers should be allowed in residential neighborhoods, it’s the Commission who must provide the answers.  

2. Experience

No other board has as much professional experience, as well as historical knowledge of the Peak to Peak area, than the Planning Commission.

Because of the nature of their work, Commissioners understand the complexities of Nederland’s laws and codes, and many have personal experience with these amendments and ordinances the first or second time they made the rounds on the Planning Commission or BOT’s agendas.

3. Head Start

One can get a head start, and be extra informed, on major issues that will eventually come to the BOT for discussion and a final vote.

Following the Planning Commission can provide residents with an extra layer to the public process, allowing them additional opportunities to learn and to have their comments be heard and considered before the issue reaches the BOT without any input from the public.  

Currently Working On: An audit of NMC Chapter 16; consulting on the Town’s Comprehensive and Subarea Plans; assessing Town-owned properties and their viability for development, particularly for affordable housing.

The Nederland Planning Commission meets on the fourth Wednesday of every month. Their first meeting of the new year is scheduled for Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at 7 p.m. Meetings can be attended online via WebEx. 

For more information: https://townofnederland.colorado.gov/planning-commission.