Monday, December 06, 2010

Read This!! Boulder Access/West TSA info inside

I just got the latest newsletter from BMA. If anyone was wondering about bike access in South Boulder in the "West TSA" area, here's the latest...

The End of This Process Is Near

We need you to show up on Dec 9th to speak to the Open Space Board of Trustees(OSBT).

After countless hours of staff and volunteer time spent on the Community Collaborative Group's proceedings, we are exactly where we thought we would be before it all started.

Bikes are the most significant "non-consensus" item, and our fate will be decided in the next 60 to 90 days. The schedule has been set, and even though it is subject to change, we know what the process looks like all the way to City Council.

Here is the schedule:
  • December 6: Open house to present CCG package of agreements. This is all about what they agreed to, so bikes aren't on the radar. BMA WTSA Strategy Meeting instead.... read below at the bottom of this alert!
  • December 9: West Senior Center, 909 Arapahoe Ave, at 6PM. OSBT considers the West TSA. TIME TO SHOW UP... BIG TIME
  • December 15: OSBT Study Session for West TSA. Format of meeting to be decided at December 9 OSBT meeting. No public comments at the this meeting.
  • Feb 1 - OSMP publishes West TSA Draft Management Plan - with CCG recommendations and staff proposals of non consensus items.... This the day we find out what OSMP is going to do about mountain bikes.
  • Feb 9 - OSMP Open house for Draft Plan and OSBT Study Session
  • Feb 23 - OSBT Plan Recommendations
  • Mar 16 - City Council considers the West TSA

At this point in the process, we have no idea what staff is going to recommend regarding bike access in the West TSA. What we do know is that there is a well organized group of people who are dead set against even our very modest request for access so we can have a fossil-fuel free recreation experience from our homes.

We, as a user group, have been the most constructive and mature group in this process. We have published a white paper and advocacy document that details our vision for bike access from central Boulder to outlying areas where we can disperse and get a quality bike ride without the use of a car. We must continue this strategy if we are to be taken seriously as the next generation of stewards of our open spaces.... which we are.

These last few meetings will require a massive turnout of our constituency if we are to influence the outcome. We'll be publishing Action Alerts for every meeting that needs a big showing.

The "Bikes on the West TSA" discussion will begin this Thursday. Mountain biking needs you. Be there and be a part of making Boulder a more friendly place for mountain biking for generations to come. We won't have another opportunity for at least a decade, if ever.

Want to take a more active role in this discussion? We will be holding a BMA West TSA Strategy Meeting at the same time OSMP has their CCG Open House. That's tonight at 6pm.

CONOR O'NIELLS

1922 13th St

seating area in the back

Monday, December 6

5:30 - 7pm


See you there. Rough trail ahead!

1 comment:

Kristine said...

Oh, pooh. I just found this out! I can't believe we are going to miss this event. Odd that they wouldn't allow bikes within the radar. You do mean Feb for 2011 right?