Time to Have Our Voices Heard
Draft Betasso Preserve Management Plan
Public Open House
March 24, 2009
4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Houston Room, Boulder County Clerk & Recorder's Office (1750 33rd Street, Boulder)
Email comments due by April 8
It was almost two years ago when the County Commissioners purchased the Benjamin property and triggered the effort to revisit the Betasso management plan to address the needs of the community on this land.
After a year of analysis, staff has emerged with a plan. While it is likely the most comprehensive and well written management plans ever produced by BCPOS, we are not jubilant with the results. We really encourage you to take the time to read this plan. The plan and all it's accompanying documents can be found here. It is a well constructed piece of work, but if you want to cut to the chase and only look at the trails information, go to page 78 and start there. The map of trail options is here. For those of you who want us to boil it down for you here is a bullet list of the good and bad that pertains to cycling not grouped in any particular order:
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No Alaska Road access... it was a long shot from day one
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A Habitat Conservation Area (HCA) is proposed for the 3 drainages forming most of the north slope of Arkansas Mountain
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There will be a new access point from Four Mile Canyon
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There will be more than 4 miles of new trail, a doubling of the current number of trail miles
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The new trail layout will afford cyclists new ways to visit Betasso from town. You will be able to mix it up and do the ride in a variety of ways.
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The current restriction on bikes will continue and be imposed on the new trail system.
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There is text that speaks to taking advantage of opportunities when they arise, ie, a Boulder Creek path access to Betasso.
While we are underwhelmed with the current outcome, we have to remain pragmatic and remember this is a less than 1200 acre property on very difficult terrain in the middle of a neighborhood. There will be many that think BCPOS staff has totally sold out and gone completely 'wreck-reation'. There were several options that would have been much more undesirable to cyclists.
That being said, there are some issues that we will not let slide and must take a stand on. Here are the talking points we suggest that you use in person at the meeting and by email to the address below.
- The Wednesday/Saturday restriction on cyclists is unacceptable. Either all user groups share in the restrictions, or none of them do. This goes for both time restrictions and directional use. This is a showstopper for BMA, as we believe this practice of making cyclists 'second class citizens' in their management of open space a dangerous place to be. BMA sees this propagating to other management plans unless we stop this NOW.
- The new trail loop doesn't go where it needs to go. IMBA Trails Solutions developed a alignment that created a loop that had flow and made sense. The proposed trail loop number 2 should extend further to the west into Benjamin a certain amount, instead of switchbacking repeatedly. While we would enjoy Trail Option 3 or 4, if that is not possible, We support trail 2A, instead of 2B as proposed in the plan.The maps can be found here
- This plan shuts down the possibility of an east west corridor. This is an unmet recreation need; what is BCPOS going to do to address this need?
Suggested talking points in addition to the ones above:
This is one of those instances where numbers will make a difference. Please encourage your friends to send in your comments by forwarding them this Action Alert.
We are members of the Boulder County community; there are aspects of this plan that put cyclists in a 'less than equal' standing with other user groups. Cyclists make up half the user population on the trails where we are allowed. We are one of Boulder County's most active stewardship organizations. It's about equal treatment. |
