Week 3 Lecture Summary
Metrogreen—Chapter 1
· As green space area Increases
o Biodiversity grows
o Uses change
§ Agriculture
§ Large preserves
§ Heavier impact recreation
§ Increased interest in the land—community development
§ Administration—county vs. city
ú Small urban parks—parks and recreation
· Maximize human use
ú Large open space—open space and mountain parks
· Dualistic mandate—recreation, urban growth boundary, natural habitat—some uses are not compatible with others
ú In boulder there is a clear administrative divide between urban parks and open space parks
· Separate administrative boards for each
· Separate budget
· Access to open space
o In
§ Taking a bus
§ Biking in traffic
§ Long and/or difficult walks
Values—remember many of these items may not be provided by the market
· In our community
o Affordable housing
o Socioeconomic diversity
o Individualism—“Keep
o Diversity among houses
o Visual aesthetics
§ Building regulation
§ Art/architecture—“new urbanism”
o Educational opportunities
o Employment opportunities
o Safety
o Food availability
o Recreation
o Traffic
o Commodities/services nearby
o DEMOCRACY—local-level chance to participate
· Environmental
o Recycling program
o Clean air/water
o Clean transport
o Local wildlife
o Pet friendly opportunities
o Cleanliness
o Access to open space/recreational areas
o Clean energy sources
· Processes
o Democracy
o Litigation
o Free speech/assembly
o Community self-determination
o Market (free)
Conservation thought—4 questions
· What is nature (meanings and representation)?
o Scary and dangerous
o Spiritual
o Resource
o Harmonious
· Are humans a part of nature?
o Yes, no, maybe, partly
· How should humans use nature?
o However we wish—biblical
o Carefully—Leopold, Pinchot, ect.
o Preserve it—Muir, ect.
· Who should we decide how humans use nature?
o Nobody—free will
o Individual ethics
o Market
o Government—at different scales
Open space land use discussion
· Group 1—Where should tax money go
o Clay evens—If it weren’t for Boulderites in the past boulder would be included in the L-towns.
§ Should the Open space sales tax be extended
o Dave Larison—Tax money should be going to education and other social services rather than open space.
· Group 2—Hogan ranch purchase
o There ill be no development or recreation.
o Pros—aesthetic value, prevent urban sprawl, environmental quality
o Con—limited recreation, cost (10million)
· Group 3—trial closures
o People pay money to have open space, but they are not allowed to use it.
· Group 4—Open space management (recreation and preservation)
o Human use of open space is largely supported
o More trails, management, and purchases
· Group 5—debate over land use
o Should land be used for open space, recreation, or agriculture?
o Why are we buying land outside of boulder?
· Group 6—prohibiting competitive events on open space
o Competitive event—4 or more people
Questions:
1. List two
characteristics that come with increased size of parks?
2. True or
False Open Space is viewed by some as
being contradictory of a free
market.
3. List two of the
four questions you should ask when assessing conservation
conflicts.
4. How much did
5. What
restrictions are there on the Hoagen Ranch property?
6. True or
False Dogs have, from time to time,
been harassing people and wildlife
which
has contributed to the path closure controversy.
7. How many people
does ordinance 8810 allow to compete together?
8. True or
False Urban parks tend to create more
damage than OSMP.
9. Describe one
attribute
10. Why was the RTD route to Chataqua canceled?
Week 2 Lecture Summary
January 23, 2008
Guest Speaker: Bill Travis (Hazards, Land Use, Demographics in American West)
A Tour of Growth and
Development in the American West
*Open Space is a code word for “
- More “Boom” than “Bust”
o Out
of the Northeast,
o West
still only has 25% of
o Fastest
growing counties and towns: Weld county,
o Continued Rapid Population Growth
§ Natural increase (high fertility)
§ Domestic migration (attractive place to live with job availability)
§ International immigration (documented and undocumented)
- Footprint of Development (increasing faster than population)
1. More/larger houses per capita (more families per capita!)
o Can be caused by increased divorce rates (more homes per family unit)
2. Enlarged commercial and infrastructure land uses
3. Inefficient regional land use
4. Ex-urbanization and longer commutes (“extreme commuting”)
o Flexibility of jobs and retirement
5. More development and people in the wildland interface
6. Further reach for resources like water and recreation into wildlands and onto public lands
o Sprawl
§ Amount of land developed increases (per capita)
§ Spread of densities
§ This is the case for the west
o 1980-2000 Colorado Population grew 49% but urban/suburban land use grew 65% (must reach equilibrium eventually)
- Open Space Charter
o Recreation, Agriculture, Aesthetics, Preservation, Resources
o May be land that the public can’t access (isn’t always anthropocentric, although agriculture – in accessible land – is)
o Preservation implies that humans maybe shouldn’t be allowed – closures (seasonal, daily, etc) benefit animal habitat and prevent disturbance
- “Development patterns are making it tougher to acquire and manage Open Space.”
o Increased development can lead to increased sales tax which increases the funds available for the acquisition of Open Space
o Population growth and development leads to sprawl and increased domestic impingement on wild habitats (killing of wild animals on residential property)
Discussion:
-
development is a region-wide phenomenon, but
- “open space is reactive to development”
o It is an urban phenomenon, rural areas would have no drive/reason to plan in this manner
-
- “Who or what should be driving how these value decisions are made?”
o Government
o Citizens
o Market
- “Should we allow a place to be a horrible place to live just so that people can afford to live there?”
o Justice issue
o When we make choices as to when and how to spend our money, there are people without such a privileged decision to make
-
Quiz Questions:
1. List 2 of the 6 characteristics of the “Footprint of Development”.
2. T/F Open Space is always land accessible by humans
3. List 2 of the 3 causes of Rapid Population Growth in the West.
4. Circle which statement is correct:
Development is growing faster than population in the western region
Population is growing faster than development in the western region
5. Discuss one argument for or against current development trends with regards to open space acquisition and/or management.
6. T/F Development is a region-wide phenomenon, but
7. List the names of 10 out of the 25 students in this class.
8.How has
9. Does environmental justice play a role in the open space debates?
10.
What
Week 1 Lecture Summary
I. Overview of City of
·
Land throughout the
·
In the early 1900’s, the city began buying back homestead
properties from private holders. They
also acquired land surrounding
· By the 1960’s all the acquired land was part of Boulder Open Space Program.
· Today land can be donated to the city as a Conservation Easement.
·
Purpose of Open Space is to limit the growth of the city of
· Wildlife:
o Mule Deer
o Rabbits
o Birds of Prey
o Foxes
o Coyotes
o Black Bears
II.
A)
B) 65%
of
C) Land acquisition began with donations
D) First purchase was alfalfa fields at Chautauqua 1898
E) Methods of acquisition
1. Purchases
2. Conservation Easements
3. Donations
4. Bargain Sales
5. Subdivision dedication
F) Benefits
1. Aesthetics
2. Ecological preservation
3. Establish access to public lands and waterways
4. Conserve land and resources
5. Protection of environmentally sensitive areas
G) Directed by Advisory Committee appointed by Boulder County Commissioners Office
H) Funded through sales/property taxes
III. City of
A) First land purchase was
B) Federal grants allow for purchase of 1000s of
acres on
C) 1970: City hires first full-time ranger; switch from volunteers
D) Uses and Benefits:
1. Preserve/restore natural areas and waterways
2. Aesthetics
3. Ecosystem protection
4. Recreational uses
5. Preserve agricultural uses
6. Define city boundaries and prevent sprawl
7. Contribute to citizens’ quality of life
E) Advised by Board of Trustees appointed by Boulder City Council
F) Funded through sales/ property taxes
IV. Recreational
Opportunities
A) Uses:
1. Hiking
2. Biking
3. Horseback riding
4. Dogs
5. Grazing
6. Camping only on county not city lands
7. Hang Gliding
B) Outdoor activities may not be damaging
C) Restrictions:
1. Fire
2. Camping
3. Motorized vehicles
4. Off-trail hiking without permit
5. Alcohol above 3.2%
D) Differences between city and county lands
1. Hours of operation
2. Swimming/wading
3. Dog regulations
V. Marshall Mesa
•
Originally first coal mining district in
• Low quality coal used for local demand
• Coal fires burn underground to this day
•
City of
•
Trail system lies just south of
• Lies at the convergence of ponderosa pine forests and prairie grasslands
VI.
•
Located in the mountains northwest of
• Covers almost 5000 acres
• Contains a variety of ecosystems, grasslands, shrub lands, woodlands, forests and canyons
• The land has remained almost entirely undeveloped throughout its history
•
The first place elk were reintroduced to
• Open to hikers, bikers, and equestrians
• No dogs allowed due to sensitive wildlife
VII.
•
The Original Chautauqua is a lake in
•
• The site was originally a ranch with a stucco ranch house, which still remains.
• Managed by the Parks Department since 1898.
•
26 acres of land are leased from the city of
• Activities:
o Mountain Hiking trails, 132 miles
o Snow Shoeing
o Climbing, Equestrian
o Summer Concerts, Music Festival
o Dining Hall
o Sports
o Silent Films
• Cabins can be rented
VIII.
• Named after a sanitarium which was established at the base of the mountain in 1895.
• Treated general medical care and tuberculosis.
•
Rock quarries were also owned and maintained on
the mountain by the
• Some of the sandstone from these quarries was used for the buildings of Sewell and Helmes.
•
City of
• Now the area is protected by OSMP.
• Recreation:
o Hiking
o Running
o No biking
o Horses are allowed in some areas
o Dogs are allowed off leash
• Each spring, part of the area is closed for the raptor breeding season.
IX. Walker Ranch
QUESTIONS:
1. Name two of the
three ways in which
2. List three benefits of conserving open space.
3. In what location were elk first reintroduced to
4. What location partially closes in the spring, for raptor breeding?
5. Approximately what percentage of land in
A. 35%
B. 50%
C. 65%
D. 75%
6. Which site in
7. Why are dogs not allowed at Heil Valley Ranch?
8. From where do
9. Which one of the following places is NOT part of the Open Space Program?
a) Heil Ranch
b)
c)
d)
10. When did CoB OSMP stop relying solely on volunteer help and hire its first full-time ranger?