[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6146646,"mediaKeyId","5525236-6928846305255c871499327a3a59f20c","parentId",5525236,"title","Boulder council praises behavioral‑health aims but urges caution over county sales‑tax proposal and timeline","audioSeconds",131,"startMs",9379000,"endMs",9510000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5525236-6928846305255c871499327a3a59f20c&start=9379&end=9510","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5525236-6928846305255c871499327a3a59f20c/thumbnail_9379000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6146646/Boulder/Boulder-County/Colorado/Boulder-council-praises-behavioralhealth-aims-but-urges-caution-over-county-salestax-proposal-and-timeline","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6146646-dc606c2d380044d6f06d42e4bf63cd19/orig.mp4?Expires=1770410425&Signature=OujxjxY0FLvLi1pl0mD7H88mAjVOiThzotP5rAkYodm9a-pv4Cvvx4WE0o1q4F3smklltZlDVObfxyHUmpGCazOMrvD1XQ7MtsjQ5RMCekRka-QctPFB00OZdfxL3oyRr7dbz0Ux1tFcxrt6dlGq28cNjbr766Hu6WvxDeqoHBsKIZMjPOk~kDyne0Bj-lixOOv8y4yiVMhANM8JOEnzJQFJE63wz-FomUFlY7thMR4Gt-zS16RsBMqiBEECjz7x0EEbXjHzP9eS3r3o0TDeNxg1w0U0HF9EQHVl8p34q91lQfZk1iB8KeJf1HdvYgyFNCTYPRFhHym92MA9P8JYdA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Boulder City, CO","date","2025-08-02T19:53:55.87Z","article","Boulder council members told county staff they support the goal of expanding behavioral‑health services but urged caution about a proposed county sales tax measure that would raise funds for services, calling for more planning, clearer governance and assurance Boulder would receive proportionate benefit.

At the study session, Mayor John Brockett said he supported the policy aim but emphasized the need to use any ballot proceeds for transformative investments. “I would hope that it would be implemented in ways that were transformative, that met some of the most acute needs in our community,” Brockett said.

Council feedback clustered around three issues: timing and scope, distribution/governance, and funding mechanism. Several council members — including Council Member Matt Benjamin and Council Member Mark Wallach — said a one‑time $15 million figure being discussed by county leaders would not be large enough to deliver a transformational system change and recommended additional analysis and outreach before asking voters to approve a tax. Wallach also said polling and past local votes show variability in support depending on tax type and urged evidence that a sales tax would pass.

Equity and regressivity were recurring concerns. Council members pointed out that a sales tax is paid by people across income levels and questioned whether taxing groceries was appropriate. Several members preferred a property tax in principle as a more progressive mechanism, but acknowledged earlier polling suggested a property tax increase would not pass. Others argued the county proposal could be valuable now because federal and state cuts are imminent and the community faces rising need.

Procedural request: staff asked whether council wanted comments forwarded to the county as the county finalizes draft ballot language. Several council members suggested the county should slow the timetable to allow more stakeholder work and for the plan to be more detailed and auditable. Council Member Marquis and others said they would be willing to partner with county leaders, but asked for clearer assurances on how the funds would be governed and how Boulder would be served proportionally.

No formal city action was taken at the study session; staff asked whether council wanted comments forwarded to county staff and commissioners. The council’s comments will be transmitted as requested; the county’s next public hearings and ballot decisions are on the county’s calendar and not controlled by the city.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","July 31, 2025 City of Boulder City Council Study Session","oneSentenceSummary","Boulder council members told county staff they support the goal of expanding behavioral‑health services but urged caution about a proposed county sales tax measure that would raise funds for services.","taxTitle","Boulder, Boulder County, Colorado","taxId",3386,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6146652,"Boulder adopts 2024 WUI code; staff proposes citywide water‑wise landscaping manual, plant list",747,4433000,5180000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5525236-6928846305255c871499327a3a59f20c&start=4433&end=5180","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5525236-6928846305255c871499327a3a59f20c/thumbnail_4433000.jpg","/articles/6146652/Boulder/Boulder-County/Colorado/Boulder-adopts-2024-WUI-code-staff-proposes-citywide-waterwise-landscaping-manual-plant-list","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6146652-4bcc8d5b6add360ece67019e0de342d5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770410425&Signature=FO4wIBGaLY-ee5O81yasKxaJSHCn4Tjmt5o8276-ZCDKv8rITbm0y0klONJPgeRYlY~m9CkMHirDVsRYKdF0S8KmMEp28V3Xhbd2D9HYgs4HBMnPCESC5hpLNxTjBx1c8VQAhI-JY0tai1O-N2j-20d0TUOx~toJ9q5czHhm5J3RLXNEiSAtwDW1e4aPZZQVrsUneoBm1U6M6VJMjV-k7dHGqjFVAw5WvEszavEUjPIaqi1JYqBFE2W2BKQjYQN7NfSiErNomhfHeUT3RnQljWPlTtdkCopDX82tR6XbkgvJdFnmaZJkp65qrTZ67mx7lcKiSzg-aCDBbGfyT1H~HQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Boulder officials said the city recently adopted the 2024 International Wildland‑Urban Interface (WUI) code with local amendments and are moving to align landscaping rules citywide with water‑efficiency, wildfire resistance and new state law.

Lisa Hood, principal planner, told council the WUI ordinance and an updated WUI map were adopted in recent months and that the new WUI building rules take effect Aug. 1. “The new code actually goes into effect on August 1. So that's tomorrow,” Hood said.

What staff proposed now is a separate but related citywide Waterwise Landscaping project to update the land‑use code and move technical requirements into an adaptable landscape manual and a single Boulder plant and tree list. The manual and plant list would be adopted by city manager rule to allow regular updates instead of embedding technical lists in ordinance text.

Key elements and legal context: staff said the WUI building code focuses new requirements on a 0‑to‑5‑foot “noncombustible zone” immediately adjacent to structures, limits combustible landscape materials in that zone and references a low‑flammability plant list. Staff noted the state’s wildfire resiliency code has been finalized and provides a one‑year window for local adoption compliance; staff will submit Boulder’s code to the state board for confirmation. In addition, state landscaping bills passed in the last two years place new limits on “nonfunctional turf” and expand prohibitions to some types of new development (staff cited a 2024 senate bill and a recent house bill expanding the rule to multiunit development).

Staff proposals and implementation: Planning staff described a set of draft attachments that include a recommended citywide tree/plant list (Attachment A), a draft landscape manual (Attachment B) and a draft ordinance to move technical standards out of code and into the manual (Attachment C). Carl Geiler, senior planner, said the manual would cover soil and mulch specifications, irrigation and plant lists, and that the city’s plan is to use the manual as a one‑stop regulatory resource for applicants.

Staff also presented resource estimates for broader triggers beyond building permits. If the city were to require WUI compliance at rental‑license renewal, staff estimated roughly 700 property reviews annually and the need for about 3.5 full‑time staff to implement. A time‑of‑sale requirement would be more complex; staff estimated roughly 500 property reviews a year and about 6.5 full‑time employees plus startup effort to implement city involvement in property sales.

Council questions focused on enforcement and equity. Several members asked whether the code can address high‑risk existing landscaping (for example, junipers) without requiring destruction of existing vegetation. Staff said the code as adopted already prohibits new juniper plantings in the WUI at permit trigger points; staff will research whether additional prospective restrictions (for example, limiting mulch types near junipers or required pruning standards moving forward) are legally and administratively feasible.

State law and turf rules: Carl Geiler said recent state bills prohibit certain nonfunctional turf in defined development types and that Boulder staff already planned to prohibit nonfunctional turf on multiunit developments in the city land‑use code. Staff also recommended the manual and plant list be managed by city manager rule so the city can update lists as new information, seedstock and technologies change.

Process and timeline: staff said they will continue outreach, refine the drafts and bring a proposed ordinance through the normal review process. Tentative dates offered: Planning Board (Sept. 2), Water Resources Advisory Board (Sept. 15) and City Council (tentatively Oct. 16). Staff flagged that full implementation of broad triggers (rental licensing, time‑of‑sale) would require extra staffing or a phased approach.

Why it matters: the project combines two public priorities—wildfire risk reduction and citywide water conservation—while balancing other city goals such as tree canopy and urban biodiversity. Staff proposed a flexible implementation path to adjust technical standards without redoing ordinance language each time.","After adopting local amendments to the 2024 International Wildland‑Urban Interface code effective Aug. 1, Boulder staff proposed a citywide water‑wise landscaping manual and a dynamic plant/tree list. Staff outlined implementation challenges, staffing estimates, and how state wildfire and turf legislation affect local rules.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6146657,"City staff: Boulder’s water portfolio sturdy now but long‑term risks justify integrated water supply plan",1403,397000,1800000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5525236-6928846305255c871499327a3a59f20c&start=397&end=1800","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5525236-6928846305255c871499327a3a59f20c/thumbnail_397000.jpg","/articles/6146657/Boulder/Boulder-County/Colorado/City-staff-Boulders-water-portfolio-sturdy-now-but-longterm-risks-justify-integrated-water-supply-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6146657-51111be95f5e05d2e36d0084768a576c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770410425&Signature=RiA2Jq~Tsjcba7XNCinJf7QOMi5y~muGFSXL8Xs4h-oh02hHk6KD8zhZldmXPtLQ23e~s4Tz8HggCBXKLMJ8OqWD-2BXw79e8Icdq03fxzEHE~VFjJFp7mlf-ItjibsFQtHaTRBtoFK5qqhvqBdaC4TSLBO2wgYulHLoyJTbwDBrTcmkX1MVgXA3~y~WdTT1QClWjjr89LXu3iaTWjViv6STvBgusPcKZ16HutfeaKB~HhbU64P9PQ4YvgzoMijqCRtY9j~fzfOq4RscCTRog193HeAqg1KfYnyGH82iswT0L5v7VrrjP7icrrMsa9DgqSymWThMQZ70FX8qFA8qHw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City utilities officials told the Boulder City Council at a study session that the city’s current water portfolio is in a strong position today but faces significant long‑term uncertainties that warrant a formal integrated water supply plan.

At the Oct. 5 study session, Joe Tadeuchi, director of the city’s utilities department, introduced a technical presentation by Crystal Mori, senior water resources engineer, that covered Colorado water law, Boulder’s three supply sources, modeled future supply‑demand scenarios to 2050 and a menu of policy options. “I think there’s some really positive news in the work in the presentation we have done and that it demonstrates that we have a really good supply situation,” Tadeuchi said.

The presentation laid out that Boulder draws roughly two‑thirds of its municipal supply from the two Boulder Creek watersheds (North Boulder Creek and South/Bridal) and roughly one‑third from transbasin supplies originating in the Colorado River headwaters and delivered by Northern Water. Crystal Mori said current treated municipal demand is about 17,000 acre‑feet per year and that, on average, Boulder leases roughly 5,000 acre‑feet per year for agricultural use when municipal demand is lower.

Why it matters: Colorado water is allocated under interstate compacts and basin law that create tight limits on new supplies. The Colorado Water Plan and basin projections show a large regional shortfall in some futures; staff showed South Platte Basin projections of a 500,000–800,000 acre‑feet per year gap by 2050 cited in the state planning literature. That scale is many times Boulder’s current demand and frames the trade‑offs the city will need to consider.

Key findings and numbers presented to council: the city’s 2009 source water plan remains the governing local document but staff recommended updating it to a new integrated water supply plan that explicitly models uncertainty. The utilities team ran four 2050 scenarios (optimistic, continued trends, stressed, severe) that include climate‑driven streamflow changes ranging from about +10% to about ‑30% and two demand drivers (irrigation need increases, and stronger conservation uptake). The model includes a 10% factor of safety to account for outages and unmodeled risks. Under three of the four scenarios, supply met municipal demands at today’s population; under the severe scenario the city would face material gaps.

Staff emphasized that dealing with future gaps can range from “stretch” measures (deeper conservation, retiming existing supplies, automation) to “partner” and “compete” strategies that would require acquiring new supplies or building new projects. Staff cited Panama Reservoir as an example: an ongoing partnership project proposed to expand a northeast reservoir with an estimated cost of about $90 million and potential yield up to 2,000 acre‑feet (Boulder’s municipal demand is roughly 17,000 acre‑feet for scale).

Council reaction and next steps: after questions from multiple council members about public education, irrigation ditch seepage, and data centers, staff asked whether council supports adding an integrated water supply plan to the work plan; several members voiced support for moving forward. Staff said more detailed scope, financing and timing would be developed as part of the work plan item; no formal council vote was taken at the study session.

What staff will do next: if council confirms the direction, utilities staff plan to develop a scoped integrated water supply plan that will include community engagement, scenario‑based analysis, potential conservation and supply options, and a financial strategy to estimate costs and possible funding sources. Staff noted regional dependencies (Colorado River policy, Northern Water decisions) that are outside Boulder’s control and will be treated as assumptions to test in scenario runs.

A note on attribution: direct quotes in this article come from city staff present at the study session. The technical presentation and council questions were the basis for the figures and program descriptions above.","City utilities staff told the Boulder City Council that the city currently has a robust water portfolio but faces climate and Colorado River uncertainties. Staff recommended adding an integrated water supply plan to the council work plan to analyze trade‑offs and possible new supplies.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Boulder council praises behavioral‑health aims but urges caution over county sales‑tax proposal and timeline

Boulder adopts 2024 WUI code; staff proposes citywide water‑wise landscaping manual, plant list

City staff: Boulder’s water portfolio sturdy now but long‑term risks justify integrated water supply plan