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City staff move to recognize FAA‑style precautionary landings on OSMP to improve pilot safety
Summary
OSMP staff proposed amending rules to allow precautionary paragliding landings on Open Space and Mountain Parks property as an affirmative defense, citing safety and Jefferson County’s similar move; trustees supported the change and asked staff to clarify ranger guidance and monitoring protocols.
OSMP staff presented a proposed regulatory change on March 11 that would explicitly allow ‘‘precautionary landings’’ by hang‑gliders and paragliders on Open Space and Mountain Parks property when further flight is inadvisable or not possible.
"Current city regulations prohibit us from landing on OSMP property," said Vinay Shah of the Rocky Mountain Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (RMHPA), urging staff to update the rules so pilots are not forced into unsafe landings to avoid a citation. Lisa Gonzalo, Recreation Stewardship Senior Program Manager, said staff plan to amend the regulation so a precautionary landing consistent with FAA definitions is a specific defense. She cited Jefferson County, which updated its Recreation Guide in 2024 to allow such landings and found pilot safety benefits without enforcement problems.
Staff reported 638 cross‑country flights logged from Boulder in 2025 with only eight citations for landings outside the designated zone; those citations require mandatory court appearances. Lisa Gonzalo said OSMP will amend regulation language, extend the current MOU with RMHPA for one year to monitor outcomes, and coordinate ranger and RMHPA training and outreach before finalizing changes.
Trustees supported prioritizing safety but asked staff to give rangers clear guidance about what constitutes a precautionary landing — including when a pilot ‘‘runs out of lift’’ or loses thermal support. Trustee Brady urged maintenance of launch zones (suggesting geotextiles or surface stabilization) to reduce terrain hazards to lines and wings.
What’s next: staff will draft regulatory language, extend and monitor the MOU with RMHPA for a year, coordinate ranger training and outreach, and return with updates if management issues emerge.
