In reply to:
Thank you for your email regarding the proposed Open Space and Mountain
Parks Visitor Master Plan (VMP).
City Council members have received numerous emails and letters on the
various issues surrounding the VMP, and there has been a very lively
public debate through op-eds, letters to the editor, newspaper articles,
and in public forums. Clearly there is tremendous interest in the final
outcome of the VMP.
In this message, I would like to state my strong support for the process
that has taken place to date and my optimism for how this plan will be
finalized. Notwithstanding the rhetoric and posturing that is currently
going on from people on all sides of the issue, the proposed plan has
been developed with extensive and thoughtful input from the Community.
The Open Space Board has contributed greatly; the OSMP Department staff
has contributed greatly; the Visitor Plan Advisory Committees have
contributed greatly; and the Community Group Forum has contributed
greatly.
At issue now is not whether City Council should choose the Board's
proposal over the Community Group Forum's proposal over the staff
proposal, but for the City Council to draw on all of the expertise and
information from all of these groups, and make informed decisions on
those areas in the VMP for which there currently is not agreement, i.e.
nighttime curfews, competitive events, off-trail access in the Habitat
Conservation Areas (HCAs), dogs, and the so-called "precautionary
principle" or "dealing with uncertainty."
Council will formally begin our consideration of the Plan this Tuesday,
December 14 from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. The Study Session will take place in
the Council Chambers and will be televised on Channel 8. During this
Study Session, Council will have the opportunity to ask the Board, the
OSMP staff, Community Group Forum representatives, and VPAC
representatives questions about the Plan and the various alternatives
that have been proposed. We will then give staff direction on how to
further draft the Plan on these outstanding issues.
A revised draft Plan will be available early next year, which will
commence a public review. It will next go to the Planning Board and Open
Space Board for their review and recommendations, and in the spring will
come to Council for our final consideration. I remain very confident that this process will allow City Council to draw
upon the tremendous wealth of expertise that we have in our community-our
OSMP staff, Open Space Board of Trustees, the member groups of the
Community Group Forum, the Visitor Plan Advisory Committee members, and
the many concerned and well-informed community members-to make informed
decisions resulting in a Visitor Master Plan that allows public access
where it is appropriate while ensuring the long-term health of the lands.
Again, thank you for your email.
Shaun McGrath
Boulder City Council