So I was talking to my neighbor who had discussed this with a lawyer friend of his and voila...we have an open letter to all Boulder City Council Members with a new take.
Feel free to copy and send individually and all contact information is provided below.
Also, this is not a reflection on the work done on these parks, which we fully appreciate and support...this is aimed only at the referenced policy.
Finally, I have included some links on the issue at large for your reading pleasure.
Happy Trails!
--------------------------------------
Saturday, April 19th, 2014
To Whom It May Concern:
On June 27th, 2011 the Boulder City Council implemented a "Parking Fees Area Program" for select city properties that continues to this day. This program charges non-Boulder County residents (with out of county license plates) a fee of $5.00 daily or $25.00 for an annual pass to park in select trailhead parking lots. In addition, there has been local press that discusses expanding this program in the future to other trailheads.
As can be evidenced on local social media sites, this action has and continues to generate ill will and inherent inequality between Boulder county/city residents and neighboring county/city residents who have not implemented such fees on their city or open space park systems. Therefore, for example, a resident of neighboring Jefferson county (and it's cities) is subject to Boulder City parking fees to use their areas whereas a Boulder county/city resident can use all Jefferson county/city and open space areas without incurring such fees.
More important, however, than the ill will and inequality generated from this action is the concern that the practice may very well be unlawful. Several independent sources are currently investigating the City of Boulder's public records to see if state or federal funds have ever, are currently, or will ever in the future be used on City of Boulder parks and other properties. If they are, then it would be unlawful for the City of Boulder to charge the aforementioned fees to Colorado state and/or citizens of the United States who have paid in part for the maintenance and other costs of City of Boulder properties through their state or federal tax dollars. This would, of course, include any state or federal (including FEMA) assistance dollars that might have been, or are planned to be used on the properties for 2013 flood recovery efforts. Therefore, if this proves to be the case, then the Boulder City Council and City of Boulder will need to either change this policy to charge all users equally or choose to charge no one on the basis of county residence status to park in the aforementioned City of Boulder lots.
As this investigation into the City of Boulder public records continues, we urge the Boulder City Council to reconsider this fee program.
Sincerely,
--------------------------------------
Current Boulder Council Members:
Macon Cowles: [email protected]
Susan Jones: [email protected]
Lisa Morzel: [email protected]
Tim Plass: [email protected]
Andrew Shoemaker: [email protected]
Sam Weaver: [email protected]
Mary Young: [email protected]
The Daily Camera - Elizabeth Mattern-Clark, Outdoor Recreation Editor: [email protected]
--------------------------------------
References:
https://bouldercolorado.gov/osmp/open-space-parking-permits-and-fees
https://bouldercolorado.gov/city-council/mayor-and-city-council
Directory - Programs & Offices
Contact Us - Boulder Daily Camera
Pilot open space parking fee program to debut at Boulder's southern trailheads - Boulder Daily Camera
Boulder to keep fees at open space trailheads - Boulder Daily Camera
Boulder reconsiders charging non-locals for Open Space parking
Feel free to copy and send individually and all contact information is provided below.
Also, this is not a reflection on the work done on these parks, which we fully appreciate and support...this is aimed only at the referenced policy.
Finally, I have included some links on the issue at large for your reading pleasure.
Happy Trails!
--------------------------------------
Saturday, April 19th, 2014
To Whom It May Concern:
On June 27th, 2011 the Boulder City Council implemented a "Parking Fees Area Program" for select city properties that continues to this day. This program charges non-Boulder County residents (with out of county license plates) a fee of $5.00 daily or $25.00 for an annual pass to park in select trailhead parking lots. In addition, there has been local press that discusses expanding this program in the future to other trailheads.
As can be evidenced on local social media sites, this action has and continues to generate ill will and inherent inequality between Boulder county/city residents and neighboring county/city residents who have not implemented such fees on their city or open space park systems. Therefore, for example, a resident of neighboring Jefferson county (and it's cities) is subject to Boulder City parking fees to use their areas whereas a Boulder county/city resident can use all Jefferson county/city and open space areas without incurring such fees.
More important, however, than the ill will and inequality generated from this action is the concern that the practice may very well be unlawful. Several independent sources are currently investigating the City of Boulder's public records to see if state or federal funds have ever, are currently, or will ever in the future be used on City of Boulder parks and other properties. If they are, then it would be unlawful for the City of Boulder to charge the aforementioned fees to Colorado state and/or citizens of the United States who have paid in part for the maintenance and other costs of City of Boulder properties through their state or federal tax dollars. This would, of course, include any state or federal (including FEMA) assistance dollars that might have been, or are planned to be used on the properties for 2013 flood recovery efforts. Therefore, if this proves to be the case, then the Boulder City Council and City of Boulder will need to either change this policy to charge all users equally or choose to charge no one on the basis of county residence status to park in the aforementioned City of Boulder lots.
As this investigation into the City of Boulder public records continues, we urge the Boulder City Council to reconsider this fee program.
Sincerely,
--------------------------------------
Current Boulder Council Members:
Macon Cowles: [email protected]
Susan Jones: [email protected]
Lisa Morzel: [email protected]
Tim Plass: [email protected]
Andrew Shoemaker: [email protected]
Sam Weaver: [email protected]
Mary Young: [email protected]
The Daily Camera - Elizabeth Mattern-Clark, Outdoor Recreation Editor: [email protected]
--------------------------------------
References:
https://bouldercolorado.gov/osmp/open-space-parking-permits-and-fees
https://bouldercolorado.gov/city-council/mayor-and-city-council
Directory - Programs & Offices
Contact Us - Boulder Daily Camera
Pilot open space parking fee program to debut at Boulder's southern trailheads - Boulder Daily Camera
Boulder to keep fees at open space trailheads - Boulder Daily Camera
Boulder reconsiders charging non-locals for Open Space parking