Boulder considers charging at trailheads

October 14, 2009 · Posted by in Energy, Environment 

Things are grim in open space land.

Or at least in the Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks department’s pocket book, which is filled almost entirely by sales tax revenues. And sales in Boulder are down.

Left to right, Christine Ferguson, Heather Grooters, Laura Baer, Peggy Kuhn, Heather Cunha, Alejandra Rubio, and Pito Roslansky, members of the Singletrack Sistahs, ride the Marshall Mesa trail. Photo by Marty Caivano.

Left to right, Christine Ferguson, Heather Grooters, Laura Baer, Peggy Kuhn, Heather Cunha, Alejandra Rubio, and Pito Roslansky, members of the Singletrack Sistahs, ride the Marshall Mesa trail. Photo by Marty Caivano.

Already, the city has walked away from three land deals totaling 1,000 acres (see post below). Now, the city is talking about raising cash for open space by charging those who live outside the Boulder Bubble for using Boulder’s trails.

From today’s Daily Camera:

While the city has spent $208 million to purchase more than 45,000 acres of open space in and around Boulder since it began a systematic buy-up of land in the late 1960s, it still has more than 5,800 acres left in its master plan — at an estimated cost of about $100 million.

Among the suggestions for creating more revenue to fund those remaining purchases is to begin charging a fee for non-Boulder County residents who use certain city-owned trails.

City Councilwoman Lisa Morzel said she routinely sees people drive to Boulder’s open space to use its amenities, but never stop in the city to spend money on food or retail purchases. Sales tax on such items, she said, largely make up the budget for open space programs.

“I would like to try a pilot program or two pilot programs where we have fees,” Morzel said. “I think we need to recover some money.”

Boulder County already has a similar program in place at some trailheads that has been successful, she said.

“It seems Boulder County has had very good luck with people paying their $3 and showing their little sticker,” she said.

Morzel said two trails in particular — Flatirons Vista and Marshall Mesa, located south of Boulder along Colo. 93 — could serve as pilot programs because many of the people who use those areas come from the Denver metro area.

Read the full story at DailyCamera.com.

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2 Responses to “Boulder considers charging at trailheads”

  1. Tweets that mention Boulder considers charging at trailheads | BigGreenBoulder Boulder, CO : BigGreenBoulder -- Topsy.com on October 14th, 2009 10:18 am

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Boulder Magazine, tofallfromgrace. tofallfromgrace said: RT @biggreenboulder: Boulder's thinking about charging at trailheads. …would be for those living outside the "bubble." http://ow.ly/unKQ [...]

  2. MrSprinkler on October 15th, 2009 12:59 am

    Its time to burst that Boulder Bubble….the cumulative ego of the city has grown too big. In colorado, residents throughout the state and visitors use many trails and parks for free. There are some state and Nat'l parks charging fees but otherwise much of our "open space" parks in various counties are free…and should remain so. Boulder residents do not pay user fees when going to other trail systems…you will start a very bad program if you begin this fee schedule for what you think of as outsiders. Many people come to visit Boulder area establishments when also visiting our parks, and so tax contributions are being made.
    This will become an issue like that of airlines charging for bags. Once you start it Boulder, other counties and municipalities will match you.

    Stop it now. Burst the Bubble of your own EGO