ATTACHMENT E - Be Heard Boulder Feedback

Regular Meeting, October 16, 2025 · item 5A: Second reading and consideration of a motion to adopt Ordinance 8721 amending Section 4-20-43, “Development Application Fees,” Title 6, “Hea… · 12 pages

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Attachment E - Be Heard Boulder Feedback

Survey Responses 12 March 2018 - 01 October 2025

Waterwise Landscaping Project - share your feedback!

Be Heard Boulder Project: Waterwise Landscaping Project

VISITORS

48 CONTRIBUTORS

RESPONSES

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Attachment E - Be Heard Boulder Feedback Respondent No: 1

Responded At:

Jul 25, 2025 08:59:57 am

Last Seen:

Jul 25, 2025 15:49:53 pm

Email: nik.philipsen@gmail.com

IP Address:

73.78.144.209

Q1. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Landscaping Regulations?

(if yes, please use the

box below) While this is a good start, we need to go further in limiting the installation of lawns, which are water-intensive, ecologically bereft and carbon-spewing. As a city that values nature and works to mitigate climate change, we should prohibit the installation of new lawns altogether, especially on commercial property. Exceptions can be made for parks where lawns are utilized recreationally. Most of the lawns in Boulder are never used, but still require massive amounts of water to irrigate and regular mowing which produces signiﬁcant CO2 and air pollution. According to an EPA estimate, 1 hour of lawn mowing with a gas mower produces the same smog-forming pollution as driving 100–200 miles in a modern car. We should seek to limit lawns as much as possible.

Q2. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Landscaping Manual?

(if yes, please use the

box below) not answered

Q3. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Tree & Plant List? the box below) not answered

(if yes, please use

Attachment E - Be Heard Boulder Feedback Respondent No: 2

Responded At:

Jul 28, 2025 03:25:50 am

Last Seen:

Jul 28, 2025 09:50:54 am

Email: Thiem.claudia@gmail.com

IP Address:

85.90.132.73

Q1. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Landscaping Regulations?

(if yes, please use the

box below) The regs seem to be written to require maintenance over time by large property owners, which is good. But how do they apply to owner-occupied housing that might have landscaping plans that were part of a city site approval? Are condo and townhouse projects locked into a developer's original landscaping plans in perpetuity? How are we providing ﬂexibility for residents to modify and personalize areas around their homes, which contributes to quality of life and character of our neighborhoods?

Q2. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Landscaping Manual?

(if yes, please use the

box below) Let’s be honest about trees in wells/grates. They don’t seem to thrive in the minimum pit sizes we require. If we’re going to the trouble of creating a landscaping manual, can we update these standards to improve the chances of survival/success? It seems best to assume low/no maintenance no matter what the rules require, so *design* for the best outcome possible.

Q3. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Tree & Plant List?

(if yes, please use

the box below) I am glad to see more deciduous trees on the approved list than were on the list circulated during the WUI code updates. However for many shrub and grass species there is no information on whether these will be approved (Y/N) in the WUI zones. What is the default when a plant is neither approved nor prohibited? The list of grasses and shrubs is extremely limited if we assume a more restrictive application. Also with regard to the tree list, what is the rationale for approving trees based on sub community? Why are some trees excluded from Central Boulder and Uni Hill? This does not seem to be based on WUI considerations.

Attachment E - Be Heard Boulder Feedback Respondent No: 3

Responded At:

Jul 30, 2025 19:08:44 pm

Last Seen:

Jul 31, 2025 01:44:43 am

Email: jack.ganse@gmail.com

IP Address:

67.172.156.216

Q1. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Landscaping Regulations?

(if yes, please use the

box below) Years back, I was able to obtain a Boulder Pollinator Garden designation for my home and property. I haven't seen much about that program in a while. Does it still exist? I would like to see the city encourage more pollinator-friendly plants and ﬂowers on all properties, especially the private rental homes all around the university. Some of these properties have abysmal landscaping that are not friendly for any living things at all. And what about food gardens? How are people being encouraged to grow more food in available spaces? There are so many empty, unused, or poorly used spaces that could be growing some fruits and veggies.

Q2. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Landscaping Manual?

(if yes, please use the

box below) One thing I least enjoy is seeing new city projects spend tons of money installing beautiful landscaping, then letting it ﬂounder, become weed-infested, and/or die. The southern gateway along 28th Street is a good example. That was so beautiful when it was ﬁrst installed years ago, but now it's pretty boring and ugly. I worry that the same will happen along the new bike paths along 30th Street between Colorado and Arapahoe -- it looks great now, but who will maintain the ﬂowers and keep it weed-free in the future?

Q3. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Tree & Plant List?

(if yes, please use

the box below) I really appreciated receiving free trees, plants, and ﬂowers from the city for my home this spring. I hope that continues in the future. It would be great if the city could cultivate and share more from open space to share with the community -- seeds, seedlings, saplings, etc.

Attachment E - Be Heard Boulder Feedback Respondent No: 4

Responded At:

Aug 01, 2025 09:17:53 am

Last Seen:

Aug 01, 2025 15:50:52 pm

Email: m50walker@gmail.com

IP Address:

73.203.70.102

Q1. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Landscaping Regulations?

(if yes, please use the

box below) They seem quite complicated, and diﬃcult to comply with. It is not always clear who they apply to, and which projects they apply to. It would be good to clarify how homeowners would aﬀected, and not just project developers. Which home renovations and landscaping projects would be aﬀected, and which would not.

Q2. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Landscaping Manual?

(if yes, please use the

box below) More clariﬁcation on which changes the proposed manual would apply to would be helpful. For example, if a homeowner is having someone remove trees, would the proposed regulations apply to those changes?

Q3. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Tree & Plant List? the box below) It seems quite comprehensive and helpful. Photos of sample trees would also be nice.

(if yes, please use

Attachment E - Be Heard Boulder Feedback Respondent No: 5

Responded At:

Aug 06, 2025 14:31:32 pm

Last Seen:

Aug 06, 2025 21:30:32 pm

Email: Becca.weaver@gmail.com

IP Address:

50.235.104.234

Q1. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Landscaping Regulations?

(if yes, please use the

box below) not answered

Q2. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Landscaping Manual?

(if yes, please use the

box below) not answered

Q3. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Tree & Plant List?

(if yes, please use

the box below) Thank you for including drought tolerant and native grasses in the list of grasses. I assume will avoid commercial building requirements to put in kentucky blue grass where people will not even be using the grass.

Attachment E - Be Heard Boulder Feedback Respondent No: 6

Responded At:

Aug 17, 2025 14:01:49 pm

Last Seen:

Aug 17, 2025 20:59:10 pm

Email: Elenemooney@gmail.com

IP Address:

98.245.1.138

Q1. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Landscaping Regulations?

(if yes, please use the

box below) Yes, I am concerned that some people who are taking out their turf are replacing it with rocks without any or very limited plantings. This will only increase the temperatures in our city. (see what happened to Tuscon). Although I see a provision for placing rocks as mulch there is no guideline as to what proportion is mulch versus plantings. See 5.4

Q2. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Landscaping Manual?

(if yes, please use the

box below) not answered

Q3. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Tree & Plant List? the box below) not answered

(if yes, please use

Attachment E - Be Heard Boulder Feedback Respondent No: 7

Responded At:

Aug 28, 2025 14:26:24 pm

Last Seen:

Aug 28, 2025 21:19:11 pm

Email: s.d.hamilton@hamiltonboul

IP Address:

67.174.191.219

der.com

Q1. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Landscaping Regulations?

(if yes, please use the

box below) I have been investigating ﬁre resistant fencing and ﬁnd local contractors totally unprepared to move away from wood fences.

Q2. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Landscaping Manual?

(if yes, please use the

box below) If the city is worried about residential landscape ﬁres, the city should look at road median and streetside right of ways. There are overgrown grasses everywhere on CITY PROPERTY.

Q3. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Tree & Plant List?

(if yes, please use

the box below) Keep in mind that 80% of water use is agricultural. What restrictions do you intend to place on farmers?

Attachment E - Be Heard Boulder Feedback Respondent No: 8

Responded At:

Aug 28, 2025 16:16:46 pm

Last Seen:

Aug 28, 2025 23:04:04 pm

Email: erbu5555@colorado.edu

IP Address:

174.16.59.67

Q1. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Landscaping Regulations?

(if yes, please use the

box below) Wish to see more explicit design options for tree grates that do not limit root growth in order to increase tree canopy and tree lifespan. Wish to see increased mention of native and drought tolerant species as a mitigator for urban heat

Q2. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Landscaping Manual?

(if yes, please use the

box below) Wish to see the "tree grate types" available. Appreciate the focus on regionally native plants.

Q3. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Tree & Plant List? the box below) not answered

(if yes, please use

Attachment E - Be Heard Boulder Feedback Respondent No: 9

Responded At:

Sep 30, 2025 11:57:53 am

Last Seen:

Sep 30, 2025 18:57:38 pm

Email: billcosby@me.com

IP Address:

146.75.175.23

Q1. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Landscaping Regulations?

(if yes, please use the

box below) not answered

Q2. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Landscaping Manual?

(if yes, please use the

box below) not answered

Q3. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Tree & Plant List? the box below) not answered

(if yes, please use

Attachment E - Be Heard Boulder Feedback Respondent No: 10

Responded At:

Oct 01, 2025 14:47:49 pm

Last Seen:

Oct 01, 2025 21:27:54 pm

Email: johnhgerstle@gmail.com

IP Address:

71.218.162.103

Q1. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Landscaping Regulations?

(if yes, please use the

box below) My concern is that there does not appear to be consideration of the use of ditch water (rather than the City's treated water system). There are several privately (and partially City-)owned ditches within the City, including Silver Lake Ditch, Anderson Ditch and Farmers Ditch, which serve land within the City and this water is managed and owned separately from City water, There are also a number of lots and gardens which have independent wells that supply landscaping. The ditches are generally regarded as an important amenity in the City, and the City beneﬁts signiﬁcantly from them - for example, Silver Lake Ditch supplies water to both City Parks (Maxwell Pond and Foothills Community Park) and Open Space (Wonderland Lake and Mesa Reservoir and Wetlands). The Ditches and their associated lateral ditches also beneﬁt the City by supplying water to the trees in the neighborhoods they serve providing signiﬁcant shade and temperature beneﬁts. The Ditches are managed, operated and maintained largely by their private water users at minimal cost to the City. If landscaping regulations change so that the beneﬁts associated with access to ditch water diminish, there will be less interest from the private water users in maintaining these ditches, and the City will be harmed, by loss of the beneﬁts described above. Thus, I believe that the new Regulations should consider the beneﬁts and manner in which these ditches are operated, and ensure that there a way to keep these beneﬁts over the long term, by giving special consideration to the landscaping and vegetation regulations and requirements to lands served by these ditches.

Q2. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Landscaping Manual?

(if yes, please use the

box below) Please see comments made for the proposed Landscaping Regulations

Q3. Do you have any feedback or comments on the proposed Tree & Plant List? the box below) Please see comments made above for the proposed landscaping regulations

(if yes, please use

Attachment E - Be Heard Boulder Feedback