Posts tagged residents
City of Boulder going all-out virtual (TMI?)
Aug 20th
24/7 community collaboration arrives in Boulder
Today, the City of Boulder is proud to announce the launch of Inspire Boulder – an idea-collaboration engine that allows for real-time engagement 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Inspire Boulder is an online, civic engagement platform that combines the ease of social sites (like Facebook) with the purpose and substance of city projects, issues and programs. A sort-of digital town hall, residents can submit ideas, help prioritize options and even do real-time budgeting. Community collaboration happens in real time so results, ideas and priorities can occur organically, as if it were a public meeting.
“Boulder has a thriving tech and start-up community and our residents are some of the most connected folks on the Front Range,” said City Manager Jane Brautigam. “Having a virtual town hall, to inspire and inform all the important work we do, just makes sense in Boulder.”
Typical workshops, meeting and open houses will still be held citywide. Inspire Boulder is meant to augment these more traditional venues for receiving community input.
The platform also combines idea submission with game theory. Registered users get ‘points’ for submitting ideas and can accrue points for getting ‘up votes’ on their submitted ideas. It’s pretty simple: the better ideas are, the more points they earn. Naturally, the best ideas move to the top.
“Boulder is also known for its well-educated residents,” Brautigam said. “We want to enrich our conversations by tapping into the many creative minds that exist in our community.”
Inspire Boulder will host topics, issues, projects and programs from around the city organization. At launch, the site includes:
- Boulder Civic Area project;
- Boulder’s Energy Future;
- Transportation (Transportation Master Plan); and
- Waste Reduction and Recycling.
Stay tuned! Additional topics from Parks and Recreation, the Boulder Public Library and more will be featured in the coming months.
County hosting open house to discuss Land Use Code oil and gas development regulations
Jul 30th
Public invited to give input at Aug. 7 event
Boulder County, Colo. – Staff from Boulder County Land Use and other departments will host an oil and gas regulations open house on Aug. 7.
Staff will solicit input and give more information about the process and steps the county intends to follow for considering changes to oil and gas regulations in the Boulder County Land Use Code and related programs and policies the county can pursue to address the issue. This will be the second open house the county has hosted to provide information to residents.
What: Boulder County oil and gas regulations open house
When: Tuesday, Aug. 7, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Where: Boulder County Recycling Center, 1901 63rd St., Boulder
The event will include a short staff presentation at 6:45 p.m.
Staff will be located at stations throughout the open house to listen to residents’ issues and suggestions, answer questions, and provide updated information about the county’s plans to address issues related to oil and gas development. Stations will include information about the Boulder County Land Use Code, open space, public health and transportation.
Timeline
- Feb. 2 – The Board of County Commissioners approve a temporary moratorium on the processing of the required development plans for local oil and gas permits under the county Land Use Code (Resolution 2012-16) and release a statement detailing their concerns about the potential for significantly expanded oil and gas drilling within the county.
- March 1 – Public hearing for commissioners to hear staff presentations and public testimony. After the four-hour hearing, commissioners direct staff to continue gathering information about the impacts of oil and gas drilling on air, water, land, roads and infrastructure.
- April 16 – Commissioners vote unanimously to extend temporary moratorium on processing of applications for oil and gas development in unincorporated parts of the county until Feb. 4, 2013. (Resolution 2012-46).
- May 16 – Planning Commission approves Docket BCCP-12-0001: Amendments to Oil and Gas Policies, authorizing initiation of an oil and gas policies amendment process.
- June 20 – Planning Commission reviews proposed oil and gas policies amendments presented by Land Use staff, and takes public testimony.
- July 18 – Planning Commission further reviews proposed oil and gas policies amendments presented by Land Use staff, and takes public testimony.
- Aug. 15 – Planning Commission will continue their review of the draft amendments. Public testimony will not be taken on this date.
Background
Boulder County is concerned about the potential for significantly expanded oil and gas drilling within the county, and supports appropriate, tighter restrictions on drilling and increased local control to mitigate the impacts of these activities. While the moratorium is in place, the county is endeavoring to ensure its Comprehensive Plan, Land Use Code and other regulations are as thorough and up-to-date as possible.
Survey seeks feedback on public involvement with county government
Jul 26th
Boulder County, Colo. – As part of its ongoing efforts to provide the best in public service, Boulder County is seeking to improve resident involvement with the county, increase access to the public process, and gather diverse opinions.
In order to do so, a small group of county employees is exploring ways to increase the effectiveness of boards, commissions and public involvement in Boulder County government. The group has developed a short survey designed to better understand residents’ perceptions of the public process.
Survey à www.surveymonkey.com/s/BoCoPublicInput
The survey is available through Monday, Aug. 13 and takes less than five minutes to complete. Please share it with friends and neighbors so they can voice their opinions as well.
For questions or additional information, please contact Abby Shannon at 720-564-2623 or ashannon@bouldercounty.org. Thank you for your interest in Boulder County government.
