News briefs on flood recovery
Sep 26th
City partners with Foothills United Way to jump-start clean-up efforts
The City of Boulder and Foothills United Way have developed a partnership to help repair flood-related damage to the city’s parks and open space areas. Today, the city began working with Foothills United Way, utilizing its established Volunteer Connection web portal to enroll and assign volunteers to city projects.
Individuals who are interested in assisting with city projects should visit BoulderFloodInfo.net and click on Volunteer Opportunities. From there, select City of Boulder Flood Recovery for a list of projects with the city or city departments. If you click on a project, you will be given more details and an opportunity to sign up online.
A few opportunities, starting as soon as this Saturday, are already listed and more will be added as the organization continues to prioritize work plan items and determine which projects are safe enough to invite public participation.
“We are so thankful for the outpouring we have seen from community members who are eager to volunteer,” said City Manager Jane Brautigam. “We hope this partnership with United Way will make it easy to find the opportunities that are most-suited to your interests, skills and schedule. We look forward to rebuilding together.”
Disaster Assistance Centers to reduce hours as help transitions back to city, county offices and network of non-profit partners
Boulder County’s Longmont and Boulder Disaster Assistance Centers (DACs) will reduce their open hours beginning Friday, Sept. 27, as all services being offered at the centers begin to transition back to city and county offices and community non-profit organizations.
On Friday, the Boulder DAC’s hours will shift to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., while the Longmont DAC’s hours will remain the same, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday, both DACs will maintain a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule. County and city staff will transition out of the centers at some point early next week. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) personnel will remain at both locations for an undetermined period of time from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
“These Disaster Assistance Centers have collectively served over 3,600 households in a week and a half,” said Garry Sanfacon, Boulder County Flood Recovery Manager. “Because of excellent collaboration between city, county, state and federal agencies and local non-profits and volunteers, we’ve provided crucial support to thousands of people hit hard by the flooding. As we transition out of the centers, we will continue to provide these services efficiently and effectively from our offices.”
The Disaster Assistance Centers have been serving those impacted by Boulder County’s severe flooding since Monday, Sept. 16 in Longmont, and Thursday, Sept. 19 in Boulder. At both locations, residents have received help with housing, food, transportation, clean-up, medical needs, and much more.
The DACs are located at Twin Peaks Mall in Longmont (1250 South Hover Road) and 5495 Arapahoe Avenue in Boulder. More information is available at BoulderCountyFlood.org or BoulderFloodInfo.net.
City’s Public Works Call Center to change hours starting Monday
Due to reduced call volume, the City of Boulder’s Public Works call center is amending its hours of operation beginning Monday, Sept. 30. The new hours will be 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Boulder residents and businesses may call 303-413-7100 to report new water, wastewater or stormwater issues within the city limits, including:
- sewage backups or odors;
- water main breaks, which may cause water to come up through the ground;
- water service disruptions; and
- missing manhole covers or storm drain concerns.
Parks and Recreation eager to serve the public; most city parks and facilities are open
Did you know that despite all the damage that occurred as the result of the recent flood, the majority of Boulder’s parks and recreation facilities are open and being actively used by our community?
Limited closures remain in effect due to hazards. These are:
- Three city parks – Elks, Eben G. Fine and Elmer’s Two Mile;
- Boulder Reservoir
- Knollwood tennis court
- Boulder Creek Path
All three recreation centers are buzzing with activity with the exception of two gym closures (at the South Boulder Recreation Center and the North Boulder Recreation Center) and the gymnastics facility. Boulder Reservoir is expected to re-open on Saturday, and the gymnastics facility is expected to re-open on Monday.
While the city is asking the public to honor the closures, Parks and Recreation staff members invite the community to enjoy all of the services and facilities that are available during this stressful time. The department is also working to make the necessary repairs to re-open closed areas as soon as possible. VisitBoulderFloodInfo.net for the most up-to-date closure information.
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Sat. begins expanded drop-off of hard to recycle materials
Sep 26th
Beginning on Saturday, Sept. 28, the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) will offer an expanded drop-off site at 5030 “Old” Pearl St. This enhanced recycling service will be provided in an effort to address the unprecedented volume of electronic waste generated by recent flooding in Boulder.
The additional site is being made possible by a partnership between the City of Boulder and Eco-Cycle and will be available through Saturday, Oct. 5. All processing fees for flood-damaged materials from Boulder residents will be waived. Saturday volumes are expected to be high, so organizers recommend that residents plan to come on weekdays, if possible.
“We are streamlining our system as much as we can to get people in and out,” said Dan Matsch, manager of Eco-Cycle and CHaRM. “Our top priority is to provide the community with a way to easily and properly dispose of flood-damaged items that should not go in the landfill or could be recycled, such as electronics, appliances with Freon and scrap metal.”
CHaRM will be open during its regular hours, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday. All residents are directed to the main CHaRM site at 5030 “Old” Pearl St., one block north of Pearl Parkway off 49th Street.
CHaRM specializes in the recycling of “hard-to-recycle” materials such as:
· electronics, including small appliances;
· appliances containing Freon, such as refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners;
· scrap metal;
· large durable plastics; and
· white block Styrofoam.
To be accepted for recycling, these items must be rinsed free of mud and cannot contain excess water. Wet paper and books cannot be recycled and must be composted or taken to a landfill. CHaRM cannot accept wet or moldy clothing or plastic bags. Visit www.ecocycle.org/charm for recycling guidelines and a more detailed list of items that CHaRM can accept.
Hazardous waste cannot be recycled at CHaRM and must be recycled at the Boulder County Hazardous Waste Management Facility at 1901 63rd St. Visit www.bouldercounty.org/env/hazwaste for information on hours and acceptable items.
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County officials want mountain driving restraint
Sep 25th
Visitors and plains residents are requested to curtail recreation in the mountains this fall
Clarification:
Mountain residents are asked to minimize trips into and out of damaged areas, and visitors and plains residents are requested to curtail recreation in the mountain area between U.S. 36 and SH 72 this fall (travel is allowed along P2P Highway north to south)
Visitors can access the Town of Estes Park in Larimer County along Peak to Peak Highway (SH 72) – we’re just asking that visitors not try to venture east or west of P2P in Boulder County along roads that are closed to public access
Boulder County, Colo. – Boulder County officials have made it an immediate priority to repair and reconstruct county roads and bridges damaged in the flood. The county sustained an enormous amount of damage to its roadway infrastructure, and in some places, experienced complete destruction of critical routes in the foothills and mountains. Initial estimates for repairs top $100 million.
Boulder County road maintenance crews have been working on clearing, evaluating structural integrity and public safety, and repairing county roads since the beginning of the historic flooding event. Utility companies have also been active since the start working to restore electric, gas, phone, water and other basic services. Given the current status of the roads, county public safety and transportation officials are urging residents to minimize – and visitors to curtail completely – their use of mountain roads within Boulder County.
(Video: Boulder County “Be a Good Neighbor” Public Safety & Road Infrastructure message)
“We kindly ask that people stay out of the foothills and mountain areas from Foothills Highway to Peak to Peak this fall for recreational purposes while our county, state and federal partners work to restore access to all of our valued mountain communities,” said Boulder County Commissioner Cindy Domenico. “Right now we need our residents and visitors to access our central mountain communities only for essential purposes and to give room to our road crews and law enforcement officials to do their jobs.”
“We want residents and visitors to recognize that Boulder County is hard at work to reestablish our infrastructure and reconnect residents to their communities and their homes,” said Boulder County Transportation Director George Gerstle. “The county has teamed with cities and towns, the state, other nearby counties and private contractors to help with this massive undertaking. Crews are working as quickly as we can to put in place at least temporary fixes by winter, knowing that cold weather and snow will only compound problems with damaged roads.”
The Sheriff’s Office is requesting that all recreation and unnecessary trips into the foothills and mountains of Boulder County be curtailed until critical roads, including Boulder Canyon and U.S. 36 west of Lyons, can be opened to the general public. (View video)
“The road issues are more than a mere inconvenience,” said Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle. “Everyone working at the county understands that the lack of access and the lengthy process to restore it will change lives, and we are focused on returning a sense of normalcy to lives that have been changed forever in some cases.”
County officials have asked that vehicles, bikes and pedestrians stay out of the damaged areas while road and emergency crews, utilities and local residents work to restore basic infrastructure and access to their homes.
“People who want to recreate in the mountains or go see the destruction will actually hamper access for emergency responders, utility workers, and mountain residents who absolutely need the access,” Pelle said. “For that reason we’re asking people who don’t have to go to the mountains to stay away and to understand that this is a very long term problem.”
“It is incredibly difficult to rebuild roads with people on them, so please avoid the mountain roads unless absolutely necessary, and minimize even residential trips to keep roads clear for heavy equipment and emergency vehicles,” Gerstle added. “It is difficult and takes much longer for the crews to fix a road with traffic on it. The fewer people using the road, the faster we can get the work done.”
Another important recovery aspect for many residents is the status of county open space parks and trails.
“Our staff has been assessing damage and working to repair trails as quickly as possible, but there are many parks and trails that may be closed for a significant duration as these areas have experienced extreme damage and the trails are unsafe,” said Boulder County Parks & Open Space Director Ron Stewart.
In addition, the U.S. Forest Service in Boulder County has closed its lands for all recreational purposes (i.e., camping, hiking, hunting, etc.) by executive order until further notice.
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