Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks Board of Trustees

The Open Space Board of Trustees (OSBT) is a five-member advisory body for the City of Boulder, Colorado ^[1][1] City of Boulder. "Open Space Board of Trustees." bouldercolorado.gov, Accessed: 2026-03-28, https://bouldercolorado.gov/government/board-commission/open-space-board-trustees. This municipal board oversees the Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) Department, which manages over 46,000 acres of protected land ^[2][2] Boulder Audubon. "URGENT ACTION ALERT - Boulder's Dedicated Open Space Sales Tax is Under Threat!" boulderaudubon.org, 27 Mar. 2026, https://boulderaudubon.org. The OSBT derives its authority from Article XII, Sections 170 through 177 of the Boulder City Charter ^[1][1] City of Boulder. "Open Space Board of Trustees." bouldercolorado.gov, Accessed: 2026-03-28, https://bouldercolorado.gov/government/board-commission/open-space-board-trustees. Trustees make recommendations to the City Council and City Manager regarding land acquisitions, management plans, and budget allocations ^[1][1] City of Boulder. "Open Space Board of Trustees." bouldercolorado.gov, Accessed: 2026-03-28, https://bouldercolorado.gov/government/board-commission/open-space-board-trustees. They also approve specific property purchases and conservation easements to preserve the city's natural mountain backdrop ^[3][3] City of Boulder. "History of Boulder's Open Space and Mountain Parks." bouldercolorado.gov, Accessed: 2026-03-28, https://bouldercolorado.gov. The board typically meets twice monthly to review staff reports and hear public testimony on environmental stewardship and recreation policies ^[1][1] City of Boulder. "Open Space Board of Trustees." bouldercolorado.gov, Accessed: 2026-03-28, https://bouldercolorado.gov/government/board-commission/open-space-board-trustees.

Historical Background

Boulder voters established the foundation for the OSBT in 1967 by passing the first municipal sales tax in the United States dedicated to open space preservation ^[4][4] Belford, Sara. "Open Space as a Homegrown Ideal: Boulder, Colorado's 1967 Greenbelt Amendment." colorado.edu, Accessed: 2026-03-28, https://www.colorado.edu. This landmark "Greenbelt Amendment" authorized a 0.40 cent tax to combat urban sprawl and protect local scenery ^[4][4] Belford, Sara. "Open Space as a Homegrown Ideal: Boulder, Colorado's 1967 Greenbelt Amendment." colorado.edu, Accessed: 2026-03-28, https://www.colorado.edu. In 1973, resident activists successfully lobbied the City Council to create a separate Open Space Department and the formal Open Space Board of Trustees ^[3][3] City of Boulder. "History of Boulder's Open Space and Mountain Parks." bouldercolorado.gov, Accessed: 2026-03-28, https://bouldercolorado.gov. A 1986 charter amendment further strengthened the board's mandate by providing permanent protection for acquired lands, requiring a 77 percent majority for certain changes ^[2][2] Boulder Audubon. "URGENT ACTION ALERT - Boulder's Dedicated Open Space Sales Tax is Under Threat!" boulderaudubon.org, 27 Mar. 2026, https://boulderaudubon.org. The system expanded significantly in 2001 when the city merged its Mountain Parks Division and Open Space Department into the current OSMP entity ^[5][5] Martin, Melissa and Devier, Garrett. "History of Boulder open Space and Mountain parks." washington.edu, Accessed: 2026-03-28, https://courses.washington.edu.

Current Events

In January 2026, the OSBT recommended a city charter amendment to formally authorize wildfire mitigation as a core management practice on open space lands ^[6][6] Herrick, John. "Boulder City Council heads into retreat with many ideas and little time." boulderreportinglab.org, 8 Jan. 2026, https://boulderreportinglab.org. The board also advocated for new bike routes on southern trail systems to improve safety for student mountain biking teams ^[6][6] Herrick, John. "Boulder City Council heads into retreat with many ideas and little time." boulderreportinglab.org, 8 Jan. 2026, https://boulderreportinglab.org. These requests followed a July 2025 vote where trustees expressed concern over the city's "cost allocation" practices, which diverted roughly 14% of the OSMP budget to general city services by 2031 ^[7][7] Herrick, John. "Boulder board questions city's use of open space tax funds." boulderreportinglab.org, 15 July 2025, https://boulderreportinglab.org. For the 2026 fiscal year, the board approved a $36 million operating budget that includes a $1 million redesign of the Chautauqua Ranger Cottage ^[7][7] Herrick, John. "Boulder board questions city's use of open space tax funds." boulderreportinglab.org, 15 July 2025, https://boulderreportinglab.org. As of March 28, 2026, the board is evaluating safety options for the Boulder Falls area following catastrophic rockfall damage in late 2024 ^[8][8] City of Boulder. "Heads Up January 9, 2026." bouldercolorado.gov, 9 Jan. 2026, https://bouldercolorado.gov.