Boulder is much more than its physical form. It is composed of people as well as the places where they live and work. It is as much a social environment as it is a physical environment. Boulder is a center of active living, attracting residents, businesses and visitors who value community and individual health. The city is committed to continuing to be a national leader in promoting the physical health and welfare of the community as well as promoting civil and human rights.
Boulder is a fluid, growing community, with changing demographics. The city and county proactively anticipate and plan for emerging demographic trends and social issues, including:
- a growing older adult population and their family caregivers
- Healthy child and youth development and opportunities to be contributing members of the community
- Support and inclusion of immigrants into the community
- Impacts of a large university population on housing and other infrastructure
- Need for ongoing support of services and facilities for basic needs such as food, health care, shelter, child care, elder care, and education and training
- Support for community non-profits
- Accessibility and affordability of basic health and human services.
In providing human services, the vision for Boulder is to create and support a comprehensive safety net of services for residents through coordinated regional planning, service delivery, and integrated partnerships. Generally, Boulder County provides state and federally mandated programs, entitlement programs and countywide services. The city provides services identified as important to the Boulder community including safety net services and early intervention and prevention services to meet critical human service needs.
The policies in this section support the city’s and county’s goals related to:
The city and county will develop and maintain human service programs that provide for the broad spectrum of human needs, from safety net services to early intervention and prevention programs which mitigate more costly, long-term interventions and forestall worsening social conditions. Services balance meeting immediate needs with long-term solutions to critical social issues.
The city will continue its collaborative role in human services planning and funding through partnerships with other agencies and local governments. The city and county will coordinate a regional approach such as that articulated in the Ten-Year Plan to Address Homelessness and the Human Services Strategic Plan. The city will seek to address the disproportionate burden placed on Boulder as a key regional service center.
Housing and Human Services Master Plan
Social Equity
The city will work to ensure that basic services are accessible and affordable to those most in need. The city and county will consider the impacts of policies and planning efforts on low and moderate income and special needs populations and ensure impacts and costs of sustainable decision making do not unfairly burden any one geographic or socio-economic group in the city. The city and county will consider ways to reduce the transportation burden for low income and disabled populations, enabling equal access to community infrastructure.
Accessibility
8.04 Addressing Community Deficiencies
The city will identify barriers to provision of important basic human services and work to find solutions to critical social issues such as:
- lack of housing options for very low income and special needs populations
- access to and affordability of basic services
- limited availability of affordable retail products.
The community values diversity as a source of strength and opportunity. The city and county will support:
- the integration of diverse cultures and socio-economic groups in the physical, social, cultural and economic environments
- promote opportunities for community engagement of diverse community members
- promote formal and informal representation of diverse community members in civic affairs.
The city will promote safety by fostering good neighborhood relations, building a sense of community pride and involvement, and promoting safe and attractive neighborhoods. The city and county will provide police, fire protection and emergency management services and preparedness education to ensure a safe community.
Police Master Plan
Fire Master Plan
The city and county strive to ensure that this community continues to be a leader in promoting physical health and welfare of community members. The city will support opportunities for people to exercise. Neighborhood and community design will encourage physical activity by establishing easy access to parks and trails, and locating activity centers close to where people live, work and attend school.
The city will support community health programs such as:
- obesity prevention
- outdoor education
- safe routes to school
- healthy eating.
Commitment to a Walkable and Accessible City
Community Infrastructure and Facilities
The city and county will assist the Boulder Valley School District in its planning efforts to assure that the number, size and location of school lands and facilities is adequate to serve the population for the foreseeable future. The city and county will consider current and projected school enrollment and available school capacities when approving the type, scale and timing of residential development. The city and county will work with the school district to consider transportation impacts when planning for school sites and facilities.
The city and county will work with the Boulder Valley School District to develop safe and convenient pedestrian, bicycle and transit access for students to existing and new schools. New school facilities will be located so that school-age children have the opportunity to arrive safely on their own.
The city and county recognize the importance of educational, health and non-profit community agencies that provide vital services to the residents of the Boulder Valley and will work collaboratively with these agencies to reasonably accommodate their facility needs and consider location based on transportation accessibility.
Park and recreation facilities and services of the city or other service entities will provide an adequate range of exercise and recreational opportunities for residents. Such facilities and services will be designed in a manner that responds to the needs of the intended users. City park and recreation facilities will provide a variety of landscape types as amenities and recreational resources for urban dwellers including irrigated green spaces, low water need plantings and natural vegetation areas.
Parks and Recreation Master Plan
Trails serve a variety of functions such as exercise, recreation, transportation, education and/or environmental protection. Trails should be designed and managed to minimize conflicts among trail users. Trailheads should be located so they are convenient and safe for those arriving by alternate modes of transportation as well as automobiles. In order to provide environmental protection, informal trails and user widening of trails should be discouraged by ensuring that formal trails are well designed, monitored and adequately maintained. Trail and trailhead locations and alignments should avoid environmentally sensitive areas and minimize environmental impacts.
Trail Corridors/Linkages
Trails Map
The city and county will coordinate with other trail providers and private landowners in trail system planning, construction, management and maintenance. Where compatible with environmental protection goals and conservation easement agreements, trail connections will be developed to enhance the overall functioning of the trails network.
Library facilities and services of the Boulder Valley will be responsive to the needs of all populations, providing an adequate range of informational, educational and intellectual opportunities for all residents.
The city will provide access to information through a variety of formats providing materials, technology and services to enhance the personal development of the community’s residents. In its role as the community’s public and civic information center, the library will provide venues for community group meetings, resources and services to meet the needs of the community’s multicultural and special populations. Other community gathering spaces and information sources include the city and county websites, municipal buildings, and recreation and senior centers.
The city will seek to provide educational and literacy resources and services for the community. The city will develop and maintain resources to assist learners and students of all ages including support for formal education programs, provide public workspaces and independent learning resources. The city will develop collaborative relationships with community educational institutions and function as a research center for residents.
The city will encourage the provision of facilities for the performing and visual arts and the provision of art in public buildings and spaces.
Role of Arts and Cultural Programs
The city and county recognize and support the arts. They are central to the cultural life for children, youth and adults of the Boulder community and a clean industry that contributes significantly to the Boulder economy. They present significant quality of life advantages to the Boulder community through education, entertainment and the aesthetic environment and provide a vehicle to bring together people of all walks of life and diverse ages, genders, religions, abilities, opinions, races, ethnicities, classes, and economic means for better communication and mutual understanding.
The city and county will incorporate artistic elements in public projects whenever possible.
The city will encourage public and private projects within the Canyon Boulevard Cultural Corridor to have an arts focus and to incorporate public art.
Library Master Plan
Cultural Master Plan
Last Updated on Wednesday, 20 February 2013 13:02
Section 8: Community Well-Being
8.17 Performing and Visual Arts