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Amid a deluge of complaints from angry residents, Boulder officials on Thursday vowed to change the city’s notification policies and to temporarily halt the clearing of trees, shrubs, flowers, gardens and other “encroachments” in the towns. narrow streets of the neighborhood.
The city’s transportation maintenance department withdrew Thursday morning from the 2700 block of Seventh Street – and later from the 600 block of Dellwood Avenue – after several residents called the city manager’s office to complain never to have been informed of the maintenance work of the alleys.
Owners in both neighborhoods said they came out after hearing heavy equipment, including a large dump truck, utility vehicle, backhoe and grader, ripping up adjacent gardens, flowers and trees. in their classes.
Jody Jacobson, a city spokesperson, said the work was spurred on by requests from residents to fill in the potholes that have developed along the dirt lanes. Upon arrival, crews discovered a plethora of plants, vehicles, and other invasive objects that reduced the required city right-of-way clearance from 20 feet to around 12 feet in some locations.
“They started cleaning up the alley,” Jacobson said. “The main concern is that emergency vehicles have to get in there, and we have to maintain access for those vehicles.”
She said overgrown plants could also cause safety concerns for residents driving through narrow lanes or create hazards for snowplows in winter.
“We don’t want to create this expectation that this land belongs to the landowner next door,” she said, noting that the city code gives the city the right to clear the right-of-way.
But some residents say the work is unnecessary, and they are even more upset that the city has not given them any warning.
Jacobson said the city was sending letters to residents before such work was done, but the practice ended in 2005 amid budget cuts. Due to the outrage expressed on Thursday, the city will resume providing formal notices, she said.
“We realize that although we have made cuts… we need to let people know who is doing this work and who to contact if there are any questions,” she said.
Cleanup of alleyway encroachments will end temporarily until the city develops door hangers that give homeowners 10 days to voluntarily remove plants and other items from city rights-of-way, Jacobson said. Crews will continue to fill potholes and level dirt roads.
Kim Dubin, who lives along Seventh Street, said it was a good step forward, but she is still upset that workers have cut down her bushes.
“They should be filling the potholes, not killing our flowers,” Dubin said. “If a fire engine were to come down (the alley), it can go over our irises. ”
She also questioned the need to eliminate the vines that grow over fences and small gardens just outside the fences – things that she says make the neighborhood lane a bit nicer to look out for. to look at.
“I just thought it was anti-pedestrian, anti-cycling, anti-Boulder,” she said of the job.
Kathi Karr, who lives in the Newlands neighborhood, said she was also shocked at the sight of her flowers and an aspen torn off Thursday.
“It’s just a shame, without warning, to come and plow things,” she said. “It’s just not Boulder.”
But others said they understood the city’s desire for clear access points.
“It’s good maintenance,” said Brett Skraban, who rents a house along the Alley on Seventh Street.
Next door neighbor Josh Weinstein said he was happy to remove a small garden he planted just outside his driveway because he built it knowing it was in the grip of the city.
Still, he said, the plants were a nice addition to the otherwise barren aisle.
Polly Rothberg, who also lives along Seventh Street, said there was likely some common ground to be found.
“I’m in conflict because the road was really bad with potholes – it needed fixing,” she said.
But, she added, “some people have really beautiful lilac bushes” and “privacy issues are definitely a concern” that overgrown vines help.
“I think there can probably be a compromise,” she said, suggesting the city consider cutting, but not removing, some of the smaller plants in the lanes.
Contact Heath Urie, Camera Editor, at 303-473-1328 or [email protected].
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