Land use issues affect everyone. Peak helps urban communities find transportation solutions, repurpose existing structures, and enhance natural amenities. In the larger landscape, we facilitate talks between conservation advocates, developers, recreational users, and farmers and ranchers about resource planning, watershed restoration, and land conservation.
“You can stand tall without standing on someone...be a victor without having victims.” —Harriet Woods
Front Range Roundtable
The Front Range Roundtable (FRRT) is a coalition of diverse individuals from a variety of public, private, academic, and business backgrounds, all with a commitment to forest health and fire mitigation along Colorado’s Front Range. With the ultimate goal of increasing resilience, the FRRT utilizes its members’ skills to address issues associated with community protection, landscape restoration, local economies, and prescribed fire. Heather’s work with the Roundtable is focused on creating structure and communication habits that encourage active and authentic collaboration between members.
Rio Grande National Forest Plan Revision Process
The US Forest Service is revising the Rio Grande National Forest Plan, the document that guides management of the Rio Grande National Forest in southern Colorado. To ensure the sustainability of the forest as an important natural and community resource, Heather worked with USFS and National Forest Foundation (NFF) staff to develop and implement public engagement opportunities to allow stakeholders throughout the San Luis Valley to engage in constructive dialogue regarding contentious community issues. These cross-sector stakeholder dialogues will inform all phases of the plan revision process.
Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan
The Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan is used by the City and County of Boulder to guide long-range planning and development while preserving a sustainable future for the Boulder Valley. Heather worked with staff to develop a public engagement strategy that empowered citizens to share their perspectives while fostering a greater understanding for all those involved in the process. Throughout the course of these public meetings, citizens were able to weigh in on pressing issues such as land use designations, policy updates, CU South development, and concept planning for future scenarios.
Twin Lakes Stakeholder Group
The Twin Lakes Stakeholder Group (TLSG) was tasked by Boulder City Council with discussing the proper use of two parcels of land, often referred to as Twin Lakes. Heather guided representatives of the Twin Lakes Action Group, Boulder Valley School District, and Boulder County Housing Authority through detailed and nuanced discussions regarding ecological impacts of development, necessary technical studies and scope of work to inform development, and housing supply and demand in Boulder County. At the end of the process, TLSG created a consensus report that informed future decisions throughout the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan Update process.
Boulder North Trail Study Area Public Process
City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) Department is developing a community vision for 7,700 acres of OSMP-managed lands north of Boulder. The North Trail Study Area (TSA) Plan seeks to improve visitor experiences and increase the sustainability of trails and trailheads while conserving the area’s natural, cultural and agricultural resources. In facilitating the public engagement process, Heather has worked with staff to develop multiple avenues for feedback throughout the process to inform the final North TSA plan, resulting in a high degree of transparency and ensuring that the interests of the community are represented.
Upper South Platte Partnership
The Upper South Platte Partnership (USPP) is a collaborative group focused on improving the conditions of the Upper South Platte watershed regarding fire response, landscape resiliency, and fire-adapted communities. The Partnership uses the latest scientific data and resources combined with local knowledge to identify and impact areas most effectively to improve watershed health and reduce wildfire risk. Heather works with the USPP to ensure all USPP-funded projects represent the interests of the involved parties and contribute towards a shared vision of success by leveraging limited resources.
Chautauqua Access Management Plan Working Group
The Colorado Chautauqua is a historic landmark in the foothills of Boulder, Colorado. It is both a popular hiking destination and a home to many residents. As Chautauqua grows in popularity, parking has become a challenge for visitors, residents, and neighbors. The City of Boulder has convened a stakeholder group to advise City staff on strategies to address this challenge. Heather facilitates the Chautauqua Access Management Plan Working Group as it explores options for a pilot project to implement in the summer of 2017, while also identifying potential long-term solutions in the area.
Jefferson County Public Shooting Range
Jefferson County Open Space conducted a public process regarding the construction of a public shooting range at the Pioneer/Blunn location in Arvada. Consulting with Open Space staff, Heather ran two public meetings reaching over 500 people to announce the findings of a noise study, as well as hear community thoughts and concerns. The information gathered from these public meetings was used to inform the Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners’ decision regarding the placement of the range.
Watershed Health Basin Plan Working Group
The Watershed Health Working Group brought together municipal and agricultural water users with representatives from local, state, federal, and non-governmental organizations to share lessons learned from recent fires and floods and to explore the interconnected relationship between watershed health and water supplies. This interbasin, interagency collaborative group identified watershed health management priorities for the protection of water supplies and uses and established protocols for communication and collaboration during future fire and flooding events.
Achieving Responsible Natural Gas Production
Under the direction of former Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, the Center for a New Energy Economy provides decision makers with recommendations and strategies for accelerating progress toward a clean energy economy while maintaining national security, economic vitality, public health, social equity, and wise use of natural resources. Heather facilitated a roundtable to develop recommendations for responsible natural gas production policy for the President to potentially implement through executive authority. Stakeholders included industry representatives and environmental organizations.
Center for Excellence in Land Trust Conservation
In response to concern about the legitimacy of some conservation easements, the Colorado land trust community decided to take voluntary steps towards improving the quality of conservation easements and land conservation in the state. Heather facilitated the deliberations of the governing Commission of the Center for Excellence, comprised of more than 20 leaders in the land conservation community. Together, they identified ways to achieve new, community standards for land conservation and outlined a path of future steps to improve conservation work over time.
Cherry Creek Basin Working Group
Heather co-facilitated this multi-jurisdictional effort to improve land conservation and recreation opportunities throughout the Cherry Creek watershed. The watershed covers three Denver counties, as well as several cities, towns, and special districts. Representatives from these entities worked together to identify conservation priorities and to pool and leverage financial resources to improve this critical urban watershed.
Long-Range Transportation Plan / Pikes Peak Region
Heather facilitated the first phase of a pilot project in the Pikes Peak region to develop a long-range transportation plan through a collaborative stakeholder process. Local, state, and federal representatives worked with staff of the Metropolitan Planning Organization to develop a new, comprehensive transportation plan that better reflects the vision and needs of region residents, planning partners, and regulatory agencies. Heather is currently facilitating Phase II of the process, which is focused on coordinating transportation and mitigation projects across the region.
Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks:
West TSA Community Collaborative Group
Heather facilitated the deliberations of the Community Collaborative Group (CCG), a diverse group of stakeholders working to prepare consensus recommendations to the Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks department regarding trail location, recreational use, and natural resource conservation. The group gathered their input into a comprehensive land use plan for 12,000 acres of grassland, foothills, and mountains that serve as Boulder’s visual backdrop.
Fountain Creek Vision Task Force
Heather facilitated the deliberations of the Fountain Creek Vision Task Force in southern Colorado as they sought agreement on how to restore the 930-square-mile Fountain Creek watershed. The watershed covers three counties and includes several towns and cities, substantial agricultural land, and a large military base. Effective dialogue was needed among this diverse group of stakeholders. Heather facilitated a collaborative process that resulted in a detailed watershed management plan and the creation of a watershed district by the Colorado Legislature.
Washington School Site Design Process
Heather facilitated the stakeholder deliberation process in this controversial effort to design an urban infill redevelopment project on the site of a closed elementary school in Boulder, Colorado. Neighbors of the site had concerns about the development’s impact on parking, home values, neighborhood feel, and quality of life. The City of Boulder had requirements regarding historic building preservation, provision of affordable housing, solar access, and density. Heather helped the stakeholders to reconcile these often competing demands into a consensus list of guiding principles for the developer.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Community Assessments in North Central Colorado
Heather co-facilitated a pre-planning process for the BLM that sought to engage local governments in discussions about the future of federal public lands in north-central Colorado. Sitting down with staff and elected officials from towns, cities, and counties in the state, Heather gathered input on how residents use public lands and how they thought these resources should be managed. The BLM used the final report for its pre-planning efforts and the revision of the area’s resource management plan.
Northwest Colorado Stewardship (NWCOS)
Heather co-facilitated the negotiations of NWCOS, a diverse group of community stakeholders who came up with a “community alternative” for inclusion in a BLM draft resource management plan. This collaborative community visioning approach helped the stakeholders see the complexities of the land use planning process and the challenges inherent in planning for multiple (often competing) uses, including wilderness designation, energy development, habitat and species protection, and both motorized and non-motorized recreation.