__On April 12 interested organizations within the City of Boulder met to determine whether the city should step back to create a community-wide vision and plan for the Chautauqua area first, or move forward to address the CCA’s 2020 Strategic Plan proposal for the leasehold area. This study plan drafted for the City Council shows many of the original issues that were considered and the types of questions that were being asked. It also gives you a great context for Chautauqua's goals, access challenges, and congestion issues

On that document scroll to page 8 to see "Board Feedback" to learn about all the boards that were involved

On that document scroll to page 9 to see "Goals and Objectives for Chautauqua". Our mission is to encourage the CCA in their path to meet their goals and objectives while ensuring that any NEW buildings are properly and completely analyzed.

This Framework needs to ultimately be approved by City Council and, thus, is a main POINT OF INTEREST of any citizen interested in learning more. This Framework must be approved by the City Council. It is set to be read at the council on May 1 and open for public discussion on May 17.  If any new buildings are to be built, and that may not necessarily be part of the current framework plan, they must be approved by the Landmarks Committee. Even after that, the City Council can "call it up" if it is controversial. Let's make it controversial.... Register your comments to the City Council Now.  Also, register new comments as you learn and have more to say.

To read more about the stewardship,  input from the many players, previous meetings, minutes, and comments
GO TO THE CITY OF BOULDER'S WEBSITE: Specifically the CHAUTAUQUA page.

It is a complex process and you can read many documents and minutes there.

For example: in SECTION 2.1 STUDY AREA the Feb 21 Framework draft states that " CCA’s mission is to provide an active center for culture, education and recreation in keeping with the original mission of the 1898 chautauqua."

THIS WAS CHANGED IN THE MARCH 20th draft to say " CCA’s mission is to provide an active year-round center for culture, education and recreation in keeping with the original mission of the 1898 Chautauqua.

Futher the March 20th drafts adds the following clause: “Use of Facilities: The Association shall have year-round use of all the real property described in Exhibit A, and it is the intent of the parties that the leased facilities be given the widest practicable use in terms of scope and time."

IS THAT CCA'S MISSION? To be year-round?  Was this the original Chautauqua mission?

However, after input from the pubic,the  CCA and their consultants, as well as the following Boards and City Departments:

• The Planning Board
• The Landmarks Board
  
• The Parks and Rec Department
• The Open Space Department
• The Transportation Advisory Board
• The Department of Community Planning and Sustainability
• The Pubic Works Transportation Department

They decided to forgo the vote and instead form a committee that would meet 3 times to set a direction for interaction between the CCA and the City, on future projects. This committee will see what makes sense as far as initiating a project, funding a project, and maintaining a project between the City and Chautauqua, and see if the old lease agreement needs to be modified or replaced with a more suitable document to clarify the CIty (and all its boards and departments) and the CCA's roles at maintaining the National Historic Landmark called Chautauqua.

NOTE: the Chautauqua area is managed by the CCA (buildings/cottages, etc), Open Space (the trails next door), Parks and Rec (the Chautauqua Green)

The Purpose:

The purpose of the discussion is to define Guiding Principles for the relationship and respective roles and responsibilities of the City and CCA relative to place management and financial sustainability of Chautauqua.

Topics for the Guiding Principles (note: somewhat abbreviated because of note-taking):

1. The nature of Chautauqua as a public place
2. Definition (agreement?) on terminology used
3. Various organizations responsible for place management and financial sustainability, including the stated mission regarding management (preservation, education, recreation)
4. Roles, responsibilities, and the nature of the relationship between organizations (CCA, City Council, City Departments, Boards, and Commissions) responsible for the management of Chautauqua.
5. Maintenance and investment responsibilities
6. The process / decision making structure for initiating capital improvements or addressing joint management issues.  (bold is mine – I think it should have said “and”).

                Strengths / Weaknesses / Opportunities / Constraints (also abbreviated due to note-taking)

Strengths:

• Long standing relationships
• Mutual dedication to the special place
• CCA provides a cost benefit to the City for management and maintenance of grounds and buildings
• Shared preservation / environmental sustainability ethic

Weaknesses

• Misunderstanding between the City and CCA of the vision, mission, and goals
• No common understanding about the appropriate degree or nature of change
• Unclear roles and responsibilities of the various entities with an interest in Chautauqua
• Unclear roles and protocol for development and improvement planning
• Insufficient coordination to address the impacts of uses
• Lack of City capital for infrastructure improvements (Susan Connelly request “and CCA” be added after “City”)
• Lack of common understanding of terminology (what “areas” are Chautauqua?  What are the roles and responsibilities of the City’s functional units?)

Opportunities:

• Better mutual understanding of CCA, City, and Community interests
• Clarification of roles and responsibilities
• Better communication and coordination for future planning
• Stronger coordination between the City and CCA operations and maintenance
• Development of a game plan – how to get things done

Constraints:

• Lack of City resources for improvements
• Multiple ownerships of the site
• Multiple staff, boards, and commissions involved in management and decision making

Meeting Notes
CCA/ City/ Chautauqua Joint Meeting
July 22, 2012
City Hall 4-5:30 pm

The meeting was attended with the people as the first meeting in July, 2012 (with Tom Carr being absent):

1. Considerable discussion of automobile signage at Chautauqua.
2. Discussion of “eyesore” recycling bins blocking view to Dining Hall  -- Susan Connelly obtained permission from Parks to move “bright blue” bins to a less conspicuous location.
3. The main discussion concerned whether projects should be initiated by the City/ CCA/ or jointly.  Tim Plass stated that if the City initiates, perhaps the City ought to pay for the project.   David Driskell asked about “joint” or pre-app process.
4. Issue of possible solar gardens was raised by CCA Josh Taxman (Pres, CCA) – solar panels would be on top of existing reservoir, which is outside of the CCA lease boundary.
5. Issue of underground utilities was raised.  $3 million cost estimate.  Would Xcel “underground funds” be available (Susan).   Would lower bonding rates be available if the City used its bonding power (George K.)?
6. Road maintenance at Chautauqua presently being performed by the City (including snow removal, road repair, etc.) even though the City now receives only minimal lease payments from CCA.   (CCA does some plowing on streets; Open Space plows the Ranger Cottage lot; Park and Rec. plows around the Green)
7. Possible “winterizing” of the Auditorium discussed.
8. The possibility of new buildings (e.g. the proposed Convention Center to replace the existing Picnic Shelter) was specifically back on the table, in “chart form”.
9. George K. asked for a “council check-in” before the next meeting of the joint group on September 12, 2012 – City Hall, 4- 5:30 pm.
10. In Public Comment, Karl Anuta raised the possibility that instead of a “lease,” Chautauqua might be better run with a “Management Agreement.”
11. Big issues to be discussed at the next and final meeting, Sept. 12, 2012!

Here’s a City weblink to the project:

http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14155&Itemid=5242

Notes from that meeting will be added after the meeting occurs.