City Council Agenda and Packet 2024 12 09 and 10 - SP

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Full Name Kathy Kelsey Michael Kohm Graeme Patterson OPEN SPACE ADVISORY BOARD ANSWERS FOR APPLICANTS BEING INTERVIEWED Briefly explain your interest on serving on the Open Wha Space Advisory Board. prop I am a Louisville resident since 2019, and I believe that our Open Space is one of the most valuable resources we have in our community. I am interested in contributing to maintaining, protecting and managing our Open Space for our residents and visitors to enjoy. I have lived in Louisville for 21 years and walk or ride a bike in the Open Space five to seven days a week. Personally the Open Space affords a space to enjoy nature, and other activities such as birdwatching, photography, dog walking and bike riding. As a medical professional, clients express increased anxiety, mental health challenges and health issues. Studies show that when access to nature is readily accessible, the overall health of a communities citizens is improved. I would like to learn about the preservation of the Open Space and feel that at this time, I can afford to volunteer for the Open Space Advisory Board. Between 2015 and 2017 I served on the Louisville Open Space Advisory Board. Travel demands with my work resulted in me not extending my time on the Board. My professional life has all been in the field of conservation and most recently working to conserve prairie grasslands. In April 2024 I retired and apart from some part-time work I feel I am ready to step back on to the Open Spaces Board with more time to dedicate and greater likelihood I will be available for meetings. I have strong interest and love of Open Spaces. Currently I am volunteering to support the City's work at Walnut OS do you see as the main issues facing Louisville Open Spac= your opinion, what are some best practices for How do you approach the balance of protecting lands with erties? In your opinion, how should these issues be handled? advancing park and open space equity and ensuring appropriate recreational uses on Open Space? access for all? What professional qualifications, skill sets, or relevant experiences do you believe will contribute to the success and growth of the Open Space Board? I imagine a primary issue facing Louisville Open Space includes the challenges of managing space for multiple use objectives. I am not yet sure how these issues should be handled, but I would be interested in researching how other communities and institutions approach open space with multiple use mandates. I also envision that climate change and environmental change are a primary issue facing Louisville Open Space. Again I would handle this issue by turning to published literature to learn what types of threats and what evidence -based solutions are applicable to Louisville Open Space. The main issues, I see are education and addressing the multi -use of the Open Space. The Open Space appears to have been experiencing exponential use over the last few years. The infrastructure of the Open Space, trails, bridges, signs and restoration take effort and finances. Allocating the finances and efforts require continued oversight to maintain the beauty and the preservation of the open space. Educating the public on simple issues, such as why is it important to pick up after your dog, staying on a trail, fire danger, distancing from nesting birds, right of ways among users are just a few thoughts that come to mind. Balancing public use with wildlife conservation. In my opinion, some best practices for advancing park and open space equity and ensuring access are related to the location of open space, and the signage and advertisement/information available on these spaces. Open space that is co -located with other public services or public spaces will advance equity of use. Additionally, signage that encourages use and/or disseminates information on public open spaces can also encourage use. However, I am new to thinking about these ideas and I would be eager to research and learn more about established best practices in this and other communities. The first thought is ensuring that there is accessibility for people who are in wheelchairs or using walkers. This would have to include parking spaces that are big enough for vans that are wheelchair accessible. Davidson Mesa would be a great place for people who have physical challenges to have optimal access. I believe that short educational flyers in at least English and Spanish would reach users. Education could be included in the town newsletter. Ensuring good access to information, maps and wayfinding, is part of it. Balancing the needs of different users and making at least some of the trails accessible to wheelchairs. Peoples perception of their own safety whilst visiting public spaces is key - and so ensuring that there is minimal unlawful activity is part of this - particular important for groups who may be discriminated against or feel marginalized. I would approach the balance of protecting lands with appropriate recreational uses from a couple of directions. First, based on the management or land use history, I would consider promoting the prioritization of one use over another at a given Open Space - for example, recreation may be prioritized in a location with a history of human use versus protection prioritized in a location that has been historically un-disturbed. Second, I would consider location/surrounding land use and promote recreation in areas with easy and frequent access (e.g. adjacent to a neighborhood or playground). Finally, I would suggest considering and current threats related to climate change and other types of environmental change and prioritize protection in areas where ecosystem services are particularly important to maintain for the continued use of the space (e.g. considering water limitation/access or vulnerability to wildfire). However, I am eager to learn more about how to approach this balance! This is a great challenge as there are a multitude of users accessing the Open Space. I feel that the balance can be struck again through education. This summer there were goats and cows grazing on the Open Space and there were signs posted as to the benefits of grazing. In Fruita there are signs about keeping the trails "skinny" for the mountain bikers as to preserve the desert environment. Addressing technological advances as they arise such as electric bikes, or drone usage need to be considered. I feel that the importance of individual responsibility and emphasizing that individuals and families are "owners" of the Open Space and thus can help in protection of the land. This is a key point. I may lean slightly in favor of conserving species and habitat and if that means apply access restrictions in some cases I believe that is OK and distinguishes OS from Parks. I have a PhD in Environmental Science (Biogeoscience) from CU Boulder and I am currently a professor of Geography and Environmental Science at CU Denver. I am also a parent of small children and an active user of Louisville Open Space. Earlier in my career I was employed as an outdoor instructor and learned to work with youth at risk in nature. this experience fostered a career in medicine. I am now a self employed Physical Therapist and have a skill set that includes working with a multitude of personalities and opinions. I have enjoyed coaching and being on sports teams, and believe that we all have a role we can fulfill within that team. I have a 45 year career entirely focused on conservation and conservation management. I bring a wide perspective but have most recently been engaged in work in our region directly relevant to the habitats in the Louisville Region. I also have the prior experience on the OS Board and know what to expect. During my tenure the big issues were Off Leash dog areas and the city's purchase of the Mayhoffer property. City Council 9-10 December 2024 Packet 11