BEM email 09-Jan-2018

Dear Big Elk Meadows Community Members,

You may have recently received a letter from Boulder County informing you that Big Elk Meadows Association has submitted an application for a Limited Impact Special Use for review to perform flood-related riparian restoration along roughly 1,150 feet of shoreline around Rainbow and Sunset Lakes.

This application is required by Boulder County to proceed with grading and shoreline work in the sections of the lakes in Boulder County.  This work is necessary to remove sediment and debris deposited in the lake bottoms during the flood and to stabilize the shoreline.  It will also make our lakes more habitable to fish and wildlife.   As noted on the mailing, the hearing will be held on Feb. 1 at 11am in the Commissioners’ Hearing Room, Third Floor, Boulder County Courthouse, 1325 Pearl Street, Boulder CO.  If you wish to provide support for the project by commenting (such comments are valued by the staff and commissioners) in an email to the commissioners before the Jan 8 deadline for comments, please do so at:  planner@bouldercounty.org<mailto:planner@bouldercounty.org>, by referencing Docket #LU-17-0028.

A side note from me (Christa, the BEMA Board Secretary) – this email was intended to be a reminder of the letter you may have received.  If you got the letter you already knew of the deadline for comment but we wanted to remind you.  My deepest apologies that I wasn’t able to send out this reminder sooner as intended.

This work is anticipated to proceed following approval from Boulder County.  Grading and riparian work was recently completed for Willow Lake and is underway for Mirror, Rainbow and Meadow (Larimer County).  To review the plan developed for this work by Biohabitats Inc. and other supporting documents, please go to www.boulercounty.org/landusedockets and searching for docket #LU-17-2-0028

This is one of the many steps involved in reconstructing our lakes.  The Board, through its reconstruction committee, is continuing to work on the design and construction of the Meadow Lake Dam (anticipated) spring 2018 and Sunset Lake Dam (anticipated spring 2019).  The Boulder County Cooperative is currently considering funding for Sunset Lake dam.  We will continue to keep you updated on progress of these projects and appreciate your patience as we work thought this complex process.

Sincerely

Your BEMA Board of Directors