Boulder County’s purchase of the Dowe Flats CEMEX property east of Lyons will not be complete in early 2025 as initially planned. County commissioners recently agreed to postpone the purchase at the recommendation of staff until reclamation activities are complete.
“The county has been anticipating owning the Dowe Flats-CEMEX property for more than 22 years, but it is important to delay closing until reclamation activities are complete,” according to a Dec. 17 staff memo.
The delay will not only allow CEMEX to complete the required initial reclamation — which includes restoring vegetative cover, controlling invasive weeds and limiting erosion — but will also prevent the county “from unnecessarily stepping into potential liability to complete reclamation activities,” the memo stated.
CEMEX has committed to completing reclamation activities on 766 acres of property and submitting documentation to the state by late June, according to the memo.
“If all goes smoothly, closing could occur in late 2025,” the memo states. However, “it is infeasible to estimate an actual closing date,” since it’s unknown how long it will take the state to review CEMEX’s application to release its bond, which is contingent on the reclamation.
Once purchased, the site will be managed by Parks and Open Space and returned to a native grassland, according to the county.
Longmont mandates composting
All food wholesalers, distributors, manufacturers and grocery stores in Longmont are required to have composting collection as of Jan. 1.
The requirement is the third phase of the city’s Universal Recycling Ordinance, passed in 2023 and aiming to divert 75% of the city’s waste from landfills by 2030 and 95% by 2050. Composting will be required for certain other businesses later this year and for landscaping companies in 2029.
All commercial and multifamily properties were required to have recycling services beginning in 2024.
Though exemptions are available, some businesses have said they might need financial help to get in compliance with the requirements, according to a city email. Information on assistance is available at bit.ly/URO-Financial-Assistance.
Fire on Uni Hill
Seven students were evacuated and Half Fast Subs (1215 13th St.) is still closed after a fire on University Hill early Sunday, Jan. 5.
There were no injuries. Boulder Fire Rescue is working with the Red Cross to find placement and resources for those displaced, according to a Jan. 5 post on X from the fire department. Three of 17 units in the student apartments were occupied during the incident, according to a BFR spokesperson.
Half Fast Subs wrote in a Facebook post that it had incurred significant water damage. The sandwich shop has launched a GoFundMe to support its 18 employees while it is closed “for some time.”
“We’ll let you know once we have a timeline for reopening,” the shop wrote in a Facebook post.
In other news…
- Naropa’s presidential search is underway after being delayed in 2023. The new president is expected to take the role in spring or summer of this year.
- Superior’s Waste Yard Site (2125 Honey Creek Lane) is open for Christmas tree recycling through Jan. 31 for the town’s residents. Erie’s Recycling Center (1000 Briggs St.) is open year-round.
- Superior’s Community Park has some new workers — 300 goats. Goat Bros and their herd will conduct wildfire mitigation grazing at the park for the next three months.
- Boulder is building a new multi-use path from 61st Street to the existing pedestrian bridge and path at South Boulder Creek. The route is “one of several key missing links for people walking, biking and rolling between Gunbarrel and Boulder” and is expected to be completed this summer, according to a Jan. 2 press release.