Boulder Colorado’s concerns on trash and habituated bears

Dec. 10–The reasons behind Boulder’s proposals to require bear-proof trash cans and raise fines for garbage violators are being “blurred,” the city’s urban wildlife conservation coordinator said Monday night.

About 30 people showed up for a presentation on bears and trash policies where Valerie Matheson discussed proposed changes to trash storage, collection and code enforcement and responded to a slew of concerns.

The Boulder City Council will review trash policies Jan. 21. There are several proposals, including one that would require bear-resistant trash cans for anyone living in the area with the highest bear activity over the last 10 years — west of Broadway, north of Greenbriar Boulevard and south of Wonderland Lake.

That change could also only go into effect for a smaller area within those limits.

“We have a problem in Boulder,” Matheson said. “It’s a lot easier and a lot faster (for bears) to eat trash than to forage in their natural habitat.”

She stressed that the main concern is not to drive bears away but to keep the animals from coming into the city and eating trash because it puts them in danger.

Despite her message, several people wondered aloud about why the bears are considered a nuisance. One man even proposed legalizing bow hunting within city limits.

After the meeting, Matheson said there has been some trouble with messaging.

“It gets blurred because Boulder values wildlife. When we talk about protecting bears and securing trash, it gets blurry.”

In her presentation, Matheson outlined the costs and logistics of trash storage and collection with bear-resistant containers.

Using Western Disposal Services, which owns the containers and is responsible for their maintenance and repairs, it would cost residents $3.75 per month for the special containers, or $7.50 per month for trash and compost.

Another plan, through One-Way Inc., would require people to purchase their own containers and be responsible for upkeep. The flat costs for Bear Saver brand trash cans run between $161 and $231.

She said the best way to keep bears out — by building community sheds to hold trash — presents space and funding issues, and retrofitting trash cans to be bear-resistant is not always effective.

There are also proposed changes to trash code enforcement. One option is to raise the fine for trash violators from $100 to $250 and waive the “direct service” requirement that means officers must deliver a violation notice to the person responsible. Alternatively, violators would be given until their court date to purchase a bear-resistant container.

Staffing would be unlikely change to increase enforcement efforts.

Four bears were killed in the city by wildlife officers this year.

Steve Jones, president of the Boulder Audubon Society, was met with enthusiastic approval when he said the issue is about “the right of bears to live.” He also expressed concern that the tax burden would be placed only on those who live west of Broadway.

The results of an informal poll showed that of 29 people responding at the open house, 81 percent agreed that residents in the largest area of bear activity should have to secure their trash and compost. When asked if they were in favor of most of the individual trash code changes, a majority agreed.

Matheson said the next step is for her and her staff to make an official recommendation by late December.

Residents can give feedback on the options in an online survey through Dec. 23 at bouldercolorado.gov/wildlife.