By Nicole Speer in Nicole's Notes — 13 Sep 2026

September 14, 2026

Alpine-Balsam costs, renewable energy offset rules for marijuana cultivators, 2027 budget discussions, fall colors, Community Resilience Hubs.

Photo by Arturo Rivera / Unsplash

What's new?

City staff put together a detailed history of the Alpine-Balsam site to clarify project costs. Find it here.
September 15 is National Voter Registration Day. Check your registration here or learn how to register here.
September 10-19 is Welcoming Week, a national effort to strengthen belonging within communities. Learn how Boulder is celebrating here.

Upcoming Topics

This week's City Council meeting includes declarations, landmark hearings, and a public hearing on a proposed repeal of the city’s renewable energy offset rules for marijuana cultivators.

Learn more about this week’s topics + upcoming items

Recent Decisions

At last week's study session, Councilmembers discussed proposed 2027 budget cuts to offset revenue declines. Find summaries from Boulder Reporting Lab (9/1, 9/8, 9/10), read the city's Budget-At-A-Glance, or dive into the full 2027 Budget.

Learn more about recent decisions

Get engaged

Join a guided tour of North Boulder Park and its neighborhood on September 26, with free ice cream for those 18 and under. Learn more and register here.
Explore how bees track Boulder’s ecosystem health at Boulder Housing Partners' Community Festival on September 26. Details are available here.
The city's draft 2027 budget is out. Read a summary and find links to the budget itself here.

Find more updates and engagement opportunities on the city's news website.

Community kudos

Thank you to the nonprofits participating in the city's Community Resilience Hub Pilot Program, who will begin building a network of resilience hubs that can support our community during climate-related emergencies. Read more here.

What I'm reading/listening to

Without replacement, Boulder's failing public safety building is costing taxpayers millions of dollars in repairs each year. (Daily Camera)
The Sundance Institute named local writer, educator, and community leader Jovita Schiffer as its director of Colorado community outreach and government relations. (Daily Camera)
Fall colors are arriving early in Northern Colorado, with peak leaf-peeping expected to begin this week. (Colorado Sun)
Colorado voters will find fourteen statewide ballot measures on their November ballots. (Colorado Newsline)
The Jasmine Throne, an award-winning political fantasy about resistance and the forces that change an empire. (Boulder Public Library)

Quote for the month

It's harder to build worker power when the people in charge are working every day to undermine the movement that gives working people a voice.

-Liz Shuler, President, AFL-CIO, 2026 State of the Unions

Community resources

Click here to find additional financial and social assistance programs, report an issue, contact staff or Councilmembers, learn about grant opportunities, and more.