Wasn’t sure if this should go in the pit or here (or maybe even IMHO, but that’s a new and frightening forum…), but I wanted some actual advise and not just rants, so I decided on MPSIMS. Moderators, feel free to move if necessary.
I bought my SO a telescope for his birthday a few months ago. We’ve been taking it out in our backyard, and are ready to try for new and better vistas, with less light pollution and no houses blocking our view. No problem, we think! Boulder County is constantly buying up land and slapping the “open space” name on it. We can use our public lands!
SO goes out about a month ago and, after driving around for an hour at 11pm, finds a good prospective spot. He pulls into the parking lot of the open space area, and starts to set up his telescope. Not five minutes later, a cop shows up and tells him that open space, even the parking lots, are closes from dusk to dawn, and to get his butt out of there. SO comes home PISSED. It’s not like he was setting up a tent, or drinking beer, or any of those things. He’s a responsible nerd type, setting up his telescope to do some astronomy.
After a week or two, SO calms down, and decides to call the open space office and get a letter saying that he’s just a nerd involved in nerdy pursuits, and he can be in the open space parking lots after dark. They dick him around for a week, and finally come back and tell him “No.” Can you believe it?!? Here he is, a 43 year old man who has paid Boulder city and county taxes, voted to increase “open space” taxes, etc. for the last 20+ years, and he can’t pull into a parking lot after dark and set up a telescope. Their reasoning? “We believe the open space needs time to ‘rest’ at night.”
So where to go from here? I’ve talked SO out of going to the open space office and pulling people’s heads off. He’s considering going to the local press - there’s at least one journalist who seems to write about these things on a regular basis. Are we off base here? It seems a bit insane that such a law exists. What would YOU do?
There is an Astonomy Club, and when we told them about being run out of open space, they told us that they had talked to a commissioner and had special permission. That’s part of why my SO called to get a letter - he thought it was a done deal. We’ll have to get back to the group and see what they say.
We’re also heading up to Wyoming this weekend for a big sky party. Lotsa astronomers there. I’m guessing we’ll get some input from them.
We don’t actually live in Boulder, for that specific reason. I didn’t realize I’d have to move out of the county altogether, though! Longmont has always sort of been at the edge of Boulder, lapping up all the stuff Boulder bans. You wanna smoke? Come to Longmont! You want shopping areas that are not necessarily quaint and picturesque, but have competitive prices and non-hemp clothing? Come to Longmont.
Boulder’s kind of like going through the Looking Glass. Everything’s all topsy-turvy!
Really, though. I can see their point. I understand that in this specific case your SO isn’t doing anything bad. But, since government (especially in Boulder) seems to operate on a third-grade recess level, then if he’s out there, why can’t other people be out there? Why can’t someone hike the open space at night, taking flash photography and ruining your SO’s view of the heavens? Or maybe people can take their dogs on walks and disturb nocturnal animals? I’ve never understood why they close parks at night, but if they do it for everyone, then why should they make exceptions?
That said, check with Jeffco Open Space to see if they have a more pliant attitude. You could probably cruise down to one of their parks in a matter of ten minutes.
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*Originally posted by Necros *
Really, though. I can see their point. I understand that in this specific case your SO isn’t doing anything bad. But, since government (especially in Boulder) seems to operate on a third-grade recess level, then if he’s out there, why can’t other people be out there? Why can’t someone hike the open space at night, taking flash photography and ruining your SO’s view of the heavens? Or maybe people can take their dogs on walks and disturb nocturnal animals? I’ve never understood why they close parks at night, but if they do it for everyone, then why should they make exceptions?
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IMO, the open space shouldn’t be closed at night for anyone. All the above should be allowed.
My WAG is that what they really want to control is teenagers having parties, or people camping in open space. Well, guess what? We already have laws against underage drinking, and laws against camping in areas not designated for camping. Enforce those laws, you jerks. Don’t decide that it’s easier for the police force if they can just arrest anyone they find in open space.
It’s kind of a trek from Longmont, but how about up by Brainerd lake? Maybe you’d have better luck on National Forest property. We’re just about to move from the Sugarloaf area (damn!!!) and that was a good place for my little 'scope. Got some good Hale-Bopp pics up there.
BTW, I thought So. Cal had the wierdest population until I moved to Boulder. I’m an omnivore who drives a car and thinks that bicyclists should have to obey traffic laws!
You were in Longmont on vacation? My sympathies. It’s a (sort of) nice place to live, but not much to do on vacation. And if you think the bikes here are bad, you shoulda gone to Boulder.
I was in Black Hawk and Central City staying in a friendss cabin there at 10,500 feet. However, the friend that was with me had parents and friends living in Longmont so we spent a bit of time there making social calls.
Boulder was the first city coming down out of the mountains so I spent a few hours there off and on too. Beatuiful city but God…get the hell off the streets already if there’s not a motor propelling you!!!
