The property is located in a rural area of Boulder County adjacent to Boulder Creek and near the city airport, existing and proposed trails and major utility infrastructure. The following pages illustrate land uses surrounding the Fort Chambers / Poor Farm property.

Neighboring Sawhill Ponds (owned by Colorado Parks and Wildlife and managed by OSMP) and Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat (managed by Boulder County) offer opportunities for the public to recreate alongside wetlands and reclaimed gravel ponds. These sites also offer habitat for wildlife and are popular for birding.

The adjacent lands are primarily used for agriculture with Open Space and Mountain Parks agricultural lands to the west. The 63rd Street Farm is also located directly south of the Fort Chambers / Poor Farm property and currently leases the agricultural fields within the project boundary.

Gravel mining was prevalent in the area during the 1950s, 60s and 70s to supply basalt and aggregate for roadway and building construction. Mining operations continue off-site, south of the property.

The 7-acre school campus sits to the north of the Fort Chambers / Poor Farm property. The school was originally founded in 1976 in a Boulder church basement and currently offers programs for students 12 months to 12 years old. “Our mission is to provide an AMI* Montessori environment in which children joyfully reach their full potential through the development of independence, academic excellence, respect for the environment, self and others, and moral responsibility to society.” *Association Montessori Internationale

The Valmont School House was constructed in 1911 to serve the residents of Valmont, which was a prominent town at the time and served by the railroad. Mary Wells, one of the prior owners of the Fort Chambers / Poor Farm property, attended school here. Mary was part of the first ninth grade class to attend here, and one of eight or nine students to graduate from Valmont School. (Source: Oral history interview with Mary Hummel Wells, 1986)

Valmont Butte is a basalt dike that runs east-west above Valmont Road. The ridge and rocky outcrops are a unique natural feature in the area. In 2000, the City of Boulder purchased the land and it is currently closed to the public. The city recognizes the significant spiritual, cultural and historical importance of Valmont Butte and intends to discuss the future of the site in consultation and collaboration with the community including American Indian Tribal Nations, Indigenous community members, Valmont community descendants and the local historic community. Historic Valmont Butte photo taken in 1890s (source: Carnegie Library for Local History, Boulder)

Boulder Municipal Airport is a general aviation airport owned and operated by the City of Boulder. It has been in existence since 1928 and provides business, private, recreational and emergency aviation services. No commercial airline services are offered. The airport has approximately 190 based aircraft, one runway and one glider strip. Planes and gliders are frequently heard or seen while on-site. The Fort Chambers / Poor Farm property is in Airport Influence Zone 3, which requires new utility lines to be placed underground and development applications be referred to the Airport Manager for review and comment.

There are several trails and multi-use paths in the area including an existing path along 63rd Street, immediately to the west and hiking trails at Sawhill and Walden Ponds to the east. A segment of the Andrus to Airport multi-use path is located southwest of the property and includes an underpass at 61st St.; the construction of Phase 2 of this project is on indefinite hold due to a lack of approval from the FAA. The property is proximate to the planned Confluence Area Multi-Use paths connecting Boulder and Gunbarrel. The Boulder to Erie Regional Trail (BERT) is a planned regional trail connection intended to link the City of Boulder and Erie. Multiple alignment options for this proposed connection are currently under evaluation. For clarity, only trails in the immediate vicinity are displayed.

Boulder Creek is a perennial stream with a riparian corridor that supports both wildlife and recreational uses between Boulder Canyon and its confluence with Saint Vrain Creek in Weld County. Sand and gravel mining operations have created a variety of ponds in the area. Downstream of Valmont Road, the creek is impacted by New Zealand Mudsnails, a non-native, invasive species that spreads rapidly and harms the aquatic ecosystem. The Boulder Creek floodplain extends across the Fort Chambers / Poor Farm property. Historic aerial photographs show evidence of channel migration and alteration, with the creek channel becoming straighter over time.