Town blazes new trails but remembers the fire
SUPERIOR — The growing town southeast of Boulder has largely moved on from recovery after the devastating 2021 Marshall Fire, but it won’t forget the lessons it learned.
Families can share their stories about recovery and returning to their homes in an oral history project organized in June by Marshall Together, a Marshall Fire survivors group that is working on the project in collaboration with the University of Colorado, the Community Foundation of Boulder County, the Louisville Museum and Masha of Paper Crane Photo.
Local resident Gladys Forshee recounted details of the inferno in her book called “Every Breath: A Story.” Mostly the book treats the nightmare the way the town’s leaders want the world to see it: as history.
The town has made great strides to rise from the ashes. Building permit review processes have been streamlined, and officials have worked to better understand residents’ needs. The town board added fire-prevention regulations to its planning codes for the hard-hit Sagamore neighborhood, requiring construction to use noncombustible, ignition-resistant materials and a five-foot defensible space around homes.
The Boulder County town draws families and young professionals to new, upscale subdivisions such as Rock Creek Ranch, which originally was plotted in 1987 but continues to be developed.”
Wildfire-detection cameras are in place and have been working to support responders in keeping situational awareness related to monitoring fire speed, growth and direction of spread which help first responders with a speedy response.
The Boulder County town draws families and young professionals to new, upscale subdivisions such as Rock Creek Ranch, which originally was plotted in 1987 but continues to be developed.
Founded in 1896 and incorporated in 1904, the town began as a coal mining community and was named for the “superior” quality of coal — as well as for Superior, Wisconsin, from where the first settlers came.
When the mine closed in 1945, Superior became a quiet agricultural community with a population that hovered around 250 until Rock Creek Ranch was built. Superior saw a 3,433% population gain between 1990 and 2000.
Several historical sites and buildings were lost to the Marshall Fire, including an original mining-camp home in Asti Park that was believed to have been built in 1908. It housed the town’s history museum until the fire, but its supporters hope to build a replica on the same site.
Companies also are investing in Superior. The town’s future development plans include commercial, retail, multi-family residential units and single family homes. It boasts 594 acres of parks, green space and open space and 27 miles of trails.
Superior often innovates in a Boulder-flavored way, such as raising the idea of using goats to control noxious weeds and the spread of wildfires, using a state grant to build two sections that will extend the U.S. 36 Bikeway, completing the purchase of 182 acres owned by CenturyLink for $15.06 million to be used as the town’s largest open-space parcel, and putting out a call for artists interested in adorning prairie-dog sculptures with unique designs to be placed around the town.
Altus Power, a provider of clean electric power, has finished its 1.4-megawatt rooftop solar project at the Blue Sport Stable sports facility in Superior, providing the majority of the facility’s annual energy needs required to power its ice rinks, pickleball, basketball and other courts, turf and health and wellness facility.
The town has approved the development company, Pennrose, LLC, to build senior affordable housing units downtown near Discovery Office Park. The units will be called Kite Route Crossing. Along with this approval comes a rebate opportunity. According to Superior’s Planning and Building Director, Lisa Ritchie, this will be the first affordable housing project for the town.
Superior in January adopted its first-ever Housing Needs Assessment and Strategic Plan. The plan states that in 2018, the town committed to making 12% of its units affordable by 2035. It also says that the 2021 Marshall Fire destroyed 390 residential properties and exacerbated housing needs. Now, housing demand is high, and vacancy is low.