C O G -- Citizens for an Open Greenbelt

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C O G

cog // Pronunciation: \ˈkäg\ // Function: noun

a tooth on the rim of a wheel or gear
a subordinate but integral person or part
a group of people that believes the Greenbelt is for the open use of ALL citizens and can not be seized for exclusive use by a select few simply because it is their will.

Citizens for an Open Greenbelt is a 501(c)(3) unincorporated non-profit association devoted to protect, preserve and advance rights to public lands and pathways in Idaho for future generations. We are funded entirely by donations from the public.

Citizens for an Open Greenbelt (COG) was formed in 2007.

3/25/2012 COG continues the fight. We are not giving up on our goal to have a truly open Boise River greenbelt through Riverside Village. Our objective now is to attack this issue by legislative action. We have assembled a team of very talented people with specialized skills to begin the process of eliminating the Garden City bike ban by an initiative process. Our goal is to put this to a vote of Garden City residents. We hope to prohibit the Mayor and Council from banning bike riding on the Boise River Greenbelt in Riverside Village.

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OUR MISSION

We are a grassroots advocacy group dedicated to supporting the stated goal of the Boise River Greenbelt: to provide continuous open space along both sides of the river for non-motorized, mixed use for the citizens of Idaho.

COG's current initiative is to open the Bike Path in Riverside Village, Garden City to bicycles, as well as pedestrians, as these public trust lands were mandated to be by the State of Idaho over 30 years ago.”

Thank you each and every one for your support and every donation both large and small! All donations gratefully accepted - costs may exceed our initial estimate. You can be sure that if there are any residual funds, they will be used for a good greenbelt/bicycle related cause.

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IMPORTANT NOTE: You will find several broken "links" on this website. In most cases, we posted the link AND the original content that was found there, as evidence of fact. You can be sure that the content is correct, but as we post "evidence," Garden City and the Riverside Village HomeOwner's Association remove the content from their pages.
They have also pressured outside sources to change their pages. For example, the BSU Biology Department page on the Boise River Greenbelt used to cite "...the blockages in Garden City at the Plantation and Riverside Village are the missing links that prevent the vision of the Greenbelt to extend all along the river from Lucky Peak to Eagle Island."

The latest news...

Great attendance at the hearing on Dec 15. The courtroom was packed. Both sides presented their requests, but the judge decided that she needed additional opinions regarding a disposition of the 1994 Settlement Agreement.

Our attorneys have provided the briefing document asked for by Judge Copsey at the December 15th hearing. Now Judge Copsey could render an opinion on the issues we have filed. If COG or GC wins on the paper filings, there will be no need for a trial. Alternatively, the judge could decide that factual issues, as opposed to legal issues, remain that warrant a trial.

So now, we wait to hear her decision... and then we know next steps!

Idaho Statesman, October 2, 2011

City of Eagle joins fight
to re-open Riverside Village Bike Path to bikers.
Eagle joins fight to open Garden City Greenbelt to cyclists | Local News | Idaho Statesman

COG has been working on this problem since 2007. To no avail, we have asked Garden City to allow bike riding along the bike path in Riverside Village as originally required by the State of Idaho on these public trust lands. All attempts at discussion or compromise have been refused by the GC Mayor and Council. So, COG filed a lawsuit against Garden City in 2010 and a court date has been set for February 21, 2012. Isn’t it time that Garden City stops spending taxpayer’s money to defend this lawsuit and bring an end to the bike ban?

Click HERE to see the RECENT DOCUMENTS, from 2007 - 2011, including the Garden City Ordinance that precipitated this controversy and copies of the legal documents that our attorneys have filed for us with the State.

See the Docs -Historical tab for the historical documents leading up to these actions.