Ember & Ice Petition
We are Ember & Ice, a community wellness sauna and cold plunge business that has poured our hearts into creating something truly special in partnership with the historic Foot of the Mountain Motel at 200 Arapahoe Ave in Boulder, Colorado. Our barrel saunas, cold plunges, and outdoor recovery area are more than just a business—they are a peaceful, restorative creekside sanctuary where locals and visitors come to heal, reconnect, and feel truly alive.
This low-capacity, low-intensity operation offers fee-based recreational and wellness activities with a significant outdoor component during daylight hours. It aligns beautifully with Outdoor Recreation (day use) under Section 4-510 of the Boulder County Land Use Code. The space naturally complements the existing lodging use while serving both motel guests and the broader Boulder community at the mouth of the canyon.
We love this community with everything we have, and we love Ember & Ice because it brings people together in the most beautiful, natural way. Unfortunately, we were recently shut down due to a challenge with the current zoning classification, which generally allows only one principal use per parcel. We are determined to do things the right way by seeking official approval through a Special Review process so we can reopen legally and keep sharing this gift with the community of Boulder.
Why this matters to us—and to Boulder:
• Minimal impacts on traffic, parking, noise, or the environment — it’s a quiet, small-scale operation that respects the beauty around us.
• It promotes deep health, emotional recovery, and genuine human connection in a breathtaking natural setting we all cherish.
• Similar compatible mixed uses already exist in other parts of Boulder County, and we believe with all our hearts that this fits the county’s vision for wellness-oriented, low-impact recreation.
• Hundreds of Boulder residents and visitors have already experienced the magic here and have fallen deeply in love with this special recovery space—many telling us it has become a meaningful part of their lives.
We are actively working with Boulder County Planning & Permitting, including requesting a pre-application conference and preparing the necessary Special Review materials. To strengthen our case and show the genuine community love behind Ember & Ice, we need your help!
Sign this petition if you:
• Have felt the warmth and joy of the saunas and cold plunges
• Believe in keeping accessible, heart-centered wellness opportunities alive in Boulder
• Support approving compatible, low-impact outdoor recreation uses that bring our community closer together
Please add a short comment sharing your personal experience or why Ember & Ice matters to you. Your stories and heartfelt words will be compiled and shared with the Planning Department and Board of County Commissioners. Every single testimonial means more than you know.
Together, we can bring back this beloved piece of Boulder’s wellness scene while honoring the land use process. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for standing with us and with the community we love so deeply.
We are grateful for every signature, every story, and every bit of love you share.
The Ember & Ice Team