Pitkin County staff to draft ordinance to raise right-of-way parking fines, consider towing

Pitkin County commissioners asked staff on Oct. 14 to return with draft ordinance language that would raise the county fine for unlawful parking in county rights of way and consider adding towing authority, while seeking programmatic ways to exempt legitimate short-term recreational users.

The discussion opened with county staff and the Pitkin County Sheriff's Office describing a landscape in which a $15 daily fine for parking in county rights of way has proved insufficient to deter long-term occupants. Alex Burchetta, undersheriff of the Pitkin County Sheriff's Office, described repeated incidents where vehicles are left for weeks or months in pullouts and intercept lots, creating safety and operations problems for deputies and for county road and bridge crews during snow removal.

Why it matters: The county's current fine — $15, set in Title 9 of the county code — is substantially lower than the $150-and-up fine schedule that applies to many other violations in the same code. Deputies said the low penalty can make it cheaper for some people to remain parked for extended periods than to rent local housing, and that repeated $15 citations have not been effective in moving vehicles.

What staff and law enforcement described: Sheriff's Office staff and commissioners walked through competing goals: keeping roadways safe and clear for traffic and winter operations, preserving access to public lands for recreational visitors, and avoiding overly punitive responses for people who are legitimately recreating or passing through. Burchetta and county staff asked for direction on two tools: (1) aligning right-of-way fines with the county's standard fine schedule in Title 9 and (2) adding the ability to tow vehicles that occupy rights of way for extended periods.

Commissioner Patty Clapper said she supported raising the fine and suggested including a tolerable time before towing is enacted and explicit countywide language clarifying the rule's geographic scope. Commissioners and staff discussed non-legislative options as well, such as a public-awareness program encouraging recreational users to leave a dated note in their windshield or to register license plates and expected return times in a simple county-hosted system to aid search-and-rescue and reduce false alarms.

Several commissioners and deputies emphasized discretion. Sheriff's Office representatives said deputies already use judgment in the field and that a stronger ordinance would help deputies back up those community-oriented conversations with a credible enforcement tool when necessary.

Next steps: Staff asked the board for direction to draft a formal ordinance amending Title 9 to (a) revise the fine schedule for parking in county rights of way, (b) define a distinction in code between short-term parking and occupying/residing in vehicles, and (c) include authority for towing in appropriate circumstances. The board generally agreed and directed staff and the sheriff's office to return with a proposed ordinance and an AIS for a regular meeting.

No formal vote was taken. The board requested that draft language include clear definitions and programmatic options (e.g., voluntary registration, physical notes, or low-cost permiting alternatives) to preserve reasonable recreational access while protecting public safety and road operations.

Ending note: Staff emphasized that any change would be the start of a broader conversation about rights-of-way management and intercept-lot policy; Brush Creek Intercept Lot and Buttermilk Park And Ride were noted as related but administratively distinct locations that may require separate, multi-jurisdictional solutions.