Council approves first readings of vehicle-noise and fireworks code changes after months of study

Lede: Fort Collins City Council on Tuesday adopted on first reading four ordinances aimed at curbing vehicle noise and a separate ordinance tightening enforcement of illegal fireworks, with unanimous roll-call votes.

Nut graf: The changes add a traffic-code provision for “unreasonable vehicle noise,” remove a series of traffic-noise references from the criminal noise section, clarify muffler-equipment violations and permit certain repeat traffic-noise offenses to be charged as misdemeanors. Council also approved on first reading an amendment to the city fireworks code to allow citation of a party’s host when fireworks are used on private property; all votes were 7-0.

Body: Police leaders told council the proposals follow a year of work by the traffic unit and respond to frequent public complaints about loud vehicles, stereos, engine revving, ‘rolling coal’ and similar behaviors. Assistant Chief Christy Velasquez described four principal changes:

• A new traffic-code section making “unreasonable vehicle noise” an enforceable offense and giving officers discretion, similar to the city’s existing unreasonable-noise rule for gatherings, to consider location, duration, time of day and effects on neighbors.

• A housekeeping amendment removing traffic-noise references from the criminal-noise portion of city code so vehicle noise is handled in the traffic code for clarity and more efficient enforcement.

• A rewrite of the muffler/equipment violation language to separate modified-muffler and straight-pipe situations and make it easier for officers to charge equipment-based violations when a vehicle’s exhaust has been tampered with.

• An option to designate some traffic-related noise violations as misdemeanors so officers and the municipal court can impose graduated fines and penalties for repeat offenders; the court determines fines.

Police emphasized these changes do not eliminate the need for officers to observe violations; the city will increase focused patrols in hotspots and use education and social-media outreach alongside enforcement. Council members asked about signs to warn motorists entering downtown, the likely fine ranges (municipal-court fines for misdemeanors may be substantially higher than traffic infractions), and whether noise-monitoring technology would be revisited; staff said technology is not yet reliable enough to replace officer observations but the department will continue to track pilot programs elsewhere.

On fireworks, the police and legal staff said the change will allow officers to cite the person in possessory control of a property (for example, a party host) when fireworks are launched from private property, instead of requiring officers to witness the exact person igniting a device. Staff said the amendment will make it easier to hold hosts accountable for parties where illegal fireworks are used, and to impose higher penalties for repeat violators. Police also said they will continue public education about which consumer fireworks and sparklers are permitted in Colorado and will deploy targeted enforcement around July 4.

Votes and next steps: Council adopted on first reading Ordinance No. 86, 2025 (new unreasonable-vehicle-noise provision in the traffic code); Ordinance No. 87, 2025 (remove traffic-noise references from criminal-noise code); Ordinance No. 88, 2025 (clarify muffler/equipment violations); and Ordinance No. 89, 2025 (allow certain traffic-noise violations to be misdemeanors). Each ordinance passed first reading by roll call, 7-0. Council also adopted on first reading Ordinance No. 90, 2025, amending the fireworks section of the municipal code; that measure passed first reading, 7-0.

Ending: Police said they will return enforcement and outcome statistics to council after the July 4 period and will continue public education efforts; council members asked for regular updates on enforcement levels and patterns to judge whether the new tools are reducing neighborhood noise complaints.

Speakers: [{"name":"Jeff Swoboda","role_title":"Police Chief","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"Fort Collins Police Services","first_reference":{"timecode":"01:31:34","transcript_line_range":[9194,9205]}},{"name":"Christy Velasquez","role_title":"Assistant Police Chief","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"Fort Collins Police Services","first_reference":{"timecode":"01:32:14","transcript_line_range":[9273,9301]}},{"name":"Emily Francis","role_title":"Mayor Pro Tem","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"City of Fort Collins","first_reference":{"timecode":"00:00:08","transcript_line_range":[8,24]}}],"authorities":[{"type":"ordinance","name":"Fort Collins Municipal Code Section 14-18 (new: unreasonable vehicle noise)","referenced_by":["Christy Velasquez"]},{"type":"ordinance","name":"Fort Collins Municipal Code Section 17-129 (amendment: remove traffic-noise references)","referenced_by":["Christy Velasquez"]},{"type":"ordinance","name":"Fort Collins Municipal Code Section 2-25 (amendment: muffler/equipment violations)","referenced_by":["Christy Velasquez"]},{"type":"ordinance","name":"Fort Collins Municipal Code Section 1-15 (amendment: permit certain traffic offenses as misdemeanors)","referenced_by":["Christy Velasquez"]},{"type":"ordinance","name":"Fort Collins Municipal Code Section 9-23 (amendment: fireworks use)","referenced_by":["City Attorney"]}],"actions":[{"kind":"motion","identifiers":{"ordinance_number":"86-2025"},"motion":"Adopt on first reading Ordinance No. 86, 2025, adding Section 14-18 (unreasonable vehicle noise) to the Fort Collins traffic code.","mover":"Councilmember (recorded in council minutes)","second":"Padayandi (recorded)","vote_record":[{"member":"Francis","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Olsen","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Pat Yandi","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Canonico","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Pinotaro","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Gutowski","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Arndt","vote":"yes"}],"tally":{"yes":7,"no":0},"outcome":"approved (first reading)"},{"kind":"motion","identifiers":{"ordinance_number":"87-2025"},"motion":"Adopt on first reading Ordinance No. 87, 2025 (remove traffic-noise references from criminal-noise code).","mover":"Councilmember (recorded)","second":"Canonical (recorded)","vote_record":[{"member":"Olsen","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Pat Yandi","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Canonico","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Pinotaro","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Kotowski","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Arndt","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Francis","vote":"yes"}],"tally":{"yes":7,"no":0},"outcome":"approved (first reading)"},{"kind":"motion","identifiers":{"ordinance_number":"88-2025"},"motion":"Adopt on first reading Ordinance No. 88, 2025 (clarify muffler/equipment violations).","mover":"Councilmember (recorded)","second":"Gutowski (recorded)","vote_record":[{"member":"Pat Yandi","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Canonico","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Pinotaro","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Kotowski","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Arndt","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Francis","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Olsen","vote":"yes"}],"tally":{"yes":7,"no":0},"outcome":"approved (first reading)"},{"kind":"motion","identifiers":{"ordinance_number":"89-2025"},"motion":"Adopt on first reading Ordinance No. 89, 2025 (allow certain traffic-noise violations to be misdemeanors).","mover":"Councilmember (recorded)","second":"Pinotaro (recorded)","vote_record":[{"member":"Canonical","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Pinotaro","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Kotowski","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Arndt","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Francis","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Olsen","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Pat Yandi","vote":"yes"}],"tally":{"yes":7,"no":0},"outcome":"approved (first reading)"},{"kind":"motion","identifiers":{"ordinance_number":"90-2025"},"motion":"Adopt on first reading Ordinance No. 90, 2025 amending section 9-23 regarding fireworks use.","mover":"Councilmember (recorded)","second":"Padayandi (recorded)","vote_record":[{"member":"Pinotaro","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Gutowski","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Arndt","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Francis","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Olsen","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Pat Yandi","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Canonico","vote":"yes"}],"tally":{"yes":7,"no":0},"outcome":"approved (first reading)"}],"discussion_decision":{"discussion_points":["Need for more enforcement tools for loud vehicle behavior and illegal fireworks","Role of education and focused patrols alongside enforcement","Questions about signposting and noise‑monitoring technology"],"directions":["Police to increase targeted patrols and public education around hotspots and July 4","Police and court to report back to council with enforcement statistics after July 4 period"],"decisions":["Adopt five ordinances on first reading; council requested enforcement updates"]},"clarifying_details":[{"category":"modes_of_enforcement","detail":"Officers will use discretion for 'unreasonable vehicle noise' without requiring a decibel reading; focused patrols planned","source_speaker":"Christy Velasquez"},{"category":"fireworks_enforcement_change","detail":"Police can cite person in possessory control of property where fireworks are launched rather than needing to observe the individual igniting the device","source_speaker":"City Attorney/Police"}],"proper_names":[{"name":"Fort Collins Police Services","type":"agency"},{"name":"Fort Collins Municipal Court","type":"agency"}],"community_relevance":{"geographies":["Downtown Fort Collins","city neighborhoods with recurring complaints"],"funding_sources":[],"impact_groups":["residents affected by nighttime noise","vehicle owners","veterans and pet owners affected by fireworks"]},"meeting_context":{"engagement_level":{"speakers_count":3,