Pitkin County considers Buttermilk winter parking options as ski company offers $200,000 to keep lot free

Pitkin County commissioners on Oct. 7 discussed two options for winter parking management at the Buttermilk ski-area lot: instituting paid parking at about $15 per space per day, or accepting the ski company’s offer to contribute roughly $200,000 to keep parking free for the winter season while the county and partners work on a longer-term transportation demand management plan.

County staff described the paid-parking option as one that could generate “just north of $400,000” depending on actual rates and uptake and would underwrite lot management and additional shuttles; staff said summer paid parking generated about $14,000–$15,000. The alternative under discussion is managed free parking at Buttermilk with a contribution from the ski company to offset county revenue losses.

County staff member Brian Pettit said the paid-parking idea is intended to “manage transportation demand beyond where the free parking is at the intercept lot” and to use any parking revenue to “provide more incentive to get people out of their cars by having direct shuttles.” Pettit said the county and the ski company met multiple times but had not reached full agreement and were offering two options for the board to consider.

Jeff, a representative of the ski company, told commissioners that the ski company’s preference is to delay a change this winter and to work with the county and other partners on a comprehensive plan that would include communications, signage and a public-relations rollout. “Parking decisions that happen when the leaves are changing colors in ski towns are not a productive thing for anyone,” Jeff said, adding his company had offered about $200,000 “to keep parking free at Buttermilk, at least for the season.”

Commissioners and agency partners pressed staff and private partners on operational details. Pitkin County Commissioner Greg Poshman asked what specific reservations the ski company had with paid parking and whether staff had discussed options such as an electric bus. Commissioner Patty Clapper thanked staff and the ski company for meeting and urged thorough vetting with neighbors and other stakeholders before implementing any change this winter.

David Pashncheck, chief operating officer at Rafta, the local transit provider, said Rafta was finalizing its winter schedule and that the earliest it could add additional service would be in the spring. “We’re at the tail end of that,” Pashncheck said, adding that any new shuttle routing or frequency would require scheduling and funding negotiations with partners and that March–spring would be the earliest viable expansion point from a scheduling standpoint.

Staff told the board Metropolis, the county’s parking contractor, is willing to operate under either scenario; if the ski company took on daytime management in winter, Metropolis would conduct after-hours patrols. County staff clarified that accepting the ski company’s contribution would mean lost revenue on the county balance sheet rather than a new operating expense for the county.

Several commissioners recommended more time for collaborative planning. Commissioner Kelly McNicholas Curry said the county should align next steps with Rafta’s scheduling timelines; Commissioner Poshman and others asked for a clear timeline for community outreach. Jeff said the ski company’s offer was intended as a “responsible stopgap” and that partners should return to the table to design a plan that could include high-occupancy-vehicle strategies, shuttle service improvements and outreach aimed at beginner skiers who traditionally use Buttermilk.

On timeline, participants suggested a mid-summer target for a public awareness campaign if the county decides to implement paid parking, giving roughly four to six months for outreach, signage and communications. Jeff and county staff expressed interest in a solution that might include electrified shuttles, larger-capacity shuttle vehicles than the 16-passenger vehicle discussed, and partnerships with the high school and hospital on routing options.

No formal vote or binding agreement was recorded at the Oct. 7 work session; commissioners indicated informal consent to pursue an agreement with the ski company to manage the lot for the coming winter while working on a longer-term transportation demand management plan. Commissioners and staff said they would return with more detailed proposals, schedules and community outreach plans prior to implementing any paid-parking program.

Proponents of paid winter parking said it is one of the most direct tools to shift travel behavior by capturing revenue and using it to fund shuttles. Opponents and cautious stakeholders emphasized timing, communications and community impacts: several commissioners and the ski company asked the county to avoid a late-season change that could confuse visitors and residents. The board directed staff to continue negotiations with the ski company and transit partners and to return with a more detailed plan and timeline.

Questions remain about specific revenue and cost assumptions, final shuttle routing, whether shuttles would be electrified, and how any county–ski company agreement would be structured. The county did not record a formal decision at the work session; staff said the next steps would be to refine operational details, align with Rafta scheduling and bring recommendations back to the board for formal action.