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Pitkin County staff to draft code amendments on camping in road rights-of-way; public input and enforcement remain open questions
Summary
Commissioners discussed possible code amendments to restrict or regulate camping along county road rights-of-way. Staff will bring recommendations and are seeking guidance on the level of public input the board wants before hearings, and law enforcement said enforcement discretion and public-safety considerations will be central.
Pitkin County commissioners on Sept. 30 discussed staff plans to draft code amendments addressing camping in county road rights-of-way, with staff and law enforcement flagging public-safety and enforcement discretion as central issues to resolve before any proposed ordinance is publicly noticed.
County staff told commissioners the conversation will be two-tiered: staff will prepare code-amendment recommendations for how camping in road rights-of-way should be regulated and will also outline how law enforcement would use discretion in enforcement. Commissioners asked whether the board prefers public comment at the Oct. 14 work session or a wider public-engagement process before formal hearings; staff said they would take direction and present a proposed schedule.
Commissioners and staff noted practical distinctions that complicate the topic: short-term roadside camping by hunters or early-morning hikers is different from people establishing long-term residence on rights-of-way. Commissioners urged staff to compile data and examples and to coordinate with the sheriff’s office about public-safety implications. Staff said the likely focus will be county road rights-of-way rather than county-owned parking facilities (which are managed differently and may be subject to separate rules at park-and-ride or recreation sites).
Staff also said they heard substantial public comment in East of Aspen caucuses and from neighbors, and that attorney’s office and sheriff’s office input would be part of staff recommendations. The board agreed staff should bring code-amendment language and a recommended public-input schedule to the Oct. 14 work session and then, if the board directs, proceed to noticed public hearings.
