Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge county action on Red Mountain Road parking; public comments call for Brush Creek Park-and-Ride review
Summary
At the July 9 BOCC meeting, public commenters asked the county to address overnight and long-term parking on Red Mountain Road and urged the county to consider reopening the Basalt Record of Decision and pursuing a Brush Creek Park-and-Ride connection to address congestion near the Aspen airport.
Two members of the public used the general public-comment period at the Pitkin County BOCC meeting on July 9 to raise transportation and parking issues.
Red Mountain Road parking concerns
Joshua Saslov said he lives off Red Mountain Road and, at the sheriff’s office suggestion, brought photographs documenting vehicles parked for days on Red Mountain Road, including at least one person living in a vehicle. Saslov said the sheriff has confronted the person and that parking on county rights-of-way is generally prohibited by county code but enforcement is difficult. He asked the county to consider options such as time-limited parking, restrictions on overnight parking or signage and to coordinate internally between departments, and asked staff to pass photographs to the county attorney.
County response during comments
Commissioners and staff acknowledged the problem is perennial in summer months and crosses two types of use — long-term occupancy and temporary recreation parking. County staff and the sheriff’s office said enforcement is difficult (towing is constrained and fines are small relative to rent), and staff noted they are preparing a memo for the sheriff, Open Space and Trails and rangers with guidance on handling recurring summer parking issues on county roads and state highways.
Brush Creek Park-and-Ride and transportation corridor comments
Resident Toni Kronberg urged the county to press Aspen City Council and other partners to revisit a previous plan that included a Brush Creek Park-and-Ride as an endpoint for a multimodal connection between the airport and downtown Aspen. Kronberg said a recent Aspen City Council decision to limit endpoints “was disconcerting” and urged Pitkin County to consider reopening the Basalt Record of Decision so an Environmental Impact Statement could be pursued if needed. County commissioners noted the county contributes to a stakeholder group and has allocated $15,000 to the corridor effort; staff said solutions discussed by the coalition, if viable, would be returned to the BOCC.
Ending
Commissioners thanked commenters and said staff would coordinate enforcement and multi-agency involvement for the Red Mountain parking issue and continue participation in the Brush Creek corridor stakeholder group.
