Open Space Commission to consider formal memorial policy after family request for Bridal Veil Trail

At the July 28 meeting, a family request to place a memorial for a child who died on Bridal Veil Trail prompted the San Miguel County Open Space Commission to discuss whether the county should adopt a written memorial policy.

County staff said they had searched records back to 2013 and found earlier discussions and recommendations but no clear evidence that the county ever adopted a formal memorial policy. Staff provided the commission with the Town of Telluride’s memorial policy as an example; that town policy specifies acceptable memorials (benches, trees, plaques), costs, locations and maintenance responsibilities.

Commission members noted practical questions the county should address in any policy, including who pays for installation, who is responsible for ongoing maintenance, whether temporary floral tributes are permitted, and where permanent items can be placed on county land. “I don’t really have any legs to stand on and don’t know the feeling,” Susie (Open Space Commission member) said about managing an external request without a written policy.

Suggestions at the meeting included developing a discrete memorial area (for example, at a designated park) rather than allowing memorials to be placed throughout all county open space, favoring natural plantings such as trees over permanent benches where feasible, and requiring families to cover installation and maintenance costs. Staff said they would follow up with the requesting family to clarify what they want and would return recommendations to the commission.

Ending: Commissioners asked staff to assemble sample policies (Town of Telluride and others), clarify any prior county action, and present options — including recommended locations, maintenance arrangements and cost-recovery approaches — at a future meeting.