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County commissioners say motocross track lease remains unresolved; safety and liability provisions urged
Summary
Lake County commissioners spent significant time on Jan. 7 discussing an unsigned or missing lease with Mount Albert Moto. Commissioners raised liability, FAA airspace limits, and multiple safety measures the county wants included in any future lease; no final agreement was available and the matter will be handed to the incoming board.
The Lake County Board of Commissioners discussed an unresolved lease for the Mount Albert Moto motocross park and asked staff to press for a signed agreement before the track can operate in 2025.
Board members and staff told the meeting there is no final recorded, signed lease stemming from a April 2023 agenda discussion despite earlier work on amendments. County staff and multiple commissioners described “lingering uncertainty” and said there is no signed or recorded final agreement in county files; one commissioner suggested reverting to the 2012 lease as a working starting point if a more recent signed agreement cannot be located.
Commissioner Hal (speaking at length) said the proposed lease-language changes are intended to safeguard the county and the track operators from liability and to keep the facility operating. Hal listed a set of safety practices he said the lease update would require or recommend: a warning-light system for jump features, reducing or repositioning dangerous jumps, designated riding times by ability level, enhanced rider etiquette communication, design changes to provide alternate lines around advanced track features, required safety gear, an on-site EMT during open hours, and a digital waiver system to capture usage data.
Hal also warned that motocross operations on county-owned land are subject to FAA restrictions around the nearby Leadville airport and that tracks on public land face heightened litigation and insurance risks nationwide. He and other commissioners said the county has the right to require financial and operational transparency from entities operating on county property, citing comparisons to other county-operated concessions such as the golf course and ski area.
Board members noted conflicting perspectives from track operators and users. One commissioner said some of the drafted lease language could impose mandates that would significantly change how a nonprofit operator functions and encouraged more discussion with the operators to allow them time to respond. Others said the board has repeatedly discussed safety and health provisions and that any final terms should reflect prior work-session recommendations.
There was no motion to approve a lease and no formal vote on lease terms at the meeting. Multiple commissioners said the item would be transferred to the incoming board of county commissioners to finalize negotiations and sign any new agreement.
Commissioners and staff requested that any found or produced draft agreements be assembled so the new board can pick up negotiations without losing the work already done.
