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Summit County staff propose special-use permits to let local nonprofits run education programs on county open space
Summary
OST staff proposed a draft special-use permit policy to allow Summit County-based nonprofits and educational groups limited access to open space for classes and camps while keeping commercial uses prohibited; OSAC favored local prioritization, tiered user-day limits, and clearer eligibility criteria and asked staff to draft metrics and preserve flexibility for parking and scheduling.
Summit County Open Space and Trails staff presented a draft special-use permit policy on April 2 that would allow Summit County-based nonprofit and educational organizations to request limited, managed use of county open space for instruction and conservation-focused activities while maintaining the countys prohibition on commercial uses.
OST staff said the Board of County Commissioners directed development of the policy to address inconsistent past permitting and to create clear rules governing eligible groups, application requirements and permit conditions such as group-size caps, limits on user days and restrictions on days of the week.
What OST proposed and what OSAC raised - Eligibility: OST recommended giving priority to Summit County-based organizations to limit permit volume and ensure local taxpayer support. OSAC urged staff not to categorically exclude neighboring counties, suggested a tiered-priority system and recommended an establishment requirement (e.g., organizations must have existed at least one year) to avoid manipulation of local status. - User days and permit counts: OST proposed issuing up to ten permits annually and aligning a default user-day cap with the Town of Breckenridges 200-user-day limit. OSAC noted Keystone Science School used 635 user days in 2024 and recommended a tiered approach so a small number of organizations could receive larger allocations while limiting overall total days across groups. - Parking and safety: OSAC asked that OST provide flexibility beyond a two-space default for groups like the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center (BOEC) that need more spaces and suggested carpooling incentives; OSAC also proposed physical safety improvements (sight-line trimming, mirrors, speed bumps or beacons) at Recpath crossings. - Fees and volunteer options: OSAC asked whether application fees could be waived if groups provided volunteer trail work; OST staff said volunteer work must be coordinated with OST and that trail maintenance cannot be done independently by permittees.
Next steps OST staff said they will use feedback to refine eligibility definitions, consider a tiered user-day and priority system, and include metrics (a problem statement and measures) to evaluate whether the policy meets county goals. Staff also proposed limiting the number of permits to ten annually but said the number could remain flexible based on program outcomes.
No formal action adopting the policy was taken at the meeting; OSACs comments will inform staff revisions before returning the policy for possible future approval.
