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Alamosa council passes ordinances on spitting, parking and registration; several items move forward unanimously
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Summary
At its March 18 meeting Alamosa City Council approved ordinances that add intentional spitting as a form of assault, standardize on‑street parking limits at 72 hours and make failure to register a vehicle a municipal violation; all votes were unanimous. The council also advanced land‑use and wildfire items for further action.
Alamosa City Council on March 18 approved multiple ordinances in unanimous, verbal roll-call votes.
The council adopted Ordinance 9‑20‑26 on second reading to add intentional spitting on another person to the city’s assault provision. A city staff member said the change mirrors the rationale in state law (citing Colorado statute 18‑3‑204) but extends the municipal code to treat spitting on any person intentionally as assault rather than treating such incidents as harassment. Councilor Jan Vigil moved approval; the motion passed unanimously.
Council also approved Ordinance 7‑20‑26 on second reading, which standardizes on‑street parking by setting a 72‑hour limit for any vehicle parked in one place and changing the threshold for declaring a vehicle abandoned from 48 hours to one week. Staff told the council the change is intended to reduce towing as a first remedy and to align local definitions with the model traffic code. The motion carried unanimously.
Ordinance 8‑20‑26, which creates a municipal ordinance violation for failure to keep vehicle registration current and sets a $100 penalty (consistent with state guidance), passed on second reading with no public comment. City staff said the new municipal ticketing option is intended to streamline enforcement rather than require state court action.
Several procedural land‑use items also moved forward on unanimous votes: Ordinance 11‑20‑26 (first reading) would add public‑notice standards for preliminary plats (publication 14 days before planning commission, property posting at least 7 days, and mailed notice to properties within 300 feet). Resolution 4‑20‑26 adds a senior‑services representative to the comprehensive plan committee and was adopted.
Votes at a glance - Ordinance 9‑20‑26 (amend section 11‑61 — add spitting as assault): mover Councilor Jan Vigil; second; outcome: approved unanimously. - Ordinance 7‑20‑26 (parking limits and abandonment): mover Councilor Jan Vigil; second; outcome: approved unanimously. - Ordinance 8‑20‑26 (vehicle registration enforcement): mover Councilor Young Vigil; second; outcome: approved unanimously. - Ordinance 11‑20‑26 (UDC notice standards): passed on first reading; public hearing set for April 15. - Resolution 4‑20‑26 (add senior services representative to comprehensive plan committee): approved unanimously.
What happens next - Ordinance 11‑20‑26 is set for a public hearing April 15. Ordinance 10‑20‑26 (wildfire resiliency code) was introduced on first reading and scheduled for a second reading and public hearing on April 15 as well.
The council heard no public commenters on these ordinance items during the meeting and took all votes by verbal roll call. The council noted councilor Krebs’s absence as unexcused during roll call.
