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Carbondale commission urges site-specific review in BLM e-bike scoping after split debate
Summary
Commissioners split on allowing class 1 e-bikes on Red Hill trails; the group favored a trail-by-trail review and plans to submit comments to the BLM and trustees before the public scoping deadline.
Carbondale's Parks and Recreation Commission spent a large portion of its meeting debating a Bureau of Land Management proposal to expand class 1 e-bike access on designated mountain-bike trails in the Colorado River Valley field office. Commissioners agreed the BLM should pursue site-specific review rather than a blanket regional policy.
Staff summarized stakeholder input: Red Hill Council members expressed concern that some front-side trails are steep, narrow and already congested, while local mountain-biking organizations said they support controlled access (especially to the Sudi Ranch area) and emphasize education and volunteer maintenance. The commission heard that some land-conservation agreements covering town-owned parcels that connect to BLM land are seeking legal advice about whether "non-motorized" easement language would prohibit class 1 e-bikes.
Positions among commissioners were split. Vice Chair Drew Sorenson and several members favored allowing access on a broader set of trails, arguing class 1 e-bikes expand access for older or injured riders; Nick Nardeshia said he "kind of think[s] that we should allow access for the whole Red Hill," while other commissioners supported a hybrid approach (no on the front side; yes on Sudi). The commission's discussion emphasized three options: no class 1 e-bikes, a hybrid front/no back/yes approach, or opening trails broadly. The group repeatedly recommended trail-by-trail review and stronger public-education and leash/enforcement messaging for pedestrians and dog owners.
Next steps: commissioners asked staff to draft a comment letter for trustees and to file input with the BLM during the scoping period (staff noted the BLM's first comment window is open through March 25). The transcript records consensus around asking for site-level review, but no formal vote was taken at the meeting.
