To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Margina Pingenot, Open Spaces Department, Director
Prepared By:
prepared
Greg Howe, Project Coordinator, Open Spaces; Josh Garcia, Planner, Open Spaces
end
presenter
Presenter: Greg Howe, Project Coordinator, Open Spaces; Glen Poole, Operations Manager, Open Spaces
end
Subject:
title
1:15 PM *Updated Rules and Regulations for Open Spaces Department’s Parks, Trails and Open Space Properties
end
Purpose and Request:
recommended action
Staff will discuss the need for updating the existing Open Spaces Department general rules and regulations and request approval from the BOCC to move forward with drafting updated Open Spaces rules and regulation and guidance regarding the process for approving the updated rules and regulations once drafted.
end
Background and Discussion: In 1996, the Board of County Commissioners passed Resolution No. 1012-96 adopting 15 rules and regulations concerning the unlawful conduct on Arapahoe County owned or operated public recreational lands or facilities. These rules and regulations are posted at County owned parks that are open to the public. According to the resolution when these rules and regulations were adopted, only three park properties were owned by the County (Cheyenne/Arapaho Park, Cherry Creek Valley Ecological Park and Dove Valley Community Park now known as Dove Valley Regional Park). All these parks are within the Arapahoe County Recreation District. Since the adoption of these rules and regulations in 1996, the County has greatly expanded services to include things like dog parks, playgrounds, equestrian uses, and even a bike park and has acquired multiple other properties. The County now has twenty-five open spaces, parks, trailheads, greenways, or leased properties as well as a couple of easements or managed/operated lands, many of which are open to the public, with several acquisitions in progress (i.e. Arcadia Park and High Line Canal).
It has been 28 years since Resolution No. 1012-96 was adopted. With staff encountering a rise in vandalism, public safety concerns, and illegal parking on park property, and after reviewing several well-developed Front Range local government rules and regulations, staff feels that the current rules and regulations need to be significantly updated to protect public safety, ensure the protection of the county’s natural resources and assets, and align better from a consistency standpoint with adjacent agencies. Furthermore, since the pandemic, we have seen a huge increase in park and trail use that has not subsided and will likely continue. Technology has also dramatically advanced with things like drones, e-bikes, and micromobility devices that users are bringing into our parks. While some of these devices can make it possible for more users with disabilities to use our parks, others can cause real privacy issues for our neighbors and residents that need to be addressed.
There are three main goals for this rule expansion and enhancement project to meet; 1) Fill in gaps in the current rules, 2) Ensure the County has the rules and regulations necessary to protect public safety and the County’s natural resources, and 3) Have Arapahoe County’s rules and regulations be more consistent with other well developed local government Open Space Parks and Recreation Programs.
Fiscal Impact: There will be no fiscal impact by updating the rules and regulations for Open Space properties. Rules and regulation signage will be update when replacement signs are needed. Enforcement of the rules and regulations will result in costs to the Open Spaces Department.
Alternatives: The Board could decide to delay, modify, or deny moving forward with updating the Open Spaces Department Rules and Regulations.
Alignment with Strategic Plan:
☒Be fiscally sustainable
☒Provide essential and mandated service
☒Be community focused
Staff Recommendation: Open Spaces recommends the BOCC approve Open Spaces staff move forward with drafting updated rules and regulations for Open Spaces properties and present them to the BOCC once a final draft is complete.
Concurrence: