Teller Commissioners Seek More Say in Future Recreational Projects
Trevor Phipps
During every state legislative session, local officials usually load their political guns and battle proposed legislation that appears harmful for Teller County and rural Colorado.
But for a healthy change, the county commissioners recently spent time testifying on behalf of a new bill dealing with addressing the impacts of outdoor, recreational expansion efforts.
Over the last few years, there has been an effort in Colorado to strip outdoor recreation away from the Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife (CPW). The commissioners want to keep outdoor recreation matters in the hands of the CPW, contending the agency works well with local law enforcement and emergency responders.
A new bill would do just that by creating a law that states that CPW will remain in charge of handling outdoor recreation options across the state.
“The bill requires the division of parks and wildlife (division) in the department of natural resources to expand the division’s capacity for outdoor recreation coordination, planning, and management and take a leading role in state-level coordination, strategic planning, and implementation of Colorado’s outdoors strategy,” the House Bill 26-1008 summary states.
According to Teller County Commissioner Dan Williams, the county pushed to get the bill passed, but with some necessary amendments. “Essentially what this does with the statue is it solidifies or memorializes that CPW is in charge of recreation in Colorado,” Williams said. “They have habitat restoration. They have law enforcement. And they work very well with us local governments and our state and federal partners.”
More Local Input on Recreation Pursuits
Williams explained that it took considerable time to reach a consensus on the final plan, as CPW prepares to broaden recreational opportunities throughout the state. Williams said that he and other key local leaders who testified for the bill sought to get nine amendments approved that will ensure cooperation with local stakeholders.
Ultimately, Teller officials wanted more of a buy-in regarding recreational pursuits in the area.
“Local governments will now have a seat at the table if a regional partnership initiative wants to be in your backyard,” Williams explained. “What’s been happening is that they (state officials) wouldn’t come talk to counties. This solidifies all that. So, we sort of have the right of first refusal. In a positive way, it just ensures that we have a seat at the table with recreation, so the county has a say when it comes to some of this stuff.”
Williams continued to say that with six million people coming to Teller County and the rest of Western Colorado to recreate, it’s good that the county will now have a say. The county commissioner stressed the fact that local residents deserve some voice when it comes to new recreation initiatives that directly affect them.
“We have to have some kind of control measure,” Williams said.
Outdoor Bill to Get Debated by State Lawmakers
After days of testifying at the state capitol, the pro-outdoor and recreation impact bill passed through the initial committee stage, according to Williams. It will include several amendments Williams requested.
The bill will be discussed in the House, then move to the Senate floor, and finally reach Governor Jared Polis’s desk for signing into law. Williams said that he is confident that, with the amendments, the bill will pass through the state House and Senate.
In the end, the amendments that Williams and others supported were aimed at protecting local governments from the impact of future outdoor recreation options taken on by CPW. “For example, in Teller County, if you are coming up here to go hiking, you assume that you have some measure of safety,” Williams said. “If you get lost, we will have search and rescue. If you get hurt, we will have an ambulance. That’s really the challenge. Colorado is getting loved to death. And so, all of those impacts right now with no funding are all suffered by the counties.”
Williams brought up the fact that in Teller County, one out of three ambulance calls go to non-residents and many of them are uninsured. If passed, this bill will make sure that CPW is out there conducting enforcement and education to help minimize the impacts felt by mountain counties.
The bill comes shortly after Governor Polis made a trip to Colorado Springs to announce a grant that will go towards finishing the Ring the Peak trail. For several years, local officials have raised concerns over finishing the Ring the Peak trail further into Teller County. Some leaders have feared that the added recreation options could cause a further strain on emergency services locally.
