A new ordinance in Douglas County enforces new regulations when it comes to commercial or recreational vehicles parking in unincorporated, high density urban areas.

During the April 22 land use meeting, Douglas County commissioners approved regulations on commercial vehicles parked on public roads, which the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office argues will enhance safety of nearby communities and improve quality of life.

“Residents have expressed that unregulated parking in certain neighborhoods has led to unsafe traffic conditions, polluted air, increased noise, and a generally decreased quality of life,” Douglas County officials said in a statement.

Douglas County’s new parking ordinance only applies to unincorporated parts of the county. It does not include municipalities like Lone Tree or Castle Rock because those municipalities have their own parking regulations for recreational and commercial vehicles.  

Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Commander Alan Stanton recommended the ordinance, noting the priority is “looking at safety within our communities and the ability to enforce parking restrictions when appropriate.”

Stanton said the ordinance separates both commercial and recreation vehicles, because they are “different entities.”

Under Colorado law, commercial vehicles are defined as a business vehicle that weighs at least 16,001 pounds, is self-propelled, towed or can transport over 16 passengers. Meanwhile, recreational vehicles are categorized as campers, boats, mobile homes, trailers or motor homes.

Set to go into effect May 22, commercial vehicles are restricted from parking in eight areas:

• Highlands Ranch Primary Urban Area
• Chatfield Urban Area
• Roxborough Significant Urban Area (SUA)
• Pinery SUA
• Castle Pines SUA
• Parker Municipal Planning Area (Stonegate, for example)
• Castle Rock Municipal Planning Area
• Lone Tree Municipal Planning Area

In effect May 22, recreational vehicles are restricted in three areas:

• Highlands Ranch
• Chatfield Urban Area
• Parker Municipal Planning Area

Not only are commercial vehicles prohibited from parking in more roadside areas, but drivers face fines of up to $1,000 and a mandatory court appearance after three offenses within one year. The first three offenses would come with $100 fines, according to the adopted ordinance.

Separately, for recreational vehicles, owners aren’t allowed to park on any public road for longer than 72 hours within a seven-day period, the ordinance said.

The ordinance for recreational vehicle parking stipulates penalties of a $25 fine for first offenders, $50 for second offenses and $100 for third offenses and beyond.

Exemptions include for first responder and service vehicles, operating moving trucks or if a vehicle is approved to park by law enforcement, according to the ordinance.

“If there should be a place where recreational vehicle parking should be at the owner’s desire, it is an unincorporated Douglas County,” said Commissioner George Teal, who stood as the lone “no” vote on the recreational vehicle side.

Commissioner Abe Laydon pointed to 2022 state legislation that prevents Homeowners Associations from regulating public right-of-way, saying Douglas County is “in this position because of state overreach.”

“This just emphasizes our need for local control,” Laydon said. “Things were great before and now we’re scrambling to try to piece this together because of that state action.”

Douglas County commissioners are pushing efforts to become a home rule county in order to gain more local control.

Increased parking regulations is “giving that power back to those communities that the state legislature took away,” said Commissioner Kevin Van Winkle, a former state legislator.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office will enforce the new parking ordinance.