Rules and Regulations Concerning the Use of Douglas County Owned or Operated Buildings, Facilities, Parks, Trails and Open Space
It shall be unlawful, unless otherwise approved in writing by the Director of the Douglas County Parks and Trails Division, Director of the Douglas County Open Space and Natural Resources Division, or Director of Facilities, or the County Manager, for any person:
A. To enter, use or occupy any Facility, Park or Open Space, or any portion thereof, during the time such lands, or any portion thereof, are closed to entry, use or occupancy, including seasonal closures.
B. (i) To remove, destroy, mutilate, deface or damage any building, structure, sign, marker, rock, vegetation, or other object located on any County Facility, Park or Open Space.
(ii) To construct, place, or maintain any kind of road, trail, structure, signs, markers, fence, enclosure, communication equipment or other improvements on any County Facility, Park or Open Space.
(iii) To excavate, dig, or disturb the ground of any County Facility, Park or Open Space, including but not limited to any rock, soil, sediment or vegetable matter.
(iv) To utilize any metal detector or similar device to search for any object on any Park or Open Space.
C. (i) To deposit or leave any refuse, trash, litter, household, construction debris, or commercial garbage or trash, including but not limited to brush, lawn trimmings, and Christmas trees, in or upon any County Facility, Park or Open Space.
(ii) To leave any refuse or rubbish generated on any County Facility, Park or Open Space except when deposited in designated receptacles.
D. (i) To build, start, or light any fire of any nature on any County Facility, Park or Open Space except in outdoor fireplace grills or camp stoves within designated areas.
(ii) To build, start, or light any fire of any nature in an outdoor fireplace grill or camp stove, or any other place whatsoever, even within designated areas, on Park or Open Space at any time that the Board or Sheriff has passed a resolution banning such fires due to fire danger in the County or neighboring areas.
(iii) To burn any material in a careless manner, or to leave any fire unattended, or to fail to completely extinguish any fire, on any County Facility, Park or Open Space.
(iv) To collect firewood on any Park or Open Space.
E. (i) To feed, hunt, trap, catch, molest, take, harass, harm, or kill any wild animal, bird, fish, reptile or amphibian or to disturb their habitat, on any Park or Open Space except:
(a) In designated areas where hunting is allowed by written permission from Douglas County in accordance with rules and regulations administered by the Colorado Division of Wildlife; or
(b) With written permission from Douglas County for purposes of scientific studies, research, wildlife census, education, or interpretation.
(ii) To allow domestic pets to harm, kill, chase, or otherwise harass any wild animal, bird, fish, reptile or amphibian on any Park or Open Space. Any dog or other domestic animal within a Park or Open Space shall be restrained by a leash, cord, rope or chain and under physical control of a person, except as otherwise provided for in this paragraph or posted with approval from the Board of County Commissioners.
(iii) To relocate or release animals, fish, birds or insects onto any Park or Open Space.
F. (i) To discharge any Firearm, unless expressly permitted by law (e.g., self-defense under C.R.S. § 18-1-704), on any County Facility, Park or Open Space, or to openly carry said Firearm in any County Facility, Park or Open Space where signs prohibiting firearms have been posted in compliance with §29-11.7-104, C.R.S., either permanently (e.g., the Robert A. Christensen Justice Center) or temporarily, as may be needed from time to time at the discretion of the County Manager.
(ii) To use any archery equipment, including but not limited to bows, longbows, crossbows, arrows, darts, and bolts on any County Facility, Park or Open Space.
(iii) To use or discharge any device capable of discharging any projectile by any means whatsoever, including but not limited to slingshots and wrist rockets on any County Facility, Park or Open Space.
(iv) To ignite or launch any model rocket on any County Facility, Park or Open Space.
(v) To use, ignite, or fire any fireworks or explosives, on any County Facility, Park or Open Space, except in designated areas when authorized in writing by Douglas County.
(vi) To golf or hit golf balls on any County Facility, Park or Open Space, except where specifically permitted.
G. (i) To operate any motorized vehicle on any Park or Open Space, except on designated roadways and parking lots which are open to public use. Emergency, maintenance, and patrol vehicles are specifically excluded from this prohibition. Motorized vehicles are prohibited unless specifically permitted by law.
(ii) To operate without written authorization by Douglas County, a motorized vehicle upon any roadway located on Park or Open Space that is designated a “service road.”
(iii) Except during lighted sporting events, or with written permission from the Director of the Division of Parks and Trails or the Director of the Division of Open Space and Natural Resources, to park or leave unattended any vehicle on any Park or Open Space at any time between one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise.
H. To park vehicles or trailers on any County Facility, Park or Open Space where prohibited or in such a manner as to create a hazard to vehicular, pedestrian, equestrian, or bicycle traffic, except at an approved special event.
I. To camp overnight, or to park a trailer or camper for overnight camping purposes, on any Park or Open Space, except in areas which are designated for camping; or to camp, or to park a trailer or camper, in such a designated area for a period of time in excess of the posted or permitted limits, except for an approved special event.
J. To enter, use or occupy Park and Open Space between the hours of one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise, except when such entry, use or occupancy is within a designated active regional or local park where recreational activities may be allowed until 11:00 p.m., or when such entry, use or occupancy is authorized in writing by the Director of the Douglas County Division of Parks and Trails or the Director of the Douglas County Division of Open Space and Natural Resources.
K. (i) To molest, harm, chase or otherwise harass any livestock on any Park or Open Space.
(ii) To allow domestic pets to molest, harm, chase or otherwise harass any livestock upon any Park or Open Space.
(iii) To turn livestock onto or to negligently or intentionally allow livestock to graze upon any Park or Open Space without written permission of the County.
L. To swim or wade in waters within any Park or Open Space, except in designated areas.
M. (i) To operate any boat or other flotation device on waters within any Park or Open Space, except in designated areas.
(ii) To anchor or beach boats unattended overnight on any Park or Open Space or waters, except in designated areas.
(iii) To launch any boat from a trailer, car, truck or any other conveyance on any Park or Open Space, except in designated launch areas.
N. (i) To engage in any activity on any Park or Open Space that unreasonably endangers the health, safety, and welfare of any person, animal or property.
(ii) To engage in disorderly conduct, as defined in § 18-9-106, C.R.S.
O. To conduct any commercial activity, or provide any service, product or activity for which a fee is charged, on any County Facility, Park or Open Space, except when such activity is authorized in writing by Douglas County.
P. (i) To fail to restrain any dog, cat, horse, or other domestic animal that one owns or that is in one’s custody, care, or control, by use of a leash, cord, or rope not to exceed 10 feet in length, on any County Facility, Park or Open Space, except in designated areas, except when such animals are participating in events authorized by Douglas County.
(ii) To allow any vicious dog, as that term is defined in Douglas County Resolution No. R-998-100, onto any County Facility, Park or Open Space.
(iii) To leave unattended on any County Facility, Park or Open Space any dog, cat, horse, or other domestic animal that one owns or that is in one’s custody, care, or control, except when such animals are participating in events authorized by Douglas County.
(iv) To bring any dog, cat, horse, or other domestic animal that one owns or that is in one’s custody, care, or control, into the Columbine Open Space property and the Sharptail Ridge Open Space property, except where permitted by signs.
(v) Any person who brings a dog into a Park or Open Space land shall pick up, carry out and dispose of that dog’s excrement.
(vi) The Director of the Douglas County Division of Parks and Trails may authorize dogs, cats, horses and other animals in the Highland Heritage Regional Park for special events, subject to those conditions deemed necessary by the Director to protect the public health and safety.
Q. To exceed the speed of 20 miles per hour, or as otherwise posted, on all roadways and parking areas on any Park or Open Space.
R. For any person to consume alcohol beverages in excess of 3.2% on any County Facility, Park or Open Space, except on liquor licensed premises.
S. To carry, possess or discard any glass container or bottle on any Park or Open Space.
T. To walk, run, jog, hike, bicycle, or ride a horse off-trail, on any Park or Open Space that contain any trail, except under the immediate direction and control of a Douglas County employee or an authorized Douglas County Parks or Open Space volunteer, unless otherwise designated.
U. To interfere or attempt to interfere with any Park Ranger, other County employee, contractor, or volunteer while in the performance of their official duties, or to give false or misleading information with the intent to mislead said person in the performance of their duties.
V. Except in designated areas, to ride a skateboard or similar device on any driveways, parking lots, sidewalks, curbs, picnic areas, patios, courtyards, steps and other paved surfaced on any County Facility. This prohibition shall not apply to public sidewalks running adjacent and parallel to a public street, designated skateboard areas, or to County-approved skateboarding events, competitions and demonstrations.
W. Where “No Smoking” signs are posted at every entrance to a County Facility, with letters no smaller than 1” high or the international “No Smoking” symbol no smaller than 3” high, to smoke within any County Facility, or within 100 feet of any entrance to any County Facility, except in areas specifically designated as smoking areas.
For a complete copy of the Approved Resolution please contact the Douglas County Clerk and Recorder’s Office at 303-660-7446.