Gentlemen, don’t start your engines in CB

Idling Ordinance

Based on a number of aesthetic, health and environmental reasons, the Crested Butte Town Council will consider an “anti-idling” ordinance at the July 18 council meeting.

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At their Tuesday, July 5 meeting, the council debated the merits of such an ordinance, brought up by departed building department administrator Philip Supino.
“There are quite a few exemptions in the proposed ordinance and it makes more sense than I thought it would,” said mayor Leah Williams.
“I don’t want to regulate people’s behavior,” said councilperson John Wirsing. “The majority of the town is conscientious of the problem. I don’t want a tourist to have a negative experience over this either. If he gets here and it’s cold and he leaves his truck running when he goes in the grocery and gets a ticket, that’s not a good experience. It is more a social and environmental awareness issue. Not a law-making issue.”
“It’s a statement ordinance,” summed up councilperson Jim Schmidt. “It says this is what we would like to see. I can’t see it being enforced hardly at all unless a situation is egregious.”
“I agree with Jim. It would be a nightmare to enforce,” said councilmember Dan Escalante. “It seems a more educational type of ordinance. As far as laying out tickets, hopefully that wouldn’t be the case.”
“It is really designed to deal with the most egregious situations in this arena,” said town building official Bob Gillie.
“There are quite a few exemptions, like allowing your vehicle to idle so it clears your windshield in the winter. That’s a safety issue,” said Williams.
“There are so many exemptions it seems a little ridiculous,” said councilperson Roland Mason. “It makes it hard to enforce.’
Escalante asked for more information on how such ordinances are working out in other resort communities. The council will consider the ordinance and the public will be allowed to comment on the issue at the public hearing phase scheduled for Monday, July 18.