County issuing Kebler parking permits October 31

Permitting system will remain same as last year

[  By Katherine Nettles  ]

It’s that time of year when the snow starts to fly, and for Irwin residents that also means it’s time to plan for snowmobiling in and out of their homesites. With limited parking at the U.S. Forest Service parking lots at the Kebler winter trailhead, the number of overnight parking permits Gunnison County issues each winter is also limited. After discussion on October 18 with staff and an Irwin residential representative, Gunnison County Commissioners decided that for the upcoming winter the permitting process should remain the same as it was in 2021, and the county will therefore begin issuing permits to those eligible beginning October 31.

Gunnison County assistant county manager for public works Martin Schmidt presented his recommendation to commissioners, and being relatively new to his position in public works, Schmidt said he had researched the county’s permitting system and its history dating back to the 1990s. He concluded that there is a relatively consistent approach in place to maintain for the time being and recommended two permits offered per permitted residence, one snowmobile trailer tag per vehicle permit, and up to five snowmobile tags per residence.

Permits will be issued for vehicles, trailers and snowmobiles, on a first-come, first-served basis, beginning Monday, Oct. 31 at 7 a.m. Ticketing and towing of unpermitted vehicles and trailers would begin on December 9. Permits will be attached to building/septic permits as in previous years, to ensure compliance with building codes.

Schmidt and commissioner Roland Mason reviewed how a potential land exchange between the Forest Service, Gunnison County and Mount Emmons Mining Company (MEMC) to facilitate a permanent mineral withdraw for Mt. Emmons/Red Lady could transfer the two separate Kebler trailhead parking lots, one designated for day use and one for overnight residential parking, from the Forest Service to the county. The agreement has been in the works for several months but there are still some details to be worked out between the parties. 

“We are making a decision today about this year’s process. We actually have a meeting with commissioners coming up to discuss how that might be altered in the event of a land exchange,” said Schmidt.

Trailer parking permits will be available again this year since the legal question in place last year (the trailer parking was on contested land) has been cleared up. Permits will cost $125 apiece, but Schmidt noted, “This doesn’t cover the cost,” and is based on what has been done in the past. 

Kristy Murrin, vice president of the Irwin Community Association, spoke to the limited parking, spacing issues and expectations of further growth. 

There are 56 parking spaces available, and she suggested that some homeowners obtain permits and don’t use them, and spots shrink because of snow build-up. “Really establishing good communication, so if residents need to clear those vehicles out within a day,” she said, would be helpful between the county, Forest Service and residents. She said if plowing was not available for a time and then parking spaces get smaller, leniency on roadside parking would be appreciated. “The threat of being towed,” she said, is stressful. Another challenge with the first-come, first-served permit approach is that some people get permits for just the Christmas season when they visit, and full-time residents are at risk of missing out on their permit. 

County attorney Matthew Hoyt said there is no legal way to prioritize full-time residents versus part-time users. “So this is the best way,” Hoyt said, though it is not perfect.

Murrin said the community is growing, even in full-time residents. She listed three new homes being built in the next year for full-time use, predicting “I can see the number of residents there doubling.”

She said she and other residents have appreciated the improved parking areas and communication over the last couple years, and that getting two permits per house is important because so many people have roommates. 

Mason said that if the land exchange comes through, the county will have more freedom to work on many of the issues she had raised. In the meantime, commissioners approved of the winter trailhead plan as presented.