Larimer Hearing on Proposed Changes to Annual Vehicle and Boating Permits

6/4/2012

The Board of Larimer County Commissioners will hold a Public Hearing on Monday, June 11th at 6:30pm for proposed changes to the Natural Resources Department’s Annual Vehicle and Boating Permits. The Hearing takes place in the 1st floor Hearing Room, 200 West Oak Street, Larimer County Courthouse Offices Building, Fort Collins. The meeting will be televised on local government (14, 16) cable channels and streamed on the Internet at: http://larimer.org/bcc/broadcast.cfm.

The Department of Natural Resources is proposing a new annual vehicle permit and new annual boating permit structure for 2013. Entrance/use permits are required for Horsetooth Reservoir, Carter Lake, Flatiron Reservoir, Pinewood Reservoir, Ramsay-Shockey Open Space, Horsetooth Mountain Open Space, and Hermit Park Open Space.

The current annual vehicle permit and annual boat permit are not transferable among vehicles, and are valid only for the calendar year, no matter when a permit is purchased. The current cost is $65 each for a Larimer County resident and $85 each for a non-resident. The department conducted an online survey where citizens could answer questions pertaining to the current fee structure. The majority of citizens answered in favor of an annual vehicle permit and annual boat permit that were both transferable and also valid from the date of purchase for an entire year.

The proposed, new annual vehicle permit and annual boating permit would be offered in 2013 at a cost of $75.00 each for Larimer County residents and $95 each to out-of-county visitors. The permit would be valid for an entire year from the date of purchase and also transferable among vehicles within the same household.

Also proposed is the discontinuance of the paddling permit (non-motorized, non-registered vessels such as canoes and kayaks would no longer require a permit) and the separate permit requirements for more than one vessel on a trailer. These proposals were recommended for approval by the Parks Advisory Board at its May, 2012, meeting. For more information about Larimer Larimer County’s parks and open spaces, www.larimer.org/naturalresources.