Recreational Facilities Districts

C.R.S. tit. 29, art. 7

in effect

C.R.S. § 29-7-101 City or county may own and operate

29-7-101. City or county may own and operate. (1) Any city, town, village, county, metropolitan recreational district, or park and recreation district organized under article 1 of title 32, C.R.S., may acquire, sell, own, exchange, and operate public recreation facilities, open space and parklands, playgrounds, and television relay and translator facilities; acquire, equip, and maintain land, buildings, or other recreational facilities either within or without the corporate limits of such city, town, village, or county; and expend funds therefor and for all purposes connected therewith. (2) Any county through its board of county commissioners shall have the power, authority, and jurisdiction to regulate and control public recreation lands and facilities owned or operated by the county by the promulgation of rules and regulations pursuant to a lawfully adopted resolution. The rules and regulations may include but are not limited to the following: Removal, destruction, mutilation, or defacing of any natural object or man-made object owned by the county; explosives or any form of firearm; animal control; any public use, including boating, fishing, camping, or hunting; and polluting or littering. Any person violating any rule or regulation lawfully adopted pursuant to this subsection (2) commits a civil infraction. It is the duty of the sheriff and the sheriff's undersheriff and deputies, in their respective counties, as well as any county enforcement personnel authorized and appointed as described in subsection (3) of this section, to enforce the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this subsection (2), and the county courts in their respective counties have jurisdiction in the prosecution of any violation of a rule or regulation adopted pursuant to this subsection (2). If authorized by resolution, the penalty assessment procedure provided in section 16-2-201 may be followed by any arresting law enforcement officer for any violation of a rule or regulation adopted pursuant to this subsection (2). As part of a resolution authorizing the penalty assessment procedure, the board of county commissioners may adopt a graduated fine schedule for violations. The graduated fine schedule may provide for increased penalty assessments for repeat offenses by the same person. All fines and forfeitures for the violation of county regulations adopted pursuant to this subsection (2) shall be paid into the treasury of the county at such times and in such manner as may be prescribed by resolution; or, if there is no resolution providing for the payment, they shall be paid to the county treasurer at once. (3) (a) In addition to the enforcement of the rules and regulations by the sheriff, an undersheriff, or a deputy sheriff, a board of county commissioners may by resolution designate specific other county personnel, however titled or administratively assigned, to enforce rules and regulations duly adopted by the county to control and regulate the use of county public lands and recreation facilities, by issuance of citations or summonses and complaints. (b) Personnel designated pursuant to this subsection (3): (I) Shall not be subject to peace officer certification or any other requirements of part 3 of article 31 of title 24, C.R.S.; (II) Shall be included within the definition of "peace officer or firefighter engaged in the performance of his or her duties" found in section 18-3-201 (2), C.R.S.; and (III) Shall not have the power to arrest or to execute warrants and shall not have authority to enforce any other resolution, ordinance, or statute, unless otherwise provided by law.

C.R.S. § 29-7-102 School district may own and operate

29-7-102. School district may own and operate. (1) Any school district may operate a system of public recreation and playgrounds and television relay translator facilities and may exercise all other powers enumerated in section 29-7-101. (2) (a) In addition to all other powers and duties that may be conferred by subsection (1) of this section and section 29-7-101, the board of education of a school district that is also a special district, as defined in section 29-21-101 (1)(g), and that began levying a tax for the operation and maintenance of a system of public recreation and playgrounds prior to August 4, 1999, may continue to levy such tax for said purposes, subject to the limitations set forth in paragraph (b) of this subsection (2). (b) The board of education of a school district that is also a special district, as defined in section 29-21-101 (1)(g), shall submit, after notice, the question of either an imposition of a new tax after August 4, 1999, or any increase in the existing tax levy after said date for the operation and maintenance of a system of public recreation and playgrounds not previously established by resolution or ordinance, nor previously approved by a vote of the registered electors residing in the school district, to a vote of said registered electors at the next general election or the first Tuesday in November of odd-numbered years or on the school district's biennial election date. (c) Following a vote by the registered electors residing in the school district that sets a maximum tax levy for the operation and maintenance of a system of public recreation and playgrounds, such tax levy shall remain in effect, subject to the requirements of section 29-1-301, until the registered electors residing in the school district have established a change in the levy by subsequent vote pursuant to the provisions of this section. A school district that is also a special district, as defined in section 29-21-101 (1)(g), and that began levying a tax for the operation and maintenance of a system of public recreation and playgrounds prior to August 4, 1999, may continue such levy until the registered electors residing in the school district have established a change in the levy by subsequent vote pursuant to the provisions of this section.

C.R.S. § 29-7-103 Operation - admission fees

29-7-103. Operation - admission fees. Any city, town, village, county, or school district may operate such a system independently or may cooperate in its conduct in any manner which is mutually agreed upon or may delegate the operation of the system to a recreation board created by any or all of them and appropriate money voted for this purpose to such board, and it may make charges and require the payment of fees for the admission to and use and enjoyment of such recreation facilities and playgrounds.

C.R.S. § 29-7-104 Powers - eminent domain

29-7-104. Powers - eminent domain. Any municipal corporation or board given charge of the recreation system is authorized to conduct its activities on property under its custody and management; other public property under the custody of other municipal corporations or boards with the consent of such corporations or boards; and private property with the consent of the owners or without such consent as provided in this section. It has authority to accept gifts and bequests for the benefit of the recreational service, employ supervisors and directors of the recreational service and employ supervisors and directors of recreational work, take private property for the aforesaid purposes without the owner's consent upon payment of just compensation, and exercise the right of eminent domain in accordance with the provisions of articles 1 to 7 of title 38, C.R.S., and other applicable laws and statutes.

C.R.S. § 29-7-105 Funds for television facilities

29-7-105. Funds for television facilities. Any county, city and county, city, town, village, school district, or recreational district may receive funds from any private or public source for the purpose of constructing and operating such television transmission and relay booster facilities.

C.R.S. § 29-7-106 Tax limitations not to apply

29-7-106. Tax limitations not to apply. No tax levy for the purposes of television relay or translator facilities as specified in sections 29-7-101, 29-7-102, and 29-7-105 and 32-1-1005 (1)(a), C.R.S., shall be within the limitations prescribed for any county, city, city and county, town, village, school district, or recreation district.

C.R.S. § 29-7-107 Recreational facility defined

29-7-107. Recreational facility defined. "Recreational facility" or "recreational system" as used in this article includes such land or interest in land as may be necessary, suitable, or proper for park or recreational purposes or for the preservation or conservation of sites, scenes, open space, and vistas of scientific, historic, aesthetic, or other public interest. The term "interests in land" as used in this section means and includes all rights and interests in land less than the full fee interest, including but not limited to future interests, easements, covenants, and contractual rights. Every such interest in land held pursuant to this article when recorded shall run with the land to which it pertains for the benefit of the political subdivision holding such interest and may be protected and enforced by such subdivision in any court of general jurisdiction by any proceeding known at law or in equity.

C.R.S. § 29-7-108 Political subdivisions may unite in owning or operating recreational facilities

29-7-108. Political subdivisions may unite in owning or operating recreational facilities. Any political subdivision of this state authorized under this article to own or operate a recreational facility may unite with any other similarly authorized political subdivision in owning or operating any recreational facility.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2024-title-29.docxFetched: 10/6/2026