Colorado § 33-10-118 - Division to study access to state parks.

§ 33-10-118. Division to study access to state parks.

(1) The division shall collaborate with local governments to identify:

(a) Deficits or potential deficits with local transportation infrastructure and services used by visitors to access state parks; and

(b) Sources of funding and partnerships to address the deficits or potential deficits described in subsection (1)(a) of this section.

(2) In studying the issues described in subsection (1) of this section, the division shall consider:

(a) The use of and effect on local transportation infrastructure and services of visitors traveling to and from state parks;

(b) Infrastructure costs incurred by local governments in supporting the state in managing state parks and the appropriateness of the division or other persons, including users, to help support infrastructure funding;

(c) Economic and community benefits and negative effects of state parks on local economies and the difference in benefits and effects incurred by counties and municipalities;

(d) Existing local government revenue, including fees, assessments, and taxes, and payments by the division in lieu of taxes that are available to:

(I) Develop and maintain transportation infrastructure; or

(II) Provide transportation services related to recreation;

(e) Methods of providing guidance to determine which local access routes should be eligible for any identified funding;

(f) Past examples of issues with providing local transportation infrastructure and services used to access state-managed recreational land and opportunities to work with the division in addressing those issues both at the inception stage and over the lifespan of the state park;

(g) Current resources available for and dedicated to a community's local transportation infrastructure and services for a baseline of existing maintenance budgets, new sources of funding or partnerships to assist in the maintenance of local access routes to and from state parks, and the predictability and reliability of the sources;

(h) The local government's financial demands of maintaining transportation infrastructure and services needed to access state parks in relationship to the financial demands of maintaining other local transportation infrastructure and services within the local jurisdiction; and

(i) The effects of local transportation conditions on local access routes serving state parks on the visitor experience.

(3) When performing the initial study required in subsection (2) of this section, the division shall seek input from the department of transportation and the department of local affairs before completing the study.

(4) The division shall complete the study described in this section and make legislative recommendations to the general assembly by November 1, 2024. The recommendations must include sources for funding or partnerships to assist in the maintenance of local transportation infrastructure and services associated with state parks.

Source: L. 2023: Entire section added, (SB 23-059), ch. 223, p. 1153, § 2, effective August 7.

Cross references: For the legislative declaration in SB 23-059, see section 1 of chapter 223, Session Laws of Colorado 2023.