Tents, tarps, and tough choices: - The World Journal

by Ruth Stodghill

TRINIDAD — During a March 10 work session that veered between pragmatic policymaking and moral hand-wringing, the Trinidad City Council dissected a proposed ban on camping citywide—one that left leaders wrestling with enforcement logistics, humanitarian concerns, and the ghosts of ineffective solutions past.

The ordinance would prohibit camping on all public property—including parks, trails, and river embankments—between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. It targets semi-permanent encampments that officials called “health hazards,” citing trash, drug paraphernalia, and makeshift latrines. But the debate revealed a council torn between residents’ demands for action and fears of displacing vulnerable populations with nowhere to go.

The case for a crackdown

During discussion of the proposed ordinance, council member Manny Trujillo said while the issue is complicated, homelessness has impacted Trinidad’s image and safety, noting four recent fires in abandoned buildings in his neighborhood sparked by those seeking shelter.

Howard Lackey, a local advocate for the Purgatoire River, referenced ongoing issues with trash and refuse accumulating due to homeless encampments along the river bottom areas. “We had a cleanup last weekend,” Lackey said. “Little kids couldn’t go into certain areas because of the health hazards.”

Interim City Manager Mike Valentine said officers at the Trinidad Police Department need an ordinance with more clarity in order to enforce the current ban on the use of city parks between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. According to the proposal, the ordinance would define camping as sleeping outdoors, storing belongings, or erecting shelters like tents—a deliberate effort on the part of the city to dismantle long-term setups.

Compassion vs. “Kicking the can”

Despite calls for action, concerns ran deep among some on the council. Council member Erin Ogletree pressed for clarification on winter enforcement of such a camping ban, asking, “If there’s a storm and someone shelters under a tarp, are we really sending police to remove them? That’s inhumane.” Others warned the ban would simply push campers to alleys or private property, with council member Trujillo saying, “It’s hard to balance. Where are they [those experiencing homelessness] going to go? What resources do we have?”

Mayor Karen Griego acknowledged the ordinance is not a cure-all, urging a comprehensive plan including a designated safe camping site—although such a site is still in the planning stages.

“I keep thinking about the homelessness encampment,” said Griego. “How long is it going to take for us to put that up? Do we have the money to do it? We’ve got to. Sitting on our hands and not doing anything is our next option–and then by the time tourist season gets here, we’re going to have tents all the way up and down Main and Commercial.”

The devil in the details

The draft ordinance carves out exceptions for “government-authorized” camping but leaves that term undefined—a gap Ogletree flagged as a loophole. “Who decides what’s authorized? If a winter storm hits, does the city suddenly issue permits?”

Griego also pressed for specifics, asking, “Who’s going to do the enforcing? How do we ensure thisdoesn’t become a game of moving people from one public area to another?”

Despite these lingering questions, Trujillo wrapped up the discussion by saying the city’s efforts to draft an ordinance were a move in the right direction: “This is a good step. We need to realize that as a collaborative, we can’t give up. There’s other steps we can take, and we’ve just got to keep moving forward.”

Monument Lake season recap

Also during the meeting, the council heard an update on Monument Lake. In the past year, completed upgrades to the lake’s facilities included converting the historic bathhouse into employee housing, installing upgraded electrical systems (including 50-amp RV services), and reclaiming materials from a collapsed cabin for reuse. Marketing efforts included a televised fly-fishing segment and social media campaigns generating 3.2 million impressions. For 2025, plans include resurfacing and painting facilities, expanding ultra-primitive campgrounds on the Upper West Road, adjusting lodging pricing (lowering weekday rates and raising weekend rates), and continuing the popular Caveman Music Festival.

Proposed river access ordinance

The council reviewed a draft ordinance to regulate commercial and recreational use of the Purgatoire River corridor, requiring permits for guided activities (e.g., rafting, fishing) and river-related projects. The ordinance aims to coordinate efforts with agencies like Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Purgatoire River Water Conservancy District, address safety and environmental concerns, and align with ongoing river visioning plans. The ordinance would formalize management of the river as a recreational asset while ensuring compliance with state and federal guidelines.

Water project

During a special meeting following the work session, the council approved a professional services agreement with GMS Engineering to design and seek grant funding for replacing a deteriorating 100-year-old, 24-inch steel transmission line along Old Sopris Road. Public Works Director Bob Just emphasized the line’s vulnerability, citing a recent emergency repair and structural instability where the pipe crosses arroyos. The project aims to leverage remaining funds from the city’s State Revolving Fund (SRF) allocation (originally for water tank rehabilitation), reallocating up to $1.78 million as a 50% match for a Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) grant due April 1, 2025. GMS will handle engineering, grant applications, and route planning to relocate the pipeline to county right-of-way, reducing reliance on aging infrastructure and mitigating future water rate hikes.