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Routt County commissioners want a more comprehensive plan for winter recreation in North Routt County before changing specific rules.

The Routt County Board of Commissioners decided earlier this week that it wants to wait before changing a 12-year-old rule that allows snowmobiles on parts of Routt County roads 129 and 62.

Residents of Columbine have complained that snowmobiles using a groomed shoulder of C.R. 129 create noise, smell and potential safety problems.

County commissioners considered the rule, which also sets fines for speeding and other snowmobile violations, at a meeting Monday. They decided that the entire issue of winter recreation in North Routt County might need to be considered before changing the ordinance, county planner Chad Phillips said.

"If you solve one problem, it could exacerbate another problem," Phillips said.

County commissioners did agree that the fines for violations needed to be updated, County Manager Tom Sullivan said.

Looking at the bigger recreation picture means involving the U.S. Forest Service, which has delayed efforts to update its winter recreation management plan for North Routt County because of a lack of funding.

The county has been working on an update to the recreation section of its Upper Elk River Valley Community Plan, which originally was meant to parallel the Forest Service's update. When the Forest Service's work was halted, the county continued forward.

The Forest Service, along with Routt County and Colorado State Parks, applied for a $70,000 Great Outdoors Colorado grant to help the Forest Service update its winter recreation plan for North Routt. They recently learned that the grant request was denied, Phillips said.

Forest Service officials could not be reached for comment.

One idea that the county would like to pursue with the Forest Service is building a parking lot about one mile up Forest Service Road 550 from the current Columbine Quarry parking area, Phillips said. That would move snowmobiles onto public land, reducing effects on private property, he said."Most people impact private property to get to public land and the groomed trail system," he said.

That idea would require a parking lot as well as an agreement for the county to plow F.S. 550 up to the lot, and has not yet been presented to the Forest Service.

Another important issue that needs to be addressed is the placement of signs directing snowmobilers where to go, he said.

The original rule allowing snowmobiles on C.R. 129 and C.R. 62 was written so Columbine residents could get supplies and gas during the winter when the road was not plowed. Now the road is plowed, so the ordinance may not be needed. When they consider the rule again, county commissioners could decide to allow snowmobiles on only the shoulders of the roads, Phillips said.

-- To reach Susan Cunningham, call 871-4203 or e-mail sbacon@steamboatpilot.com