Grand Junction Looks To Add More Restrictions In 2019

In early 2019 the Grand Junction City Council plans to address several issues.

In the New Year, the city's first order of business is to look at making changes to several ordinances including, public smoking, drinking, and camping.

First, did you know that you can drink 3.2 beer in public places including city parks? I assumed there was a total ban on alcohol as it is in most places. Now that 3.2 is going away, the Grand Junction City Council looks to revise the law. The plan is to go ahead and make alcohol of any kind prohibited unless you have a special use permit.

Smoking is banned almost everywhere including public parks. Now, the city hopes to prohibit the use of e-cigs and vapes in public places, city parks, and the Riverfront Trail. City park hours will change too. Parks that previously closed at 10:30 PM will now close at 10 PM.

Finally, the city hopes to amend its ban on camping in public places. The ordinance would change to include a ban on sleeping on public sidewalks, streets, parking strips, and alleys. The proposed change also states that if an officer discovers someone camping, that camper must leave and remove their personal items within 24 hours.

Are you ok with the added restrictions? The City Council will decide whether to enact the changes at their January 16th meeting. It's open to the public and you're welcome to share your thoughts on the proposed changes.

Credit: The Daily Sentinel