The Alamosa City Council voted unanimously on all business at its May 20 regular meeting, approving four automated photo radar speed enforcement corridors, adopting a lighting ordinance update, and advancing two new ordinances on first reading — one targeting a loophole in the city’s semi-truck parking ban and another establishing fines for building code violations.
The council met May 20, 2026, at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers at 300 Hunt Avenue. Mayor Ty Coleman presided. Councilors Jackie Vigil, Jan Vigil, Liz Hensley, and Dawn Krebs were present; Councilor Michael Carson was excused. No members of the public submitted comment cards, and no one requested to speak during either of the evening’s two public hearings.
Photo Radar Coming to Four Corridors
Police Chief George Dingfelder presented Resolution No. 8-2026, establishing four AVIS corridors for automated speed enforcement. The designated corridors are Main Street (U.S. 160) between Denver Avenue and Cielo Azul; 6th Street (U.S. 160) between Edgemont Boulevard and Denver Avenue; Craft Drive between Main Street and County Road 8 South; and State Avenue between Main Street and Airport Road.
Dingfelder said three years of crash data and independent traffic studies drove the corridor selections. Studies found 930 vehicles per day speeding at 7 mph over the limit on Main Street between Bell and Alamosa avenues, and 984 vehicles per day on Craft Drive north of Tremont Street. Staff recommended a 7 mph enforcement threshold, citing the physics of kinetic energy — a 1 mph difference at speed produces a significant increase in crash impact force.
Violations under 10 mph over the limit draw a warning on the first offense and a citation of up to $40 on the second. Violations of 10 mph or more are ticketable on the first offense. A 30-day warning period precedes any citations. Dingfelder said the contract with vendor Altumint makes the program cost-neutral to the city.
The two corridors on U.S. 160 — Main Street and 6th Street — require CDOT permits before cameras can be installed. Craft Drive and State Avenue are city streets and need no state approval. The council adopted the resolution unanimously.
Semi-Truck Parking Loophole Gets Closed
City Attorney Erich Schwiesow presented Ordinance No. 15-2026 on first reading, targeting what he called a “grammatical incongruity” in the city’s 1996 ban on semi trucks in residential zones. The current code prohibits parking a semi tractor pulling a trailer in a residential zone — but technically permits parking a tractor alone, a trailer alone, or both with just enough separation that the tractor is not actively pulling.
The flaw surfaced when code enforcement responded to a complaint about two semi tractors parked near each other in a residential neighborhood. One sat on a private driveway, the other on the street. When the city contacted the driveway owner, the only practical result was the tractor moving to the street — where current code allows it. Mayor Coleman asked whether the revised ordinance would reach private driveways; Schwiesow clarified it addresses street parking, consistent with the original 1996 intent. The council approved first reading unanimously and set a public hearing for June 3 at 7 p.m.
Property Maintenance Fines Established
Schwiesow also presented Ordinance No. 14-2026 on first reading, establishing a $100-per-day fine for violations of the International Property Maintenance Code. He said fines are needed as a compliance tool because IPMC building violations — unlike weeds and trash — carry no mechanism allowing the city to place a super-priority lien on property to recover cleanup costs. The $100 daily rate was kept deliberately low to avoid unreasonable totals as a case works through notice, citation, and court proceedings. Prosecutors and the municipal judge retain discretion to reduce or waive fines based on compliance efforts. The council approved first reading unanimously and set a public hearing for June 3.
Lighting Standards Updated
The council gave final approval to Ordinance No. 12-2026, amending the Unified Development Code’s lighting standards. Development Services Director Rachel James said the changes are more permissive than prior standards: permitted private lighting increases from 500 to 1,100 lumens, a new public lighting category allows up to 15,000 lumens for parks and streets, and the permitted color temperature rises from 3,000K to 5,000K. James described the update as a reasonable balance between business needs and protection of the city’s dark skies. Councilor Hensley thanked staff for the work and the compromise reached with the business community. The council adopted the ordinance unanimously.
Indigent Defense Ordinance Adopted
The council gave final approval to Ordinance No. 13-2026, asserting the city’s home rule authority to procure indigent defense counsel under its own procurement code rather than at the rate set by HB 26-1134, a new state law driven by Front Range compensation levels. City Attorney Schwiesow said the city’s current counsel charges below the state rate; compliance would cost roughly $2,000 more per year. The council adopted the ordinance unanimously.
Bucket Truck Purchase Authorized
The council authorized up to $120,000 for a replacement bucket truck for the Parks Division after Public Works Director Harry Reynolds disclosed that the city’s current 2000-model truck had not been receiving required annual safety inspections and certifications. Parts for the 26-year-old unit are increasingly obsolete. The truck is used to hang downtown banners, install and remove holiday decorations, and trim trees.
Reynolds said funding would come from delaying Community Recreation Fund CIP projects, with the Recreation Advisory Board to weigh in on which projects are pushed back. Jan Vigil suggested — attributing the idea to former Councilor Charlie Griego — that the city offer the old truck to a neighboring San Luis Valley community before going to public auction if bids fall below a certain threshold. Reynolds said staff is sensitive to keeping equipment in the Valley.
Consent Calendar and Sponsorships
The council approved Consent Calendar A without discussion, including up to $13,000 for repairs to the Cattails Restaurant exhaust hood and up to an additional $25,000 toward the Fairgrounds Power Improvement Project. The fairgrounds project grew from a $15,000 estimate to $35,000 after an electrical engineer’s site assessment; staff said the increase was a public safety matter with the RoundUp Rodeo scheduled for mid-June.
The council also authorized $5,000 in second-cycle sponsorships to ten community organizations, including $1,000 to the Alamosa Farmers’ Market and $750 to SLV Pride Fest. Jan Vigil cautioned that as more organizations learn about the fund, individual awards will likely shrink and encouraged longer-standing recipients to expect less going forward.
Habitat for Humanity Funding Report
Audrey Liu, Executive Director of San Luis Valley Habitat for Humanity, presented the organization’s annual outside funding report. Liu said the city’s funding is being used toward windows and doors for a low-income family’s home. She said Habitat collects over $60,000 annually in mortgage payments from all partner families, reinvested to build the next home, and that homeowners contribute more than $10,000 in combined annual property taxes. Councilor Jackie Vigil, who serves on the Habitat board, praised the organization’s work. Councilor Krebs encouraged community members to volunteer, saying no particular skill set is required.
Public Works Proclamation
The council recognized National Public Works Week, May 17–23, with a proclamation honoring the department’s work across transportation, water, and solid waste. Public Works Director Reynolds accepted on behalf of his department.
Staff and Committee Reports
Reynolds reported that the city’s 12th Street municipal well suffered a seal failure in April and required emergency repairs; the well is back in service but will need further work in the upcoming CIP, and a budget amendment may be needed at year’s end. He also reported that a new $174,000 recycling baler — purchased through a grant secured by a Development Services staff member — became operational the same day, describing it as essential to the city’s ability to compress and move recycling volume.
City Manager Heather Sanchez told the council that the Gingerbread House daycare, which leases city land near the cemetery on 20th Street, needs to expand its footprint to 2.34 acres after engineers determined the originally approved acreage cannot accommodate a new modular build-out. No formal action was required. Sanchez also reminded council that the Colorado Municipal League district meeting the following Wednesday in La Jara means no council meeting that week.
Councilor Hensley reported attending the Comprehensive Plan Committee meeting in place of Jan Vigil, describing it as productive, and noted public engagement events scheduled for June 3–5 on the city’s website.
In council comments, Jan Vigil offered condolences to the family of Maxine Baker, an English teacher at Alamosa High School who had recently passed away, and congratulated graduating seniors. Mayor Coleman recognized participants in the Alamosa County Arts and Awards Gala.
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