C.R.S. Section 30-11-101
Powers of counties


(1)

Each organized county within the state is a body corporate and politic and as such is empowered for the following purposes:

(a)

To sue and be sued;

(b)

To purchase and hold real and personal property for the use of the county, and acquire lands sold for taxes, as provided by law;

(c)

To sell, convey, or exchange any real or personal property owned by the county and make such order respecting the same as may be deemed conducive to the interests of the inhabitants; and to lease any real or personal property, either as lessor or lessee, together with any facilities thereon, when deemed by the board of county commissioners to be in the best interests of the county and its inhabitants;

(d)

To make all contracts and do all other acts in relation to the property and concerns necessary to the exercise of its corporate or administrative powers. Any such contract may by its terms exceed one year and shall be binding upon the parties thereto as to all of its rights, duties, and obligations.

(e)

To exercise such other and further powers as may be especially conferred by law;

(f)

To develop, maintain, and operate mass transportation systems, which power shall be vested either individually in the board of county commissioners or jointly with other political subdivisions or governmental entities formed pursuant to the provisions of part 2 of article 1 of title 29, C.R.S. Except as provided in paragraph (j) of this subsection (1), this provision shall not apply to any county or portion thereof encompassed by the regional transportation district as formed pursuant to the provisions of article 9 of title 32, C.R.S. Counties, by ordinance adopted, administered, and enforced in accordance with part 4 of article 15 of this title, shall have the authority: To fix, maintain, and revise passenger fees, rates, and charges, and terms and conditions for such systems; to prescribe the method of development, maintenance, and operation of such mass transportation systems; and to receive contributions, gifts, or other support from public and private entities to defray the operating costs of such systems.

(g)

To provide for the payment of construction, installation, operation, and maintenance of street lighting by ordinance adopted, administered, and enforced in accordance with part 4 of article 15 of this title and to assess, either in whole or in part, the cost of constructing, installing, operating, and maintaining such street lighting against the property in the vicinity of such street lighting in proportion to the frontage of the property abutting the road, street, or alley where such street lighting is so constructed, installed, operated, and maintained;

(h)

To enter into contracts with the executive director of the department of corrections pursuant to section 16-11-308.5, C.R.S., for the placement of persons under the custody of the executive director in county jails or adult detention centers;

(i)

To dispose of abandoned personal property acquired by an elected county official or county employee in performing official duties. Said personal property may be disposed of only after the exercise of due diligence to determine the owner of such personal property. Such personal property may be sold, discarded, or used for county purposes as the board of county commissioners deems to be in the best interests of the county.

(j)

For any county located in whole or in part within the boundaries of the regional transportation district, to provide transit services in cooperation with and pursuant to consultation with the board of directors of the district. For purposes of this paragraph (j), “county” means any county or city and county.

(k)

To coordinate, pursuant to 43 U.S.C. sec. 1712, the “National Environmental Policy Act of 1969”, 42 U.S.C. sec. 4321 et seq., 40 U.S.C. sec. 3312, 16 U.S.C. sec. 530, 16 U.S.C. sec. 1604, and 40 CFR parts 1500 to 1508, with the United States secretary of the interior and the United States secretary of agriculture to develop land management plans that address hazardous fuel removal and other forest management practices, water development and conservation measures, watershed protection, the protection of air quality, public utilities protection, and private property protection on federal lands within such county’s jurisdiction;

(l)

To conduct or participate in forest health projects as defined in section 37-95-103 (4.9) within and outside the boundaries of the county.

(2)

Counties have the authority to adopt and enforce ordinances and resolutions regarding health, safety, and welfare issues as otherwise prescribed by law. In addition to any other enforcement or collection method authorized by law, if a county passes an ordinance or resolution of which a violation would be a class 2 petty offense, the county may elect to apply the penalty assessment procedure set forth in section 16-2-201, C.R.S., and may adopt a graduated fine schedule for multiple offenses. If a specified offense would be an unclassified misdemeanor, a county may elect to downgrade the offense to a class 2 petty offense and apply the penalty assessment procedure under circumstances deemed appropriate and prescribed by the county in an ordinance or resolution.

Source: Section 30-11-101 — Powers of counties, https://leg.­colorado.­gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2023-title-30.­pdf (accessed Oct. 20, 2023).

30‑11‑101
Powers of counties
30‑11‑102
Property of county
30‑11‑103
Commissioners to exercise powers of county
30‑11‑103.5
County petitions and referred measures
30‑11‑104
County buildings - acquisition of land or buildings by eminent domain authorized
30‑11‑104.1
Financed purchase of an asset or certificate of participation agreements
30‑11‑104.2
Tax exemption
30‑11‑105
Title of suits by or against county
30‑11‑105.1
Standing - contesting constitutionality of a statute
30‑11‑106
Process served on clerk - clerk to notify board
30‑11‑107
Powers of the board
30‑11‑107.3
Incentives for installation of renewable energy fixtures - definitions
30‑11‑107.5
Lodging tax
30‑11‑107.7
County rental tax on the rental of personal property - procedures - apportionment
30‑11‑107.9
County tax for public safety improvements - definitions
30‑11‑108
Assent of electors required - when
30‑11‑109.5
Purchases of recycled paper and recycled products
30‑11‑110
State suppliers preferred
30‑11‑113
Commissioners to furnish blank assessment rolls
30‑11‑114
New precincts - change boundaries - reduce number
30‑11‑115
Board may appropriate for expositions
30‑11‑116
Appropriations for advertising or marketing
30‑11‑117
Commissioners to fill vacancies in county offices
30‑11‑118
County attorney - county collector
30‑11‑119
New bond for officers, when
30‑11‑120
Failure to file bond - office vacant
30‑11‑121
General accounting records
30‑11‑122
Conservation trust fund authorized
30‑11‑123
New business facilities - expansion of existing business facilities - incentives - limitations - authority to exceed revenue-raising limitations - legislative declaration - definitions
30‑11‑124
Fire planning authority
30‑11‑125
Licensing program for building contractors - contents of program - requirements - exceptions - definitions
30‑11‑126
Workforce development - incentives - limitations - authority to exceed revenue-raising limitations - legislative declaration - definitions
30‑11‑127
Pioneer trail - designation - signs
30‑11‑128
Mobile home parks - definition
30‑11‑129
Third-party food delivery service fee restrictions - definitions
30‑11‑130
Equipping wind-powered energy generation facilities with light mitigating technology - enforcement - definitions
30‑11‑131
Regulation of pesticide use - definitions
30‑11‑201
Merger not to affect pending actions
30‑11‑203
Records concerning charter amendment
30‑11‑204
Channel of Platte river - improvement
30‑11‑205
City to control channel
30‑11‑206
Improvement of channel beyond city limits
30‑11‑207
Obstructions or pollutions
30‑11‑301
Definitions
30‑11‑302
Oil, gas, and mineral rights - reservation of - sale
30‑11‑303
Oil and gas rights - leases - royalties
30‑11‑304
Agreements to pool lands for production purposes
30‑11‑305
Prior agreements validated
30‑11‑306
Legislative declaration concerning landfill gas
30‑11‑307
County authority relating to landfill gas
30‑11‑401
Short title
30‑11‑402
Legislative declaration
30‑11‑403
Definitions
30‑11‑404
Organization of authority
30‑11‑405
Election
30‑11‑406
Powers of law enforcement authority
30‑11‑406.5
Procedure for levying property tax - public disclosure - county assessor’s duties
30‑11‑407
Short-term loans for new authorities
30‑11‑408
Detachment - dissolution
30‑11‑409
Payments to sheriff
30‑11‑410
Power to contract for provision of law enforcement services
30‑11‑411
Inclusion of land
30‑11‑501
County home rule charters
30‑11‑502
Charter commission
30‑11‑503
Election on formation of charter convention and designation of members
30‑11‑504
Development of proposed charter
30‑11‑505
Referendum election on charter - adoption or rejection
30‑11‑506
Procedure to amend or repeal charter
30‑11‑507
Filings - effect of
30‑11‑508
Initiative, referendum, and recall
30‑11‑509
Time limit on submission of similar proposals
30‑11‑510
Publication requirements
30‑11‑511
Board of county commissioners - home rule counties
30‑11‑512
Finality
30‑11‑513
Officers
30‑11‑601
Short title
30‑11‑602
Legislative declaration
30‑11‑603
Definitions
30‑11‑604
Scope of part 6
30‑11‑605
Powers and duties of governing bodies, planning commissions, and boards of adjustment
Green check means up to date. Up to date

Current through Fall 2024

§ 30-11-101’s source at colorado​.gov