Garbage Day Bear Feast

Wednesday, Sept. 21, 11:30 a.m., 812 Sirius Drive: Mom and the kids ripping and tearing.

When the city finally re-passed an existing law—take your garbage out on trash pickup morning and place your containers safely out of sight and reach after trash is hauled away—renaming it the Bear Management Area (6.4.106), people seemed to finally listen to common sense. But taking trash out at the permissible 5:00 a.m. doesn't stop bears from their hunger.

https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/coloradospringsco/latest/coloradosprings_co/0-0-0-25081

6.4.106: ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BEAR MANAGEMENT AREA:

The City of Colorado Springs hereby finds that the area within Colorado Springs located west of lnterstate-25 (I-25) has experienced a high incidence of bears foraging for food in waste containers and other sources, occurring at levels that pose a threat to the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens and visitors to the City. In light of such finding, the "Bear Management Area" is hereby established. This area is located generally west of I-25 but is more specifically denoted in the Bear Management Area Map adopted by City Council and updated from time to time. (Ord. 19-72)

6.4.107: COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL WITHIN THE BEAR MANAGEMENT AREA:

The following requirements apply to collection and disposal of waste within the Bear Management Area:

   A.   Within the Bear Management Area, all attractant waste must be secured within a functioning bear resistant container, secured structure, or secured dumpster enclosure at all times except as authorized in this section.

   B.   Non-bear resistant waste containers may be placed at the designated collection location on the scheduled collection day no earlier than 5:00 A.M., and must be removed from the collection location and secured as soon as practicable after collection service has been provided, but no later than 7:00 P.M. on the same scheduled day.

   C.   Any other waste stored in waste containers and stored outside must be sufficiently free from attractant waste so that it is not an enticement to bears.

   D.   Any organizer conducting a special event within the Bear Management Area pursuant to a permit required by City Code section 3.2.404 must remove or secure within a bear resistant container, secured dumpster enclosure, or secured structure attractant waste from the area, subject to the requirements contained in the permit, but no later than one (1) hour following completion of the event each day. (Ord. 19-72)