City Connection

Thriving Community

All community members experience a high quality of life in a resilient local economy with access to affordable and attainable housing and diverse recreational opportunities.

Town Challenge River Race Series

Join us for the second season of the Town Challenge River Race Series! This fun series offers a wide variety of race formats (time trial, obstacle course, long course) and divisions (Kayak, Paddleboard, Raft), and aims to provide a competitive yet fun atmosphere for participants and spectators.

With the limited snowpack and anticipated low flows this spring, the River Race Series dates have been moved up to April, and the total number of races has been condensed. The first race of the season, the Yampa River Sprint, will take place on Wednesday, April 15 between 5th Street (Workman Park) and the D-Hole (West Lincoln Park).

Race-day registration begins at 4 PM with a mandatory racer safety briefing at 5:45 PM. Racing will kick-off at 6 PM and end with a fun post-race social at West Lincoln Park with food, sponsor giveaways, and more.

For more information and to register, visit townchallenge.com.

Little Free Libraries Ribbon Cutting

The Parks & Recreation Department invites the community to celebrate the installation of two new Little Free Libraries with a ribbon-cutting event today (April 8) from 4:30 PM to 5 PM along the Yampa River Core Trail at Howelsen Hill. The brief, family-friendly event, will include remarks from staff, an official ribbon-cutting, and time for attendees to browse and exchange books.

The two new Little Free Libraries are located near the Howelsen Tunnel, where the Yampa River Core Trail meets the parking lot, and behind Emerald Park near the Yampa River Botanic Park's river entrance.

The project was a collaborative effort within the Parks & Recreation Department, bringing staff together from the recreation, open space and trails, and parks divisions.

Community members are encouraged to participate in the spirit of the Little Free Library motto, "take a book, share a book," by bringing a gently used book to exhange during the event. Extra book donations will be collected and used to help keep the libraries stocked in the future.

Visit the event website to learn more.

Connected & Engaged Community

The community is connected, inclusive, and informed. Community members feel a sense of belonging and pride, and celebrate our preserved history and rich cultural diversity.

Landscaping Code Updates Ready For Public Review

The City of Steamboat Springs is advancing proposed updates to landscaping requirements for commercial and multi-family developments, aimed at improving water conservation, reducing wildfire risk, and modernizing landscaping standards.

Developed by city planning staff with input from local and state partners, the proposed changes align with the community's long-range plans for climate action, water conservation, watershed protection, and hazard mitigation, while also meeting recent state requirements. In addition to environmental improvements, the proposal streamlines existing standards to make them easier to use, removes outdated provisions, and introduces flexibility to address site-specific constraints.

Planning Commission is scheduled to review the updates on April 9, followed by City Council hearings on May 5 and May 19. If adopted, the new standards would take effect July 1, 2026, allowing time for education and transition.

The community is encouraged to participate in the public process by attending hearings or submitting comments through the city's website. Draft documents, including the proposed code updates and plant list, and a list of upcoming meeting dates are available for public review on EngageSteamboat.net.

Legacy Ranch Receives A Fresh Coat Of Paint

The city continues to invest in the preservation of its historic places. This spring, the Facilities Department completed an exterior repainting of the Legacy Ranch buildings, helping protect and extend the lift of these important community assets.

Thanks to an early stretch of warm weather, crews were able to start work ahead of schedule and wrap up the project before the busy season begins for Yampatika, the organization that leases and operates programs at Legacy Ranch. Completing the work early helped ensure their summer educational and cultural programs can commence uninterrupted.

The project reflects the city's ongoing commitment to preserving local history while supporting the organizations that bring these spaces to life for the community.

Healthy Environment

The natural environment is stewarded by taking bold climate action, restoring and protecting river ecosystems, and conserving the natural landscapes, forests, and wildlife that define our community.

Waste Tonnage Data Analyzed

City staff recently completed a comprehensive analysis of 2025 solid waste data collected from local service providers, including residential and commercial haulers, a single roll-off compnay, and junk removal services. The findings offer valuable insight into community waste trends and will help inform future waste reduction and diversion efforts.

In the residential sector, recycling volumes nearly doubled from 420 tons in the first quarter to 730 tons in the fourth quarter, likely driven by the mid-year shift to weekly recycling service. Trash volumes also increased during this period, from 1,286 to 2,048 tons. Food waste diversion improved steadily, rising from 8 to 14 tons per quarter, with overall residential diversion averaging 25% for the year.

The commercial sector experienced more modest gains in recycling, increasing from 399 tons in the first quarter to 441 tons in the fourth quarter. Trash volumes, however, rose more sharply from 2,551 tons to 3,983 tons. Food waste diversion remained relatively consistent, averaging 11 tons per quarter. Other diversion efforts, such as manure, wood, scrap metal, and aggregates, made up a small portion of the waste stream (about 1%) and varied throughout the year.

In the construction and demolition sector, diverson primarily consisted of materials like wood, scrap metal, and aggregates, rather than traditional recyclables or food waste. These materials increased from 8 tons in the first quarter to 27 tons in the fourth quarter. Trash volumes also rose significantly, from 1,618 tons to 2,984 tons, reflecting ongoing development activity and highlighting opportunities for increased diversion in this sector.

Stage 2 Drought Declaration

This winter was the warmest on record and produced the lowest snowpack ever measured in the Yampa/White/Green River basins. Due to these conditions, the City of Steamboat Springs and Mt. Werner Water and Sanitation District have declared Stage 2 drought conditions under the joint Drought Response Plan.

Typically, Steamboat Springs operates under Stage 1 Restrictions annually, which sets specific criteria. Mandatory outdoor water schedules from Stage 1 still apply, and the city and district will increase education and enforcement this season. Water waste can be reported through the online Report Water Waste form.

Based on current conditions, new Stage 2 Restrictions are now in effect, and include: no vehicle washing at home; no washing driveaways, sidewalks, parking lots, or outdoor dining areas; no running decorative outdoor water features, and no using treated water for dust control.

The city and district also encourage delaying irrigation system activation until June 1 and watering no more than two days per week. Hand watering is still allowed. Conserving early in the season helps delay releases from Fish Creek Reservoir, protecting water supplies for late summer.

Looking for ongoing conservation efforts and how you can help your community in saving this vital and limited resource? The city continues to invest in long-term conservation measures, including an irrigation efficienty rebate program, proposed landscaping code updates, irrigation upgrades at city parks and facilities, added staff support for conservation programs, and an ongoing partnership with the Garden-In-A-Box program.

High Performing Government

Excellent public services are delivered through a fiscally sustainable model, an empowered and engaged workforce, and a culture that prioritizes innovation, employee well-being, safety, and transparent, customer-focused service delivery.

City 101 Overview/Updates

City employees from across the organization, along with members of the community, are learning more about the city and its operations through City 101. Participants engage and learn about how the city operates through a wide variety of presentations, field trips, forums, and interactive activities.

Beginning in December 2014, the City 101 program provides in-depth insight into city operations with the goals of creating a shared understanding of the city's mission and purpose, increasing community and employee understanding of the city and its operations, and elevating community members and employees to serve as ambassadors for the city and the community we love.

Up next, participants will visit the Mountain Fire Station for a tour, EMS scenarios, and mini fire academy activities with Steamboat Springs Fire Rescue. After lunch, the group will head downtown to tour the new City Hall and Downtown Fire Station.

Interested in participating in City 101 next season? Check out the City 101 webpage for additional information and look for the application period to open early next fall.

Safe Community

The safety and well-being of all community members is prioritized by mitigating natural hazards, strengthening emergency preparedness and response systems, and fostering a culture of trust and collaboration in public safety.

Leadership ICS Training

City leadership is continuing to strengthen the community’s emergency preparedness through ongoing training in the Incident Command System (ICS) and National Incident Management System (NIMS). These nationally recognized frameworks provide a coordinated, systematic approach to managing large-scale incidents and emergencies, ensuring that city teams are ready to respond effectively when it matters most.

The training program begins with foundational online ICS courses and is reinforced through group discussions and scenario-based learning. This blended approach helps leadership build both technical knowledge and real-world decision-making skills, all tailored to potential situations that could impact Steamboat Springs.

These efforts will culminate in a comprehensive exercise this fall in partnership with the Routt County Office of Emergency Management. The exercise will play a key role in testing and validating the city’s Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), helping ensure a high level of readiness to protect residents and visitors alike.

Reliable & Resilient Infrastructure

The city's infrastructure systems are planned, designed, and maintained to be safe, sustainable, and resilient, and to effectively support current and future community needs.

Spring Cleaning - Early Melt Accelerates Scoria Sweep Season

With a mild winter and early spring, city street sweeping is underway earlier than usual, with crews already collecting exposed scoria in neighborhoods. Two specialized sweepers are handling dirt, sand, gravel, and scoria in a range of conditions. Winter parking restrictions, including no overnight street parking, remain in effect through April 30 to support operations.

Residents can help by raking scoria from their property, right-of-way, and culverts onto the asphalt shoulder in long, narrow windrows, and by keeping debris like branches and trash separate, as sweepers cannot process other materials.

Learn More

Check out the full City Manager Report for more information and updates from the City of Steamboat Springs.

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