Parents & Family
Knowing Local Laws student and family
Local laws are different in every community. It is important that your son or daughter understand the local City Codes and Ordinances in Fort Collins, particularly if they are living in an off campus, residential neighborhood. In our community, we have ordinances and codes that outline what is expected of residents with regard to noise, yard upkeep, snow shoveling, trash, and more. If you are the parent or family member of a CSU student living off campus in a residential area, please talk with your son or daughter about these laws and make sure they are familiar with and understand the expectations prior to signing a lease off campus.
Below are a few local ordinances that your student should be aware of:
- Noise: If a neighbor can stand on the edge of their property line and hear noise from your student's property, it is too loud. Police officers responding to noise complaints have the discretion to decide if the noise coming from your son/daughter's property is unreasonable. They can issue a ticket of up to $1000 per resident for the first offense.
- Weeds: Weeds and grass can grow up to 6 inches tall. Tall grass and weeds can be reported to the Nuisance Hotline by neighbors. Encourage your son or daughter to keep their yard neat to avoid tickets!
- Trash: Trash, sofas, appliances, car parts, and other junked items are considered health and safety hazards. If your son/daughter's trash is not in a trash can, the City may write a ticket or have the items removed at your expense. Trash containers in Fort Collins can only be out 12 hours before and 12 hours after pickup.
- Parking: It is illegal to park backwards on a city street, block a driveway, or park on a front lawn. If your son or daughter's car is parked on the street for more than 48 hours in the same place, it may be ticketed or towed at his/her expense. Although it is not illegal to park in front of neighbor's houses, it is neighborly to leave places for residents to park in front of their own home.
- Snow Removal: Snow must be removed from sidewalks adjacent to your student's property within 24 hours of a snowfall. If the walk has not been shoveled, it can be reported to the Nuisance Hotline by a neighbor. The City will hire someone to shovel the snow at your son/daughter's expense.
- Sofas: The City of Fort Collins restricts all upholstered furniture in outdoor spaces. This includes all furniture that is visible to neighbors and passers-by. If your son/daughter is found to be in violation, he/she will receive a letter giving him/her 7 days to remove the furniture. If the furniture is not removed, a ticket can be issued resulting in a fine of up to $1000.
- Alcohol: In Colorado, it is illegal to possess, consume, or purchase alcohol if you are under age 21. Fort Collins also has a strict open container law which applies to everyone, even people 21 and older. Walking around with an open beer on a sidewalk or public place could earn your son/daughter a ticket. It is also illegal to sell alcohol without a license; this includes selling cups at a keg party.
- Public Nuisance Ordinance: This local law is a tool for dealing with chronic problem properties. If your son/daughter lives in a house that has had any noise violation, warning, or tickets for trash, weeds, or over-occupancy, then the residence may be in jeopardy of becoming a public nuisance property. Violations of this ordinance result in a letter to the tenants as well as the owner of the property. If the property receives 2 citations (must be the same type of violation) in 6 months, 3 citations in 1 year, or 5 citations in 2 years, the owner can be sued by the City of Fort Collins and the tenants evicted. This ordinance encourages property owners to correct existing problems and take responsibility for tenants' behavior.
- Nuisance Gathering Ordinance: This ordinance was passed in 2005 to address the impact of parties on neighboring properties. Examples of these impacts could include trash and litter, public urination, and vandalism. This ordinance makes it a misdemeanor criminal offense to the responsible party (the party host, not necessarily the people actually littering or vandalizing) when these types of nuisances occur on neighboring private or public property. A conviction carries up to a $1,000 fine and there is a possibility of jail or community service hours, and you could be assessed the costs of police and fire overtime, cost of repairs to city streets, and the cost of cleanup an/or repairing any damage to neighboring property.
- Pet Licensing: All dogs and cats within City limits must be licensed yearly through the Larimer Humane Society. Failure to properly license your pet can result in a Municipal fine if the animal is impounded. Pet licenses can be purchased at the Off-Campus Student Services office in the Main Level of the Lory Student Center.
- Occupancy Limit: For more information please visit the City of Fort Collins website
For more information on codes and ordinances that relate to parties...>>
Off-Campus Tickets…How They Affect Your Student's Status at CSU
Colorado State's Student Code of Conduct states that any violation of a federal, state, or local law is also a violation of the CSU Student Code of Conduct. The Student Code of Conduct is an agreement that is signed by all CSU students upon entering the university. Off campus tickets involving CSU students (i.e. noise, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, trespassing, interference with public officers, carrying or drinking alcohol in public, bodily waste, littering, providing alcohol to a minor, selling alcohol without a license, false reporting, DUI, and inciting, arming, or engaging in a riot) are forwarded to the Conflict Resolution and Student Conduct Services Office (CRSCS) at CSU. Students that receive off campus tickets therefore can potentially deal with judicial sanctions from the university in addition to fines/sanctions from the City.
More information on Noise tickets and other off-campus tickets that are forwarded to CSU...>>The Importance of Lease Review
If your student is moving off campus in the upcoming school year, encourage him/her to read, understand, and have his/her lease reviewed by an attorney before signing. A lease is a legally binding document and may be the most important legal agreement in which your student has ever entered. Students have the right to edit their lease before they sign. In addition, be aware that many landlords require parent cosigners to sign "guarantor forms" and that the guarantor accepts substantial liability.
Encourage your student to take advantage of Student Legal Services (SLS) at CSU. SLS has reviewed many of the most common leases in Fort Collins. Comments are available online. Students may also make an appointment to meet with an attorney in person. This service is free for all full fee paying students at CSU.
Does Your Student Live in a Dump?
If you or your student is concerned with the condition of his/her off campus housing, you can contact the City of Fort Collins Building and Zoning Department, (970)221-6760, to arrange for an inspection of the property. They will check for a variety of health and safety requirements including working fire alarms, proper egress windows, and more. This is done free of charge.
Riots
Colorado passed a riot law in 2002. If a person attends a party and is convicted of engaging in riotous behavior, the minimum penalty is automatic suspension from all universities supported by the State of Colorado for at least 12 months (in addition to fines and potential jail time).
Please talk to your student about the riot law. Off campus parties can grow quickly. If your student finds him/herself at a party that has grown out of control or has become riotous, the best action they can take is to go home. Even if your student is not destroying property, their presence (even if they are just watching) is enough for police to charge them with engaging in a riot. This has serious financial and educational consequences.
CSU has been ranked among the nation's Top Character Building Institutions of Higher Education. Join CSU and the City of Fort Collins in their partnership to foster character development in our community!
Remind Your Student to Arrange for Snow Removal Over Winter Break
Whether your student rents or owns a home off campus, he or she is responsible for cleaning snow off of the sidewalks adjacent to the property within 24 hours of a snowfall. If the walk has not been shoveled, it may be reported to the Nuisance Hotline by a neighbor. Your student will be billed if the City hires someone to remove the snow. Encourage your student to make snow shoveling arrangements with a neighbor, friend, or snow removal service prior to leaving for winter break.