Insights

Obscure Laws Blog #2

This is the second post in a two part series on obscure laws in some states that are actually still on the books

July 26, 2022

By: Diane O. Long and Brett Bailey

Many states have laws on the books that can make you wonder “is this really illegal?” or make you say, “there’s no way this is real.” There are a lot of examples floating around the internet that seem too bizarre to believe. Unsurprisingly, in many instances, the law is quite different than what the internet would lead you to believe. When these strange laws are being reported on, oftentimes the law does not actually exist, or it has been misinterpreted and there is a more logical explanation. Further, many of these laws are rarely enforced because it would be too impractical for the city or state authorities to do so. Below are some of the most head-scratching laws that are still on the books today in the state of Colorado:

 

• It is unlawful to throw snowballs in the town of Aspen, Colorado
  • It may seem hard to believe that it is illegal to throw snowballs in a town that is known for some of the best snow skiing in the entire world. But this law is currently on the books in Aspen’s municipal code. The code also prohibits the throwing of stones or using a gun, catapult, slingshot, or blowgun. Clearly, this law is intended for public safety reasons and to prevent people from throwing snowballs at unsuspecting tourists and vehicles which could lead to injuries and car accidents. The only instances of this law being enforced are when someone hits an unsuspecting bystander with a snowball. It remains unlikely that two parties who are having a mutual snowball fight would be punished for throwing snowballs at each other.
  • Aspen Municipal Code § 15.04.210, Unlawful to throw stones, snowballs or discharge guns and other missiles.

 

• It is illegal to ski and snowboard while under the influence of alcohol or any controlled substance
  • This law is part of the Colorado Ski Safety Act and has a logical reason behind it. This law is intended to prevent accidents at ski resorts that are caused by reckless skiers who have had too much to drink. However, this law is rarely enforced, and is impractical in most cases unless the ski lift operators began breathalyzing everyone before letting them on the chair lift. This law seems even more strange because nearly every major ski resort in Colorado sells alcohol to skiers at the base of the resort. If this law were enforced as written there would be far fewer skiers on the slopes every ski season in Colorado.
  • Colo. Rev. Stat. § 33-44-109, Ski safety and liability

 

• It is illegal to let your llama run around the city of Boulder, CO
  • This is another law in Colorado that may seem too strange to be true, but it is in fact written in the city of Boulder’s municipal code. There is not much evidence that the city of Boulder has ever had an issue with llamas running wild, which makes you wonder why the city felt the need to enact this code. The actual language of the law includes a variety of farm animals and states that you are not allowed to let your animal graze or be herded on city property. Presumably, this law was passed to prevent farmers and ranchers from utilizing city property to take care of their animals without permission from the government.
  • Boulder Municipal Code § 5-4-7, Grazing on public property

 

• It is unlawful to project missiles at a vehicle in the town of Alamosa, CO
  • This law appears completely unnecessary due to the lack of people throwing missiles at cars in the town of Alamosa, but the term “missile” is a bit of a misnomer. The town’s code references a similar provision in the Colorado Revised Statutes as the basis for its own code. That statute has a similar purpose, but the term “missile” is defined as any object or substance. See C.R.S. § 18-9-116. After realizing Alamosa is simply trying to prevent people from throwing objects at vehicles, it makes a lot more sense from a public safety viewpoint.
  • Alamosa Code of Ordinances § 11-50, Throwing missiles at vehicles

 

• It is illegal to grow dandelions in your yard in the city of Pueblo, CO
  • When researching strange laws in Colorado on the internet, one that is often repeated is that it is illegal to grow dandelions in the city of Pueblo. This is a real law, but not because the city of Pueblo has a hatred for dandelions. The actual city code says that it is unlawful to grow “weeds” in excess of ten inches, and it is unlawful for the owner of land to not cut or remove these weeds. Another section of the city’s codes provides a definition for the term “weeds” which includes, among other things, dandelions. This is a normal provision in many cities in the U.S. where they do not want people to let their yards grow out of control. It is unlikely that the city of Pueblo would try to enforce this provision, but they have the authority to and can even impose fines for up to $1,000.
  • Pueblo Code of Ordinances § 7-4-2, Destruction and removal of weeds

 

• It is illegal to bring any horse above the ground floor of any building within the city of Denver, CO.
  • If you have ever wanted to bring your horse to the office, you may be surprised to find out that it is against the law to bring a horse above the ground floor in any building within the city of Denver, sort of. The actual code specifies that it is unlawful to“stable” or “confine” a horse or other livestock on any floor of a building above or below the ground floor. The explanation provided states that violating this law creates a public nuisance. Additionally, this law was likely passed as a safety measure to protect animals in the event of fires. While this law may seem outdated in 2022 and is rarely, if ever, enforced, violation of this law carries a potential fine of $999 and up to 364 days in jail.
  • Denver Code of Ordinances § 8-81, Livestock above or below ground floor.