ASPEN — Doorknob style has long been a matter of homeowner preference, but black bears may wind up dictating what sort of doorknob is permitted in Aspen and Pitkin County.
Kevin Wright, district wildlife manager for the Colorado Division of Wildlife, recently urged county commissioners to amend the local land-use code to mandate round doorknobs, which are far more difficult for bears to open than lever-style doorknobs.
When the county’s land-use code was updated in 2006, it incorporated every one of the DOW’s recommendations except the doorknob requirement, according to Cindy Houben, head of the county’s Community Development Department.
“It felt (like) it was going too far at the time. It felt a little invasive,” she said.
Nonetheless, Houben said she will bring the suggested code amendment back to commissioners for consideration. It would not force property owners to change existing doorknobs. Janet Urquhart, The Aspen Times
