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Manitou Springs, CO Public Conduct: Public Urination (2026)

Heavy Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Citation
§ 9.16.040(7)
Coverage
Public AND private property, outside a toilet
Enhancement
Recent alcohol use = aggravated disorderly conduct
Penalty
Up to $2,650 fine and/or 90 days jail
Charged with
Fighting, threats, unreasonable noise

Summary

Manitou Springs treats urinating or defecating in public, or on private property other than in a toilet, as disorderly conduct under Section 9.16.040(7). It is charged alongside fighting, threats and unreasonable noise in the same statute, and doing it after drinking becomes aggravated disorderly conduct.

A person commits disorderly conduct if he or she intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly: ... 7.Urinates or defecates on public or private property other than in a toilet facility provided for such use;8.Any person who commits any of the above offenses of disorderly conduct after having recently consumed one or more alcoholic beverages is guilty of aggravated disorderly conduct. Testimony stating that such person emitted an odor of an unidentified alcoholic beverage is sufficient evidence to prove recent consumption of one or more alcoholic beverages.

Full Breakdown

040 as a list of acts a person commits intentionally, knowingly or recklessly, and item 7 specifically covers urinating or defecating on public or private property other than in a toilet facility provided for that use. The same section groups this offense with fighting words, unreasonable noise near a private residence, discharging or displaying a weapon in public, and fighting in public, showing the city treats it as part of a broader public-order statute rather than a stand-alone sanitation rule. 040(8) adds an enhancement: anyone who commits any of the listed acts, including public urination or defecation, after recently consuming alcohol is guilty of aggravated disorderly conduct, and testimony that the person smelled of an unidentified alcoholic beverage is enough evidence of recent consumption to support the enhanced charge.

100: a fine of up to two thousand six hundred fifty dollars, imprisonment for up to ninety days, or both, with every day a violation continues counted as its own separate offense. The ordinance applies anywhere within Manitou Springs city limits, on public property such as sidewalks, parks and streets and on private property belonging to someone else, whenever no toilet facility is being used.

Violations & Fines

Manitou Springs police cite the offense as disorderly conduct under Section 9.16.040(7). Because no specific fine is written into Chapter 9.16, a conviction is punished under the general penalty of Section 1.01.100: up to $2,650 in fines, up to 90 days in jail, or both. If the person had recently been drinking, Section 9.16.040(8) elevates the charge to aggravated disorderly conduct.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is public urination illegal only in public places in Manitou Springs?
No. Section 9.16.040(7) bans it "on public or private property," so relieving yourself on someone else's private lawn or lot without a toilet is covered exactly the same as doing it on a city sidewalk.
What crime is public urination charged as?
Disorderly conduct. It's item 7 in the list of acts making up disorderly conduct under Section 9.16.040, alongside fighting, threatening someone, and unreasonable noise.
Does drinking make the charge worse?
Yes. Section 9.16.040(8) makes it aggravated disorderly conduct if the person recently consumed alcohol, and the smell of an unidentified alcoholic beverage on the person is enough evidence to prove that.
What's the maximum penalty?
Chapter 9.16 has no separate fine schedule, so it falls under the citywide Section 1.01.100 penalty: up to $2,650, up to 90 days in jail, or both, with each day of a continuing violation a new offense.

Sources & Official References

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