Cars. Coffee. Legal Parking. Good People.

An informal gathering of automotive enthusiasts asking the City of Steamboat Springs to keep public parking fair, clear, and accessible.

Stockbridge Transit Center parking lot in Steamboat Springs

What is Cars and Coffee?

For many of us, Cars and Coffee is simple: people show up, park legally, drink coffee, talk with friends, look at cars, and often walk downtown or to the Farmers Market.

It may draw attention. It may look like a spectacle. But being interesting to look at does not automatically make ordinary public parking a formal event.

Not a Club

No dues, no membership, no officers, no treasury, and no formal organization just because people park near each other.

Public Parking

Cars and Coffee participants are ordinary members of the public using public parking under the same posted rules as everyone else.

Respectful Conduct

Use one space, do not block access, drive safely, keep it clean, and be respectful to downtown visitors, transit users, businesses, and City staff.

About Steamboat Cars and Coffee

For years, local automotive enthusiasts have gathered informally in Steamboat Springs for Cars and Coffee. What started as a few people parking their cool rides, drinking coffee, and talking cars has grown into something more visible.

On some mornings, a wide range of vehicles may show up: classics, hot rods, customs, sports cars, trucks, motorcycles, daily drivers, and other interesting machines. People stop to look. Friends catch up. Visitors ask questions. Some people walk downtown or to the Farmers Market. It can draw attention, and it may even look like a spectacle.

But being interesting to look at does not automatically make something a formal event.

Cars and Coffee has traditionally been informal. People arrive on their own, park in ordinary public parking spaces, follow posted rules, talk with other car people, and leave when they are ready. There are no dues, no membership cards, no officers, no treasury, and no formal club structure that controls everyone who attends.

If any person has ever made Cars and Coffee appear more formal than that, they did not do so with the authority of a club, board, membership, or organization representing every person who parked there. Individual people may promote, remind, encourage, or communicate, but that does not make every attendee part of a formal event or club.

Why This Page Exists

The City has indicated that Cars and Coffee may need to be treated as a permitted special event going forward. Many of us disagree with that classification when people are simply parking legally in public spaces under the same posted rules as everyone else.

This page gives participants, attendees, supporters, fans, and other members of the public a simple way to send a respectful comment asking the City to keep public parking fair, clear, and accessible.

We also support being good neighbors. That means using one parking space, not blocking buses or traffic, not littering, not doing burnouts, not speeding, not rolling coal, and respecting downtown visitors, Farmers Market visitors, transit users, local businesses, City staff, and the public.

What We Are Asking From the City

We are asking the City of Steamboat Springs to treat Cars and Coffee participants, attendees, supporters, and fans fairly as ordinary members of the public.

Keep Stockbridge Transit Center available for ordinary public parking whenever possible.
Do not classify ordinary legal parking as a special event without a clear written basis.
Recognize that Cars and Coffee participants are not automatically members of a formal club or organization.
Clearly mark or post any area that is temporarily reserved, closed, or restricted.
Provide clear public notice when parking spaces or drive areas are removed from ordinary public use.
Identify the written rule, policy, permit, or authority for any event-related restriction of public parking.
Treat people who legally park in marked spaces the same as other members of the public, regardless of the vehicle they drive.
Communicate with the public before changing how public parking at Stockbridge Transit Center is managed.

Send a Respectful Public Comment

If you participate in, attend, support, or simply enjoy Cars and Coffee, you can use the form below to send a respectful public comment to the City of Steamboat Springs.

Please use your real name, keep your message factual, and be respectful. You may edit the message before sending.

Public record notice: Messages sent to public officials may be public records.

Steamboat Cars and Coffee is an informal community of automotive enthusiasts. This page is for public comment about public parking access. Using this form does not make anyone a member of a club or organization.

Your name Your email City / County Public comment

Dear City Council and City Staff,

I am writing as a participant, attendee, supporter, or fan of Cars and Coffee, and as a member of the public who uses public parking in Steamboat Springs.

For many of us, Cars and Coffee is not a formal event, club, organization, or membership group. It is simply car people and community members parking legally in a public parking lot, talking with friends, drinking coffee, looking at cars, and often walking downtown or to the Farmers Market.

I support the people who attend Cars and Coffee and believe they should be treated fairly. Cars and Coffee attendees are members of the public. They should not lose ordinary public parking rights because they drive interesting vehicles, enjoy automotive culture, or happen to park near other people with similar interests.

I object to the City treating ordinary legal parking by Cars and Coffee participants, attendees, supporters, or fans as a “special event” simply because the vehicles are interesting or because people with a shared interest happen to park near each other.

Public parking should remain public parking.

Parking near other people is not automatically an event. Talking with friends in a public place is not automatically a club. Driving a classic, hot rod, sports car, truck, motorcycle, or other interesting vehicle should not change a person’s right to use public parking under the same posted rules as everyone else.

I support safe, respectful, and clearly managed public spaces. I also support enforcement of ordinary parking and traffic rules when they are applied fairly and consistently.

I ask the City to:

1. Recognize that Cars and Coffee participants, attendees, supporters, and fans are not necessarily members of any formal club or organization.
2. Avoid classifying ordinary legal parking by Cars and Coffee participants as a special event without a clear written basis.
3. Keep Stockbridge Transit Center available for ordinary public parking whenever possible.
4. Clearly post or mark any area that is temporarily reserved, closed, or restricted.
5. Provide clear public notice when parking spaces or drive areas are removed from ordinary public use.
6. Identify the written rule, policy, permit, or authority for any event-related restriction of public parking.
7. Treat people who legally park in marked spaces the same as other members of the public, regardless of the type of vehicle they drive.
8. Communicate with the public before changing how public parking at Stockbridge Transit Center is managed.

This is not a request against the City, any event, or any individual. It is a request for fairness, transparency, and continued public access to public parking.

Please do not treat ordinary public parking by Cars and Coffee participants, attendees, supporters, or fans as a special event, club activity, or organized use unless there is a clear legal basis for doing so.

Thank you.

I authorize this comment to be sent to the City of Steamboat Springs.

Please use your own name and keep comments factual and respectful.