Photo by Daniel J. Chacón

The Occupy Colorado Springs protesters are running out of time.

A 30-day revocable permit that allowed the protesters to take up part of Acacia Park expires Sunday.

“They came in earlier this week and requested renewal of that permit,” Ryan Tefertiller, senior city planner, said Friday.

“They’re asking for another 11 months,” he said.

Tefertiller said revocable permits, which allow private use of the public right-of-way, are “typically” done for a year at a time.

“When they first came in, they were really requesting a year-long permit, and it was only granted for 30 days as sort of a trial period,” he said. “They’ve requested that it be renewed for that original year that they thought they would get originally.”

Tefertiller said the request is under review.

“We’re having meetings and talking with folks about what sort of action to take,” he said. “I really couldn’t tell you what the city is going to do at this point.”

Tefertiller said the city hopes to have a decision by this afternoon.

“By code, the mayor ultimately decides whether to renew the permit or not,” he said.

Cindy Aubrey, chief communications officer for Mayor Steve Bach, said Bach has not made a decision yet.

Jason Warf, who has been protesting at Acacia Park for more than 50 days, said protesters are prepared to go to jail if the permit is not renewed and fight the city in court.

“We don’t even technically need a permit. The city came to us and offered us a permit. That’s the only reason we took a permit in the first place,” he said.

“When that was done, they told us it would be a year and the 30 days was a trial period. In that 30 days, we’ve gotten nothing but support with the exception of the mayor’s office,” he said.

Should the mayor kick the protesters out or grant them an extension?

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