County seeks feedback on proposed short term rental licensing ordinance

County seeks feedback on proposed short term rental licensing ordinance

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Colton Berck

Community Engagement Specialist

970-328-8617

colton.berck@eaglecounty.us 


May 10, 2023 - Eagle County officials are seeking public input on a proposed short term rental licensing ordinance. The ordinance is currently in a preliminary draft stage and has the potential to encompass a range of options for licensing and collecting fees from short term rental properties within unincorporated Eagle County. The community is invited to weigh in on these options and provide comment for consideration by the Board of County Commissioners, which would vote on passage of the ordinance, tentatively scheduled for the fall of 2023 for implementation by the winter season. 

Involved officials, including the Commissioners, as well as staff from the County Manager’s Office, Attorney’s Office, Finance Department, and Community Development Department, are working with consultant Economic Planning Services, Inc. to find a policy best suited to the needs of both residents and visitors. A presentation to the Board on April 4 helps explain and contextualize the proposal. Officials are examining short term rental policies implemented by similar mountain resort communities in Colorado, as well as considering the specific needs of Eagle County, to formulate a draft ordinance.

Currently, short term rentals do not require a license to operate in unincorporated Eagle County. Estimates place the number of active short term rentals around 5,000 countywide and 2,000 in unincorporated Eagle County, with the majority found in Beaver Creek. A license could require short term rental operators to register at regular intervals with the county, maintain uniform health and safety standards, and pay annual fees to the County. Officials are most closely considering an administrative fee to cover costs of the licensing program, as well as a fee to mitigate the cost of public services utilized by visiting guests and the impacts from short term rentals to the local housing market. The total potential amount generated from fees is estimated between several hundred thousand to a few million dollars per year.

“There are a number of advantages to licensing short term rentals,” said County Commissioner Matt Scherr. “By registering these properties, in addition to ensuring health and safety standards, we’ll have a much better sense of the “who, what, and where” of the rental market. From there we can better assess the costs and benefits of this segment of our visitor population. Our hope is to balance the economic considerations of STRs with the interests of our vibrant and thriving community. For now, we’re hoping the public will provide us feedback about these proposed measures.” 

Details about the proposed ordinance, Frequently Asked Questions, and a feedback submission form, are available online.

For more information, please contact Colton Berck, Community Engagement Specialist at colton.berck@eaglecounty.us or 970-328-8617.

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