Draft Short Term Rental Ordinance

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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. 

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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Eagle County considering licensing short term rentals?

Licensing short term rentals would help the county receive more information about the number, type, and availability of rental units in unincorporated Eagle County. A license could require short term rental operators to register regularly with the county, maintain uniform health and safety standards, and pay annual fees to the County. A licensing program could better balance economic vitality with visitor impacts, ensuring short term rentals fit in more holistically with the community

Why is the county only considering licensing in unincorporated Eagle County, as opposed to the entire county?

Many municipalities in Eagle County already regulate short term rentals. Vail, Avon, Eagle, Gypsum, and Basalt, for example, have policies in place. The county ordinance would only apply to properties located in unincorporated Eagle County as provided by Colorado law. The county is seeking feedback to understand what the county's role should be in addressing the effects of short term rentals as compared to other entities (such as HOA’s, metro districts, and fire districts) that regulate them.
Short Term Rental Chart

Would a licensing process imply that HOAs, neighborhoods, and other private residential organizations no longer have the authority to implement local policies for short term rentals?
No, the ordinance would not affect the ability of HOAs, neighborhoods, and other private residential organizations to disallow or create specific policies for rentals.
What types of fees might be collected as part of a licensing process, and where could those funds be spent?
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. This would establish a fee that assists locals impacted by the STR market and mitigates visitor impacts. 
How many short term rentals exist currently?
Estimates suggest there are between one to two thousand active short term rentals in the unincorporated portion of the county, depending on the season, and about 5,000 in all of Eagle County.
Active-STRs-by-Month Chart
Are other Colorado communities licensing short term rentals?

Yes, many other Colorado communities have varying degrees of licensing requirements. See the below graphic for a list. Mountain Communities in italics.

Cities/Towns Counties
Aspen Boulder County
Avon Grand County
Basalt Jefferson County
Boulder Lake County
Breckenridge Larimer County
Broomfield Mesa County
Carbondale Ouray County
Colorado Springs Pitkin County
Crested Butte San Miguel County
Denver Summit County
Durango  
Eagle (Town)  
Fort Collins  
Frisco  
Fruita  
Glenwood Springs  
Grand Junction  
Leadville  
Manitou Springs  
Mount Crested Butte  
Ouray  
Ridgway  
Steamboat Springs  
Telluride  
Vail  
Winter Park  



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