The Summit REALTORS® Board of Directors thanks the community, clients, and members who stood up during the marathon of a hearing Tuesday evening (five and a half hours!) to discuss a significant series of changes to short-term rentals in the Town of Breckenridge. Due to our joint advocacy, we are pleased to say that one of the measures the real estate community needed to improve the proposal was included. While the Mayor supported our ideas to address properties under contract or under construction, and the idea of tourism overlay districts, there was no effort by the Council to make any additional changes to the ordinance. A recap of the meeting and comments are attached.
The unprecedented level of well-reasoned and impassioned engagement by the community against this particular proposal is indicative of how grassroots engagement matters despite the unfortunate outcome. SAR is not walking away from this issue. We are inspired by our community’s activism and energy.
While we are troubled by the false urgency presented by the Breckenridge Town Council, we want to thank the Summit County Commissioners. Although under the same considerable pressure as the Town of Breckenridge, the Commissioners were willing to listen, take comments, and work directly with SAR Leadership. The Commissioners are taking a thoughtful approach in looking at this complex STR issue. Instead of taking a rash “blanket” approach, we support the Commissioners choice to analyze, neighborhood by neighborhood, the repercussions of a planned STR licensing system. Their willingness to create incentives for property owners demonstrates a kind of solution-oriented thought that we know will be much more successful in the long run.
Most importantly for REALTORS, their inclusive process allowed SAR to successfully get both properties under contract and properties under construction, allowed to apply for a special exception to obtain an STR license during the moratorium.
Much work lies ahead in the next few weeks. SAR remains a vigilant voice for assessment and accountability on this issue for the businesses, investors, and community at large, providing economic data and narratives to better advise both Summit County and the Town of Breckenridge. We have heard it loud and clear from the hundreds of letters and vocal testimonies; we must all STAND UP to inform government that the actions they take have ramifications. We take our role seriously to constantly monitor and review governmental actions and policies for all who live, work and invest in Summit County. We are also working with legal counsel to determine our next actions.
What you need to know:
Town of Breckenridge
First reading of the draft ordinance was approved 9/15/21. The second reading and final vote is Tuesday, September 28th.
- The town approved a cap of 2200 permits. There are currently 2495 and over 300 additional were applied for in the past two weeks.
- Council reasoning: degradation of community character, although affordable housing and limiting tourism have both been mentioned by Council members.)
- The ordinance does not apply to units/complexes with front desks, security systems, and a central phone system.
- Permits will be reduced through attrition as properties are sold or owners permits expire. New permits will be issued through a wait list system.
- A temporary six-month STR permit will be issued to new property owners to allow them the ability to honor reservations that existed on the date the property transferred and the permit was lost. Details will be established in the administrative regulations.
- The effective date will be 35 days from the second reading and final ratification of the ordinance.
The Town council is unanimously approved the ordinance as written on the first hearing on Tuesday September 14, with a second and final reading on September 28. Should the legislation pass, it will take effect on November 2, 2021
Anyone wishing to stay-up-date on town actions may subscribe to the Town of Breckenridge email subscription service which will provide all the meeting notices, agendas and packets. Please visit www.townofbreckenridge.com to sign up.
I you have any input or would like to comment, please email mayor@townofbreckenridge.com
Summit County
The County passed an emergency ordinance to put a twelve-week (90-day) moratorium on new short- term rental license applications. The purpose of the moratorium is to allow staff time to get caught up on processing permit applications.
- The moratorium goes into effect Friday, September 17th at 11:59 PM.
- Properties in Keystone, Copper Mountain, and in the 4 o’clock Subdivision and Skiwatch in Breckenridge are exempt from this moratorium and may continue to apply for permits as normal.
- Property owners can apply for permits throughout the regular process through Friday.
- Properties under contract should submit a letter as we outlined last week with the new permit application through Friday by submitting it to str@summitcountyco.gov
- During the moratorium, properties under contract and properties that are under construction may apply for a special exception prior to applying for the permit.
- During the moratorium, the County plans empirical data research and will work to find creative incentives for property owners to convert their properties to long-term rentals in “locals zones”. These zones include:
* Dillon Valley
* French Creek
* Woodmoor
* Wildernest
* Frisco Terrace/Evergreen
* Lake View Meadows
* Mesa Cortina
* Summit Cove
* Alpine Breck
* Quandary Village
* Peak 7
More information on the process and mapping of Keystone and Copper can be found here: https://www.summitcountyco.gov/1452/STR-Moratorium
Posted by Andrew Biggin on
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