Board rejects short‑term rental permit for 10197 Crestview Drive after neighbors raise management and safety concerns

The Jefferson County Board of Adjustment voted unanimously to deny a request for a special exception to operate a short‑term rental at 10197 Crestview Drive in Morrison, following extensive public testimony citing trash, wildlife attractants, wildfire risk and uncertainty over local management.

Staff presenter Jamie Hartig summarized the case and told the board the parcel met technical criteria for lot size, parking and defensible‑space requirements; staff recommended approval for an initial six‑month allowance. Hartig noted the property had a 1.1‑acre merged lot, three bedrooms, final defensible‑space approval (valid through July 2028) and a septic permit for three bedrooms. The staff packet contained eight public comments; Hartig said two had been printed and the rest were in the public folder.

Applicant Kyle Colette, who testified remotely and said he lives in Morgan Hill, California, described his intention to be “family and community focused” and to hire a professional manager (Elevate BNB) to handle operations. Colette said the septic was pumped and inspected the prior September and that he had tested parking maneuvers for four cars. He acknowledged prior long‑term tenants and said complaints he addressed were resolved.

Multiple neighbors testified against the permit. Tyler Warner and other residents said the property had a pattern of recurring trash left at the roadside (attracting wildlife), intermittent dog barking and prior instances of guests or tenants leaving trash and creating noise late at night. Neighbors also raised wildfire safety concerns, noting recent pre‑evacuation conditions in the canyon. Several speakers questioned the proximity and responsiveness of the proposed property manager; Colette said his manager’s office was roughly 42 miles away and that local contractors and on‑call staff would respond to issues.

In deliberations board members repeatedly cited uncertainty about management and response times, recurring neighborhood complaints and the difficulty of ensuring a residential character for the site while the owner lives out‑of‑state. Board members also noted the applicant’s prior long‑term rentals and public comments describing trash and noise problems. A motion to approve the special exception (moved by Mister Milovick and seconded by Miss Porter) failed on a roll‑call vote: Johnson—No; Warrington—No; Porter—No; Milovec—No; Chairman Lester—No. The motion failed and the special exception was not granted.

Why it matters: The denial underscores board concern that short‑term rental approvals hinge not only on technical compliance (lot size, septic, defensible space) but on credible, locally responsive management and community impacts such as wildfire risk and wildlife attractants.