Residents and owners clash over proposed STR rules at Teller County public hearing

Public comment on Ordinance 23 ran for several hours on Aug. 6 as dozens of residents and short‑term rental operators addressed the Board during the hearing’s public‑comment period. Supporters said the ordinance protects the residential character of neighborhoods and public safety; critics and operators asked for carve‑outs for longstanding owners, larger parcels and clearer rules on ownership and the 365‑day proof requirement.

Greg Liverman (speaker 13), a neighborhood planning volunteer, told the board the draft struck an appropriate balance and praised the outreach. “It gives a path for current operators to get a license and create an STR that is also then exempt from those caps going forward so long as they continue to operate,” he said. Several operators asked the board to allow more than one license on large properties (for example, 35‑acre parcels) or to grandfather existing multi‑unit properties. Others, including Maureen Blunt (speaker 15), who said her full‑time home is surrounded by STRs, urged strict caps and enforcement to protect full‑time residents.

Commissioners and the county attorney responded on several points: they agreed to clarify the definition of “existing STR operator” so people who were operating before the first reading could apply during the 60‑day grace period, and they directed staff to adjust language about HOA attestations, inspection timing, and the emergency notification service name (to allow a designated service rather than a single vendor name). The board emphasized the ordinance’s purpose is to bring STRs “into the light” and create predictability for neighbors and operators alike.