Unincorporated Summit County (outside of town limits) adopted a temporary moratorium (hold) on NEW Short Term Rental (STR) license applications in the Neighborhood Overlay Zone (NOT in Summit County’s Designated “Resort Zones”) beginning at 3:35pm on May 24, 2022 and ending on February 24, 2023 at midnight. On February 15, 2023, following much discussion and debate including several hours of public comment, Summit County Colorado Commissioners unanimously passed the highly attested revised STR Regulations; Ordinance No. 20-C.
The new regulations took effect on October 1, 2023 and placed caps on the number of STR licenses available per river basin, limit the number of STR bookings each owner can take, and require additional compliance for anyone using well water.
I have closely followed and contributed to the discussion surrounding local Short Term Rental regulations over the past couple years of debate. Not only do I believe strongly in the property rights of individuals, such as yourselves, but sadly my family and I are also adversely affected by the county’s latest STR regulations.
"Knowledge is only potential power. ACTION is POWER"
Is your STR property on a well?
Starting upon renewal for the licensing cycle beginning October 1, 2023 any unincorporated Summit County Property holding a STR license AND using well water MUST show proof of well permit AND if the Property has a hot tub, proof of proper water augmentation.
Unincorporated Summit County Created Two “Overlay Zones”
“Resort Overlay Zone”
Keystone, Copper Mountain, Tiger Run, 4 O’clock & Sawmill Subdivisions
Short term rental license is required
Unlimited number of STR licenses available
No cap on number of bookings
*It’s important to note that Keystone is working on establishing itself as its own town. The future of STRs in Keystone is unknown. Stay up to date using the Incorporate Keystone website
“Neighborhood Overlay Zone”
All other areas of Unincorporated Summit County (outside of town limits and NOT in “Resort Overlay Zones”)
Short term rental license is required
Cap of 35 total bookings per license year (October 1 through September 30)
Divided unincorporated Summit County into 4 River Basins w/ total # of STR license limits set for each (see graphic below)
Currently, ALL 4 River Basins have more licenses than the established cap allows
Licenses are only available to those who meet the criteria of a “Qualified Occupant”
The length of time before new licenses will be available (no non-qualified occupants) will vary greatly between each river basin
At this time Summit County does not plan to accept any license applications for anyone not located in a Resort Overlay Zone OR meeting the Qualified Occupant criteria. When it is determined that a river basin’s number of STR licenses falls below the established max number of STR licenses the county does not anticipate operating off a wait-list, but instead some sort of lottery system.
All STR License renewal applications MUST be submitted during the established renewal period OR they will be considered invalid/expired
No holder of a STR License can advertise or rent a Property to more than 1 party on a short-term basis at a time, including properties with a lock-off or accessory dwelling unit
Other Important Things to Consider
This post is current as of the publish date. STR rules and regulations are constantly evolving and changing throughout our area. Current details including Ordinance 20-C in its entirety can be located in Summit County’s STR website.
A lawsuit (Case No. 1:23-cv-02057) has been filed with Federal District Court by Summit County Resort Homes, Inc, a nonprofit corporation with Summit County homeowner members. “The complaint asks that many of Summit County’s short-term rental regulations be voided because they are violating Federal and State constitutions and Colorado statutes.” The 44 page court filing can be found here.
Summit County Resort Homes, Inc is seeking donations to help fund the legal fees associated with their lawsuit. Click Here if playing a part in defending property rights of Summit County homeowners is important to you or if you would like to learn more about this movement to protect your property rights.
What should you do if you currently hold a short term rental license in a “Neighborhood Overlay Zone” in Unincorporated Summit County?
Don't Wait! Analyze your data: rental history number/length of bookings, trends, & your financials to determine how these new regulations might affect you. If you are using a local property management company, reach out to them to have an in depth discussion about your findings and discuss your options.
If you find that today's regulations don’t align with your business model or investment property goals, give me a call to discuss other potential options!
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