CB South covenant changes pass

Large voter turnout…finally

[ By Katherine Nettles ]

Crested Butte South property owners have spoken overwhelmingly in favor of limiting short term rentals, allowing campers and also allowing people to have chickens. The two-year process of the CB South Property Owners Association (POA) updating covenants and putting the word out to voters ended on November 1. And in a historically rare voter turnout for the community, 86 percent of property owners cast a ballot this year, totaling 851 out of 989 possible ballots. All four covenant proposals passed, implementing short-term rental restrictions, allowing camper parking and temporary occupancy, and a series of changes and updated language in a Restated Declaration of Protective Covenants.

The first question of updating the general covenants passed by the widest margin, with 710 in favor and 147 against. The second question, to allow campers to park on private property within the neighborhood, passed with 652 in favor and 199 against. The question of allowing campers to be occupied overnight for up to two weeks was the closest margin, with 515 in favor and 336 against. Limiting short-term rentals to 90 days total per year passed with 560 in favor and 290 against.

POA association manager Dom Eymere spoke to the Crested Butte News on Tuesday evening, November 2, to share the results. “It was a great effort, a great showing of two-and-a-half years of work,” he said. “After so many layers of amendments and documents that are used for guiding us along, it was time to update and we definitely needed to expand some of these provisions to reflect our values as a community.“

Eymere said he was pleased with the public participation throughout the process at public meetings, in surveys, on committees, and through the board of directors. “It was a really big effort. And Sue Wallace [POA compliance coordinator] did a great job of putting it all together,” said Eymere.

Eymere said electronic voting also made a huge impact. “We had an election official this year too to maintain the integrity of the process, and that will help with other changes or even other amendments in the future,” he said. All results are considered unofficial until certified and approved by Gunnison County.

Eymere added that in many ways, the work begins now. “We’ve got to prove to the community and citizens that we have the policies in place to make these changes successful,” he said.

During the next six months or so the POA will hold a series of directors meetings to determine enforcement and policy development around the new covenants. “So, there is work to do,” said Eymere. “It’s going to just be so much easier for us and for new homeowners to understand the rules.”

For those who did not support the covenant changes, Eymere said there are some administrative and staffing changes ahead to address enforcement issues, the most consistent concern he heard from people. “We can assure the community we will take steps to minimize those problems and the impacts they could potentially have,” he said.

And last, said Eymere, “People can have chickens!”

The updated covenants eliminated the prohibition on poultry…but no roosters. Look for more fine-tuning ahead.