Council forming committee to deal with short-term rental issue

Looking for committee members

By Mark Reaman

A formal town committee to deal with the issue of short-term vacation rentals is being set up by the town of Crested Butte.

Designed to include council members, property managers, town staff and citizens-at-large, the committee will be tasked with four broad topics.

The committee will look at neighborhood impacts such as noise and parking with short-term rentals; the larger community impacts such as loss of workforce housing and impacts on the town’s “brand;” the safety and fairness of short-term rentals versus hotels and lodges when it comes to things like taxes, inspections and building standards; and the process itself that would include licensing and neighborhood notification.

Town staff suggested that two council members, two property management representatives, two citizens-at-large, along with staff, make up the committee. The council wants a say in who ultimately sits on the board.

“I would imagine the committee would come back to the council after a few months with some recommendations,” said town building and zoning director Bob Gillie at the Monday, April 4 council meeting.

Councilwoman Laura Mitchell asked if a regional idea for taxing or implementing a fee on short-term rentals had been discussed. Town planner Michael Yerman said the topic had been broached by the One Valley Prosperity Project but nothing concrete had happened.

Mayor Glenn Michel said a town committee could get the ball rolling to address the issue for a number of topics while the regional approach could take some time.

The council agreed it would be a good idea to start looking at a tighter regulatory framework for monitoring short-term rentals in town.

Council members Jim Schmidt and Laura Mitchell were appointed as council representatives to the committee. The town will seek and advertise for property managers and interested citizens to serve on the committee.