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Short Term Rental License Information for Breckenridge and Summit County, CO

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Short Term Rental License Information for Breckenridge and Summit County, CO

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Short Term Rental License Information for Breckenridge and Summit County CO

How to Buy an Investment Property near Breckenridge

Thanks for reading this Blog about buying a home near the Breckenridge Ski Resort, one of top vacation destinations for families and outdoor enthusiasts. Summit County has become a world famous location for its array of resorts, amenities and outdoor adventure opportunities.

We’ve covered this the past few years, and here are a summary of those posts. However, most everything you’ll need is right here on this blog.

This blog post is to summarize the current information needed to navigate the various rules and regulations that exist for owners that would like to rent their home. The short list of what’s needed to get an STR (Short Term Rental) license is the following:

1 – Determine your property’s jurisdiction

This means that each property will have to adhere and follow the rules that apply to the jurisdiction that governs the property. For example, we are working with a client and their property falls outside of the town limits, and is therefore subject to the rules of Summit County (unincorporated) and not the town that it may be closest to. There are online tools that will help you determine this.

2 – Analyze your renting options

While it’s important for some to be able to come and go as their schedule allows, for others, that may not be as important. What I mean is that some owners will choose a Long Term Rental (LTR) as an option for revenue. These owners should have longer absences between visits, which will allow for proper planning for LTRs that are 30 days or longer. Anything less than 30 is considered an STR.

3 – Apply for a license

Ok, so after you’ve determined your location and know where you need to apply, then you’ll be ready to apply for the STR license, but ONLY AFTER you have closed on the property. Certain zones will have waitlists and you need to be sure that you’re ok with the area and the situation that is inherited with the purchase of the property.

Researching the Different Regulations throughout Summit County

The purpose of this post is help provide a comprehensive resource for those looking for a one stop shop for all the various municipalities and communities that affect your ability to obtain an STR license. Please take a look around on this page and if you can’t find what you’re looking for, then please contact us to learn how we can help explain or find an answer for you. We are here to help, as this information isn’t easily found and understood. That’s why I wrote this blog. The official STR page for the Summit County government is here: https://www.summitcountyco.gov/1221/Short-Term-Rentals

Short Term Rental Business Planning

If you’ve never owned and operated an STR as a business venture, then we have another resource in the works for you. We are putting together an STR Guide that will help owners navigate the various steps to becoming a successful business owner operator. We have run a retail business in town, and know some aspects of business that others might not have. We understand that not everyone is a business person, and we can help provide suggestions and solutions for that lack of experience. With the STR busijess, you’ll need to have a plan for a responsible agent, how to communicate and effectively manage guests needs and occupancy limits, licensing and sales tax reporting. Contact us for your free STR guide.

Breckenridge STR License Availability, Current Lists and Waitlists

Understanding the nuances of the town maps and how they zig zag around the mountains isn’t easy. We are here to help you if you need it. Most that are tech friendly can click around and find what they’re looking for. But, with properties, you may be looking at GIS and parcel maps that have different layers and can be confusing. Regardless, we will talk you through everything and will doublecheck listing status, STR revenue history and / or projections and can help determine which zone and if there’s a waitlist for the area that is being considered.

https://www.townofbreckenridge.com/your-government/short-term-rentals/license-availability-current-lists-and-waitlists

Summit County Short Term Rental Information

The following information is taken directly from the website of the Summit Realtors. It’s a good start, but some of the information will need to be double checked that it is current and up to date.

Source: Summit Realtors

We Have Updated STR Information! Read below for Short-term Rental Information for Summit, Park, and Lake Counties as of April 10, 2023.

*Clients are encouraged to do their own due diligence and contact the appropriate Town directly for information on a specific property.

Blue River: Short-Term Rentals Allowed

Information and Applications:  Click Here.

Contact:  Michelle Eddy, Town Administrator
970-547-0545
michelle@townofblueriver.org

Breckenridge – STR’s are Restricted

General Policy:
Breckenridge limits STR’s By Zones 1, 2, 3 & Resort. Availability of permits is linked to the right.

Contact:  Bela Del Valle, Short-term Rental Code Enforcement
970-547-3106
Belad@townofbreckenridge.com

Dillon- Short-Term Rentals Allowed

Contact:  str@townofdillon.com

Frisco – Short-Term Rentals Restricted

General Policy:  Frisco has a maximum of 900 STR licenses. There is currently a waitlist.

Contact:  Sarah Schwartz, Short-term Rental/Housing Specialist
Sarahs@townoffrisco.gov
970-668-2571

Keystone

Keystone is currently transitioning from Unincorporated Summit County to its own Town. Currently licenses are unlimited. It is unknown what Keystone as a Town will implement for STR’s.

Contact:  N/A

Montezuma – Rentals Not Allowed Under 180 Days

Contact:  Sandra Lerner, Town Clerk
townclerkmontezuma@gmail.com

Summit County (Unincorporated) – Short-Term Rentals Restricted

General Policy:  Unlimited STR Licenses in Copper Mountain, Keystone *, Tiger Run, and 4 O’Clock and Sawmill Subs in Breckenridge in the Resort Overlay Zone (ROZ). There is a cap on STR’s in all other Neighborhood residential Overlay Zones (NOZ) by Basin in the County. There are two types of Permits: Type I for locals and Type II for STR’s. Type I licenses are available. No new Type II Licenses are available in residential areas of unincorporated Summit County at this time and there is not a waitlist available.

Contact:  str@summitcountyco.gov
970-668-4186

Silverthorne – Restricted with licenses available

General Policy: Town of Silverthorne short-term rentals are capped at 10% of the number of units in the majority of Town neighborhoods, Area 1, and 50% of the number of units within the Town Core and Riverfront areas, Area 2. Short-term rentals are not allowed within deed restricted neighborhoods, Area 3. Permits are currently available in Areas 1 & 2.

Contact:  Mark Leidel, Community Development Manager
str@silverthorne.org

*Unsure of what jurisdiction the property is in? To Find a Properties Town of Jurisdiction, search the County Property Data Search and enter the address: http://gis.summitcountyco.gov/map/

Park County (Unincorporated)

  • General Policy: The County does not limit STR’s but requires licenses and other items as defined in the ordinance linked below.
  • General information: Click Here.
  • Ordinance: Click Here.

Contact: str@parkco.us

Alma

  • General Policy: The maximum number of STR’s in Alma is 10. None are available at this time, but there is a waiting list.
  • Municipal Code with STR requirements (pages 65-67):  Click Here.
  • Municipal Code with maximum of STR units:  Click Here.

Contact: Any town staff at 719-836-2712

Fairplay

  • General policy: Short-term rental licenses are limited to 15 within the Town of Fairplay. *As of 4/15/23, 5 licenses are available.
  • General Information and Available Permits:  Click Here.
  • Ordinance:  Click Here.

Contact:  Janell Sciacca, Town Administrator
719-836-2622 x-102

Lake County (Unincorporated)

  • General Policy: Lake County is under a STR moratorium and will not allow any new STR permits for 2023.
  • General Info:  Click Here.
  • Ordinance:  Click Here.

Contact:  719-486-2875 or buildingpermits@co.lake.us

Leadville

  • General Policy: STR’s limited to 12% (171 licenses) of residential properties in the City. There are 2 classes of licenses. Class 1 is for owner occupied units and Class 2 is for non-owner occupied units. Class 1 permits do not fall under the 12% maximum licenses. As of April 10th, the City is in the renewal period for licenses but currently is at the maximum 171 permits. They have a very short waitlist of 12 people.
  • General info:  Click Here.
  • Ordinance:  Click Here.

Contact:  cityclerk@leadville-co.gov

*How to know if the property is in Leadville or Lake County jurisdiction:
https://lccgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=b5d103f931524e319cfc7888528119d6

Short Term Rentals in Breckenridge

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Blue Lakes Road | Stacy Sanchez Image

Short Term Rentals in Breckenridge

There has been lots of talk around the county, but the first to take action is The Kingdom (aka Breckenridge, ask me about that story sometime), and this blog will share details about how to find details regarding Short Term Rentals in Breckenridge. The “Zoom Boom” or “Great COVID Migration” has brought to light many things that have been on the horizon for many years, and one of those items is the way that real estate, investments and Short Term Rentals (STRs hereafter) all play a role in the Summit County lifestyle and vacation experience.

If you’re pressed for time and are looking for links and shortcuts to the appropriate town websites and departments for your short term rental, please scroll down to find the links to those relevant organizations.

The Affordable Housing and Workforce Housing Dilemma

There are some who are of the mindset that the cap by the Town of Breckenridge and Summit County will help alleviate the workforce housing situation, namely being there is a shortage of long term rentals and “affordable” housing for workers. This cap will not immediately produce housing and solve the issue. What it does do is allow the STR departments to take a look at the current state of STR licenses and what may be possible to do next to incentivize owners to possibly convert their STR to a LTR (Long Term Rental).

Many owners initially made their property investment in Breckenridge and Summit County to spend time in the mountains and then chose to rent to short term renters knowing that they could block out dates as they needed to. This would then allow them to enjoy their property as well as help offset maintenance and operating costs of having a mountain property.

Converting Short Term Rentals to Long Term Rentals

If there was an ultimatum for them to rent as a LTR or not rent at all, many have stated that they would choose not to rent at all and this action would not achieve the goal of providing long term housing for local workers. Simply put, any kind of ultimatum on STR owners will not increase LTR opportunities. This topic is still currently being discussed, with new STR to LTR programs being developed, as well as house purchasing assistance programs for locals.

If you are a local reading this and need help finding the right home for you or your family, please reach out and we can help you find the property that works best for your mountain lifestyle.

Short Term Rentals in Breckenridge | Breckenridge Real Estate and Property

How to Keep Up To Date with the STR Situation in Summit

There are other ideas being tossed around, as they have for decades, as this problem is not new and this situation is not unique to Summit County. There are many communities around the world with this situation and some are taking action to address Airbnb’s and STRs in traditionally residential locations. I have a personal document I’m keeping track of recent articles as they are posted, and I try to update this list as new articles are published, but I would suggest checking the Summit Daily News for any official announcements, as well as official government websites, which I will list below as well. Feel free to reach out to me, Stacy, if you would like me to email you the list of articles from the SDN.

Short Term Rentals: Changes and Restrictions

The following contains information which is succinct and may not be complete or current. These changes are happening almost daily, if not weekly. Please refer to the links provided below to contact the appropriate department for the most recent updates that pertain to your property and home.

SUMMIT COUNTY

  • It all started when the county passed an emergency ordinance, a 90 day moratorium on STR licenses that went into effect on September 17, 2021.
  • Exempt locations: Keystone, Copper, Four O’Clock Subdivision, Skiwatch and Tiger Run.
  • This time will allow the county to research and create incentives for property owners to convert their properties into LTRs in “local zones” or initially called “opportunity zones”
  • Two considerations by the board are new zone overlay districts and three types of rental licenses. All license types would be permitted in the “resort zone”, while specific license types would be limited in the “neighborhood zones”.

KEYSTONE & COPPER MOUNTAIN

  • These areas are exempt from the Summit County STR restrictions at this time.

BRECKENRIDGE

  • The Breckenridge Town council passed a cap on new short-term rental licenses. There are some areas that are exempt from this cap.
  • The number of licenses for this cap is set at a maximum of 2,200 licenses (as of now there are over 3,000).
  • This new ordinance will become active on November 2, 2021.
  • This plan allows for a reduction in permits through attrition. When properties are sold, and licenses are turned in, the permit number will be reduced. When the goal of 2,200 permits is achieved (could be months or even years), the town will begin to issue licenses from properties entered on a waiting list.
  • If an owner has a property with rentals already in place, a 6 month temporary short-term rental license can be issued to the buyer of a currently licensed property to honor pre-sale bookings.
  • For clarification, exempt properties must have on-site 24hr staffed front desk.

BLUE RIVER

  • Approximately 20% of homes in Blue River are licensed as short term rentals, but there are NO CHANGES at this time.
  • All STRs operating in the Town of Blue River are currently required to obtain a short term rental license and collect and remit taxes. The Board of Trustees continues to discuss the possible future rules and regulations of short term rentals.

FRISCO

  • Update: This effort FAILED to collect enough signatures. There is a citizen initiative to put a vote on the ballot to limit and ban short-term rentals, this movement is still gathering signatures.
  • Town of Frisco is currently researching options, like the other mountain towns are, however no changes or decisions are being made at this time.

SILVERTHORNE

  • Similar to Frisco, the Town officials are being observant of actions being taken elsewhere in Summit County, but have made no plans to take any immediate action at this time.

Private Property Rights, Commercial vs Residential Zoning Considerations

The issue for a lot of owners is that they feel they have the right to do what they want with their property. That’s an understandable position, however, there have always been zoning rules in place for neighborhoods, mainly to minimize or eliminate commercial operations in traditionally residential areas.

Before purchasing a home or property anywhere in Colorado, make sure you perform your due diligence and investigate the zoning rules and regulations that are applicable to your property purchase.

How to Plan for Upcoming Changes for Short Term Rentals in Breckenridge

I suggest you read this blog in its entirety, and follow up with any official government entities that are applicable to your property. If you don’t have the time or are confused, please feel free to reach out to us here at Mountain Habitat, which is comprised of Dina and Stacy Sanchez, longtime Breckenridge locals. Dina is the lead sales broker for real estate and property in the Summit County area and is a luxury property specialist. Stacy Sanchez is a former property manager that is versed in the business aspect of providing an exceptional guest experience and how to prepare a home for multiple families and guests throughout the year. We look forward to helping you navigate these changes, as they are not yet finalized, and if we don’t have the answers ourselves, we will help you find the right people that can provide answers and solutions to your particular situation.

Please visit our CONTACT page for more information or use the form below. Thanks for reading!

Summit County, Colorado – Town Short Term Rental Information

City of Denver Short Term Rentals

If you’re curious about the current state of STRs in the Denver area, I’m going to post the link below so that you can research and educate yourself on that area as well.

Alma, Fairplay and Leadville Short Term Rental Information

Leadville currently has a 12% cap on STRs within the town limits. No new licenses are being accepted at this time, due to the cap limit being close to meeting the maximum number of permits according to the cap. STRs outside the town limits would go through the permitting process through the Lake County government.

No changes are currently being planned for Alma and Fairplay. Licenses are being accepted as usual. One exception is that no short term rental property license shall be issued for any accommodation unit for which an on-site wastewater treatment system was not permitted and approved (approved 2021).

Vail, Beaver Creek, Avon and EagleVail Short Term Rental Information

  • A short term rental moratorium was voted down in July, 2021. Approximately 14% of Vail non-resort lodging is comprised of STRs. Over at Beaver Creek, a Beaver Creek Business License is mandatory if a home / condo is rented 4+ days / month.Avon (outside of Beaver Creek) does not allow short term rentals at an HOA level town wide.