To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Ceila Rethamel, Acting Director, Public Works and Development
Prepared By:
prepared
Caitlyn Mars, Zoning and Weed Control Manager
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presenter
Presenter: Caitlyn Mars, Zoning and Weed Control Manager
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Subject:
title
Short-Term Rental Ordinance No. 2026-01
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Purpose and Request:
recommended action
Staff requests approval from the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) on two items: (1) Ordinance 2026-01, regulating Short-Term Rental properties in unincorporated Arapahoe County through a licensing program; and (2) LDC23-001, an amendment to the Land Development Code addressing Short-Term Rental use in agricultural and residential zone districts. This item was heard on April 28, 2026, and continued to May 12, 2026. Associated licensing and application fees will be considered on a future agenda.
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Alignment with Strategic Plan: Good Governance - Understand and respond to community needs, interests, and values.
Background and Discussion: In 2023, staff began evaluation of Short-Term Rental (STR) regulation authority in response to increased complaints regarding neighborhood impacts such as noise, parking, and reduced compatibility. Colorado Revised Statute ? 30-15-401(1)(s) grants counties authority to license and regulate STRs and establish associated fees and procedures.
During initial research, staff completed a comparative analysis of STR regulations across some nearby Colorado jurisdictions and gathered input from both the BOCC and the public. A Countywide survey with 234 responses highlighted issues including neighborhood impacts, life-safety concerns, and housing affordability, as well as economic benefits such as tourism, supplemental income, and support for service workers.
Throughout 2024 and 2025, staff incorporated research and community feedback into a regulatory framework consisting of the STR licensing ordinance and an amendment to the Land Development Code (LDC). The dra...
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