By Hank Lydick
On March 14 2023, the Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) discussed a report from the short-term rental (STR) Task Force. Later in the same day, the BOCC voted to not reinstate the recently expired moratorium on new STR permits.
During BOCC discussion, County Manager Derek Woodman commented that during 2020 and 2021 there was an unnatural rate of growth in STRs, and his personal belief that current market conditions will provide a “natural adjustment to the market”.
Mr. Woodman noted that there are a significant number of non-permitted STRs in the county. He estimated that approximately 60 – 65 illegal STRs existed prior to the moratorium, and that approximately 100 illegal STRs currently exist.
I find it interesting that Woodman commented that the number of permitted and illegal STRs could be tracked using new software the county purchased in October 2022. It would be very helpful if the Task Force, BOCC, and County Manager would agree to provide the public with an online STR map which the public can inspect and provide feedback on any STR property inadvertently missing from county STR data base.
During the discussion, a lack of accurate data was pointed out. Woodman pointed out that one of the Task Force’s recommendations is that the County continue to collect data over the next 12 months (without the moratorium), and then re-evaluate the need for STR regulations.
Woodman noted that one of the Task Force recommendations is the creation of a map displaying all properties with STRs, and information about each STR displayed. This statement implies that the STR map should include all properties — meaning properties with a permitted STR, and properties that are operating as an illegal STR. This is good to hear because such a map would allow the public to monitor activity within their own neighborhood, and to provide feedback on STR activity which could be used to improve the accuracy of the Archuleta County’s STR data base.
The Task Force Phase I Report (page 5) noted “in an effort of transparency, the TF would like the data to be published publicly”. During Phase II, the TF is planning to meet regularly to go over data collected, and analyze the effectiveness of the new policies and recommendations. I hope that all can agree that the BOCC, County Manager and the Task Force would benefit from public feedback on the accuracy of the data as displayed in an on-line public STR map.
The Phase I Report (page 7) notes that new software (implemented in April 2020) is able to identify non-permitted STR properties. However, in the past, “very little has been done to ensure compliance of non-permitted STR properties”. Therefore, additional software was installed (Fall of 2022) that allows the county to track the progress of the non-permitted STR properties.
I appreciate (late February of 2023) that the county started contacting non-permitted STR properties, and now the County is following a protocol to get the non-permitted STR properties to become properly permitted.
The County Manager stated on February 7, 2023, that approximately 62 non-permitted STR properties exist.
He then estimated, on March 14, 2023, that approximately 100 non-permitted STR properties exist.
An online public STR map which the public can inspect would help the Task Force, BOCC, and our County Manager to have a more accurate count, and to better understand the effectiveness of the new policies and recommendations.