John Scarffe, Boulder County. The Boulder County Board of County Commissioners approved short-term and vacation rental fees during a regular meeting on March 2, 2021, starting at 10:30 a.m. Jasmine Rodenburg, senior planner, presented an ordinance for the Licensing of Short-Term Dwelling Rentals and Vacation Rentals within the Unincorporated Area of Boulder County.

According to a memo to the Board, on July 2, 2019, the Board of County Commissioners authorized Community Planning & Permitting (CP&P) staff to pursue text amendments to the Short-Term Dwelling Rental and Bed and Breakfast provisions in the Boulder County Land Use Code. Subsequently, in March 2020, the Colorado State Legislature passed a bill authorizing counties, including Boulder County, to license and regulate short-term rentals.

Following significant research, public involvement, and public hearings, on December 3, 2020, the Board adopted regulations for Short-Term Dwelling Rentals including, Text Amendments to the Boulder County Land Use Code and a Licensing Ordinance. 

Today, staff is introducing the proposed fees for the Licensing Ordinance Short-Term Rental License, Primary and Secondary Dwelling Short-Term Rentals of $200 initially with a $175 renewal. Vacation Rental License fees will cost $300 initially and a $275 renewal. 

A $50 discount will be applied to renewals when the owner has no confirmed violations during the two-year license period. Staff believes these fees are appropriate as they will cover the costs of procuring a third-party vendor to assist with enforcement of the Licensing Ordinance, are in line with other Boulder County licensing fees, and are in line with the fees of other Colorado cities and counties for short-term rental licenses. 

Staff will review and re-evaluate these fees in two years when the efficacy of the short-term rental regulations are reviewed pursuant to the Board’s condition of approval of adopting the text amendments.

Rodenburg told the Board that in December 2020 the Board approved regulations to short-term rentals. Now they have received the licensing authority. Staff has talked to the Licensing Team and researched fees at other nearby cities. 

Commissioner Marta Loachamin asked if the staff had a way for review. Rodenburg said that anyone who has concerns can contact the office, and staff will take that into consideration for a review. Commissioner Claire Levy said the previous Board did a lot of outreach before passing the short-term rental license. 

Commission Chair Matt Jones pointed out that this is for the unincorporated area in Boulder County and not Boulder. He asked if the fees will cover the costs, and Rodenburg said staff thinks they will.

The Board approved the license fees for short-term and vacation rentals.

(Originally published in the March 4, 2021, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)