The Buena Vista Board of Trustees approved changes to the town’s short-term rentals (STRs) ordinance and approved the town’s 2022 Three-Mile Plan during their September 27, 2022, meeting.
Amendments to the Short-Term Rentals Ordinance
Before changes to the STR code in 2021, STR licensees were required to hold a business license and an STR license and pay separate fees for both. The code does not clarify that the Town no longer requires a separate business license for STRs. The first proposed change would clarify the STR code requirement of one initial application and an annual renewal fee, as well as add that the application and renewal fees are non-refundable if the application is denied.
Additionally, new STR properties must pass a fire inspection by Chaffee County Fire Protection District (CCFPD) before being granted their STR license. The town had not previously discussed a time limit for the fire inspection. While town staff originally expected applicants to be eager to complete their requirements, there have been multiple instances where applicants submitted their applications and payment and waited more than four months to complete their fire inspection.
“What we saw was that people applied for their STR license, we held it pending the fire inspection, and some of those we held for ten months,” explained Town Clerk Paula Barnett. “What we’re proposing is that once the application is determined to be eligible for a license, it needs to have that fire inspection…within sixty days.”
Code Enforcement Officer Grant Bryans also brought forward issues with STR owners advertising units without a license.
“Over the past year, some properties have been listed online without a license,” he wrote in his report to the board. “We have worked hard at reaching out to owners and property managers to gain compliance. While our determination has paid off, it was noted that simply pointing at the violation was not enough. The way our code was written, we had to prove that a paying guest rented the STR.”
As Bryans continues, the criteria for obtaining these warrants often didn’t meet the platform’s requirements, and using online reviews would be considered hearsay. Bryans proposed a simple code change making it illegal to list an STR without a license in Buena Vista.
The ordinance, which included all three changes, passed unanimously.
Three-Mile Plan
The board also took time to discuss and review the town’s Three-Mile Plan. According to Planning Director Joseph Teipel, the 2022 plan reflects the minimum state statute requirements from the previous Three-Mile Plans together with other basic changes.
“This plan, because it’s required to be updated every year, gives us the opportunity to proactively say, ‘What do we want to see here? Should these areas develop? Should we have a say? Should the county and us coordinate more?’” Teipel explained.
“Eventually we’d propose what we’re calling a ‘vision statement’ for each area,” he added. “This is not to say the town is actively looking to take over anything or force development in any certain way. It’s saying that, based on current conditions, we feel this vision [statement] is appropriate for this area.”
Vision statements for each area as listed in the Three-Mile Plan are as follows:
Area 1 – Buena Vista Highway Commercial: The town envisions a commercial gateway into the North end of town that may be complemented by small or large multi-family housing development serving the local workforce. The character of this area is in line with Buena Vista’s heritage and ties to Historic East Main Street as much as possible.
Courtesy of the Town of Buena Vista.
Area 2 – County Residential: The town envisions maintaining low-density development in this area honoring the current development patterns while new street connections allow for better connectivity throughout. The Buena Vista Golf Course continues to thrive as an important cornerstone to the community, and increasingly connected bike and pedestrian trails offer alternatives to County Road 306 for entering and leaving town.
Area 3 – Town Adjacent County Residential: The town envisions medium-density housing development infilling currently low-density areas. New North/South streets and trails allow for increased connections to County Road 350. Mixed-income housing developments are encouraged using strategies like clustered subdivisions.
Area 4 – County Road 313: Town envisions medium-to-high-density housing development while maintaining the commercial uses along County Road 317. Trails are emphasized and pedestrian and bicycle safety on County Roads 317 and 313 are prioritized.
Area 5 – Department of Corrections (DOC) Facility: The town envisions maintaining a significant portion of this area as open space which will support wildlife corridors. Should the correctional facility ever shut down, a community process should be launched to define the potential of this area further.
Area 6 – Johnson Village Residential: The town envisions low-to-medium density housing development on connected streets that incorporate safe and efficient trail connections to County Road 313 and the river. Conservation easements preserve open space while housing utilizes alternative approaches like tiny homes and mobile homes to provide affordability.
Area 7 – Johnson Village Commercial: The town envisions a vibrant commercial corridor served by municipal infrastructure and is a unified gateway into Buena Vista. Small and large multi-family housing development exists and complements the housing stock of the Town.
Courtesy of the Town of Buena Vista.
Area 8 – Municipal Airport Land: The town envisions an industrial and commercial area including housing where appropriate, served by municipal infrastructure and connecting the Town’s economy to that of the region and state through the Central Colorado Airport and its services.
Area 9 – Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Land Swap: The town envisions conserving the portion of Area 9 to the West of Highway 24 in open space, while the area East of the highway is developed thoughtfully to include commercial and residential uses as well as a fourth crossing of the railroad tracks to connect with the highway at Steel/Gregg Drive.
Area 10 – South Pleasant Avenue Area and 28470 County Road 321: The town envisions medium-density housing including a new neighborhood park and integral Peaks View Trail connections. Pleasant Avenue acts as an important North/South connection to Gregg Drive while wildlife corridors are preserved.
Area 11 – Chicago Ranch Area: The town envisions an engaging open space and recreational hub as detailed in the 2022 Rodeo Grounds & Chicago Ranch Master Plan.
After a brief discussion, the board voted to approve the Three-Mile Plan. For more information about the town’s Three-Mile Plan and the town’s STR policies, visit the town’s website. Trustee board meetings are held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month. Agendas and packets can be found before meetings online.
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