County OKs short-term rentals

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Douglas County became the latest local government in the Denver metro area to approve a policy that regulates short-term rentals — short stays at a property booked through sites like Airbnb or Vrbo — allowing the rentals only in certain parts of the county.

agency urges using that and other precautions to stay safe.

Meanwhile, trails have also seen impacts from the wet weather. Heavy rainfall destroyed all bridge crossings over the Cherry Creek in Castlewood Canyon State Park in Douglas County, a June news release from the parks agency said.

Here’s a look at how to stay safe when you’re recreating outdoors — whether on land or water.

Staying safe on trails com/CastleRockTrails and tinyurl. com/Je coParksTrails.)

Standing water on trails is one potential hazard for bikers to watch out for.

“Check trail conditions before you go to be sure conditions are safe,” said Travis Duncan, a spokesperson with Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

You can visit trails.colorado.gov to access the state’s COTREX map system, or download the app, to locate trail closures.

(It may also be helpful to check local government websites for trail closures.

Trail users should also be mindful of erosion, the natural process by which rock and soil are worn away by wind, water and tra c.

“Left unchecked, erosion can destroy trails and damage the environment,” Duncan said. “Trail erosion is accelerated by a combination of trail users, gravity and water.”

When walkers and runners encounter standing water on a trail, recommendations can vary.

“Every situation is di erent,” Duncan said. “In many instances, we’d prefer folks not hike when conditions are bad on a given trail. In most cases, going through the water is the best option and will prevent further erosion to the trail.”

Staying safe in water

Even the most experienced outdoor enthusiasts can become victims to

Douglas County Commissioner George Teal, who supported the policy, said he heard from a household that lives on a xed income who wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to o er a short-term rental. ey want to “augment an already limited income as they go into their twilight years,” Teal said at the July 11 commissioners meeting. e new ordinance requires owners to apply for licenses to operate homes as short-term rental properties. e ordinance de nes a short‐term rental as lasting less than 30 consecutive days. It applies to unincorporated parts of Douglas County — areas outside of municipalities.

Douglas County hasn’t had a general prohibition on short-term rentals for at least the past 20 years, but there were only a few small areas where they were explicitly allowed, according to county sta .

As of early 2020, Castle Pines and Parker prohibit short-term rentals, Colorado Community Media reported at the time.

After “substantial community engagement,” in February this year, Lone Tree City Council approved two ordinances to prohibit the creation of new short-term rentals and regulate existing ones, the city’s website says.