I want to thank the Teller County Commissioners for passing Ordinance 23, “Regulation of Short-Term Rental Properties in Unincorporated Teller County.” Just like inside the city limits of Woodland Park, historically, short-term rentals (STRs) were also never a permitted land use in the unincorporated areas of Teller County.

In Woodland Park, the City Council pursued an ordinance that would have opened our residential neighborhoods to STR businesses without any limits on the number of STRs. This was Ordinance 1431, an approach the City Council itself referred to as the “Wild West.” It completely ignored the property rights of those of us living in residential zoning districts. These areas were legally designated for neighborhoods with neighbors, not transients living in motel businesses. Woodland Park residents successfully overturned that approach through a referendum petition.

To protect our neighborhoods and our city, Woodland Park residents, via a grassroots effort, then brought forward a common-sense Citizens Initiative Ordinance that put STR restrictions into law.  That law preserves the character of our neighborhoods while at the same time allowing STRs to operate within these citizen restrictions.

It was encouraging to see the Teller County Commissioners take a different approach. They actively listened to citizens and ultimately adopted what I believe is a common-sense ordinance.

However, this is not a one-time effort. To preserve the character of our neighborhoods in both our city and our county, citizens must remain vigilant.  The STR industry is a lucrative business when it can take over residential neighborhoods and is constantly seeking out areas to invade.

Current and future Teller County Commissioners have the authority to change Ordinance 23. Of significant note during the approval hearing, the Commissioners acknowledged that a total ban on STRs was a common sentiment expressed in the considerable written public input they received. Future changes could therefore make the STR regulations more restrictive, potentially including a total ban.

Just like Teller County, current and future Woodland Park City Councils have the authority to change the common-sense Citizens Initiative STR ordinance. Changes could make Woodland Park's STR regulations more restrictive, potentially including a total ban.

For Teller County, I purposely stayed out of any discussions about the development or approval of Ordinance 23; therefore, I’m not sure how much support from the citizens there might be in Teller County for a total ban.

However, in Woodland Park, I know from talking with hundreds of residents during our citizen efforts to establish Woodland Park's STR restrictions that a total STR ban could have a solid chance of passing through another Citizens Initiative if this City Council, or a future City Council, attempts to weaken the STR restrictions voters put into law.
Jerry Penland