Vacation rental homes have gotten a lot of discussion and debate in Durango. Bayfield Town Manager Chris La May raised the issue with town trustees on Sept. 1.
He has an application for use by review to have a vacational rental unit as part of a home in the old downtown area. The sticker here is two occupancy types in one house and an International Building Code (IBC) requirement to have a two-hour fire wall between the uses. The International Residential Code (IRC) deals with one, two, and multi-family dwellings up to three stories high, where each unit has its own exit. Bayfield has adopted both of those codes, among others.
Without board action, the IBC will apply, La May said.
Bayfield has no lodging for visitors, he said. He noted the downtown assessment done early this year by Downtown Colorado Inc., and the recommendation to consider bed and breakfasts or vacation rentals and "Find a way to support the efforts of existing home and property owners with the potential to add rental or lodging spaces to their properties."
He recommended changing the building code to exempt a certain number of vacation rental units in an effort to promote more of them. In his staff memo he said various communities are adjusting their codes "based on the desirability of vacation rentals." But he also noted, "In many of the more expensive communities, property owners can make more profit on a vacation rental than long term lease, which has resulted in an amplification of affordable housing issues."
He wants the town to have some requirements for vacation rentals "before it gets out of hand."
Mayor Rick Smith agreed. "I'd like to see us be a little more proactive," he said. "It's a business just like any other."
Trustee Michelle Nelson said she has seen at least a couple Bayfield vacation rentals online, so it is happening. "Do we need to look at the land use code?" she asked.
La May didn't know if those were considered the last time the code was revised.
"We should definitely look into this," trustee Matt Salka said.
La May will have the town planning commission work on it.
The Times checked the vrbo.com website. It listed four Bayfield rentals, but the photos suggest they are not in town limits.
