Redstone Short Term Rentals

Background: In June of 2022, the Pitkin County Commissioners (BOCC) adopted an ordinance that established a Short Term Rental Code for Unincorporated Pitkin County. The Code requires those wishing to rent their properties as STRs to apply for a license; rent their property at least 4 days in a row; and rent it no more than 120 nights per licensed term (one year). Since the Code was adopted, the commissioners heard concerns from Redstone residents, about whether a county-wide approach is a right fit for Redstone given Redstone’s unique characteristics and zoning. Starting in April of 2023, Pitkin County is launching a public outreach effort to seek input from Redstone residents, neighbors and visitors on the appropriate approach to STRs in the Redstone community. 

• Letter about the outreach in the Crystal Valley Echo from BOCC Chair Francie Jacober
• Redstone Short Term Rental Survey
• Pitkin County Short Term Rental Code
• Redstone Master Plan
• February 14, Agenda Item Summary, Redstone STR Outreach (background information)

Redstone Short Term Rental Survey: 

Click HERE to access the survey

Who: Redstone residents, neighbors, and visitors are encouraged to take the survey, which will be distributed, starting April 1, via mail, posters at businesses, newspaper advertisements, and paper surveys at locations in Redstone. In addition, Pitkin County staff will hold community meetings in April to provide additional information.

What: The survey results will be considered by the Pitkin County Commissioners in any future action around short term rentals in the Historic District of Redstone. 

When: The survey will be administered for one month starting April 1, 2023 and closing May 1, 2023. In addition, community meetings will be held in Redstone this spring to provide additional information to the public, and the public will have an opportunity to provide feedback. The commissioners will consider feedback and the survey results at a meeting later in the spring.

Where: The survey considers the Redstone Historic District as the boundary for the outreach effort and any subsequent amendments to the existing Short Term Rental regulations. 

Why: The Pitkin County Commissioners decided to gather additional feedback about the county's Short Term Rental regulations in Redstone after hearing from members of the public in Redstone in 2022. The commissioners understand that the unique characteristics in the Historic District of Redstone may set it apart from other parts of Unincorporated Pitkin County. The outreach effort is meant to gather additional information before making any changes to how STR regulations are applied in Redstone.

How: The survey will primarily be administered online, with the option to fill out a paper survey available at the Church at Redstone. The paper surveys will be collected by county staff and considered in the overall collection of responses.

Helpful definitions and additional info: 

STR (Short Term Rental): Any dwelling unit or lodging unit rented, offered, leased, provided, exchanged or operated as a lodging accommodation for compensation for a period less than 30 consecutive days.

What is Unincorporated Pitkin County? Anywhere that's not a municipal area in Pitkin County. Municipal areas in Pitkin County include Aspen, Snowmass, and Basalt. 

What are the Village Commercial (VC) and Village Residential (VR) zoning districts? The Village Commercial and Village Residential zone districts are both located in the Redstone Historic District. Village Commercial - The intent of the VC zone district is “to preserve the historical integrity of the existing district, to provide for goods and services to residents and visitors of Redstone, and to ensure that commercial development is consistent with the scale of existing structure and uses within the zone district.” Village Residential - The intent of the VR zone district is “to preserve the historical integrity of the existing neighborhood, ensure compatibility with existing uses, and retain the village atmosphere, pedestrian scale, and unique character of Redstone.”

What is and where is the Village Commercial (VC) Area and Village Residential Area (VR) on Redstone Blvd.? It is important to note that the zoning on the Boulevard has long differentiated between a residential zone and a commercial zone even prior to the 1993 Redstone Master Plan. The VC and VR zone districts were applied to the Boulevard to implement the 1993 Redstone Master Plan, and replaced within the same boundaries the prior R-6 (residential) and B-1 (commercial) zone districts. The VC and VR zone districts provided floor area and height calculations tailored to the historic character and scale of Redstone.

Maps and more: