Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Short Term Rentals topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Larimer commissioners deny Bennett short‑term rental on Foothills Drive, citing road and neighborhood concerns
Summary
After neighborhood testimony and staff review, the board denied a proposed short‑term rental on Foothills Drive, concluding that county review criteria about access, traffic and neighborhood impacts had not been met.
Larimer County commissioners denied a request on April 14 to convert an existing single‑family residence at 5001 Foothills Drive into a short‑term rental under the county’s prior short‑term‑rental rules.
Staff context and referral review: The application was submitted under the county’s pre‑June‑2023 short‑term‑rental regulations; the building life‑safety inspection had been completed in September 2024. Planning staff told the board that the application met many standards but said they could not reach a conclusive determination on two key review criteria that require judgment about access, traffic and impacts to the surrounding area.
Public testimony and concerns: The board heard focused testimony from the nearest neighbor, Brian Pardo, who said Foothills Drive is narrow, steep in places and in deteriorating condition. Pardo submitted an independent civil engineering assessment for the record and urged denial unless substantial road repairs or other mitigations occurred. The applicant, Jason Bennett, told the board he had invested in life‑safety and wildfire mitigation work and emphasized seasonal operation and an intent to target responsible renters such as training firefighters.
Board decision: After deliberation, commissioners concluded that staff could not verify that criterion (2) — that project impacts related to access, traffic, emergency services and parking had been adequately addressed or mitigated — was satisfied. Commissioners cited neighborhood density, road condition and unresolved access concerns as reasons for denial and voted to deny the administrative special review.
Next steps: Staff will notify the applicant in writing of the decision and the findings supporting denial; the applicant may pursue other administrative remedies or resubmit with additional mitigation measures addressing access and road condition.
Ending: The denial leaves the property’s residential use unchanged; commissioners said neighborhood and access issues must be resolved before a short‑term rental license would be appropriate.
