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Board approves Heller short‑term rental in Loveland with expanded neighbor notification
Summary
The board approved a special‑review short‑term rental for a 40‑acre property on Skinner Gulch Road and amended staff’s recommended notice requirement from 500 feet to 1,000 feet; the decision passed 2–1.
Larimer County commissioners on April 14 approved a special‑review short‑term rental application for a 40‑acre property at 767 Skinner Gulch Road near Pinewood Lake, subject to conditions and an expanded neighborhood notification radius.
The county planning staff presented the application as the first short‑term rental reviewed under the county’s updated short‑term rental regulations (effective June 1, 2023). The applicant, Chris Heller, sought permission to rent a four‑bedroom single‑family residence (plus one extra sleeping area) for up to nine guests; the property is in the Open zone district and uses a private well and septic.
Why it matters: staff said the application met the code’s safety, floodplain, and development standards and recommended approval. The planning commission recommended approval on March 19 by a 7–0 vote. At the board hearing neighbors voiced concerns about wildfire risk, road access and insurance; an opposing speaker urged denial citing private‑road conditions. The applicant emphasized wildfire mitigation work, year‑round water availability from a permitted well and his interest in limiting rentals seasonally.
Board action and conditions: Commissioner John Kefalas moved to approve the Heller short‑term rental and to expand staff’s recommended 500‑foot neighbor notification requirement to 1,000 feet; the motion passed 2–1, with Commissioner Jody Shattuck McNally voting no. The written conditions include standard short‑term‑rental operational rules (occupancy limits, parking and on‑site information for guests), a required life‑safety inspection and wildfire mitigation measures and a requirement to report a property manager address within one hour’s response time prior to licensing.
Public safety and follow‑up: staff said the property passed or will need to pass the county life‑safety and wildfire inspections before a short‑term rental license is issued. The board’s 1,000‑foot notice amendment directs staff to alert a larger group of nearby property owners about the approval.
Ending: The approval gives the owner conditional authority to operate a short‑term rental after outstanding inspections and license steps are completed; commissioners said they expanded the notice requirement to ensure neighbors beyond immediate parcel boundaries receive formal notice.
