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Cascade residents urge county to regulate short‑term rentals, citing noise, safety and volunteer fire impacts
Summary
Multiple Cascade and Ute Pass residents told commissioners that investor‑owned short‑term rentals (STRs) are harming neighborhood character, straining volunteer fire resources and creating public‑safety and septic concerns; speakers asked the county to consider owner‑occupancy and licensing requirements.
Multiple residents and property owners from Cascade and Ute Pass told the El Paso County Board of County Commissioners on July 8 that the growth of non‑owner‑occupied short‑term rentals (STRs) is harming neighborhood character and public safety, and they urged the county to adopt rules to limit negative impacts.
Robert Stengel, a Cascade resident, told the board he is “concerned about the unchecked growth of short term rentals” and said many STRs are “corporates, LLCs” that replace long‑term neighbors with a rotating population of vacation guests. Stengel estimated “40% of the houses” in Cascade are owned by absentee investors and asked the county to consider owner‑occupancy requirements, licensing that revokes privileges for chronic violators, and enforcement on noise, parking and occupancy.
Janice Eder, who said she has eight years of experience living near STRs in Cascade, described repeated high‑noise events and large groups arriving by bus. “In the summertime, I can’t even have my windows open in my home,” Eder said. She told commissioners STRs have weakened community cohesion and that the local volunteer fire chief told her reduced permanent population has already diminished volunteer capacity; she said a mill‑levy increase to pay for paid firefighters could be on a future ballot if volunteer numbers fall.
Additional commenters including Mike Vidovich and others described repeated violations they said law enforcement has struggled to remedy: excessive noise at all hours, congested on‑street parking that impedes emergency response, trash and wildlife attraction from poorly contained refuse, septic systems being over capacity at some STRs, and instances of noncompliance with fire bans in mountain communities.
Speakers asked the county to consider a suite of options used elsewhere in the region: owner‑hosted‑only rules, revocable residential licenses, maximum percentages of STRs in neighborhoods, minimum distances between STRs, and stronger enforcement tools against repeat violators. Several commenters noted nearby jurisdictions — including Woodland Park, Manitou Springs and Green Mountain Falls — already have STR regulations in place.
Commissioners did not take immediate action during the July 8 meeting. The chair and county staff noted public comment would be part of the record and staff could provide a briefing on potential regulatory options and legal constraints at a future meeting.
Ending — Next steps: Residents asked the board to begin a rulemaking or permitting process to address STR impacts; the transcript shows no formal motion or vote on rulemaking during the meeting.
