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Planning commission asks county commissioners to impose short‑term rental moratorium through Jan. 1, 2026
Summary
The Custer County Planning Commission voted to request a moratorium on new short‑term rental permits until Jan. 1, 2026, citing plan review time, wildfire risk and pending changes to septic rules.
The Custer County Planning Commission voted to recommend that the Board of County Commissioners impose a moratorium on accepting new short‑term rental (STR) applications until Jan. 1, 2026, to give staff and commissioners time to revise the county’s rules and review pending statewide changes to septic and fire‑resiliency standards.
Rationale: Commissioners expressed concern that STR approvals had been occurring rapidly while accessory dwelling unit (ADU) rules and other housing options remain constrained. Several commissioners cited wildfire risk on small lots, the need to update the county resolution, and a desire to align local processes with forthcoming state septic regulation changes that will change how septic systems are sized (testimony noted the state may require septic sizing based on beds rather than bedrooms). Planning staff also reported an elevated compliance workload: hundreds of current compliance issues, multiple outstanding cease‑and‑desist matters and pending enforcement actions.
Motion and scope: The commission’s motion requested the county commissioners place a moratorium on granting new short‑term rental permits from the date of the recommendation through Jan. 1, 2026, with further direction that current permit renewals and enforcement of illegal STRs continue. Commissioners discussed different time horizons; the final motion specified January 1, 2026 as the earliest date for new applications to be accepted.
Vote and next steps: The motion passed unanimously. Planning staff said they will send the recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners and asked the BOCC to prioritize enforcement of illegal STRs and to allow staff time to draft proposed resolution changes. Planning staff also said staff will discuss related items at a master‑plan workshop and a short‑term‑rental workshop scheduled in March.
Context: Planning staff provided a broader update at the end of the meeting: the office is preparing for state changes to on‑site wastewater treatment standards, considering fire‑resiliency code language for new builds and additions, and continues to process permit renewals and compliance cases. Staff reported there are roughly 187 properties with compliance issues and several potential court actions in process.
