WOODLAND PARK • Two hours before the Aug. 18 meeting started, City Council members met with planning commissioners to have another go at the short-term rentals issue.

City Attorney Nina Williams created a draft ordinance based on guidance she received at previous work sessions, but there are still questions to be resolved.

For example, should there be caps on the number of short-term rentals (STRs)? If caps are set, should they be percentage or density based, or both? If homeowners only rent out part of their home and live in the rest of it, do they need to get an STR business license?

There was consensus on these questions — most council members and commissioners agreed with caps and that licenses should only be required if a property owner rents out the entire home.

They also said STRs should probably be limited to single family residential zones, that licenses are not transferable and that existing STRs are not “grandfathered.” Once a new STR business license is created, every STR owner with a current business license will have to apply for the new one.

How the city will award licenses that become available after a cap is reached was another question to be resolved. Participants also questioned how the city will enforce its new regulations.

“It’s a waste of time to regulate things we can’t enforce,” Mayor Pro Tem Kellie Case said.

Mayor Hilary LaBarre warned about council and commissioners going down rabbit holes. She added that council might have to extend the moratorium on issuing business licenses for new STRs, which ends Oct. 6

“We wouldn’t have to add another full 90 days,” she said. “We could extend it just long enough to approve new regulations.”

Councilman Robert Zuluaga warned about overkill and creating bureaucracy.

Councilman Rusty Neal wanted to limit STR ownership to property owners who live in Teller County, but his suggestion didn’t fly.

“It shouldn’t matter where they’re from as long as they follow the rules,” Councilman David Ott said.

The work session participants didn’t get to the draft of “Good Neighbor” rules but, rather than scheduling another joint work session, the group decided the planning commission should begin discussions once Williams creates another draft ordinance based on the additional guidance provided.

“That’s the role of the planning commission,” Case said.

The city had 180 STRs registered as of the beginning of the moratorium:

• 117 in single family residential zones.

• 10 in planned unit developments.

• 11 in multifamily zones.

• 24 in commercial areas.

• 18 were anomalies, where addresses were either not listed or didn’t match locations. “We couldn’t find them,” Rob Felts, assistant to the city manager, said.

Council’s regular meeting started out with presentations.

Woodland Park Police Chief Chris Deisler presented life-saving awards to officers Jeff Sanchez and Art Corpuz for separate incidents involving attempting to save the lives of two teens. Corpuz was able to revive a teenage boy, who is doing well. The young girl Sanchez tried to save didn’t make it. Because of the officer’s efforts, however, she survived long enough for her family to say goodbye.

The outcomes don’t negate their efforts, Deisler said.

Jodi Mijares, CEO of Community Partnership Family Resource Center in Woodland Park, spoke about the many programs the center offers for kids, parents, entire families and the community, including enterprise-zone tax credits. It is also a GED certificate teaching and testing site. For more information, visit cpteller.org or call 719-686-0705.

Teller County Commissioner Dan Williams, in his capacity of commander of American Legion Post 1980, presented a $750 check to the city to help repair the vandalized Soldiers Cross at Lions Park.

Tony Perry, Downtown Development Authority board president, presented an overview of the TAVA Properties project the authority recently approved for Woodland Station. The DDA’s entire approval process is available on its YouTube.

Zuluaga brought up concerns about the process, including an allegation that the DDA didn’t follow Roberts Rules of Order, as required by its bylaws.

“Your job is the ensure the full development of the property,” he told Perry. “TAVA is ready to go, but is the whole project ready? You should be selling the land without all the pieces in place.”

LaBarre ended the discussion, saying, “They’re telling us what they plan and hope to do. This isn’t a vote, and you don’t have to agree.”

In other business, the council approved new bylaws for the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board as presented by Parks and Recreation Director Cindy Keating.

Council also approved an ordinance on initial posting that would vacate 1,000 square feet of Aspen Meadows Drive where it overlaps Lot A in the Homes at Brecken Heights. The public hearing is set for Sept. 15.

During the Aug. 18 Woodland Park City Council meeting, Police Chief Chris Deisler, center, presents Life Saving Awards to Officer Art Corpuz, pictured at left with his wife, and Officer Jeff Sanchez, pictured with his children.

Norma Engelberg, Pikes Peak Courier