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Short Term Rentals


The Land Use and Development Code for the Town of Mancos regulates vacation rentals (often called Short-Term Rentals or STRs). The rise in popularity of vacation rentals and the use of the internet to advertise vacation rental opportunities has led to the adoption of regulations that limit this use to appropriate areas in order to reduce the potential for impacts on the broader community.  The goal of the Mancos Short-Term Rental program is to provide opportunities for owners to use their property while also reducing the potential for negative impacts on neighborhood safety and character, as well as increase long-term housing availability for the Town’s residents.

Click here to review Ordinance 770 Series 2022.  

Definition

A Short-Term Rental is a dwelling unit that is rented for the purpose of lodging for a period of 1 to 29 days. This is a commercial use of a residential property and is only allowed following the approval of a business license by the Town.  Rentals of 30 days or longer are not considered vacation rentals and are not regulated by the Town of Mancos.  

In order to qualify for this use, properties must meet specific requirements outlined in Section 16-4-10 of the Town’s Municipal Code for Accessory Uses.

General Provisions

All vacation rentals require a current business license to operate.  This means that a set number of residential units may be permitted as vacation rentals. Up to a maximum total 15 business licenses for Short-Term Rentals within Town of Mancos limits will be issued annually.  The Town may decide to issue fewer than the maximum total number of licenses in any year. A waitlist will be created and maintained by the Town of Mancos.  Please contact the Town Clerk to determine if there are any licenses available and to be added to a waitlist.  

Vacation rentals are required to obtain a business license to operate a Short-Term Rental prior to the establishment or advertisement as outlined in Section 16-19-19 of the Town’s Municipal Code.  Please click here to access the Town of Mancos Business License Application.

Short-Term Rental Eligibility

The following properties may qualify for use as a short-term rental:
  • A residential property with an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) located in a residential zone district where the property owner lives on-site as a primary residence.
  • Residential properties in mixed-use and commercial zone districts where the property is owned by a local owner. A local owner lives within the 81328 zip code.
Residency requirements are not be eligible for exemption or variance. Permanently affordable housing, publicly owned housing, or housing approved to serve workforce housing needs may not be used for short-term rentals.

Fees & Required Materials

An application for a business license for a short-term rental shall include the following information:
  • Contact information for the owner (person, trust, or corporation) of the property.
  • Contact information for the owner’s local contact person, who has authority to fix any problems or violations of this section, who is located within 30 minutes of the property and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at a phone number provided to both the Town and any person staying at the property.
  • The URL (i.e., the website address) for all advertisements of the short-term rental of the property.
  • Proof of building and fire code compliance.
  • Proof of commercial general liability insurance.
  • All properties subject to a business license application must be inspected by the Town for compliance with this LUC and all applicable life safety codes within 30 days prior to the filing of the application.
  • A non-renewable business license fee of $750.00
Business licenses for Short-Term Rentals shall be issued for one (1) year and must be renewed annually as outlined in Section 6-8-20

For any questions regarding STRs or business licenses, please contact the Town Clerk and Treasure, Jamie Higgins, at (970) 533-7725.