Parking regulations as they apply to vacation rentals will remain in place to help protect neighbors, Durango City Council has decided.
But some argue the regulations make it tough for vacation-rental owners to rent out homes with more than two bedrooms.
The issue sparked a heated discussion in a Tuesday work session between councilors.
The city requires one parking space for every bedroom in a vacation rental. But the city will not count a tandem parking space. For example, if a car could park in a driveway but it would block a car parked in the garage, the space in the driveway does not count.
Ultimately, councilors Sweetie Marbury and Dick White held the majority opinion that tandem parking should not be allowed because it has the potential to be abused and lead to other problems.
“It might be good for the guy who owns the property, but it’s not good for the neighborhood,” Marbury said.
Councilor Christina Rinderle argued the rule does not make sense, because if you are renting a home with someone, you could ask that person to move the car.
She also noted a vacation rental could likely bring in fewer cars than if it was being rented by five unrelated people.
Councilor Keith Brant excused himself from the discussion because he has a professional interest in vacation rentals. But he noted that the regulations make it impossible for many three-bedroom homes with two garages to be rented out at full capacity.
Bob McGraw, a resident of Crimson Cliffs on Animas View Drive, is happy with the current parking regulations because they require vacationers to park their cars in the garages.
“Parking is tight in general,” he said.
McGraw said he is more concerned about the trash and noise vacation rentals could bring to the neighborhood.
Six vacation rentals have been approved in the Crimson Cliffs neighborhood.
The council may revisit vacation-rental regulations in the future as part of a larger housing policy decision.
mshinn@durangoherald.com
