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Vacation rentals coming to Crimson Cliffs

City Council approves units 3-1
Rinderle

Vacation rentals will be coming to a townhome development on Animas View Drive, after a contentious decision by Durango City Council Tuesday.

The Durango Planning Commission previously denied an application to allow six vacation rentals in the development. Members of the commission felt it was unfair that the developer, Buenos Dias, LLC, still owns 21 of the lots and townhomes and, therefore, controlled 20 of 41 votes that brought the request before the commission.

However Councilor Christina Rinderle argued that it was the developer’s legal right to vote on behalf of the units that they own.

Rinderle, was joined by councilors Dick White and Dean Brookie in supporting vacation rentals.

Councilor Keith Brant excused himself from the vote because he was involved with vacation rental discussion for the development.

While Councilor Sweetie Marbury sided with residents who argued that development does not have enough parking to support the rentals and because so many of the votes are controlled by the developer.

But if you disregard 20 of the developer’s 21 votes, that still leaves a 21 to 9 result in favor of the vacation rentals, said Mike McAliney, owner of the company that manages the Crimson Cliff Homeowners Association.

Rinderle argued if city did not side with the homeowners association that would be stepping outside the role of the City Council.

“To me that’s government overreach,” she said.

However, several residents spoke at the meeting say there was not open and clear communication about the homeowners-association vote.

Now that the vacation rentals are permitted in the development, each individual rental must be still be reviewed and permitted by the city individually.

mshinn@durangoherald.com



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