Arapahoe County Commissioners delayed an official vote Tuesday on regulating short-term rental properties after technological challenges caused issues for public comment.

Commissioners voted to approve the regulations after a public comment period Tuesday, then revoked the vote and rescheduled it to May 12 after technical issues kept online participants from being able to hear or comment on the meeting.

County staff have been working on a project to create regulations for short-term rentals, such as those rented through companies like AirBNB and VRBO, since 2023.

The proposed regulations came in response to a series of resident complaints about such properties, including the neighborhood impacts of parking and large gatherings.

Staff members conducted surveys, held public comment sessions and reviewed short-term rental regulations adopted by neighboring jurisdictions to create a licensing framework for rental owners in unincorporated Arapahoe County.

The ordinance includes prohibitions on large gatherings, a 500-foot separation requirement between short-term rentals, insurance requirements and occupancy restrictions.

If adopted, it would include a mandatory licensing program that would require licensees to renew their rental license every year, according to county documents.

Short-term rental owners would have to designate a Local Responsible Agent available 24/7, provide proof of primary residence, submit a parking plan, provide evidence of compliance with life safety standards, deliver a Good Neighbor Notice to neighbors, and pay fees.

Fees would include a $200 one-time application fee and a $350 annual license fee.

It would also ban Accessory Dwelling Units as short-term rentals unless the parcel of land is 9 acres or larger.

The ordinance would also create a Legacy designation for properties that were already operating within six months prior to the ordinance being effective.

In Tuesday’s Board of County Commissioners meeting, multiple people spoke both for and against the proposed regulations, with proponents citing issues with parking and noise from rentals and opponents saying the rules for owners aren’t clear and response time requirements are not feasible.

A woman who said she has operated a rental property in the county for “years without complaints” spoke to commissioners Tuesday, saying the regulations are too intense.

“Why are we regulating this like it’s Fort Lauderdale on spring break?” she said.

Another short-term rental owner criticized the regulations for their lack of clarity, saying that owners like him are OK with regulations, but only if they are clear and fair.

“This feels like something where you could follow the rules and still lose your license,” he said. “If that happens, it’s not just a temporary setback.”

A resident of the Holly Hills neighborhood in Arapahoe County told commissioners she once came home to 52 cars on her street of single-family residences. She struggled to find a place to park because of short-term rental properties and events held at them, she said.

“It was quite the shocker to see the impact that the total lack of regulation had on our neighborhood,” she said.

While many people spoke during Tuesday’s public comment, technology issues kept anyone who tuned in via phone or online from speaking.

Commissioners rescheduled an official vote and public comment session for May 12. The meeting is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. in the Arapahoe County Administration Building, 5334 S. Prince St., Littleton.

More information about the proposed regulations is available on the county’s website.