WEEK OF JULY 27, 2023
VOLUME 36 | ISSUE 36
FREE
Douglas County short-term rental rules make for patchwork map BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Guests enjoy snow cones at the 2022 Ice Cream Social.
COURTESY OF EMILY JOHNSON
Highlands Ranch Ice Cream Social turns 25 BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Nothing beats the summer heat like delicious frozen treats. For $2, residents can delight in a variety of them while listening to live music and enjoying a summer afternoon in Civic Green Park. The Highlands Ranch Ice Cream Social, which turns 25 this year, runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Aug. 2. Guests can purchase wristband for $2 to get access to the treats. Event sponsors, Safeway will provide pre-packaged ice cream and Highlands Ranch Orthodon-
tics will provide snow cones. Food trucks, including Mac ’N Noodles, Mile High Cheesesteaks and Denver Street Tacos will also be available. The event is cash only. All proceeds will be donated to YANA, a nonprofit organization that provides programs to moms in the community so they know they are valued and supported. There will also be a variety of vendor booths with youth activities, fitness classes, wildlife education and more. Paul Borrillo, former actor and owner of Borrilo Entertainment,
Landmark 20th
Evergreen Jazz Festival July 28, 29 & 30
will emcee, presiding over performances by the Highlands Ranch Concert Band and Swing Shift Band. Residents will also have the opportunity to speak with and engage with first responders. South Metro Fire Rescue will have some of their engines on display. And among their patrol vehicles, the Douglas County Sheriff ’s Office’s K-9, mounted patrol and SWAT units will be in attendance to help recognize National Night Out in Highlands Ranch. Civic Green Park is located at 9370 Ridgeline Blvd.
Douglas County officials heard opposition to short-term rentals in recent months, and some area residents may feel concerned about the county’s decision to explicitly allow the rentals in certain parts of Douglas. But a close look at the county’s policy shows that there are large stretches of the county where short-term rentals — short stays at a property booked through sites like Airbnb or Vrbo — aren’t allowed. The county’s new ordinance, approved at the July 11 county commissioners meeting, requires property owners to apply for licenses to operate homes as short-term rental properties. The ordinance defines a short-term rental as lasting less than 30 consecutive days. It applies to unincorporated parts of Douglas County — areas outside of municipalities. Under the new law, the moderately populated unincorporated areas where short-term rentals are allowed include Franktown, Louviers, Sedalia, areas west of Larkspur, areas generally east of Parker and some others, aside from areas known as planned developments. Short-term rentals are also allowed in other small residential pockets of the county, such as Westcreek in far southwest Douglas County. It all adds up to a patchwork of areas where the rentals can operate, especially with municipalities taken into account. Cities and towns in Douglas County have their own differing rules. SEE RENTALS, P10
Dancers Welcome!
Free Parking!
EvergreenJazz.org
303-697-5467
Big Talent! Small Venues! Great Setting! VOICES: 14 | LIFE: 16 | CALENDAR: 19
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