Could Gypsum soon get its first hotel?
Council approves ordinance amending town code to allow Wyndham hotel developers to mix long-term and short-term use on the property
Justin Q. McCarty | Daily file photo |
Last week, Gypsum Town Council approved the first reading of an ordinance to modify the definition of a hotel/motel/lodging establishment, adding definitions to distinguish short-term lodging from long-term lodging establishments.
The move could allow for the development of a Wyndham hotel in the Airport Gateway commercial area; developers on that potential project are seeking to allow both short-term and a long-term rentals but town code currently limits hotel stays to fewer than 30 days.
That part of the town code has no need to be enforced, currently, as the town does not have any hotels. Wyndham has not yet applied for a special use permit to build a hotel that allows short-term and long-term stays, but representatives from the company attended the council meeting on Tuesday and are “very interested,” said Town Planner Lana Bryce.
But to make it work, Wyndham would like to reserve the right for guests to stay longer than the 30 days allowed for hotels, town staff told the council on Tuesday.
“The ability to have long-term stays would greatly benefit any sort of construction at the airport, or those kind of workers who might be seasonal,” Town Planner James Wooldridge told the council.
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Long-term lodging properties are currently allowed in town, but are limited to allow guests to stay a maximum of 180 days. Town staff also recommended that be changed to allow up to 360-day stays.
Town Manager Jeremy Rietmann said upcoming projects in town could require contracting workers with specialized skill sets that keep them on the job for long periods of time.
“Just think about the scale and scope of some of the projects that are on the horizon — our wastewater treatment project is going to be a multi-year, major construction endeavor with outside, special skill sets like pipefitters and whatnot,” Rietmann said. “So I do think there’s a need.”
Rietmann said the builders of the town’s new skatepark, which is currently under construction, are commuting in from EagleVail, and Town Council member Scott Green said the workers building the new Tesla plant in Gypsum are also commuting in from EagleVail.
The Town Council discussed the pros and cons of allowing 180 and 360-day stays in long-term lodging properties in town, ultimately settling on allowing 360-day stays for half of the total units at the potential property.
The ordinance passed on first reading and will return to the council for a second reading, at which time a public hearing will be held.
