Support for Windcliff Rezoning to EV E-1S

[Rich Chiappe]

Dear Commissioners Shaddock-McNally, Kefalas and Stephens,

With the approaching BoCC meeting to discuss the rezoning of Windcliff Estates, my wife, Deborah and I wanted to express our appreciation of this opportunity you provided Windcliff with a path forward to allow the possibility of future STR license applications.

We are grateful that you created the new Zoning Category EV E-1S as part of the STR Regulation changes last year. Windcliff is thankful for this opportunity and your kind consideration of the uniqueness of our mountain community.

Who Are Rich & Deborah Chiappe

• By chance, Deborah and I rented an STR in Windcliff for Thanksgiving in 2007 and immediately fell in love with the area.
• In 2014, we purchased the first lot near the entrance to Windcliff, built our “dream home” in 2015, licensed it as an STR with the then Town/IGA and put it in the Windcliff Vacation Rental Program.
• In 2016, we purchased Windcliff’s on-site professional rental program and “Gatehouse” real estate and rentals office at the entrance to Windcliff (just 100 yards away from our home) — at 2220 Windcliff Dr.
• In 2017, we moved into our Windcliff home to run the vacation rental management business office full-time and we have been year-round Windcliff residents ever since.

Our Windcliff Neighbors are Strongly in Favor of Rezoning

• Our personal support of rezoning is shared by the vast majority of our neighbors. 
• Only 15 of 160 property owners surveyed by our HOA expressed disfavor with rezoning.  

STRs Operate Very Well in Windcliff

• Windcliff’s HOA covenants both permit and regulate the operation of STRs in Windcliff.
• Those covenants are additionally restrictive above and beyond the County’s STR regulations. 
• Homes in Windcliff’s rental program must apply for and are licensed by the County. Windcliff homes follow County regulations (and HOA regulations).

STRs in Windcliff are managed professionally by Windcliff’s on-site Rental Program

• Windcliff’s Onsite Rental Office, known by all as the “Gatehouse” is basically the “Welcome Center” at the entrance to Windcliff. 
• Windcliff STR guests are supported by that office which is staffed year-round, 7-days/week with 24-hour support. 
• Windcliff’s housekeeping and support vehicles are professionally branded and overtly identifiable.  
• County staff has one point of contact for all STRs in the Windcliff rental program. 

Guests of STRs in Windcliff ADD to the sense of community and culture of Windcliff

• Windcliff’s rental guests are part of the lifeblood of our community many of whom become homeowners and neighbors themselves.  
• Most of the homeowners in Windcliff found Windcliff by first being a rental guest. Even some of those who have expressed opposition to rezoning started out as renters in Windcliff, purchased a home and put it in the Windcliff rental program before eventually transitioning either to full-time or seasonal residency themselves.
• We believe there have never been recorded complaints about guests of Windcliff’s rental program.

The Future of Windcliff’s Long Successful Onsite Professional Rental Program is Entirely Dependent on Rezoning

• The continued successful operation of Windcliff’s on-site, professional STR management program is entirely dependent on rezoning.  
• There is a lifecycle to STRs in Windcliff: It starts when guests rent a Windcliff STR. Some of those ultimately come to buy and rent their homes as STRs. And most of those will eventually stop renting their homes as they use their homes exclusively as seasonal or full-time residences in retirement. Upon inheriting a home, many of the next generation will begin that lifecycle all over again — starting by renting the family home as an STR again (if permitted to do so).
• Of the 39 active STRs in the Windcliff program, likely more than half will stop renting their home in the coming 5-10 years due to the homeowners moving to Windcliff full-time or selling their home to buyers who wish to use the home full-time. 
• Without a means to backfill homes that leave the program with new applicants, Windcliff will soon lose our critical economy of scale and be forced to terminate the program for lack of profitability. 
• Windcliff has always been dependent a critical mass of 20%-30% of the homes in Windcliff being in the Windcliff rental program to sustain our program’s operational excellence and profitability.  
• Without the ability to bring new homes into the Windcliff rental program, operation of the Gatehouse will no longer be sustainable.
• The closing of the Gatehouse office at Windcliff without question will be detrimental to the overall aesthetic, convenience and spirit of community in Windcliff. 

Windcliff is Perfectly Geographically Situated to be Rezoned EV E-1S

• Windcliff is uniquely positioned geographically to appropriately operate STRs.  
• Windcliff is relatively isolated: located off Spur-66/Tunnel Road which terminates at RMNP East Portal just past Windcliff. 
• Windcliff’s 255 acres are bordered by The National Forest to the East, RMNP to the South and to the West, both the YMCA of the Rockies (zoned Accommodations) and a private landowner (80 acres zoned Accommodations) who also happens to be a Windcliff resident who supports rezoning.  
• Windcliff’s roads are private.  No other communities connect to or traverse Windcliff.
• Rezoning Windcliff EV E-1S will have no adverse impact on neighboring property owners or communities as it just continues what Windcliff has always been since its founding which includes land use consistent with surrounding/bordering Accommodations parcels.

STRs are Good for Windcliff and Windcliff STRs are Good for the Estes Valley

• Rezoning Windcliff EV E-1S is good for all of Windcliff and the Estes Valley.
• Rezoning Windcliff EV E-1S will allow the continued successful operation of Windcliff’s onsite, professional rental management program and the quality of Windcliff’s STR operations. 
• Windcliff guests have always contributed positively to the neighborhood community and the economy of the Estes Valley. See summary Economic Analysis appended below.  
• Rezoning Windcliff EV E-1S will enable Windcliff to continue to introduce future neighbors to our community. 
• Rezoning Windcliff EV E-1S will allow those property owners who purchased their properties in Windcliff prior to the STR regulation changes to continue to pursue the opportunity to apply for an STR permit for their homes if they so choose which is often a leading reason why they chose to buy/build in Windcliff.

Deborah and I once again wish to thank you all for your service to our community, your continued consideration and provision for our unique mountain community and support for Windcliff’s application to rezone to EV E-1S.

Best Regards,

- Rich & Deborah Chiappe

Year-Round Windcliff Residents
Owners, Windcliff.com Vacation Rentals
Licensed Colorado Real Estate Broker (Rich)
o (970) 586-2181
c (970) 619-9036

Estimated Annual Economic Impact of Windcliff Vacation Rentals (based on 2023 actuals)

• Total Dollars Spent Locally (all monies spent = lodging + non-lodging spend*) Annually by guests of ALL active vacation rentals in Windcliff -  $13,355,450
• Total Dollars Spent Annually by guests of EACH active vacation rental home in Windcliff - $284,158
• Total Annual Tax Contributions of ALL active vacation rentals in Windcliff: $1,050,906
• State - $387,308
• County - $106,844
• Town - $370,440
• Local Marketing District (Visit Estes Park) - $84,689
• Workforce Housing & Childcare (6E) - $101,627
• Annual Tax Contributions made by EACH active vacation rental in Windcliff (NOT counting property taxes): $27,655
• State - $10,192.32
• County - $2,811.67
• Town - $9,748
• Local Marketing District (Visit Estes Park) - $2,229
• Workforce Housing & Childcare (6E) - $2,674

* Source: The Economic Impact of Travel in the Estes Park Local Marketing District / 2021p / Prepared by Dean Runyan Associates +COLA