OCTOBER 9, 2021 - Communication Sent to HOA Board Members

NEWS UPDATE FROM KOA - Marijuana Dispensary Public Hearing Update

The applicants for the Marijuana Dispensary in Keystone have appealed to the Board of County Commissioners the decision of the Planning Department to deny their application.  The Public Hearing for the appeal will take place on:

Tuesday, October 12th at 1:30 pm.

To attend the hearing in person:

Old County Court House

208 Lincoln Ave

Breckenridge

To attend the hearing virtually via Zoom:

Click on the link below and select the Register button toward the bottom of the page.  Once you register, you will be given the link to attend the meeting.

                           Register to Attend Public Hearing Online

October 8, 2021 - Communication Sent to Summit County Board of Commissioners

NEWS UPDATE FROM KOA - Letter to Summit County BOCC related to Appeal from Marijuana Dispensary applicants

RE:  PLN-084, Retail Marijuana License

TO:   Tamara Pogue, Summit County Commissioner

         Elisabeth Lawrence, Summit County Commissioner

         Josh Blanchard, Summit County Commissioner

CC:  Sid Rivers, Summit County Planner   

I am writing on behalf of the Keystone Owners Association (KOA) that represents 60 Homeowner Associations in Keystone with over 3500 homeowners.  When KOA heard of the application to place a marijuana dispensary at the intersection of Rasor Drive and Highway 6 in Keystone, we did a survey of member owners in order to gauge their support or opposition to the application.  The purpose of this letter is to ensure you are aware of the input from Keystone homeowners related to this issue and to update you on the latest data from the survey in more detail.  As you will be able to see from the results of our survey, the Keystone homeowners are overwhelmingly opposed to a marijuana dispensary on Rasor Drive in Keystone.  I have attached a copy of the survey to dispel any notion that the survey was biased or asked leading questions.  The survey was sent to 149 Board Members of the 60 HOA's who are members of KOA.  Those HOA's had the option of forwarding the survey link to their individual homeowners.  The survey received 365 responses.

Regarding:  Application to Open a Retail Marijuana Store in Keystone at Rasor Drive

Q1:  "Do you support the approval of such an application?" 

         The responses were:       81.54%  NO           18.46% YES

Q2:  "Would you like the Keystone Owners Association to communicate your support or opposition to the Summit County Commissioners and Planner?"

        The responses were:        94.18%  YES            5.82% NO

Q3:  "Please provide any comments as to why you support, or do not support, the application for a Retail Marijuana Shop in Keystone."

There were 215 comments from those who opposed the application (72.6% of NO respondents).  The summary below is ranked in order of frequency received, with the most frequently received comments coming first.

1. The most frequent comment from those opposed to the marijuana dispensary is that Keystone is marketed and renowned for being a family-friendly resort.  The presence of a dispensary in the heart of Keystone, visible from the main road through Keystone, is not conducive to this image.
2. The second most frequent comment is that a dispensary in Keystone is just not necessary.  There are many other options available in Dillon and Silverthorne, just a few miles away, and almost every visitor to Keystone comes through those communities on their way to Keystone.  While having a dispensary in Keystone may provide more convenience to people in Keystone, that hardly seems necessary or appropriate when use of marijuana is banned in almost all parts of Keystone - all of the resort and almost all condominium buildings.
3. The particular location on Rasor Drive is too close to a residential area with families and kids, in addition to being adjacent to a school bus stop.  This would require school age kids to walk right past the dispensary every day when walking to and from either the school bus stop or ski shuttles.
4. We already face numerous issues and complaints with skiers smoking marijuana on the mountain and in the gondolas.  Though it's not legal there, it's very difficult to enforce.  Why would we make it even easier for skiers to have access to the product that is illegal on the resort.
5. This is not a safe location.  The Rasor Drive intersection is already considered the most dangerous intersection in Keystone.  The County Highway 6 Safety Task Force is already looking for ways to increase both pedestrian and vehicular safety there.  Why would we put a business right at the intersection that would undoubtedly increase both vehicular and pedestrian traffic crossing that intersection.  Even those who are amenable to a dispensary somewhere in Keystone argue that this is just not a good location due to safety reasons with that intersection.  They would oppose any business being added there.
6. Given that the use of marijuana is not allowed anywhere on resort property, and is not allowed in almost all condominium buildings per HOA rules, having it available for sale in the resort seems to suggest otherwise and will only make it more difficult to enforce in all these locations.
7. There is no benefit to Keystone as we are in unincorporated Summit County and thus there will be no sales tax revenue coming to Keystone from the sales in the shop.  In fact, there is a concern that more traffic would be attracted to the Keystone location in order to avoid taxes in Dillon and Silverthorne.
8. There is a concern that the presence of this facility would lower property values.  Many owners choose Keystone because of its family-friendly atmosphere and the presence of a marijuana dispensary in the heart of Keystone will change that appeal.

There were 44 comments from those who support the application (65.7% of YES respondents).  Almost every comment in support of the application fell into two categories.

1. Use of marijuana is legal in Colorado, so why should the application be denied?
2. Keystone should take advantage of the tax revenues such a shop would provide.

I would like to point out that the homeowners who want to take advantage of the tax revenues are not fully aware of the taxing implications.  Because Keystone is in unincorporated Summit County, there will be no city sales tax, and thus no tax revenue coming to Keystone from a city tax.  This scenario could in fact draw a larger number of customers coming to Keystone to purchase marijuana in order to avoid city sales taxes, adding to the traffic and safety concerns expressed by many homeowners about a retail marijuana shop located at the Rasor Drive Highway 6 intersection. While there will be a state tax, all state taxes go to the state of Colorado, a small portion of which may come back to Keystone depending on how the state allocates it. 

In reviewing the application for a marijuana dispensary in Keystone, it is important to take into account the views of the people who will be most impacted by the decision -- the homeowners and residents of that area.  The vast majority do not believe providing this convenience to visiting guests is in the best interest of owners and residents, nor in the interest of the resort as a whole.

Tim Huiting

President, Keystone Owners Association

513-608-1691

September 16,2021 - Communication Sent to HOA Board Members

NEWS UPDATE FROM KOA - Marijuana Dispensary Application Denied

TO:  HOA Board Members

RE:  Application for Marijuana Dispensary in Keystone

Because of the amount of interest in this subject, we would like to keep you updated and inform you that the application for a marijuana dispensary on Rasor Drive in Keystone was denied by the County Planning Department on Monday, September 13th.  The applicants have seven days to file an appeal, which we expect they will do.  This will likely result in a public hearing with the Summit County Board of Commissioners.  If that should occur, KOA will attend the hearing and present the results of our survey of homeowners.

Thank you to everyone who filled out our survey.  We appreciate your input. The results of the KOA Survey were sent to the County Planner on September 9th.  The survey results were:  82% Opposed to the Application, and 18% in Favor. 

Tim Huiting

President, Keystone Owners Association

September 15, 2021 - Communication Sent to HOA Board Members

NEWS UPDATE FROM KOA - Keystone Exempted from STR Moratorium

Many of you are aware of the moratorium on new short-term rental licenses that was passed by the Summit County Commissioners this week.  As per the Summit Daily News:

Staring at 11:59 Friday, Sept. 17, Summit County's temporary short-term rental license moratorium takes effect, effectively putting a ban on the new licenses in unincorporated areas of the county for the next 90 days.  The proposal also outlines specific areas exempt from the moratorium, meaning the county can still issue new short-term rental licenses in these areas.  These include.....properties located at Keystone.

Several people have reached out to us to ask what parts of Keystone are exempted.  We have received clarification from Tamara Pogue, Summit County Commissioner, that all parts of Keystone, from the Elk Run and Elk Crossing neighborhoods and the Ranch, through to the east side of Keystone with Settlers Creek and the Alders, and areas north of Highway 6 including Loveland Pass Village, are included in the exemption.  Therefore, none of your homeowners in Keystone should be impacted by the moratorium

Tim Huiting

President, Keystone Owners Association.