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Professionally managed short-term lodging now allowed at 50% capacity in Pitkin County

As Pitkin County moves into phase two of its reopening strategy, the first ease of restrictions allows half of the lodging's usual capacity.
Credit: Kelsey Brunner
A woman runs across an empty street in downtown Aspen on Saturday, April 4, 2020.

PITKIN COUNTY, Colo. — On Wednesday, which marked the move into phase two of Pitkin County’s reopening strategy, short-term lodging controlled or licensed by a professional property manager only was permitted to start operating again at a restricted occupancy of 50% of “the total number of keyed units” or less, according to the current public health order.

RELATED: Routt County’s lodging ban will be allowed to expire at month’s end

This was the first ease of restrictions on lodging in Pitkin County, as new and existing short-term lodging reservations in Pitkin County have been suspended or canceled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic for more than two months.

RELATED: You'll need a reservation to visit Maroon Bells this summer

Under the county’s March 23 stay-at-home public health order, visitors were directed to return home immediately by the “fastest and safest” available means, and all short-term lodging — meaning any lodging space, room or rental housing options available for 30 days or less — was mandated to remain closed. The county’s definition of short-term lodging includes developed campgrounds, hotels, motels, short-term rentals through Airbnb and VRBO, bed and breakfasts, condo-hotels, lodges and retreats.

RELATED: Mountain towns look forward to reopening after pandemic devastated their economies

Even as the county moved into its safer-at-home iteration of the order May 9, visitors and short-term lodging operations were not permitted.

But while short-term lodging was partially reopened under strict guidelines Wednesday and will mean more visitors to the Aspen-Snowmass area, some locals have already reported new visitors and occupied short-term rentals over the past two months — violating public health regulations and getting local law enforcement involved.

RELATED: Aspen extends face mask law through mid-June

> Read the full article at The Aspen Times.

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