Breckenridge Town Council has come to a few decisions on how it will handle amenity clubs going forward. The clubs would have to limit day-use availability based on vacant rooms or parking spaces, whichever is fewer, and timeshares would be subject to the new regulations without special exemptions.

In October, town staff drafted amendments to the town code that would address amenity clubs, which it described as fee-based day use of amenity areas intended for overnight guests at resort properties. The town cited parking, traffic and employee housing issues as concerns associated with amenity clubs. As part of the proposed code amendments, the council wants amenity spaces to count as commercial space — similar to retail stores — rather than residential space. At the March 9 Town Council work session, council members debated whether timeshares should be included in amenity club regulations.

Town planner Chris Kulick explained in his memo to council that staff drafted two amenity club definitions for council to review at its work session Wednesday, March 23. The definition agreed upon would be included in the code amendments. One definition counted timeshare properties that allow day use by owners as amenity clubs, making timeshares subject to amenity club regulations, while the other definition added a formula for calculating density for timeshares that is different from other amenity clubs.

Council member Dick Carleton said timeshares should be included in the amenity club definition, meaning amenity space at timeshare properties would require commercial density. Council member Kelly Owens agreed, saying that she doesn’t feel a special calculation should be created for timeshares.

“I really feel strongly that … people are paying for this,” Owens said about day use of timeshare property amenities. “They pay the entire year-round an HOA fee so that they can use this day-use facility, so I think we’re really splitting hairs to say that it’s not an amenity club. I also think it’s important for us to consider the intensity of use, and timeshares are designed to be intensely used.”

Owens added that “there wouldn’t be any reason” to exempt timeshares from the amenity club code amendments. The rest of the council unanimously agreed to include timeshares in the amenity club definition.

The drafted code amendments state that amenity clubs approved after a 2021 date — which is yet to be determined — are required to manage a reservation system for day use of amenity spaces. The staff proposed that the availability of amenity areas to day guests should be based on the number of vacant rooms.

Owens asked that the number of available day-use reservations be based on either the number of vacant rooms or vacant parking spaces, whichever is fewer. Other council members agreed, and Kulick said language would be added to include tying availability to rooms and parking.

Kulick said he would work with the town attorney to prepare an ordinance for first reading at a future Town Council meeting to amend the town code with amenity club regulations.