Short-term Rentals

Community Planning staff drafted the Short-term Rentals: Issues and Considerations issue paper as part of the 2019 Annual Work Program. Following a public comment period on the issue paper, the Washington County Board of Commissioners directed us to develop recommendations for requirements and to research the process to establish a licensing program. 

In December 2020-January 2021, we asked the community to take a survey and comment on the proposed requirements through an online open house. The open house provided background on the draft requirements, and 326 people took the survey.

Update:

In April 2021, the Board asked us to develop a short-term rental ordinance and to research a licensing program for the urban unincorporated area (outside cities).  We included this in the Work Program 2021-23, but start-up costs are significant, cannot be offset by short-term rental licensing fees and no funding is available. The County is also currently experiencing a $25.3 million shortfall in the General Fund.

As a result, we do not recommend including short-term rental regulations in the Draft Planning Work Program for 2023-25.  For more information, see pages 11-12 of the Draft Planning Work Program 2023-25 Staff Report.

To submit comments on the Draft Planning Work Program 2023-25:

• Email to [email protected]. Include:
  • Full name
  • Street address
  • Company/organization affiliation (if applicable)
  • Other relevant contact information

• Complete the survey in the Planning Work Program 2023-25 online open house.