Ensuring Compliance in Residential Districts

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Ordinance Background

The Department of Planning and Sustainablilty has introduced new legislation and changes to existing legislation that address the ever changing residential landscape. The entertainment landscape has shifted since the COVID-19 pandemic, with many traditional commercial venues closing or reducing operations. Residents are increasingly using their homes and outdoor spaces for gatherings and social events. Travel patterns have also evolved, with a growing number of visitors utilizing residential homes for short-term lodging. These trends create new opportunities but can also introduce impacts related to noise, traffic, parking, and neighborhood character.

The county is advancing a three-part policy update which are text amendments titled:

  • Short-Term Rental
  • Residential Entertainment
  • Chronic Nuisance Properities

Together, these proposed policies establish definitions, regulations and enforcement for Short-Term Rentals, Residential Entertainment, and Chronic Nuisance Properities. While these policies support each other they are to be considered separately. As draft ordinances, they may continue to evolve throughout the lesgislative review processand adoption process.

Summary

What is a Short-Term Rental?

A short-term rental (STR) is the rental of any room, lodging, or overnight accommodation for 30 consecutive days or less. This includes vacation homes, residential dwellings, guestrooms, or overnight lodging advertised through platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com, VRBO, and others.

What is Residential Entertainment?

A single-family, two-family, or multi family dwelling unit, including all accessory structures and the lot on which the dwelling unit is located, which is used for the purpose of hosting as a large-scale commercial event; including but not limited to a wedding ceremony/reception, birthday celebration, pool and/or outdoor party where a fee is charged by the owner/lessee to the event's host for the use of the dwelling unit, whether or not the individual attendees are also charged an entry fee to the event. This shall not include events for 510(c)(3) non-profits or business, civic, professional, or political organizations or campaigns.

What is a Chronic Nuisance Property?

Any parcel, dwelling, or structure on which three (3) or more documented nuisance incidents and or violations occur within any one hundred eighty (180) day period, or five (5) or more documented nuisance incidents occur within any twelve (12) month period, as documented by County departments.

Zoning

Residential Entertainment: Permitted with a Special Administrative Permit (SA) in the following zoning districts; (RE) Residential Estate; (OI) Office Institutional; (OIT) Office-Institutional-Transitional; (M) Light Industrial; (M-2) Heavy Industrial.

Short-Term Rental: Permitted as an accessory use (Pa) in the following zoning districts: (RE) Residential Estate; (RLG) Residential Large Lot; (R-100) Residential Medium Lot-100; (R-85) Residential Medium Lot-85; (R-75) Residential Medium Lot-75; (R-60) Residential Small Lot; (RSM) Small Lot Residential Mix; (MR-1) Medium Density Residential-1; (MR-2) Medium Density Residential-2; (HR-1 ) High Density Residential 1,2,3; (MPH) Mobile Home Park; (RNC) Neighborhood Conservation.

Ordinance Background

The Department of Planning and Sustainablilty has introduced new legislation and changes to existing legislation that address the ever changing residential landscape. The entertainment landscape has shifted since the COVID-19 pandemic, with many traditional commercial venues closing or reducing operations. Residents are increasingly using their homes and outdoor spaces for gatherings and social events. Travel patterns have also evolved, with a growing number of visitors utilizing residential homes for short-term lodging. These trends create new opportunities but can also introduce impacts related to noise, traffic, parking, and neighborhood character.

The county is advancing a three-part policy update which are text amendments titled:

  • Short-Term Rental
  • Residential Entertainment
  • Chronic Nuisance Properities

Together, these proposed policies establish definitions, regulations and enforcement for Short-Term Rentals, Residential Entertainment, and Chronic Nuisance Properities. While these policies support each other they are to be considered separately. As draft ordinances, they may continue to evolve throughout the lesgislative review processand adoption process.

Summary

What is a Short-Term Rental?

A short-term rental (STR) is the rental of any room, lodging, or overnight accommodation for 30 consecutive days or less. This includes vacation homes, residential dwellings, guestrooms, or overnight lodging advertised through platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com, VRBO, and others.

What is Residential Entertainment?

A single-family, two-family, or multi family dwelling unit, including all accessory structures and the lot on which the dwelling unit is located, which is used for the purpose of hosting as a large-scale commercial event; including but not limited to a wedding ceremony/reception, birthday celebration, pool and/or outdoor party where a fee is charged by the owner/lessee to the event's host for the use of the dwelling unit, whether or not the individual attendees are also charged an entry fee to the event. This shall not include events for 510(c)(3) non-profits or business, civic, professional, or political organizations or campaigns.

What is a Chronic Nuisance Property?

Any parcel, dwelling, or structure on which three (3) or more documented nuisance incidents and or violations occur within any one hundred eighty (180) day period, or five (5) or more documented nuisance incidents occur within any twelve (12) month period, as documented by County departments.

Zoning

Residential Entertainment: Permitted with a Special Administrative Permit (SA) in the following zoning districts; (RE) Residential Estate; (OI) Office Institutional; (OIT) Office-Institutional-Transitional; (M) Light Industrial; (M-2) Heavy Industrial.

Short-Term Rental: Permitted as an accessory use (Pa) in the following zoning districts: (RE) Residential Estate; (RLG) Residential Large Lot; (R-100) Residential Medium Lot-100; (R-85) Residential Medium Lot-85; (R-75) Residential Medium Lot-75; (R-60) Residential Small Lot; (RSM) Small Lot Residential Mix; (MR-1) Medium Density Residential-1; (MR-2) Medium Density Residential-2; (HR-1 ) High Density Residential 1,2,3; (MPH) Mobile Home Park; (RNC) Neighborhood Conservation.

  • Residential Entertainment Supplemental Use Regulations

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    Residential Entertainment Supplemental Use Regulations:

    The following provisions apply to all Residential Entertainment Dwellings:

    a) A single-family residential property may only be utilized for "Residential Entertainment" by Special Administrative Permit (SAP) on lots located on minor/major arterial (or more intense road). Property must be located on over one (1) acre of land and a primary structure no less than 2,000 square feet of heated floor space.

    b) An event defined as "Residential Entertainment" by this Zoning Ordinance may only be conducted inside the primary structure and/or in a completely fenced back yard.

    c) With the exception of traditional internal lighting

    Residential Entertainment Supplemental Use Regulations:

    The following provisions apply to all Residential Entertainment Dwellings:

    a) A single-family residential property may only be utilized for "Residential Entertainment" by Special Administrative Permit (SAP) on lots located on minor/major arterial (or more intense road). Property must be located on over one (1) acre of land and a primary structure no less than 2,000 square feet of heated floor space.

    b) An event defined as "Residential Entertainment" by this Zoning Ordinance may only be conducted inside the primary structure and/or in a completely fenced back yard.

    c) With the exception of traditional internal lighting and porch lights, no other illumination may be utilized during a "Residential Entertainment" event, including, but not limited to, strobe lighting, disco-ball light, spotlight or any other light used to draw attention to the structure.

    d) Any music utilized for the "Residential Entertainment" event must be contained solely inside the primary structure and shall be subject to the applicable provisions of the County’s Noise Ordinance.

    e) A Special Administrative Permit for "Residential Entertainment" may only be granted to the owner of the property. The SAP is non-transferrable.

    f) A parking plan must include the following:

    1. Location of onsite parking:
    2. On-street parking shall be permitted only along the same side of the street as the subject property and limited to the length of the street frontage directly abutting the property.
    3. Provision of shuttle services is permitted; however, shuttle buses shall not be parked on residential property.
    4. Event guests at a "Residential Entertainment" events must park only on the designated driveway or on the public street directly in front of the residential lot on which the event is taking place (refine based on size of home or parking capacity).

    g) A detailed security and logistics plan shall be submitted at the time of application.

    h) Events shall not be advertised to the public on social media or other platforms.

    i) “Residential Entertainment” locations must comply with all applicable zoning, parking, fire, noise requirements and ordinances and shall not operate as a Short-Term Rental.

    j) A qualifying event for "Residential Entertainment" may not continue past 12:30 a.m. Operating Hours past 12:30 a.m. require a SLUP.

    k) An Administrative Permit may not be granted to any property for a "Residential Entertainment" that is located within 2000 feet of any County park facility, senior housing or public or private school, or be within 1,000 feet of a property zoned RLG, R-100, R-75, R-60, RSM, MHP, or RNC, MR-1, MR-2, HR-1, HR-2, HR-3; MU-1, MU-2, MU-3, MU-4, MU-5 as measured from property line to property line.

    l) No alcohol may be sold during a qualifying "Residential Entertainment" event and no more than one drink may be included as part of a cover charge for said event.

    m) Signage shall be posted on the property with 24-hour contact information for owner and all other responsible parties to the event; owner shall notify property owners within a 500ft radius.

    n) A Special Administrative Permit must be approved by the Department of Planning & Sustainability within 30 days of application and required documents. If not approved within 30 days, the Special Administrative Permit is automatically denied. (Sec. 7.6.3)

    o) Residential Entertainment shall not be a Public Nuisance (Sec. 18-132.-Definitions) and if abused will to subjected to the penalties within the Chronic Nuisance Ordinance. (To be defined and adopted)

    p) A Special Administrative Permit for "Residential Entertainment" shall authorize the owner of the property no more than 8 such qualifying events in any calendar year. Two “Residential Entertainment” events each quarter.

    q) An occupational tax certificate (business license) must be obtained each year through the Business License Department if a house deems itself as a (commercial) residential entertainment location.


  • Short Term Rental Supplemental Regulations

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    The following supplemental regulations apply to all short term rentals:

    1. No person shall rent, lease or otherwise exchange for compensation all or any portion of a dwelling unit as a short term rental, as defined by this Code, without first obtaining a license from the County’s Business License Division of the Department of Planning & Sustainability and complying with the regulations contained in this section.

    2. No license issued under this section may be transferred or assigned or used by any person other than the one to whom it is issued, or at any location other than the one

    The following supplemental regulations apply to all short term rentals:

    1. No person shall rent, lease or otherwise exchange for compensation all or any portion of a dwelling unit as a short term rental, as defined by this Code, without first obtaining a license from the County’s Business License Division of the Department of Planning & Sustainability and complying with the regulations contained in this section.

    2. No license issued under this section may be transferred or assigned or used by any person other than the one to whom it is issued, or at any location other than the one for which it is issued.

    3. Applicants shall submit an application for a short term rental license to the County’s Business License Division on an annual basis. Application fees shall be established by the department. Such application shall include:

    1. Name, address, telephone number and email address of the owner(s) of record of the dwelling unit for which a license is sought;
    2. Address of the dwelling unit to be used as a short term rental;
    3. Name, address, telephone number and email address of the short term rental Agent, as defined in chapter 24, article 9 of this Code, which shall constitute his or her 24-hour contact information. An owner may serve as the rental Agent and is responsible for notifying the department of a change to the rental Agent and/or any such contact information within five

    (5) business days of said change;

    1. Owner’s sworn acknowledgement that he or she has received a copy of this section, reviewed it and understands such requirements;
    2. The number and location of parking spaces allotted to the premises;
    3. Owner’s agreement to use his or her best efforts to assure use of the premises by occupants will neither disrupt the neighborhood nor interfere with the rights of neighboring property owners to the quiet enjoyment of their properties; and
    4. Any other information the County’s Business License Division of the Department of Planning & Sustainability deems necessary to achieve the objectives of this section.

    4. The director of the Department of Planning & Sustainability is hereby authorized to deny an application, or a renewal thereof, for a short term rental license pursuant to section 15-45 of this Code. Furthermore, the director is authorized to suspend or revoke a short term rental license upon a determination that one or more of the

    following conditions has occurred:

    1. The applicant or license holder has provided false or misleading information in connection with the application or operation of a short term rental;
    2. The operation of the short term rental constitutes a threat to public health, safety, or welfare;
    3. The applicant or license holder has been convicted of a felony, where such conviction is reasonably related to the operation or oversight of the short term rental;
    4. The short term rental has three (3) or more documented violations that resulted in the issuance of citations;
    5. Any condition set forth in Section 15-45 of this code has been met.

    5. Any owner who is adversely affected or aggrieved by a final decision of the director shall have the right to appeal such denial, suspension, or revocation to the hearing officer pursuant to the procedures outlined in section 15-46 of this Code. An appeal shall be based on a claim that the director’s decision was based on an erroneous finding of a material fact or an incorrect application of this Code or other applicable laws and regulations.

    6. For purposes of historic preservation, a short term rental license will not be approved for any dwelling unit located in the locally designated historic districts of the county.

    7. Owners and/or short term rental agents are prohibited from advertising, marketing, and/or promoting the use of his or her short term rental for a special event (i.e., party, concert, reunion, banquet, wedding, reception, or any similar activities). Failure to comply can result in suspension or revocation of the license.

    8. All short term rentals shall be subject to an excise tax pursuant to chapter 24 of this Code.

    9. All short term rentals shall be subject to nuisance and noise regulations pursuant to chapter 16 of this Code and the chronic nuisance property ordinance pursuant to Chapter 27 of this Code.

    10. A short-term rental shall not be used, operated, or advertised as a party house or for the use of residential entertainment pursuant to Sec.9.1.3.

    11. Nothing in this section shall be construed to override or supersede any private covenants, deed restrictions, or homeowner’s association (HOA) regulations that prohibit or restrict short term rentals. Property owners shall remain responsible for complying with all applicable private restrictions.


Page last updated: 15 Apr 2026, 11:28 AM