HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024 06 10 PR Short-Term Rentals
County closer to proposing updated regulations for short-term rentals
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jefferson County, WA, June 10, 2024 – Following a trio of public listening sessions in March and
subsequent Planning Commission meetings on the topic of short-term rentals (i.e., for fewer
than 30 days), county planners are closer to having a proposed ordinance to amend the Unified
Development Code (UDC) for consideration by the Planning Commission and the Board of
County Commissioners (BoCC).
Chief Strategy Officer Brent A. Butler summarized the results of the March listening sessions
during a Planning Commission meeting on May 1 and then again on May 15, 2024, during which
Planning Commissioners accepted further public input. The Planning Commission is expected to
continue discussion at their July 3, 2024 meeting as to whether and how to amend regulations
in the UDC for short-term rentals.
Butler says the next step after the July 3 Planning Commission meeting is that, “Department of
Community Development staff will assimilate and synthesize ideas that we’ve heard from the
community on (1) enforcement, (2) limiting rentals, (3) owner-occupied versus other types, (4)
neighborhood impacts, (5) tourism balance, (6) education/outreach and (7) life safety so that
the Planning Commission may share their ideas with staff to help shape a proposed ordinance,
which will then be posted in advance of a public hearing before the Planning Commission this
summer.” A hearing date has yet to be determined. To see community members’ ideas and the
presentations go to: www.co.jefferson.wa.us/1731/Short-Term-Rentals
Upon receiving public input through the formal comment period and hearing, the Planning
Commission makes a recommendation to the BoCC for legislative action to amend the county’s
development code.
Through adoption of Ordinance No. 01-0408-24 on April 8, the BoCC enacted a one-year
moratorium on DCD accepting land use applications for short-term rentals. On June 10, the
BoCC adopted Ordinance No. 03-0610-24 to establish a new emergency control to replace the
previous ordinance and for which a public hearing will be held within 60 days. The new
emergency control does not extend the original one-year moratorium, which expires in April
2025.
The BoCC also set a hearing date and time of July 8, 2024 at 11:00 AM in association with
adoption of the June 10 ordinance.
DCD plans to bring to the BoCC before the end of this year a proposed ordinance that amends
development regulations for short-term rentals, along with a Planning Commission
recommendation.
For more information, please visit the project webpage above and/or email Brent Butler at
<bbutler@co.jefferson.wa.us>.
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