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Why regulate short-term rentals?
In recent years, many community members have raised concerns about noise, parties, parking, traffic and trash associated with short-term rentals. Washington County has not been able to fully address these concerns because no short-term rental regulations currently exist.
In February 2020, Short-term Rentals: Issues and Considerations, Washington County Long Range Planning Issue Paper No. 2020-01, was released for public comment. Most of the comments received supported some kind of regulation of short-term rentals.
The issue paper summarized the positives and negatives of short-term rentals and how other jurisdictions regulate them. The issue paper findings and staff recommendations for further action were presented to the Washington County Board of Commissioners, which directed staff to develop short-term rental requirements and a licensing program to minimize community concerns (such as large parties, noise, parking and trash), increase owner/operator accountability and to create a process to close down problem locations.