Tourism: Rainier to develop Airbnb ordinance | Information

With the holiday season approaching, Rainier plans to add a short-term vacation rental ordinance to the city council.

After Delilah Laughlin, a Rainier resident, contacted the city a few months ago to buy a home and list it on Airbnb, city administrator Scott Jorgensen told the city council they needed to pass a formal ordinance on short-term vacation rentals.

A special regulation for Airbnb is not uncommon for cities, and most cities that regularly operate tourism have codified guidelines in place. Jorgensen expected Rainier to pass an ordinance sooner or later due to the city’s growing tourism, according to the minutes of the planning commission on Monday evening. In addition, Airbnb could spell an economic boost for the city, he said.

“One of the great things about Airbnb is that it helps the average person who may have an extra bedroom and isn’t using it and that it enables them to generate more income,” Jorgensen told The Chief. “On the consumer side… it’s nice to have the option. Sometimes an Airbnb is just better set up for you. “

After the Planning Commission and City Council expressed their support for Laughlin’s Airbnb plans, Jorgensen began investigating regulations on vacation rentals in similar cities – Bend, Seaside, and Cannon Beach, for example. Most Airbnb regulations require Airbnb hosts to speak to their neighbors and get their permission before listing their apartment, Jorgensen said, “and I think that has to be part of that.”

Other common aspects of short term vacation rental are parking regulations, inspection guidelines, and professional management rules. Most cities also offer different permits to owners. For example, Cannon Beach’s regulation currently provides for an unlimited rental permit, a 5-year rental permit, and a 14-day rental permit.

Laughlin spoke again with the city’s planning committee at their regular meeting on Monday, May 10. On Wednesday evening, May 12th, Jorgensen presented Seaside and Cannon Beach ordinances to the planning committee. Jorgensen said the commission liked Seaside’s regulation and that he would push the blueprint forward – minor changes in tow.

Seaside’s regulation is short on two pages, which, according to Jorgensen, was estimated by the Commission. He expects he will add specific mechanisms for the city to handle complaints about a rental location, including the ability for him to revoke a landlord’s permission. In addition, Jorgensen said he will add a language that will allow residents to appeal the city administrator’s decision to revoke a permit. Currently, Jorgensen plans to value the permit at $ 250 per year – the renewal cost would be equivalent.

Though the prescription was triggered by Laughlin’s questions, it came at a random time, according to Jorgensen.

“I want this to become a more touristy city over time,” he said, “that’s part of the vision too.”

Jorgensen noted that Columbia County’s fishing season and Rainier’s own charm have made the city a desirable place for vacationers taking a break from the “big city.”

While places like Cannon Beach and Seaside struggled to formalize a vacation rental regulation because the local hotel industry was concerned about competition, Jorgensen doesn’t think Rainier will face the same problems because the city’s vacation industry isn’t as developed as its neighbors the coast .

“We have hotels in town, but I think these are mostly more permanent residences for people. We haven’t really gotten any backlash from the business world. “

Worldwide, Airbnb and comparable rental models – apart from the tourist advantages – have a reputation for causing higher rental and property prices wherever they take root. (A 1% increase in Airbnb listings was found to increase rents by 0.018% and house prices by 0.026% – which is more significant than it sounds.) Jorgensen said this wasn’t a big problem for the city This time around, he heard no concerns about the ordinance causing a rental or housing crisis.

Rainier will also finish paving the Riverfront Trail next week, and the city plans to add bike hubs in the park. Jorgensen hopes these efforts will improve the city and turn the upcoming vacation rental industry into a hot market.

His experience at Grants Pass, where he grew up, has influenced his tourism interests, Jorgensen explained.

“I’m from Grants Pass and got there in the mid-1990s as the transition from the timber town to a more diverse economy,” he said, “and tourism actually played a big part in bringing Josephine County and Grants Pass there bring. ” is that now. “

Rainier can’t just rely on tourism, as the pandemic shows, Jorgensen warned, “But I think we can definitely accommodate that, and I’d love to see more [tourism] Here.”

Jorgensen will present his ordinance for Rainier to the planning committee in June. If the regulation is adopted by the Commission, it will be forwarded to the city council in July, which can vote on whether or not to pass it. In order for the regulation to be fully adopted, the Council has to observe two readings. The regulation will come into force in autumn at the earliest.