LANCASTER—After months of discussion and public input, the Lancaster planning commission on April 21 completed most of its work on a short-term rental (STR) ordinance following a public hearing. The commission agreed to postpone a decision to allow absent commission members an opportunity to provide input.
Currently, the only regulations within the county are the STR registry and transient occupancy tax ordinances which have been on the books since 2018. After hearing numerous complaints over the past year, county administrator Don Gill said the goal of the zoning regulations is to “address the safety and enjoyment of the transient visitors, but also protect the neighborhoods where the STRs are located.”
During the hearing on the proposed regulations, High Bank resident Cindy Allen objected to STRs owned by LLCs, defined by the IRS as a business, from operating in residential zoned areas. She added that a maximum of 240 rental nights is still two-thirds of the year and “not that much of a compromise.” Allen suggested reducing that to half of the year.
Jeff Allen suggested placing a cap on the number of STRs….
