The city of Chelan is considering updating regulations on short term rentals. The city is looking at permitting the vacation rental option in a special geographic area, known as a special use district. The city planning advisory commission discussed the idea at city hall Wednesday night.
"We currently have a provision in our zoning code for something called a homestay establishment," said City Community Development Director John Ajax. "There's an income requirement to preserve agriculture. Income from a short term rental can't surpass the income requirement that the agriculture produces."
"What we're proposing to do is eliminate that from four zoning districts, and in replace of that we're going to potentially allow for a short term rental inside of a special use district," Ajax added. "51% of that acreage has to be active agriculture, and you'd be allowed to have one short term rental, either as a house or in addition, having an accessory dwelling unit (ADU). The idea is to slow down some of the development in these very unique areas and keep that kind of pastoral and agricultural setting in place."
The proposed minimum lot size for each rental would be 2 ½ to 5 acres. The city would cap the number of short term rental licenses at ten each year.
"This would provide landowners options that will allow them to continue operating their orchard or farm," said Chelan Mayor Erin McCardle. "What we would rather see is still have orchard on our hills and give those farmers an option to potentially carve off a 5 acre parcel and put an ADU on it, or a short term rental, to generate income to help subsidize the farming."
A recommendation on the latest proposal from the planning advisory committee will be given to the city council which is expected to hold a public hearing, possibly as soon as next month.
Learn more on Short Term Rentals in the city of Chelan here.
Comments