Douglas County makes policy decisions regarding vacation home rentals
During the Board of County Commissioners meeting held on March 4,2021, the Board provided policy direction on the Vacation Home Rental (VHR) Program.
The Board made approximately 50 policy decisions for the future of the VHR program.
Some of the decisions include maintaining the current ban on VHRs in the East Fork Township, establishing a cap of 600 permits in the Tahoe Township, establishing a three-tier permitting system, and the formation of a VHR Appeals and Advisory Board. Direction was provided regarding permitting requirements, parking, noise, health and safety, trash, and fines and penalties.
The Board accepted most of the recommendations made in the VHR report from County Manager, Patrick Cates first presented during a board meeting in October of 2020.
This report incorporated recommendations from the VHR Task Force, composed of 15 Douglas County residents.
The Board of County Commissioners has been considering changes to the VHR program since 2017, with the current ordinance in place since 2018.
Since then, the County has conducted extensive outreach, including public workshops and surveys, and the formation of the VHR Task Force.
“This was a big night for Douglas County,” said County Manager Patrick Cates. “The Task Force conducted exhaustive research and healthy debate for over a year to derive their recommendations. I cannot adequately express my gratitude to the citizens who participated in that massive undertaking for all their hard work. I also thank the Commissioners for their diligent work on this complicated and contentious issue. We now have clear direction and can begin moving forward with these new regulations.”
To implement these changes, resolutions and ordinances will need to be drafted and presented to the Board for approval.
Ordinances must be heard at two Board of County Commission meetings before they can be approved. Ordinances are then subject to a 35-day waiting period before they are affected as required by Nevada statutes.
The Board also voted to approve a resolution to maintain a temporary suspension on the issuance of new permits pending implementation of new regulations in the interim.
“I would like to thank my fellow commissioners for their time and dedication to reviewing the information presented by County staff and the Task Force,” said Jon Engels, Commission Chairman. “My hope is that these policy decisions are a starting point down a path to provide what’s best for the community while enacting the essential enforcement necessary for the establishment of a sustainable VHR program in Douglas County.”