Sisters continues to wrestle with short-term rentals

There was obvious frustration in the room last Thursday when the Sisters Planning Commission again discussed short-term rentals, after having already passed on their recommendation to the City Council.

Following directions from the Council at their May 23 workshop, City planning staff is looking at incorporating additional changes to the short-term rental (STR) regulations being proposed for adoption as part of a larger package of text amendments.

At the June 21 Planning Commission meeting, staff sought input from the commissioners on two changes Council would like to see. Staff was directed to include spacing/buffering requirements for STRs and to review "transferability" of STR land-use approvals and operator's licenses. Council was concerned that without spacing requirements, concentration of STRs in any one area would create negative impacts on residential neighborhoods.

Staff presented to the Planning Commission several scenarios regarding 150-foot and 250-foot buffers between STRs and the possible ramifications regarding the number of additional STRs.

Chairman Tim Klem indicated, "If we have to have spacing, I don't want the eight percent cap."

Commissioners Jeff Seymour and Roger Detweiler don't favor spacing requirements and Jack Nagel does. Nagel pointed to the impact of a concentration of STRs in a single neighborhood.

In counterpoint, Detweiler asserted, "The town is too small to use spacing requirements."

The apparent frustration on the part of some of the commissioners seemed to come from the fact that they have spent a number of months addressing the issues involved with STRs before making their recommendation to the Council. Several voiced that perhaps City Council was considering changes to what commissioners had recommended without being fully informed of all the information the Planning Commission had considered.

A decision was made to seek a joint meeting of the Planning Commission and the City Council to discuss all the factors involved when considering STRs.

With a steady influx of applications for STRs to the City, the Planning Commission is concerned that a delay in approving STR regulations will result in a continuing increase in the number and concentration of STRs. BreAnne McConkie, senior planner, reported that of 20 current land-use applications, 10 are for STRs.

In other business, the commissioners considered prioritization of proposed new text amendments they will be considering. They will be looking at regulations for cutting trees, amenities requirements in master plans for subdivisions, annexation requirements related to affordable housing, tiny homes, mobile food units, and several factors involving planned unit developments.

The upcoming treescape design for Adams Avenue, funded by a Transportation Growth Management grant, will require a review of the code for multiuse development and requirements regarding curbs, sidewalks, and parking on Adams.