City eyes changes to short-term rental policy

Short-term rentals (STR) may fall under tighter restrictions in Sisters. The Sisters Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on June 20 at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall on text amendments to city Development Code that would:

• Expand the STR concentration limit from 250 feet to 500 feet.

• Apply STR concentration limit to dwelling units within a condominium.

• Apply STR concentration limit to dwelling units in the Downtown Commercial District that are part of a residential-only development. This is not applicable to dwelling units in commercial or mixed-use buildings.

• Prohibit STRs in Urban Growth Boundary expansion/annexation areas.

Existing STRs would not fall under these changes, according to City of Sisters Community Development Director Scott Woodford.

“As long as they get their license renewed every year and meet all other requirements… they would be grandfathered in.”

The planning commission will make a recommendation on the code changes to the Sisters City Council, which is tentatively scheduled to take up the issue on August 4.

“It started from a city council goal to reevaluate the short-term rental program,” Woodford said.

A staff report is to be available at City Hall on June 13.