ASTORIA — Clatsop County will accept applications and renew permits for vacation rentals again after voters narrowly rejected a ballot measure in the May election that sought to repeal an ordinance recognizing the use in the development code.
Measure 4-221 failed 51% to 49% — by 139 votes — in an election that drew 32% voter turnout. The measure would have overturned an ordinance unanimously approved by the county Board of Commissioners in June 2022 that recognized vacation rentals as a permitted use in 16 unincorporated zones.
Had the referendum been successful, more than 100 vacation rentals would have likely disappeared as permits expired.
While the referendum only involved a fraction of vacation rentals in the county — cities have their own ordinances regulating short-term rentals — the debate revived divisions in many communities over the impacts of tourism and commercial activities in residential neighborhoods.
The measure was placed on the ballot by North Coast Neighbors United, a group mostly made up of residents from the wealthy enclave of Cove Beach on the southern edge of the county and the gated community of Surf Pines near Gearhart.
Some of the residents had a history of battling vacation rentals in their neighborhoods. After election results were certified, Jeff Davis, a Cove Beach resident and co-petitioner of the referendum, urged county commissioners to place caps on the number of vacation rentals in the county.
“Despite the disappointing outcome of the election, it’s clear that there is strong support from thousands of local residents to rein in (short-term rentals) in Clatsop County, including implementing zoning restrictions and caps on the numbers of permits that can be issued in a given neighborhood,” Davis said in a statement. “Our communities just can’t afford to lose more residential housing to commercial uses when firefighters, teachers and other community members can’t find homes.
“We call upon the Board of Commissioners to take up the issue of caps and limits to short-term rentals, as they promised to do last year. The time to act is now.”
“I urge those that have (a short-term rental) permit, as well as those that will soon apply, to be great stewards,” Gwydir-Moore, an owner of a small vacation rental company, said in a statement. “Our community is still divided and although we know (short-term rentals) are vital to our community, we also know that there is misinformation, misunderstanding, confusion and much-needed improvement on their relations with those that they impact the most.
“I hope that our opponents will see trying to serve their personal agendas by using (short-term rentals) as a scapegoat won’t work. I urge North Coast Neighbors United to put their same time, talents and treasures to better use. Help serve and contribute to the community as a whole instead of working to divide and destroy.”
When tensions over vacation rentals began boiling over — primarily between property owners in Cove Beach — the county started holding a series of listening sessions.
Eventually, county commissioners decided to place a moratorium on new permits in the summer of 2021 while the county explored ways to update and revise regulations.
During that time, county commissioners approved new rules for vacation rental owners in April 2022.
The county also discovered that when the 2018 ordinance regulating vacation rentals was adopted, the use was not added to the development code, meaning vacation rentals were never formally recognized outside of Arch Cape.
To cure the problem, county commissioners adopted another ordinance in June 2022 recognizing vacation rentals as a permitted use in 16 unincorporated zones.
Commissioners discussed placing caps on the number of vacation rentals, but before the county could move forward with those discussions, North Coast Neighbors United collected enough signatures to refer the ordinance to voters in the May election.
Since then, the ordinance has been put on hold, which has prevented the county from issuing new permits and renewing existing ones.
Commissioner Courtney Bangs, the board’s vice chairwoman, told The Astorian that the potential for caps is not off the table.
“I was really grateful to see voters support commissioners’ decisions in regards to (the ordinance),” Bangs said. “We spent so much time listening to so many people from both sides of the conversation and moving forward I know that we will readdress concerns in the future.”
Bangs said the potential for caps will be discussed, but in the meantime, she said she would like to take time to see to what extent the ordinance and new operating standards address neighbor concerns. She added that she wants to allow county staff time to regroup after the countless hours spent on the vacation rental issue over the past several years.