Kent County Levy Court approves a measure to loosen regulations on short-term rentals.
The county defines a short term rental as any unit rented out for less than 30 days. Rental units like that are commonly marketed on websites like AirBNB and VRBO.
The county had required owners of short term rentals on less than five acres of land to live onsite, but at a Tuesday meeting lawmakers did away with that law.
County Planning Director Sarah Kiefer explained the change to commissioners.
“So this eliminates that condition altogether. There will be no five acre limit," she said. "There will be no owner occupancy requirement.”
Levy Court’s approval was a sharp contrast to the opinion of the county’s Regional Planning Commission, which earlier this month recommended against changing the law. Some planning commission members raised concerns then about the effects in denser neighborhoods.
“For example, if I lived in a condo or attached home or even single homes that were in a really, you know, every lot a postage stamp, I wouldn't my close neighbors renting out a dwelling continually to different people, different people, different people," Planning Commissioner Denise Kaercher said earlier this month.
All seven Levy Court commissioners voted for the change.
