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Bel Air commissioners debate allowing short‑term rentals in residential areas; owner‑on‑site, ADUs and enforcement are central
Summary
The Bel Air Board of Town Commissioners discussed a draft short‑term rental (STR) ordinance that would allow tightly regulated STRs in some districts. Commissioners focused on square‑foot limits, owner‑on‑site requirements, whether accessory dwelling units (ADUs) could be used for STRs, and enforcement and license revocation procedures.
Commissioner Rutledge introduced a draft short‑term rental working paper at the May 13 work session and asked the board for feedback on allowing a narrowly limited STR presence in residential districts and a more permissive approach in business districts.
“The limitation on square feet coincides directly with the, the owner being on‑site,” Rutledge said, explaining the draft’s proposed 500‑square‑foot cap for rented space. The intent, she said, is to make owner presence verifiable and reduce the risk that an entire house would be used as a commercial rental while the owner is absent.
Why it matters: the board is weighing whether to allow some STRs in residential (R) districts and how to write performance standards so that the use remains compatible with neighborhood character. Commissioners stressed the town’s limited enforcement tools and the need to define…
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