Hocking County planners favor targeted regulations over full zoning to curb short-term rental impacts

Hocking County officials and their consultant told the county zoning commission that public feedback on short-term rentals shows strong concern about growth and service impacts, but not a clear mandate for full zoning.

David Baird, a consultant with American Construction Point, told the commission that a recent county survey drew about 400 responses and that 68% of respondents said they want zoning to slow the growth of short-term rentals. “We had over 400 responses,” Baird said, and he framed the coming township meetings as an effort to ask residents “what is the problem?” rather than to present a prepackaged solution.

Why it matters: Commissioners and presenters said rapid tourism-related growth is stressing local services and changing neighborhoods. Short-term rental owners and residents in more-populated townships such as Falls Township were strongly represented in the survey and at a stakeholder session at the Logan Theater, and planners said the next step is targeted public engagement to clarify specific problems countywide.

Key details: Baird and county staff outlined regulatory tools that do not require adopting traditional zoning. Those options include (1) a short-term rental registration upgraded to a permit process with a required 24-hour local contact; (2) a special-event permit to require advance notice and oversight of high-impact weekend events; (3) site standards for ingress/egress, lighting, parking and erosion control; (4) stronger property-maintenance enforcement; and (5) narrowly targeted impact fees to address infrastructure and emergency-service costs. Baird noted that some rules (for example, federal stormwater regulations) stem from higher-level law and would constrain local options.

Public-safety and emergency services were a prominent concern. A participant at the stakeholder meeting described steep increases in fire runs: the Logan Fire Department had about 897 runs this year (up from typical annual totals), and staff said recent monthly totals also are rising. Planners said road access and driveway standards matter to first responders and that in some places roads are not passable for fire apparatus.

Enforcement, contactability and enforcement timelines: Presenters said the county’s existing short-term-rental registration produces useful enforcement data now but does not require a 24-hour contact or a review of ingress/egress. Baird recommended adding a required 24-hour contact and additional registration questions so law enforcement and property owners can reach a local representative when problems arise. He said there were examples where owners asked unruly guests to leave but deputies declined to enforce private contract disputes; presenters recommended the county attorney and sheriff coordinate a clear protocol that distinguishes contract disputes from behavior that requires law enforcement.

Taxation and collections: The county’s bed-tax administrator reported about 607 registered short-term-rental businesses accounting for roughly 1,900 units. About 30–35 businesses were delinquent more than 90 days and 13 properties were under legal review for potential collection action. Presenters said the county’s compliance and hosting-monitoring software is effective at finding listings on major platforms.

Farmland and open-space questions: Several attendees raised farmland preservation and tax concerns. Baird and others said farmland-conservation tools and tax-incentive easements exist but are separate from short-term-rental rules; they recommended public education about voluntary conservation options and tax programs.

Next steps and public engagement: The commission and consultant provisionally scheduled township meetings the week of March 24 to gather problem-focused input, with an emphasis on asking residents to describe specific problems (noise, lights, traffic, driveway access) rather than to answer an abstract “do you want zoning” question. Ashley Noonan, listed by consultants as the primary staff contact for the township outreach, is expected to help facilitate those sessions. Baird cautioned that implementing new permit programs, enforcement, impact fees or expanded site standards would require administrative capacity and legal review by the county attorney.

What was not decided: The commission did not vote on zoning or any ordinance at the meeting. Presenters said they are not recommending a single approach yet; they presented a menu of regulatory options and asked for further public input. They also advised that any impact-fee approach requires careful legal design so revenue is tied to the locations and uses it is intended to serve.

Quotes: “When people say ‘no zoning,’ they often mean no more regulation,” Baird said. A cabin owner at a stakeholder session said, “I want Hocking County to be rural,” reflecting comments that many residents want to preserve rural character while managing tourist growth.

Ending: County staff and the consultant said they will return with refined proposals after township meetings and legal review. The commission set a follow-up check-in for February and plans to publicize the March township dates widely.