PECS defers short‑term rental ordinance vote as staff and commissioners seek enforcement, tax and staffing details

Planning staff presented a draft ordinance to regulate short‑term rentals countywide and the PECS committee voted to defer final action for 30 days while staff and enforcement officials answer outstanding questions about staffing, taxation and post‑hours response.

Yvonne Trammell of the Department of Planning and Sustainability told the committee that short‑term rentals are not currently permitted in unincorporated DeKalb but “continue to operate.” Staff reported a 13% decline in publicly listed short‑term rental listings since August 2024—down from about 2,962 listings to about 2,564—and described the draft ordinance’s core elements: a by‑right accessory use permit with an annual application and fee, business licensing, a requirement to post the number and location of parking spaces, and an 8% local tax on short‑term rental gross receipts. Staff estimated a potential taxable base of about $7.7 million countywide and an 8% tax could generate roughly $560,000 annually under that projection.

Trammell told commissioners that the county would likely need additional staff to administer and enforce the program: a vendor‑supported solution could handle registration, permitting, tax collection, a 24/7 complaint hotline and activity monitoring, but in‑house implementation would require roughly four additional business license technicians and four additional code enforcement officers.

Commissioners focused on enforcement timing and tax treatment. Commissioner Ted Terry noted most nuisance complaints about “party houses” occur at night and on weekends and asked whether code enforcement would be available after hours; staff said that is under review and a third‑party hotline could provide a 24/7 intake for complaints. Interim County Attorney Welch said the draft requires an identified local agent for each rental and that posting a license number and agent contact (commonly in a visible window) is a way to provide notice and a response path.

Commissioner Terry also raised whether short‑term rentals should be classified for property‑tax purposes as businesses (with assessment of personal property in the unit) or residential; Interim County Attorney Welch said the chief tax assessor is evaluating options and that some jurisdictions treat short‑term rentals as business operations for assessment purposes.

After discussion, the committee voted to defer the short‑term rental ordinance (agenda item 2020331467) for 30 days so code enforcement, the assessor’s office and the county attorney can return with clearer staffing plans, enforcement options for after‑hours complaints, and tax‑assessment guidance.