Wake County opens public consideration of UDO changes for bed-and-breakfasts and short-term rentals

Wake County planning staff on April 7 presented proposed text changes to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) that would alter how the county regulates bed-and-breakfast establishments and short-term rental properties. The Board of Commissioners held a public hearing with no speakers and voted to take the item up for consideration at a future meeting.

Tim Maloney, director of Wake County Planning, Development and Inspections, told the board the changes are staff-initiated and intended to remove requirements staff considers outdated, to align local rules with national short-term rental platforms and with peer jurisdictions, and to broaden options for supplemental income. "Requirements that bed and breakfast establishments be in historic [register] and have a minimum size ... are no longer relevant," Maloney said. He also said staff proposes changing the UDO's short-term rental limit from a maximum overnight stay of…