Residents press The Dalles for stronger short‑term rental rules; city schedules follow‑up
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Summary
Multiple residents urged The Dalles to tighten short‑term rental rules, asking for extended moratoriums, clearer manager contact information, wider neighbor notifications (500–1,000 feet), limits on density and against permanent grandfathering; staff said revisions are being considered and a public meeting is planned for October.
Several residents used the audience participation period to urge the council to strengthen proposed short‑term rental (STR) regulations.
Sally Carpenter read a detailed letter on behalf of neighborhood residents in a low‑density zone, asking the council to extend the moratorium on new STR licenses by six months, to publish a list of STR addresses and manager contact information, to require a 24‑hour response resource for complaints, to make bed and breakfast/vacation rentals conditional uses in low‑density zones, and to prohibit new STR licenses within a 1,000‑foot radius of existing STR properties. Carpenter said many problem STRs are owned by limited liability companies based outside the city and lack on‑site managers.
Council and staff responded: Community Development Director Joshua Chandler said the city's current proposal does not include a 1,000‑foot prohibition but that vicinity restrictions and a total cap are being considered; he pointed to the department's webpage and a staff report that summarize proposed amendments and said a follow‑up public meeting is being targeted for October (tentative dates discussed). Staff acknowledged some website pages were briefly down but directed residents to the city's news and updates page for the most recent materials.
Other commenters reinforced Carpenter's points. Patrick Mattson urged against permanent grandfathering of existing STRs and suggested a phase‑in (for example, three years) so existing operators come into compliance; Olga Maximoff recommended calculating proximity by radius (circle) rather than line measurement and favored periodic review of licenses to monitor growth and impacts on long‑term housing.
City staff and council asked residents to monitor the city's postings and attend the future public meeting to provide input as the code amendment process advances.
