Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Short Term Rentals topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Richland County committee postpones short-term rental ordinance for more work on fees and enforcement
Summary
After debate over enforcement, inspections and fee amounts, the committee voted to postpone the proposed short-term rental ordinance and send it back to Natural Resources for further work, including setting an administration fee and clarifying enforcement mechanisms.
The Richland County Executive & Finance standing committee voted Nov. 12 to postpone a proposed short-term rental ordinance and return it to the Natural Resources committee for more detail on enforcement and fees.
Drafters said the ordinance is intended to fill gaps not covered by state statute—principally neighborhood communications, parking controls and a local permit mechanism. Staff described the zoning office as the issuing authority and said applicants would need to submit a state lodging-establishment inspection form and a copy of their Wisconsin license as part of a local permit application. A county representative said the intent was to give the county a tool to address complaints where operators are not following local expectations.
Committee members raised multiple concerns. Supervisors asked what the local licensing would add to an operator already certified at the state level, whether county staff would conduct on-site inspections, and how the county would determine maximum occupancy when septic systems and bedroom counts vary by property. One supervisor said the county should not charge operators for paperwork the state already enforces. Another said the proposal must include the specific fee before the ordinance moves beyond committee.
A county committee member summarized the enforcement approach: "We're not doing enforcement" in the sense of creating a separate inspection regime beyond verifying state licensing, but staff said the county will require documentation and would have a local mechanism to pursue violations if neighbors complain. After discussion about administrative cost and inspection logistics, the committee agreed to postpone the ordinance and asked Natural Resources to return with recommended fees and clarified enforcement steps before the full county board considers the matter.
What’s next: The Natural Resources committee will refine the ordinance language and recommend a fee (to be added into the fee-schedule appendix) and return the revised proposal to the Executive & Finance committee before it goes to the full county board.
