Marshal urges stricter short‑term rental enforcement, proposes higher fees, occupancy limits and neighbor notification

County Marshal Angela Byers presented a comprehensive review of the short‑term rental (STR) and bed‑and‑breakfast ordinance and recommended edits raised by the long‑range planning committee. Byers said Dawson County lacked a standalone STR ordinance until recent years and that enhanced application materials and active enforcement have reduced complaint volumes; she reported 0 complaints of safety/security this year and overall net revenue increases tied to permits and hotel‑motel taxes.

Long‑range planning committee recommendations Byers outlined include restricting STRs in certain zone categories, mandatory adjacent‑neighborhood notification (a sample 500‑foot notice was provided), requirements that owners designate a local agent within driving distance, and tighter occupancy calculations (the county currently uses two persons per bedroom plus two; the committee suggested reducing the daytime multiplier to 1.5). Byers proposed revising fees to reflect administrative effort (a $100 processing fee plus existing charges to make a $350 initial application, $300 renewal, and a $100 late fee after 30 days) and recommended adding sewer/septic bedroom‑capacity certification from Etowah Water and Sewer or environmental health.

Byers emphasized enforcement capacity: the marshal’s office and code enforcement monitor listings on Airbnb/VRBO, issue warnings for inaccurate advertising, and can revoke permits for repeat offenders. Commissioners discussed private‑road scenarios, HOA authority, enforcement mechanisms, and the feasibility of cross‑referencing management company lists; staff suggested combining databases and exploring citation options tied to real property if owners live out of state. No formal ordinance amendments were adopted in the work session; staff were asked to refine language and fee estimates for future action.