Hocking County zoning panel reviews clarified short‑term rental draft, sets Feb. 12 recommendation meeting

Hocking County zoning commissioners and their consultant reviewed a newly posted draft short‑term rental (STR) and site‑standards ordinance and scheduled a special meeting for Feb. 12 to make a formal recommendation to the county commissioners.

The draft posted to the county and commissioners' websites contains a series of mostly clarifying edits based on stakeholder comments, consultant David Barrett said. "Most of the changes are very much kind of points of clarification," Barrett told the commission, listing revisions to definitions, application requirements and inspection procedures.

Key changes in the draft include defining "applicant" as the property owner, clarifying that campgrounds may still be permitted but are not short‑term rentals, removing the word "permanent" from the dwelling definition to avoid confusion with STRs, and striking a provision that had required operators to be property owners. The draft also adds a requirement that the local contact person be able to respond and be on‑site, and that liability/insurance responsibilities fall on the property owner.

The commission added technical clarifications to parking and driveway standards and refined language so firefighting and emergency access is practical for sites. The draft sets a landscaping minimum ("at least 6 feet tall," per the consultant) and clarifies that screening is measured during the "leaf‑on" season so seasonal leaf loss will not make a property noncompliant.

On enforcement and inspections, the draft requires a minimum of 48 hours' notice for inspections and that inspections occur at a reasonable time when the guest is not occupying the property, Barrett said. The draft also permits electronic signatures for the guest conduct and acknowledgment form, to accommodate online booking platforms.

Operators and several residents pressed how the guest acknowledgement would work across online travel agencies (OTAs) such as Airbnb and VRBO, which typically use a checkbox rather than returning a signed document to hosts. One attendee said platforms "check a box that they acknowledge" but hosts "don't get a copy" for each reservation; Barrett and others said the tax administrator and vendor may be able to work with platforms to make the ordinance language operational.

The draft also specifies that target shooting is not allowed at short‑term rentals. "No target shooting," the commission chair said when confirming the restriction applies to renters at STR properties rather than a countywide ban on shooting.

Residents raised questions about private bridges and whether a bridge or crossing can support emergency‑response vehicles. The consultant said the variance process will be used in cases where a property owner cannot meet the technical standards: an applicant seeking a variance would need to show that emergency units can service the property rather than the ordinance imposing a single blanket weight requirement.

Noise rules and a special‑event permit ordinance were placed on hold for further work. The commission said those two items are being reviewed with the county's emergency management agency and the prosecutor's office, and will not be considered at the Feb. 12 zoning meeting. "The noise ordinance and the special event permit ordinance are on hold," the chair said, adding the items "work hand in hand" and require additional consultation.

A representative of the Ohio Operating Engineers Apprenticeship and Training Program asked the commission to make sure the noise and special‑event language does not unintentionally hamper ongoing heavy‑equipment operations and submitted a packet for the record. The commission said it will share that packet with EMA and the prosecutor's office.

The commission posted the draft online and said it will meet on Feb. 12 at 2 p.m. in this office to make a recommendation to the county commissioners; after that recommendation the county prosecutor and commissioners will review the proposal and may make further changes. The meeting closed after a motion to adjourn was made and seconded; the transcript does not record a formal vote tally on the adjournment motion.