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Lunenburg officials direct staff to draft short‑term rental registry and consider occupancy tax
Summary
Commissioner of the Revenue Liz Hamlett briefed the board on short‑term rental registration and a state‑permitted minimum transient occupancy tax; the board voted unanimously to have the County Attorney, Planning Commission chair and Commissioner Hamlett develop an ordinance and tax recommendation.
Commissioner of the Revenue Liz Hamlett told the board the county does not currently impose a short‑term rental tax and that state code requires a local registry for short‑term rental operators and allows a minimum two percent occupancy tax that must be earmarked for tourism‑related expenses.
Hamlett said numerous properties in Lunenburg County would qualify as short‑term rentals and that, without a registry, the county has no complete record of operators. She added that a local ordinance establishing a registry would allow the county to assess fees or penalties on operators who do not register.
Supervisor T. Wayne Hoover said he favors creating a registry but not imposing a tax; other supervisors asked questions about local impacts and enforcement. The board voted unanimously to direct the County Attorney’s Office to work with Planning Commission Chair Buck Tharpe and Commissioner Hamlett to develop a recommendation for a registry ordinance and potential tax structure.
County Attorney Frank Rennie advised that separate ordinances would be required: one to create the registry and another to authorize the tax. Planning Commission Chair Buck Tharpe noted some short‑term rentals may already be collecting taxes through third‑party platforms but the county cannot receive those funds without an ordinance in place.
