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Madison Lake council rejects VRBO density cap but votes to lift short-term rental moratorium
Summary
On Jan. 5, 2026 the Madison Lake City Council voted down a proposed density cap for short-term rentals but approved lifting a moratorium on VRBOs, reversing an earlier pause on vacation rental operations. The votes were 2–3 against the amendment and 3–2 to vacate the moratorium.
The Madison Lake City Council on Jan. 5 debated limits on short-term rentals and took two formal votes: it rejected a proposed density restriction on VRBOs and then voted to lift a moratorium that had previously halted vacation rentals by owner.
Council members considered an amendment to Ordinance 2020-04 that would have restricted VRBOs to one unit per every 450 feet. The amendment, moved by Council Member Laurinda Sohre and seconded by Council Member Ryan Sanders, failed on a 2–3 roll call: Ayes — Sanders and Sohre; Nays — Mayor Al Dorn, Pat Burt and Mark Bisch.
After the failed amendment, Council Member Pat Burt moved, and Mark Bisch seconded, a motion to vacate the moratorium adopted in Ordinance 2025-03 that had ordered a temporary halt to vacation rental by owner activity in the city. That motion carried by a 3–2 vote: Ayes — Dorn, Burt and Bisch; Nays — Sanders and Sohre.
The amendment’s text proposed a numerical density limit (one VRBO per every 450 feet). The council record does not include additional details such as a map-based implementation plan, grandfathering rules for existing rentals, or an effective date for lifting the moratorium — those items were not specified in the meeting record.
Implications: lifting the moratorium restores the ability for property owners to pursue short-term rental operations under the city’s existing ordinance (Ordinance 2020-04) until the council adopts any new restrictions. The council did not adopt the density amendment, so the specific one‑per‑450‑foot restriction will not be applied based on this meeting’s actions.
Next steps: the transcript does not record any follow-up assignments to staff to draft ordinance language, timeline for implementation, or details on enforcement. Any additional regulatory changes would require future council action.
