Board approves revised short-term rental permit for Hornsbyville Road after debate over owner presence

The York County Board of Supervisors voted 3–2 on June 16 to approve a revised special-use permit for a short-term rental at 1008 Hornsbyville Road after an extended debate about whether owners must be physically present during rentals and whether a designated neighbor may perform response duties.

The applicant, Dr. Peter Gould, told the board he had taken on an unexpected loan after major water damage to his home and sought to use short-term rentals to help cover costs. "I would ask that you step back and look at the board policy," Gould said, arguing that a designated neighbor could provide faster on-site response and that full-house rental would improve the property's viability. He said he would comply with safety inspections and management conditions.

Planning staff had recommended approval subject to conditions and proposed limiting guests to four and requiring the owner to "reside in and be present" during rentals. Board members pressed staff and the county attorney about differences between the zoning code and the board policy, noting the policy's stricter presence requirement and the code's allowance for a designated responsible party.

Supervisors split over precedent and enforcement. One supervisor warned that allowing a designated party for this case would make it difficult to deny similar requests later. "If you allow it for that, then you have to allow it for all designated parties going forward," a supervisor said during the discussion. Others pointed to the applicant's neighbor, a local who said he could respond promptly, as a potential mitigation measure.

Following lengthy negotiation, the board amended the draft resolution to reflect changes discussed during the meeting (the amended resolution was identified in the record as R26-107R) and voted to adopt it. The roll call recorded Missus Knoll and Mister Drury voting yes, Mister Roan and Mister Holroyd voting no, and Mister Sheppard voting yes.

The board's action replaces the version staff originally recommended and directs staff to implement the permit under the amended terms. The county's planning and code-enforcement staff will be responsible for verifying conditions, including parking and life-safety items, before the permit takes effect.

The decision closes the public hearing on the application; the board scheduled no additional action on the item at the meeting and moved on to consent items and a closed session.