Council advances short‑term rental rules and requires platforms to collect lodging tax

The Veneta City Council on Jan. 12 advanced two related ordinances that rework how short‑term rentals are regulated and taxed in the city. Staff told the council the amendments remove short‑term rental rules from the development code into a standalone municipal‑code ordinance to avoid extra land‑use appeals, and add language to the transient‑room‑tax code requiring booking platforms to collect and remit the tax on behalf of rental operators.

"These amendments in this ordinance are to remove the short term rental from the development code only, separate ordinance... and adopt these amendments back into the municipal code," said the staff presenter. The staff presentation noted the planning commission held hearings and recommended approval; staff said no public comments were received at either the planning commission or city hearings. The ordinance packet also included a minor clerical correction removing a reference to an Exhibit A‑4 that does not exist.

Council members moved and seconded first readings by title only of Ordinance No. 597 (amending short‑term rental regulations) and Ordinance No. 598 (adopting short‑term rental regulations into the Veneta Municipal Code and amending chapter 3.50). The roll calls recorded ayes by all members present for the first readings. The council did not take final action on either ordinance at this meeting; both were advanced per the city’s normal ordinance schedule.