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County moves toward short‑term‑rental permit regime, raises zoning permit fee
Summary
Sweetwater County planners proposed new short‑term rental permits (STRP) with a $100 initial zoning permit fee, annual renewals, fire inspections, a 1,000‑foot school buffer, density rules handled as conditional use, and a 45‑day public comment period; the commission approved the notice of intent to begin the process.
County planner Cassidy Brown told the commission she is proposing language amendments to the 2015 Sweetwater County Zoning Resolution that would add a short‑term rental permit (STRP) and related operational standards.
Brown said the proposal would raise the zoning permit fee from $50 to $100 to bring Sweetwater County in line with other Wyoming counties, make STRPs an administrative, non‑discretionary permit issued by the land‑use office, require a 14‑day public notice sign on initial applications and a 45‑day general comment period if the notice of intent is certified, and require fire inspections and proof of permitted wastewater or central sewer before issuance. “Short term rental permits shall comply with all applicable zoning district and development standards of the development codes,” Brown told the board.
Operational conditions in the draft include annual renewals (with a proposed renewal fee), a requirement that owners designate a local representative available 24/7 to respond to complaints within one hour by phone, text or email, a provision that tents/campers/camp trailers may not be used as STRs, and a 1,000‑foot buffer from school buildings. Brown said the draft also moves density restrictions to a conditional‑use, public‑hearing review after the first permit in a block so the county can evaluate lot size and context rather than hard numeric caps.
Commissioners approved the notice of intent to start a 45‑day comment period and told staff to return with any suggested edits. Commissioner Toman asked whether the revised condition on density had been communicated back to the Planning & Zoning Commission; Brown said she had summarized the P&Z discussion in the draft and would provide further coordination.
