Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Short Term Rentals topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners propose administrative permits for rooming and boarding houses, keep review for larger operations
Summary
Siskiyou County commissioners discussed differences between boarding/rooming houses and bed-and-breakfasts and generally favored Administrative Use Permits (AUPs) for smaller operations while reserving Use Permits (UPs) for larger-scale or long-term rentals.
Commissioners debated whether rooming/boarding houses should be treated like bed-and-breakfasts or required to come before the commission. Staff read code definitions noting a bed-and-breakfast is typically a single-family residential building offering short-term lodging "for short term stays of less than 30 consecutive calendar days." Commissioner Fell said he would be comfortable with rooming/boarding houses being handled as AUPs rather than automatic UPs.
The panel contrasted short-term stays (under 30 days) with longer-term lodging when transient-occupancy tax (TOT) and other regulations apply; a commissioner asked, "If you're operating a boarding house or a rooming house for under 30 days of stay, are you responsible for paying TOT?" Staff agreed TOT typically applies to short-term rentals but said some distinctions require further research, and environmental health or the director would review when food service is provided.
The commission generally supported leaving B&Bs and small rooming operations as administrative matters with the option for the director to escalate based on size or neighborhood compatibility. The discussion left open a clearer definition for when a property becomes a vacation rental versus a rooming house that needs more formal review.
