Town's short-term rentals forum draws large turnout

Town officials and La Conner residents have spent a long time discussing short-term rentals.

Which has been part of the plan all along – and going forward.

The needle inched further toward defining short-term rentals and reaching consensus on whether regulations governing them should be modified during an Oct. 17 forum at the Civic Garden Club attended by more than 30 people.

"We were excited about the turnout," Assistant Planner Ajah Eills told the Weekly News afterward. "We hope that the momentum will continue." Planning Director Michael Davolio and Town Administrator Scott Thomas also participated.

Attendees were divided into small groups seated at six tables, five with planning commissioners, to foster a conversational approach to tackle what has become a pressing local issue.

Davolio introduced the evening, saying the short-term rentals question requires striking a balance between preserving neighborhood integrity and acknowledging that La Conner has a tourism-based economy bolstered by those who shop here

He stressed that the Town is neutral on the matter.

"We want to make sure the final decision is something the community wants," Davolio said, stressing the Town's neutrality on an issue that surfaced in 2022.

"We had discussions here last year about short-term rentals," he said, "and then had a subsequent request to have them held over to this year so we could have much broader discussions."

Now, short-term rentals are allowed in its commercial zones as part of the conditional use permit review process.

Regularly attending residents of planning commission meetings have expressed opposition to relaxing short-term rentals restrictions in neighborhoods, noting the stress that would place on an already limited stock of permanent housing. Proponents allude to private property rights and the opportunity short-term rentals provide homeowners to recoup costs of extended vacations or business trips.

"We don't have a definition of short-term rentals," Davolio reminded the audience.

"This is a much larger group than we anticipated," he said, thanking them for coming. "We're grateful because this is an important issue."

Eills added that the extended discussions here are designed to develop a working definition of short-term rentals.

Communities around the state and nation variously limit stays in short-term rentals to between 30 and 90 days.

"We're coming at this from a totally neutral position," Eills said. "It will be interesting to see how people are approaching it from across the board."

Indications were revealed during the evening.

Input provided by the six table groups ran the gamut from concerns that short-term rentals can negatively impact affordable housing to how they might be best employed relative to the peaks and valleys of tourist season.

"One comment was that it's a moral issue," Eills said. "Another was that more specific regulations are needed. There are those who definitely don't want them. And some said nothing should be done, the quote being that 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it.'"

Some, she said, suggested a study be undertaken of the town's hotel occupancy rates, comparing high and low occupancy months. Another idea was that the Town and Port of Skagit collaborate on local housing needs.

Eills said she and Davolio will use feedback from the forum to draft a proposal for the planning commission. From there, a recommendation will be forwarded for review and potential adoption by the town council.

None of that is expected to happen right away, though.

"We don't have a formal timeline set yet," said Eills.