During a forum Tuesday night at Astoria High School, arguments were shared in favor and against a measure on the May ballot that could eliminate vacation rentals in most unincorporated parts of Clatsop County.

If approved by voters, Measure 4-221 would repeal an ordinance approved by the county Board of Commissioners in June that recognized vacation rentals as a permitted use in 16 unincorporated zones in the development code.

The ordinance was adopted to recognize the use, which has been a long-standing practice in those zones.

Homeowners — mostly in the wealthy enclave of Cove Beach and the gated community of Surf Pines — organized under the name North Coast Neighbors United and collected enough signatures to refer the ordinance to voters.

If the referendum is approved, the county has said the ordinance will be repealed, and more than 100 vacation rentals in unincorporated zones could gradually disappear as licenses expire.

Andrea Mazzarella, an Astoria real estate agent who spoke in favor of the referendum, said vacation rentals contribute to the county’s housing shortage.

“I think that there is a way that we could have responsible, regulated short-term rentals in those areas,” she said. “But I think there should be caps. I think there should be conversations.”

Brian Olson, a leader of Everyone For The North Oregon Coast, which was formed last year to support the rights of vacation rental owners, said he is not opposed to caps. However, he does not believe that repealing the ordinance is the best way to achieve the limits.

“We feel the county has arrived at a balanced ordinance, and we’re willing to work with them to fine-tune it for the betterment of Clatsop County,” said Olson, a partner in Beachcomber Vacation Homes in Cannon Beach, which manages 13 vacation rentals in the unincorporated parts of the county.

He said he believes the core of the referendum is an effort by some homeowners to restrict access to beaches in their neighborhoods. Olson also characterized the matter as a property rights issue.

A lawsuit filed in Circuit Court by Everyone For The North Oregon Coast in March is pending. The group is asking a judge to deem the referendum unlawful and invalidate the election results.

The forum was a collaboration between the American Association of University Women Astoria Branch, The Astorian and Coast Community Radio.