Short-term rental housing will be the topic of two joint Gearhart City Council and planning commission work sessions Sept. 23 and Oct. 21. Both meetings begin at 7 p.m.

The public is welcome to attend, but there will be no public comment section, and the City Council will not take action at either session.

The council and the planning commission have long wanted to explore a short-term rental ordinance to control short-term rentals, said City Administrator Chad Sweet.

The city doesn’t have any standards for short-term rentals. The new regulations to be discussed will focus on occupancy, off-street parking, local representation for short-term rental properties, trash-pick up, safety inspections and guest registers.

All the proposals relate to short-term rental homes in residential zones, said Sweet, who noted that the goal is to “maintain the livability of a residential community.”

“Some people in town are concerned about the amount of cars and people that are staying within the home,” he said. However, no one has come to the Gearhart Police Department or to the city with a specific complaint, Sweet added.

Mayor Dianne Widdop said the councilors and commissioners have heard from local residents who complained about noise from parties, too many people staying in a short-term rental home or trash not being picked up.

“Not dangerous problems, but annoyances,” she said. “We just want to be fair and equitable and do what is right.”

The maintenance of guest registers by landlords would provide the city with a record and contact information for all tenants, past and present, which would be helpful “in case anything turns up later,” Widdop said.

A proposal to require landlords to get permits for properties they want to use as short-term rentals may be considered. A landlord would have to post the permit inside the house, along with important information for renters, such as emergency contact information and evacuation routes.

The councilors also want to consider extending the local 7 percent lodging tax to include short-term rental houses. The homes are excluded from the 7 percent lodging tax, but hotels, condominiums and short-term rentals that are not in residential zones are required to pay the tax.

If the tax is approved, the landlords would have to pay 7 percent of the revenue from short-term rentals; the money would be put into the city’s general fund.

Violations would come with and penalties, Widdop said.

The council first discussed the topic about a year ago and now has the time and opportunity to address it. “It’s just been a matter of literally getting it into the schedule,” Widdop said.

During the work sessions, the council and commission will define what a short-term rental is, determine what action they wish to pursue and whether regulations should be part of a municipal ordinance or included in the Gearhart zoning code. They also will develop a timeline. Once the bodies have decided on a specific course of action, opportunities for the public to comment or share opinions will be scheduled.