Commissioners Discuss Short Term Rentals
By KIM JORIS
The Jasper County Board of Commissioners (BOC) held a work session last Wednesday, March 13 at 6 p.m. to discuss the direction of short term rentals (STR) in Jasper County.
All county commissioners, Sheila Gantt Pounds, Don Jernigan, Bruce Henry, Asher Gray and Steven Ledford were present as well as County Attorney Adam Nelson, County Manager Mike Benton and Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Director Doug Attaway. Three private citizens also attended.
Mr. Attaway and County Manager Benton were armed with information regarding Jasper County STRs and had a copy of the newly revised Putnam County STR Ordinance and Regulations, which county attorney Adam Nelson helped draft. It is the ordinance the BOC is using as a model for Jasper County.
Citizen input at the start of the work session reiterated the belief that no STR should be operating in the county regardless of the direction the BOC takes for an STR ordinance, citing their belief that STRs are not zoned to be in Jasper County.
Mr. Nelson proposed a three prong approach for the discussion around STRs: registration through licensure, regulating the overall number and regulating how they operate.
Topics were exhaustive and included: the total number of STRs allowable countywide; which STRs would be grandfathered in under a new ordinance; maximum allowable occupancy of an STR; an application and licensing and registration system and fees structure; enforcement and disposition of STR code violations and complaints; a mandatory must live in county Registered Agent for each STR; reviewing current codes and ordinances to make sure they do not conflict with the STR Ordinance such as disorderly conduct and noise ordinances; ensuring STRs are allowed per the Homeowners Association (HOA) if applicable and regulating the number of vehicles allowed at an STR.
Notable details that emerged included the definition of an STR to describe any rental period under 31 days (Ga State Statute); grandfathering in an STR that is legally in place prior to the July 10, 2023 moratorium; an STR must be in a single family home; a maximum number of 12 occupants per STR; a home inspection prior to approval to be registered as an STR; no allowable use of personal watercraft if the STR is on the Jasper County lakes; an annual licensing procedure; a two person of any age per bedroom occupancy rule plus two more people on a pull out with a total maximum occupancy of 12 persons; ensuring the STR occupancy does not exceed approved septic use if applicable; a possible Fire Marshall inspection of each STR; the critical importance of enforcement and adjudication of violations; highlighting STR violations on the front page of The Monticello News;
Talking points surrounding enforcement of violations included the importance of due process for all parties involved in the STR process, the need for code enforcement o?cers and/or JCSO deputies to enforce any STR ordinance violations through citations and written reports, a maximum number of three total violations on any STR would shut it down permanently, citations would go to the STR owner and/or Registered Agent and the need for the Chief Magistrate to hear and properly dispose of enforcement violation cases.
Pertinent concerns of enforcement capabilities emerged, especially with Jasper County’s limited personnel. The need for subsequent follow through of hearing enforcement cases was also discussed with citizen input loudly voicing concerns on whether or not the Chief Magistrate’s O?ce would even hear STR enforcement cases. The possibility of an Administrative Review Board was discussed as an alternative to Magistrate Court. The county attorney recommended using the court system rather than a review board.
Fees, registration costs and fines were discussed at length. All present acknowledged that Jasper County does not have the personnel and departmental resources available that Putnam might have to implement and enforce their STR Ordinance changes. The BOC reached consensus that the fees to operate an STR program of sorts in Jasper County should help o?set the costs associated with the STRs and should reflect adequate funding to help pay for the extra burden of work.
STRs will touch many agencies. Fire, EMS, Law Enforcement, P&Z and the health department services will increase. Additional work will include reviewing applications and physical inspection of the STRs to ensure they are up to proper code regarding occupancy, fire exits, septic permits, building inspections and the like.
Discussion started with at least a minimum application fee, maybe higher, of $1,500 per STR. A structured fine system will increase the fine amount with each violation culminating in the revocation of the STR license. Possible fines discussed are $250 for the first violation, $500 for the second violation and $1,000 and permanent license revocation for the third violation.
These ideas for STRs will be presented to the P&Z Board, which will hold a public meeting on March 28 at 6pm. More details, fine tuning and clarification will come surrounding STRs in Jasper County.
The BOC hopes to have an STR Ordinance in place by June of this year.
