Hearing set for rules on rentals

by Tom Chillemi – 

An ordinance regulating short-term rental properties will now go to the Urbanna Town Council.

On Sept. 22, the Urbanna Planning Commission conducted a “virtual” public hearing on the proposed ordinance at which no member of the public spoke.

The commissioners made three changes to draft the ordinance, based on comments made at an earlier commission meeting. The number of adult guests 18 years or older residing in a short-term rental unit shall not exceed the number of permanent bed spaces in the unit, and a maximum of four children younger than 18 years of age may sleep on cots or sleeper sofas in a common area.

Short-term rentals shall be limited to operating in one structure per property.

Also at the most recent meeting, the commission clarified a section noting that the following exemption is not transferable from the current owner.

Urbanna’s proposed ordinance requires that “the dwelling unit is used and managed by the owner as his/her primary residence, which means that he/she resides there for at least 185 days during each year or is a second home where the owner has a local representative or agent who will provide property management services…