The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2026-01-26-cds-supporting-documents KITT1TAS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CDS Study Session Regular Meeting Monday January 26, 2026 - 2:30 PM BoCC Auditorium 205 West 5th Room 109- Ellensburg 1. Call to Order 2. Citizen Comments (1 min.time limit) 3. Request to approve a resolution dissolving the Short Term Rental Committee. 4. Other Business- No Action to be taken 5. Concluded Created on 1/23/2026 3:38:33 PM KITTITAS COUNTY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES 2026 STUDY SESSION STAFF REPORT STUDY SESSION DATE: January 26, 2026 TOPIC: Short Term Rental Committee ACTION REQUESTED: Request to approve a Resolution dissolving the Short Term Rental Committee BACKGROUND: On March 5,2024,the Board of County Commissioners created the Kittitas County Short Term Rental Committee through Resolution 2024-049. On April 28`h,2025, the Board of County Commissioners instructed the STR committee to develop draft regulations with assistance of CDS,through Resolution 2025-093. The Committee met from March of 2024 through December 2025. On December 18, 2025, the STR held their regular scheduled committee meeting to continue discussions and finalize the draft STR code for public review thereby completing the Boards direction. On January 12a', 2026, KCCDS Study Session the Board directed Staff to prepare Resolution dissolving the STR Committee and commence with legal review. INTERACTION: CDS. RECOMMENDATION: Sign resolution dissolving the STR Committee HANDLING: None. ATTACHMENTS: Resolution LEAD STAFF: Chad Bala,Director KITTITAS COUNTY SHORT TERM RENTAL COMMITTEE MINUTES Chamber of Commerce 609 N Main St, Ellensburg Special Meeting THURSDAY 3 :30 PM December 18, 2025 Committee members present: Amy McGuffin, Jessica Karraker, Nicole Johnson, in person and Gina Peckman and Dayna Larimer via Webex. Committee Members Not Present: Bryan Pitman and Norman Pascoe (excused) and Joe Fithian, Derek Doremus (unexcused) . Others Present: Jeremy Johnston, Dan Young, Jessica Miller - Clerk and no (0) members of the public . CALL TO ORDER Meeting was called to order at 3 : 32 PM CITIZEN COMMENTS (1 min. time limit) There were no citizen comments. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion by Amy McGuffin to approve the November 20, 2025 minutes. Seconded by Jesssica Karraker. Discussion - none. Motion passed. NEW BUSINESS DISCUSSION/DECISION - DEVELOPMENT OF RECOMMENDED SHORT TERM RENTAL DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS LONG RANGE PLANNER JEREMY JOHNSTON stated the goal of today' s meeting is to focus on the violation section of the regulations . The draft violation section was sent out to the committee members by email for review. Jessica Karraker asked for clarification on defining an actual reported violation. Jeremy Johnston stated it would be a reported violation to code enforcement . Code enforcement would issue a letter to the person and follow through with requesting compliance with the noise violation through the decimal reader report . Discussion occurred regarding fire ban violations and who gets the violation. Fire Marshal Dan Young stated the renter would receive the violation if the homeowner properly posted fire ban documentation. If a fire was left unattended after the renter 2025-12-18 MINUTES 1 left the home, then potentially the homeowner would receive the violation. Jeremy Johnston stated he is recommending that some sort of variation of the supplemental violation regulation handout replace number 1 in section 17 . 63 . 055 Violations . Amy McGuffin would like to add subsections under the current violation section. Discussion of section 17 . 63 . 055 (1) and if it should be a 15 minute or 30 minute window. Thirty minutes allows more time for the property owner/manager to correct the situation. Amy McGuffin asked if there is a way to dispute the claims . Jeremy Johnston stated under section 17 . 63 . 070 there is an appeal process that can be used throughout any stage. Motion by Amy McGuffin on section 17 . 63 . 055 Violations (1) , correct 15 minutes to 30 minutes window, include a subsection (a) from the suggested criteria provided of possible noise violation criteria, continue with (2) with code structure to explain the exemption of noise violations with a sub bullet (a) outlining the four tiered system as provided in the possible criteria provided by staff and accept the definition listed in 17 . 63 . 010 "Committed Violation" means a violation found to be substantiated by ruling of a court of law. Seconded by Nicole Johnson. Discussion - none. Motion passed 5-0 . Jessica Karraker requested discussion regarding the exceptions of people living on the property for a detached accessory dwelling being rented as a short-term rental in 17 . 63 . 030 (4) . Amy McGuffin suggested just removing the word "attached" . Motion by Amy McGuffin to remove "attached" under 17 . 63 . 030 (4 ) under owner occupied short-term rentals . Seconded by Nicole Johnson. Discussion - Jessica Karraker asked for a definition of "principal structure" . The "principal structure" is generally the single family residence but this definition was recently expanded to include more types of residences. Motion passed 5-0 . Discussion occurred regarding Master Planned Agreements and Development Agreements with regard to section 17 . 63 . 060 Exceptions in the draft regulations . Dayna Larimer stated by having that exception for Suncadia you are driving the investors/buyers into Suncadia because the restrictions are exempted. Jessica Karraker suggested excluding the ones that have it outlined currently and future ones that go through the planning process and get approved. 2025-12-18 MINUTES 2 Motion by Nicole Johnson to remove section Exceptions 17 . 63 . 060 in its entirety. Seconded by Jessica Karraker. Discussion - none. Motion passed 5-0 . Motion by Nicole Johnson to add to Applicability section 17 . 63 . 030 as written bullet point (5) , that short-term rentals within a planned unit development or master planned resort shall be subject to this chapter unless expressively authorized by an approved development agreement or PUD final development plan. Seconded by Amy McGuffin. Discussion - may want to change the word chapter to title, staff will discuss with legal . Motion is revised to use the word "title" instead of "chapter" . Motion passed 5-0 . Motion by Jessica Karraker to send this document to Planning Commission as written. Seconded by Amy McGuffin. Discussion- the document will have to go through legal but the committee won' t need to review it. Jessica Karraker withdrew her motion. Motion by Jessica Karraker that we send the entire regulation document 17 . 63 to legal and barring so significant changes from legal that this document moves on to the Planning Commission. Seconded by Amy McGuffin. Discussion - Committee members are able to attend the Planning Commission meeting. Motion passed 5- 0 . Jessica Karraker requested that the committee members that are not present be notified that the document will be sent to legal for review and then to the Planning Commissioners, so that everyone is informed. The committee members would like to be informed of when the Planning Commission meeting will be scheduled. Discussion of the decimal devices occurred. Staff is unable to suggest a company or device due to the possibility of being biased. Staff will check with legal regarding approving these minutes and how that is handled. OTHER BUSINESS There is no other business CONCLUDED Meeting concluded at 4 :45 PM 2025-12-18 MINUTES 3 BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COUNTY OF KITTITAS STATE OF WASHINGTON RESOLUTION NO.2026•`x DISSOLVING THE SHORT TERM RENTAL COMMITTEE WHEREAS: Kittitas County Short Term Rental committee was formed on March 5" ,2024(Res. 2024- 049 by the Board of County Commissioners; and WHEREAS: The Short Term Rental Committee duties were expanded to develop draft regulations with the assistance of the Kittitas County Community Development Services Department on April 28, 2025 (Res. 2025-093); and WHEREAS: The Short Term Rental Committee held its final committee meeting on December 18, 2025,with a quorum of 5 committee members and finalized the draft Short Term Rental Code(Kittitas County Code 17.63)with a unanimous vote of approval; and WHEREAS: The final Short-Term Rental committee meeting minutes of December 18,2025,has been included within this resolution. NOW THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED that the Short Term Rental Committee has completed its duties as directed by the Board of County Commissioners of Kittitas County,Washington, in the best interest of the public, does hereby dissolves the Short Term Rental Committee. DATED this 26th day of January 2026, at Ellensburg,Washington. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS KIT-FITA C UNTY, WASHINGTON Cary Wright ,Cha' nan Attest: Z'Fd�lerlc of the Board-Julie Kjorsvik Brett Wk is , Vice-Chairman ❑Deputy Clerk ofthe Board-Mandy Buchholz I-attr z, Commissioner � SEAL fi nowlty