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KITTITAS COUNTY <br />DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS <br />PtiBLIC WORKS — BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIO1tERS <br />2023 STUDY SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />STUDY SESSION DATE: December 11, 2023 <br />TOPIC: Short-term Rentals and AIRdna <br />ACTION REQUESTED: <br />LEAD STAFF: <br />Mark R. Cook. <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Direct staff. <br />BRIEFING SUMMARY: <br />• The county is preparing to evaluate the necessity to regulate short-term rentals. <br />• Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce (Chamber) is proposing to acquire "data <br />mining" software supporting short-term rental evaluation. <br />• A committee recommendation is not expected until late second quarter 2024. <br />• Is acquisition of the rental data ahead of legislation desired by the Board of County <br />Commissioners (BoCC)? <br />BACKGROU'_VD: <br />PW/CDS has been directed to pursue formulating a BoCC committee to evaluate the <br />necessity of developing short-term rental legislation for 2024. The Chamber has located <br />data -mining software to extract rental data from national website booking companies. <br />DISCUSSION: <br />The Chamber desires direction from the BoCC relative to its pending 2024 work program for <br />tourism support. A solicitation process for qualified consultants preparing a Tourism Master <br />Plan is about to be issued by the Chamber. The desired software "AIRdna" currently costs <br />approximately $18,000/year for weekly reporting. The costs are scheduled to increase <br />approximately $5,000/year effective January 1, 2024. The software extracts Kittitas County <br />data from national internet rental booking sites. <br />It is unlikely that any legislation, with a regulatory component, would be ready to implement <br />prior to the fourth quarter 2024, owing to our annual comprehensive plan amendment <br />process. The data could be useful to frame the extent of homeowners utilizing national <br />booking companies during legislation development. <br />FISCAL IMPACTS: <br />$18,000 prior to January 1, 2024, and then an additional $5,000 for 2024 service. If we lock <br />in now the price will stay at $18,000 for 2024 service. <br />ATTACHMENTS: <br />None. <br />Page 1 of 1 <br />Public Works "Work Session Staff Report", 2023 <br />