Short-term rentals get the green light in Gig Harbor

These days many communities are struggling with the question of how to regulate short-term rentals. Airbnb or Vrbo locations give owners the ability to rent out a portion of their home for up to 30 days. After a year-and-a-half moratorium to study the issue, Gig Harbor has decided to let homeowners continue renting rooms and cottages to tourists and visitors.

In September 2021, the Gig Harbor City Council put a moratorium on permits for short-term rentals while it examined how other cities handle them.

On Monday, Feb. 27, city council members voted 6 to 1 to effectively repeal the moratorium.

Speaking in support of the new ordinance was councilmember Mary Barber.

"For me, projects like this come down to understanding the problem we are trying to solve and then figuring out the solutions to that problem," Barber said. "In this case, we don't know if we have a problem. We do know there's a lot of fear out there, and even more rumors. We also know that the current short-term rental owners are responsible people, deeply committed to our community. Most of them live and work here. They include seniors on fixed incomes, who rent so they can stay in their home and in the community they've enjoyed for many decades."

Councilmember Jeni Woock was the sole dissenting voice. She said many of the voices in favor of the ordinance are from out of state.

"There are names on this petition from California, Florida, Arizona, Pennsylvania," Woock explained.

Woock said it's telling that few businesses favored it.

"The Chamber of Commerce asked Gig Harbor businesses to write to council supporting the passage of this ordinance," Woock told the council. "Four — four is the number of businesses that sent emails to council supporting this ordinance."

Gig Harbor Now reporter Charlee Glock-Jackson sat down with Soundside host Libby Denkmann to explain exactly what was on the table, and what the council has been weighing over the past 18 months.

"During that time, city council and city staff really tried to figure out how many there are operating, and Gig Harbor citizens started getting together to express their opinions on their desires one way or the other, either to allow them or to not allow them at all," Glock-Jackson explained.

Now that the council has voted to approve short-term rentals moving forward, people looking to take advantage will need a business license and a $650 permit.

Councilmember Jeni Woock said her opposition to the ordinance is reflective of public sentiment in Gig Harbor.

"Our citizens are against it," Woock said.

The City Council's decision to approve the ordinance included an amendment to hire a consultant to keep track of how many short-term rental permits are applied for, where they are located in the city, and how things are going generally.

Councilmember Woock said she'll be looking at the quarterly reports that the city will send to the council.

The entire city council meeting is available to watch on the City of Gig Harbor's YouTube channel.

You can listen to the entire conversation with reporter Charlee Glock-Jackson and Councilmember Jeni Woock through the audio tab above.