Renting out in Stearns County? Get a permit

By TIM HARLOW, Star Tribune

Last update: August 5, 2008 - 2:00 PM

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It's common practice for property owners who have cabins or second homes to rent them out for a few days or weeks at a time to vacationers looking for a comfortable place to stay.

In Stearns County, that had been against the law.

But under a new ordinance that recently went into effect, owners of private homes in that county can now legally rent their properties on a short-term basis provided they get a permit, and their dwelling meets the same standards that apply to hotels, motels and resorts, said Don Adams, director of Stearns County's Environmental Services Department.

With the new ordinance, Stearns County becomes the first of Minnesota's 87 counties to institute rules for property owners who rent their spaces using short-term leases of less than 30 consecutive days.

The rules require that the rental property must have enough on-site parking and limits occupancy to no more than two individuals per bedroom, plus two additional people per building not to exceed 12. The property owner must also comply with other regulations, such as water testing, and get a permit from the County Planning Commission.

The new rules do not affect property owners who rent their dwellings for more than 30 consecutive days, Adams said.

The ordinance came about after the county received a number of complaints about noise, parking and traffic issues from members of the community. The county also had concerns over issues such as the quality of drinking water, adequate sewage treatment systems, and fairness, since resorts, motels and hotels are held to higher standards.

A committee of county officials, the public and rental property owners helped draft the ordinance, Adams said.

"This will put them on the same playing field as resorts, hotels and motels," Adams said. "Historically with zoning in Stearns County vacation rentals was not allowed, but why couldn't we make provisions for that kind of use, provided the property met performance standards of public safety and public health?"

So far two property owners have paid the one-time $390 fee for a license. The license is good for five to 10 years, Adams said.

Adams said letters have been sent to other property owners, who have up to one year to comply with the new rules. It's unclear how many rental properties are in the county, but it's becoming "a common practice."

While Stearns County is the first to tackle the issue of vacation rental properties, it's likely to become a statewide issue in the near future, said Annalee Garletz, of the Association of Minnesota Counties. She said some counties are exploring adopting a similar ordinance, and last spring state lawmakers directed the Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota Department of Revenue to study the issue and possibly develop guidelines for short-term rentals.

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