Following months of work and 18 versions, Gilmer County commissioners passed a short-term rental ordinance.
Gilmer County’s short-term rental ordinance provides for licensing and governing the industry in the county. It is set to take effect Jan. 1, 2025.
A second vote on the ordinance passed unanimously, as did a motion to hire a third-party firm, GovOS, to help identify short-term rentals in the county and implement the ordinance.
“One of the things they offer is enforcement of a degree,” said Gilmer County Chair Charlie Paris. “They would be the contact point for any neighbor that had a problem and wanted to call in a complaint. There would be a 24/7 number that anybody could call and say they are partying too loud or whatever the complaint is.”
GovOS will maintain a contact list of short-term rental owners and contact them to handle the problem. The company will also handle follow-up. If the issue continues to be a problem, then the issue would move to the county for enforcement.
Gilmer County Planning and Zoning Director Jim Smith said GovOS has identified 1,800 short-term rentals.
“Based on the average rental, we were potentially losing $3 million plus in hotel/motel tax,” Smith said. “$3.9 million, I think it was.”
Smith recommended a two-year agreement. The first year will cost the county $122,959, which will be paid for from the county’s general fund. Once the ordinance takes effect, the fees paid by short-term rental owners will be used to pay for the service.
Moratorium
Several speakers during the Citizens Wishing to Speak portion of the meeting asked commissioners to ban cryptomining in Gilmer County.
County Attorney David Clark told commissioners he did not believe a total ban would hold up under legislation being rumored for next session by state lawmakers.
In fact, he said a two-year moratorium would not pass muster.
Residents became concerned about cryptomining in Gilmer County when one was proposed for property on Eller Road. A zoning change for the property was denied.
Commissioners unanimously passed a one-year moratorium on cryptomining in Gilmer County with the stated purpose of revising the ordinance.
“I am going to put this in my own terms and not be politically correct here with it, in order to give us time to decide how we can best avoid it,” Paris said.
Personnel handbook
What began as a request from Paris to Post Commissioner Hubert Parker to review some items in the personnel handbook for Gilmer County employees has turned into a running discussion.
Parker asked why approval of the handbook is required by the full board instead of just Paris.
Paris has said in the past the chair approved the handbook.
Parker said the book deals with policy and should be approved by the board.
Paris countered that parts of the handbook dealt with process, or day-to-day, operations which are the sole purview of the county chair. He wants to divide the handbook into two parts and have the board approve the portions deemed policy. He would have sole authority over the process portion.
The board agreed no more changes would be made to the handbook until the issues are resolved.
Paris said he agreed with the majority of the points Parker made, but they agreed to continue discussion to find a solution.
Other business
﹣ Commissioners passed a second reading of a litter ordinance for Gilmer County.
﹣ The board began work on a spay/neuter ordinance for pets in the county. They will be gathering ordinances from other counties to use as a model.