Comments Sought on Chelan County’s Revamped STR Code

Locals are encouraged to attend an upcoming public hearing on revisions to Chelan County's short-term rental code.

First enshrined in 2021, the STR code has proven a smidge divisive - maybe more than a smidge, as it underwent an intensive review at the urging of the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). But a top-to-bottom overhaul of the code was never the Board's ambition, as Commissioner Shon Smith told us a few months ago.

"The Commissioners are having a hearing to take comments from the public," says county spokesperson Jill FitzSimmons. "We would typically conduct the hearing [at 400 Douglas St. in Wenatchee], but we're moving it to the Confluence Technology Center - just in case we have several folks who want to comment. We'll need the space."

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This is the second related hearing at the county level, FitzSimmons says.

"The first hearing - people may remember that it was held in November at the Planning Commission level. The Planning Commission has [since] submitted its comments; now the Commissioners will have a second public hearing on those recommendations."

Clearly this is a painstaking, tightly choreographed process. What are the next steps?

"After this," FitzSimmons explains, "the Commissioners will close the comment period and deliberate on those comments as well the Planning Commission's recommendations. Then they take action."

This, FitzSimmons cautions, may not happen right away. If the hearing runs long, as these things so often do, Commissioners have the option of postponing deliberations to a later date.

Each speaker will be allotted a maximum of three minutes. Written comments are also welcome; these can be submitted to Community Development at CD.Comment@co.chelan.wa.us. The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 14 at 1 p.m. If you're unable to in person, click here for Zoom login info.

Click here for a refresher on the STR code, and here for a list of proposed amendments.