Lincoln County commissioners are expected to vote this week to finalize details of a new ordinance governing short-term vacation rentals.
The new regulations would significantly reduce the number of licenses permitted in unincorporated parts of the county, lowering it from 500 to 181.
Some residents said even a lower cap wouldn't go far enough to address their concerns.
Lucy Nash lives in the community of Beverly Beach, north of Newport. She said her block is full of houses that are owned by companies that rent them out to vacationers.
"How is that not commercial?" she asked county commissioners during a recent meeting in which they discussed details of the proposal. "Why are commercial businesses allowed in residential zoned areas?”
If the regulations are approved, the county would not revoke any current licenses.
The Yachats News reports the cap would eventually be achieved by preventing the transfer of a license to a new owner when a property is sold.
The ordinance will be considered at the Feb. 1 meeting of the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners. While it only covers unincorporated parts of the county, some Lincoln County municipalities have their own cap on vacation rentals.
The vote comes after several years of legal and political wrangling over the topic.
