Brewster council revisits accessory dwellings, short term rentals, and Rvs

BREWSTER – Accessory dwelling units (ADUs), short term rentals, and recreational vehicles are among three related housing ordinances discussed by the Brewster City Council at its regular monthly meeting last Thursday, August 17.

The city is trying to anticipate problems faced by some other small communities over non-conforming or unregulated solutions to a shortage of affordable housing units.

Ordinance 955 permits “the installation of an ADU as an accessory dwelling unit within a new or existing one family dwelling or on the same lot as a new or existing one family dwelling…as a use appurtenant to the one family dwelling use,”

The ordinance stipulates that the ADU “shall be charged for a total of two water and two sewer connections and for a total of two water user and two sewer user monthly fees.”

Ordinance 956, defines a short-term rental, as a “residential dwelling unit, or portion thereof, that is rented to overnight guests for fewer than 30 consecutive days.”

City attorney Chuck Zimmerman reminded the council that at its previous meeting it was decided not to turn the city’s residential zones (R-1/R-2) into a commercial rental space for hotels.

“This is a huge problem if you follow Chelan County,” said Zimmerman, “They let it get way out of hand before they addressed it.”

The proposed short-term rental ordinance includes a district use chart that allows their existence in commercial (C-1/C-2) zones only. The ordinance further requires every short-term rental to maintain one off-street parking space for each bedroom in the rental unit.

Ordinance 957 includes new language defining where and for how long a recreational vehicle (RV) can be inhabited in the city. An RV cannot be inhabited outside the city park or a permitted RV park. Occupancy is limited to 14 consecutive days or 14 days within a three-month period. Further RV restrictions include:

       • The RV cannot park in a right-of-way or public easement.

       • The RV cannot park on a setback.

       • No decks, covers, detached awnings, or other structures attached to the RV may be erected or installed.

       • RV use is subject to all city health and safety regulations.

The council scheduled a public hearing for its next regular meeting at 7 p.m., September 21, to consider the development code provisions identified in the ADU, short term rental, and recreational vehicle ordinances.