Northampton continues discussion on how to handle STRs

Northampton County continued its ongoing discussion on how to regulate short-term rentals (STRs) at Tuesday night’s board meeting.

County Administrator Charlie Kolakowski began by stating that he did not believe the ordinance was ready for a Board vote. However, he highlighted several key issues that the Board should discuss and consider further.

Short-Term Rental Registry

Kolakowski expressed concerns about the use of an STR registry. He worried that a registry would not cover all STRs in the county and would apply only to properties not represented by licensed realtors—effectively exempting a significant number of them. Additionally, he noted that the registry would allow certain requirements and fees, which would be used to fund its maintenance. However, he called this approach “punitive.”

“It doesn’t seem that it would be fair,” he added.

Another concern he raised was that the registry would allow additional sanctions against property owners in violation of STR regulations. While the county could already take enforcement action against STR owners, violations within the registry would create separate and additional penalties, which Kolakowski argued would create a “two-tier level of justice and enforcement.”

“All property owners should be treated the same. The registry is a tool for us to use, but I’m not sure it’s the correct tool at this time,” he said.

Instead of a registry, Kolakowski recommended hiring a third-party monitoring company to track short-term rentals and log complaints. He acknowledged that complaints—such as noise, trespassing, littering, and parking violations—would still require enforcement by the Sheriff’s Department. However, he believed that a tracking system would ensure fair enforcement across all STRs. If a particular property received repeated complaints, the county could then take action against that property rather than enforcing broad regulations that impact all STR owners.

Hotel Definition

Kolakowski also raised concerns about the definition of a hotel in the ordinance. Currently, a hotel is defined as a building with seven or more bedrooms. Given the evolving nature of short-term rentals, he recommended modifying the definition to “a dwelling with seven or more bedrooms, each rented under individual rental agreements.”

Neighbor Notifications

The Northampton Planning Commission has requested that in addition to notifying adjacent property owners, STR operators also notify neighbors across the road from the rental. While directly opposite properties are already considered adjacent under Virginia General Assembly regulations, the new request would extend notifications to properties beyond the immediate neighbors.

Kolakowski cautioned against exceeding state regulations, warning that expanding notification requirements could set a difficult precedent.

“I think you’re opening up Pandora’s box because then you could say, ‘OK, why just these properties? Why not all properties within a mile?'” he said.

However, he added that STRs undergoing the special use permit (SUP) process are already subject to public notices, which allow nearby—but not directly adjacent—property owners to be informed.

Special Use Permits (SUPs): Minor vs. Major

The final issue raised was how the county should handle special use permits (SUPs) for STRs. Kolakowski asked whether the county should differentiate between minor and major SUPs based on factors such as:

• The number of bedrooms in a rental
• The number of STR properties owned by an individual

Board Chairman John Coker clarified that under the current ordinance, if a homeowner resides in their house for more than 51% of the year, they are allowed to rent out rooms by right. However, if the homeowner does not reside in the house for at least 51% of the year, the county can require a special use permit for short-term rental operations.

“Basically, it’s a business. What you’re saying is that you have a business in a residential neighborhood, and you should have an SUP,” Chairman Coker said.

Next Steps

At the conclusion of the discussion, Chairman Coker recommended that he and Supervisor Leatherbury, as the Board’s working group on STR regulations, further discuss the issues and return next month with recommendations. Kolakowski also suggested County Zoning Administrator Mike Starling prepare a presentation on potential regulatory scenarios for the Board’s consideration.