In its continued effort to update its regulations on short-term rentals in the community, the city of Newberg will hold a trio of forums in November and December.

In its continued effort to update its regulations on short-term rentals in the community, the city of Newberg will hold a trio of forums in November and December.

Better known through the rental conglomerate services VRBO or Airbnb, short-term rentals and other booking platforms were also the topic of a joint meeting in late October of the city council and planning commission. The groups were building on an August listening session the council held to take community input on the issue.

During the joint council-commission public work session, councilors and commissioners “reviewed local permitting trends and a work plan prepared by staff to include (additional) community outreach events,” a release from the city said. “Staff also presented an overview of new software called Rentalscape that the city will use to monitor vacation rental home listings.”

The city will take additional community input via a community open house set for 6 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 20 at the Newberg Public Library on Hancock Street; a vacation rental operator forum from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3 at the library; and a virtual community open house from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 4 to be hosted online. Details about the meetings are available at newbergoregon.gov/calendar.

“The public participation opportunities in November and December will help residents learn about the rules we have today and the recommendations from the city’s ad hoc committee on vacation rentals and provide recommendations of their own to ensure the regulations are a good fit for Newberg,” according to James Dingwall, an assistant planner in the city’s community development department.

Data collected by the city via permits and transient lodging taxes indicate that up to 87 vacation rentals homes are currently operating in the city, although some initial data from Rentalscape shows that some short-term rentals are operating without city permits and without paying the transient lodging tax required within the city. The tax is applicable to vacation rental homes, bed and breakfasts, hotels and motels in the city.

Maps created by the community development department “show that vacation rentals are largely concentrated in the downtown business district although additional rental activity is generally distributed throughout the city’s residential areas as well.”

The emergence of the software is allowing the city to more closely monitor the situation and gather data it can use in revising its policies.

“Our new Rentalscape software puts a new tool in our toolbox,” Planning Manager Clay Downing said. “It will gather real-time information about short-term rental activities throughout the city so we can do a better job making sure that everyone plays by the same rules.”

The city selected the new vacation rental monitoring software, created by Deckard Technologies, after conducting research and participating in demonstrations with other technology platforms, the release said.

For more information, including details and to access application materials, visit tinyurl.com/2yhfx4wm.

“The public participation opportunities in November and December will help residents learn about the rules we have today and the recommendations from the city’s ad hoc committee on vacation rentals and provide recommendations of their own to ensure the regulations are a good fit for Newberg.”

James Dingwall,

assistant planner