Chelan city council approves agriculture based short term rental code

CHELAN – A revised ordinance that will permit small-scale agriculturally based short term rentals within the Special Use District (SUD) won unanimous city council approval at its regular bi-monthly meeting on March 11.

The ordinance amends Chelan Municipal Code chapters relating to:

• Special Use Districts (Chapter 17.46)
• Agricultural Tourism (Chapter 17.47)
• Short Term Rentals (Chapter 17.77)
• Conditional Use Requirements (Chapter 17.56)

The amendments remove existing provisions allowing homestay units under the Agricultural Tourism Code. The new ordinance requires that properties meet specific criteria including:

‣ Minimum five-acre lot size.

‣ Minimum 51 percent of the property used for agriculture.

Community Development Director John Ajax explained the council’s options to either adopt the Planning Commission findings, modify the findings, reject the findings, or remand the issue back to the Commission.

Staff overview comments noted that the Planning Commission addressed the revisions during seven meetings between April and November 2024 and held a public hearing on Nov. 20, 2024, to gather citizen input.

In mid-January, the Commission recommended approval of the amendments and forwarded the proposal to the council for further consideration. The council took up the topic at its Feb. 11 meeting and held a Feb. 25 public hearing that drew testimony from residents and landowners, the majority supporting the proposed five-acre minimum. 

Mike Maltais: 360-333-8483 or michael@ward.media