Here’s what new rules could be coming for Lake Murray short-term rentals
Lexington County is inching towards new rules for short-term rentals.
A proposed ordinance would put more restrictions on how, when and where short-term rentals such as those listed on Airbnb and Vrbo could operate in the unincorporated areas of the county, along with penalties for any violations.
The ordinance creates a permitting and inspection process for short-term rental units within the county’s Lake Murray overlay district, a more than 100-square-mile area around the region’s top recreation destination.
The draft ordinance was put together by county staff after Lexington County Council members reported hearing horror stories from residents about disruptive guests and even criminal activity taking place at homes turned into short-term rental properties in residential neighborhoods.
“The purpose of this article is to protect the quality of life, character of neighborhoods, and water quality and ecology of Lake Murray and its various watersheds,” the draft ordinance reads.
The county will issue permits to short-term renters in the unincorporated areas of the county, and operators are required to allow inspections by the county within a 24-hour notice. A short-term rental is defined as any property that is available for stays of between one and 29 days. Stays of less than one night are prohibited.
A renter must maintain records for the property for up to two years, including information on short-term guests. Either the owner or an agent must be “willing to take inquiries at all times” in order to address issues with the property.
As in other areas of South Carolina, the rental permit will be non-transferable. If a rental property changes hands, the new owner will have to apply for their own permit.
Each household adjacent to the property and any community or neighborhood association must be made aware of the rental and provided with a contact number for the owner or their agent. The owner must also “develop a plan to address and prevent nuisances, such as noise, glare/light, parking, and trash/litter.”
The ordinance sets a number of regulations on rental guests too. The guest making the booking must be at least 18 years old, and they cannot check in or check out between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.
A number of offenses can explicitly lead to a permit being revoked. Two parking spaces per unit must be available, and the location of these spaces must be made known to the visitors, the ordinance says. Guests parking on adjacent property can lead to a rental permit being revoked, as can: the placement of trash outside of trash receptacles; leaving a trash bin on the curb for more than 12 hours either before or after pickup; noise that reaches a “nuisance” level; or any event that is reported to law enforcement or code enforcement.
Restoring a rental permit after a revocation will require a “special exception review” by the board of zoning appeals, including hearing statements from neighbors and law enforcement, and requiring a method for any past violations to be prevented in the future.
Notice of a violation can lead to a freeze on rentals for up to 40 days while an “abatement plan” is put in place to address the violation.
The draft is set to come up for discussion at Lexington County Council’s Sept. 12 meeting, when Airbnb’s government relations official will also be present to discuss the rules with council members, County Administrator Lynn Sturkie told council members Aug. 21.
Sturkie also noted that Airbnb, the largest company offering an online platform for nightly rental listings, offers a way for neighbors to contact the company directly about disruptive behavior and has policies against using rental properties to host parties, according to the company’s website.
In March, county staff reported that within the Lake Murray area, almost 1,000 properties were registered with Airbnb and another 69 were registered on Vrbo. But owners may list and remove their properties at any time, and some may have the same property listed on multiple sites.
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