(BIVN) – The new year will start with an introduction of local legislation to update  Hawaii County’s short-term vacation rentals regulation, but the public discussion will begin next week.

From the County of Hawaiʻi:

An update to Hawaii County’s short-term vacation rentals regulation will be introduced in January 2023. Prior to the introduction, Council Members Ashley Kierkiewicz and Heather Kimball are hosting an informational meeting on proposed updates Monday, November 21, 5:30 – 6:30 pm via Zoom.

To participate, community members must register for their unique Zoom login via tinyurl.com/cohstvr1121.

“A promise was made by the County to revisit and update the vacation rental ordinance,” said Kierkiewicz. “We are fulfilling that promise and socializing proposed changes in an effort to inform the community and gather feedback before the bill is introduced at Council.”

Council Members Kierkiewicz and Kimball worked in partnership with the Planning Department, Corporation Counsel, and the Council’s Legislative Review Branch to craft the proposed measure. Amendments come nearly four years after the initial STVR ordinance was adopted in November 2018, and looks to comply with recent changes to Hawaii State Statute, which refers to these rentals as Transient Accommodation Rentals or TARs.

Noteworthy changes include the regulation of hosted rentals, an update to fee structure including one-time registration fees and annual renewal fees, clear and enforceable penalties, and the establishment of vacation nodes – designated areas suitable for TARs and currently underserved by hotel and resort facilities.

“Drafting this bill has been a lengthy and involved process and I want to thank everyone who contributed to the effort,” said Kimball. “It is still a work in progress and we recognize that the bill may still need revisions after we share it with the public. We look forward to hearing from our community.”

Monday’s presentation on proposed changes to vacation rental regulations will be followed by a Q&A session. Members of the Planning Department will also be participating and available to answer questions regarding the implementation of current regulations and what is being proposed. The Zoom will be recorded and posted to the Planning Department website.