Provided by City of Jacksonville Planning Department

One of the most common inquiries we receive in the Planning Department is whether short-term vacation rentals are permitted within the City of Jacksonville. Because this is one of our more frequent questions, we thought it would be a good opportunity to clarify and define the rules.

Definitions—A Vacation Rental is the transient rental of a Single-Family Dwelling where a room, rooms, or the entire dwelling is offered for compensation for fewer than 30 days. This includes whole-house rentals as well as the rental of individual rooms in a house while the owner is present. A Bed and Breakfast facility is an owner-occupied historically listed establishment in a residential district having rooms or apartments rented, or kept for rent. Long-term rentals are 30 days or more and are considered an outright permitted use in existing, permitted residential structures.

Where are Short-term Rentals Permitted?—There are only two zones where short-term vacation rentals may be conditionally approved: General Commercial and Historic Core.

Where are Short-term Rentals Not Permitted?—For all other zones (Single Family Residential, Multi-Family, Hillside Residential, Border Residential, and Special Protection) short-term vacation rentals are not permitted. Only long-term rentals (30 days or more) are permitted in residential districts. There is a Conditional Use Permit process for Bed and Breakfast facilities, but only owner-occupied residences which are on the Jacksonville Contributing Historic Landmark List may be permitted as a Bed and Breakfast facility, subject to Planning Commission review.

What is Required by the City?—Prior to operating a short-term vacation rental in either of the zones where vacation rentals may be permitted, property owners are required to apply for a land use permit (Performance Review) with the City of Jacksonville Planning Department. The Performance Review requires review by the full Planning Commission. The Planning Commission evaluates impacts the use will have on city facilities and neighborhoods. If approved, short-term rental permit holders must then also obtain a business license with the City of Jacksonville and pay the transient lodging tax.

Any property owner concerned about compliance with short-term rental rules may submit a formal complaint to the City of Jacksonville Planning Department for review. Forms are available at the Planning Department. Complaint information will be kept confidential per ORS 192.502 (4): “Information submitted to a public body in confidence and not otherwise required by law to be submitted, where such information should reasonably be considered confidential, the public body has obliged itself in good faith not to disclose the information, and when the public interest would suffer by the disclosure.”

If you have any questions about short-term vacation rentals, please contact the City of Jacksonville Planning Department at 541-899-6873.