Commissioners Want To Add Rental License Requirement To Boost Revenue

SNOW HILL – Officials agreed to update Worcester County’s zoning code and explore rental licensing requirements this week.

As the popularity of services such as Airbnb grows, the Worcester County Commissioners on Tuesday voted 5-1 to have staff update the county’s zoning code in order to establish rental license requirements.

“This is a revenue generator the county needs to move towards,” Commissioner Joe Mitrecic said.

At the request of the commissioners, Director of Development Review and Permitting Ed Tudor and Finance Officer Phil Thompson reviewed room tax and rental licensing programs in Talbot County and Ocean City. Tudor outlined how Talbot County had purchased a software program to manage and identify short-term rentals. Thompson talked about Ocean City’s letter-writing campaign to inform all property owners who were leasing their homes — particularly those who did so via online sites such as Airbnb — they were required to be licensed.

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