SALISBURY — The city of Salisbury plans to join other local governments across Maryland and the United States that are starting to regulate a growing trend of short-term rentals.
Rentals such as Airbnbs and Vrbos would be required to register with the city with one more vote by Salisbury City Council after the measure passed first reading at a July 8 regular meeting.
Owners of short-term rentals would also be subjected to inspections that city officials said would create a level playing field for all rental properties while promoting public safety.
“Our key here is life safety,” said Muir Boda, director of housing and community development, during a May 20 work session. “And this is to ensure that people that visit our city who are renting these properties that there are smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.
“This will allow both owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied residence owners to operate their property as a short-term rental.”
Attorney Ashley Bosche told the council during the July meeting that the proposed ordinance amendment of the city code titled “Rental of residential premises” would define short-term rentals as the “offering of lodging accommodations in a residential dwelling unit or accessory building for periods of less than 31 consecutive days to transient quests.”
Under the amended ordinance, the owner of a short-term rental would be required to register each unit by filing a registration form with the Housing and Community Development Department on or before March 1, 2025. Some of the other requirements of short-term owners include:
• Short-term rental owners would be required to register annually before March 1 of each year with the Department of Finance.
• Any new short-term rental would be required to register within 60 days of becoming a new rental dwelling unit. Annual registration fees for short-term rentals will be set by ordinance.
• Invoices for registration fees will be sent on or before Jan. 15 of each year by mailing an invoice addressed to the owner's mailing address or electronically transmitted through the software application process of the license and registration, which the owner has access through their registered account or the owner’s registered e-mail address with the city.
• Short-term rental owners are required to notify the city when their unit is converted to non-rental use.
• Once a rental owner’s license is received by the city, an owner must register all short-term rentals with HCCD and pass an annual external inspection of the property by HCCD to register the rental dwelling unit.
• Short-term rental owners are required to have working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide directors in every bedroom and on every level of the home and posted emergency contact information for the host including the street address, escape routes, city contacts and association rules.
• Short-term owners would also be required to maintain a guest registry available for inspection that includes the name of each quest, check in/out dates and the rent paid.
City Administrator Andy Kitzrow told the council during the May work session that they budgeted $75,000 of net revenue to complete the process of studying and creating the legislation.
“Part of our goal is to always find alternate revenue sources,” Kitzrow said back in May. “It’s either you tax the people here or you find other revenue sources. Typically, if you have an opportunity through tourism to generate additional revenue the people coming here who are spending their money helps you offset some of your recurring costs, so AirBnbs is a real opportunity to increase our revenue stream.”
Wirt Wolfe, a concerned citizen who has been a Salisbury resident for 50 years, suggested to the council at the July meeting that they appoint a committee composed of eight residents and a council member who could study the issue and report back to the mayor and council.
“In my opinion, it appears to be something that is recognizing and legitimizing the idea of illegal housing uses here in the community and it’s being under the title of short-term rentals,” Wolfe said. “Currently Salisbury is experiencing a significant upswing in investors purchasing large, older single-family homes and rental properties.
"They’re filling the houses well over capacity, creating unhealthy conditions for the tenants. Also, fire safety issues place immediate neighbors in jeopardy. Essentially, they are establishing rooming houses.”
Reach Managing Editor Richard Caines at rcaines@iniusa.org.
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