SISTERS, OR -- Sisters officials are finalizing new rules for short term vacation rentals, following a public review process. Bree Anne McConkie, with the Sisters Planning Department, tells KBND News the rules are strict, but designed to improve neighborhood livability, "One that we had early on looked at was a city-wide cap, with no spacing requirement. After looking through that option, the Council decided that was not the direction they wanted to go, and they thought it was important that they not have concentration of these, so they preferred the spacing requirement." She adds, "There's going to be a new 250' buffer for all new vacation rentals, if there's an existing vacation rental, you'll not be able to have a new vacation rental within 250 feet."

There will also be limits on transferability, "Short term rental permits will no longer run with the land," McConkie says, "And again, this is only for new short term rentals, so any that are established under this new code; they are tied to the specific owner, and so a new owner coming in would actually have to then reapply."

The new rules, McConkie says, are a compromise between those who don't want short term rentals in Sisters city limits, and those who believe they should be able to do with their properties as they see fit  without interference from local government.

Another public hearing on the revisions is scheduled for November 14. An official decision is expected by City Council before the end of the year.