Johnson County considers rules for short-term rentals
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As Kansas City braces for an estimated 650,000 World Cup visitors, Johnson County, Kansas, is moving to regulate short-term rentals outside city limits for the first time.
The big picture: County officials want standards in place before short-term rental demand creates problems for nearby residents this summer, Sean Pendley, the county's deputy director of planning, tells Axios.
Context: Short-term rental rules differ across the KC metro, with cities like Overland Park regulating their own, while Johnson County has no standards for homes outside city limits.
- Johnson County's zoning rules for those areas focus on what can be built and how land is used, but they do not address short-term rentals.
- Cities across Johnson County have since adopted their own short-term rental rules.
- Pendley estimates that about a dozen short-term rentals currently operate in those areas.
How it works: The rules would apply to homes rented for 30 days or less and require property owners to register annually with the county and obtain a permit.
- Rentals would need a designated local representative available 24 hours a day to respond to complaints or code violations.
Each rental would be limited to two people per bedroom, with two additional guests allowed.
- Private parties would be banned and quiet hours would run from 10pm to 8am.
- Hotels, motels and bed-and-breakfasts would not be affected.
The fine print: The county has not yet finalized a permit fee. Pendley says the planning staff is reviewing potential fee options.
What's next: The Johnson County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing Jan. 27, where residents can comment in person or submit written feedback.
- The Board of County Commissioners is scheduled to review the proposal on Feb. 26.
Go deeper: KC loosens rules for World Cup rentals