By Delayna Earley
The Island News
After months of debate, Beaufort City Council has effectively reset its approach to regulating short-term rentals, opting not to move forward with a final vote April 14 and instead preparing a revised ordinance for a new first reading.
The item appeared on the April 14 agenda as a second reading, but council did not advance it, choosing instead to continue refining the language after extensive discussion and amendments.
In part, council held off on a vote after raising concerns about unresolved language in the ordinance and the need for legal clarification.
The city’s attorney was not present at the meeting, adding to hesitation about moving forward without those details fully addressed.
A newly revised version of the ordinance was scheduled for first reading during a special called meeting April 21, ahead of the city’s budget workshop.
Starting over, with changes
City staff said the April 21 vote is intended to finalize the ordinance by incorporating changes discussed over multiple meetings, including council sessions on March 10 and April 14 and a March 24 work session.
The revised ordinance includes several significant changes.
It would establish a 4-percent cap on short-term rentals citywide, with a stricter 3-percent cap within the National Historic Landmark District.
The previous restriction prohibiting short-term rentals in The Point neighborhood would be removed, allowing those properties to operate under the same cap as the rest of the historic district.
Existing short-term rentals would now be counted toward the cap, limiting the number of new permits that could be issued.
The ordinance would also allow accessory dwelling units to be used as short-term rentals without requiring the property to be owner-occupied.
In addition, the proposal strengthens enforcement and accountability measures.
Property owners or their designated agents would be required to respond to complaints within one hour.
A formal three-strike policy would be implemented, allowing the city to suspend or revoke licenses for repeat violations.
The ordinance also introduces a special exception process that would allow additional short-term rentals in limited cases, such as hardship or unique property circumstances.
Months of debate lead to reset
The decision to restart the ordinance process reflects both the complexity of the issue and continued disagreement among council members and residents.
During the April 14 meeting, staff described the ordinance as an evolving project, shaped through at least eight public meetings and revisions aimed at balancing neighborhood concerns with property rights and tourism demand.
Council member Josh Scallate said the extended process has created pressure to move forward, but not at the expense of getting the policy right.
“There’s a desire to get it behind us, but there’s also an importance to getting it right,” Scallate said.
He said the focus should remain on regulation and accountability, rather than eliminating short-term rentals entirely.
“Short-term rentals on their own are not a problem,” he said. “Poorly managed properties are the problem.”
Scallate said there are still portions of the ordinance, particularly related to special exceptions, that need to be cleaned up before moving forward.
What happens next
The April 21 special called meeting will mark a fresh first reading of the ordinance, incorporating all recent amendments before moving forward again through the approval process.
Scallate said the goal is to bring the ordinance back for a second reading during a regularly scheduled council meeting in May.
If approved on first reading, the ordinance would still require a second reading before becoming law.
For now, existing short-term rental regulations remain in place as council continues working toward a final version.
Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.