Village of Ephraim officials want you to weigh in on the proposed short-term rental (STR) ordinance for the community.

The ordinance is being amended to create new regulations for STRs, following the lead of other communities in the county. Owners of STRs would have to secure an annual license from the village allowing for rentals to take place for periods less than 30 consecutive days. They would also have to follow ten requirements such as obtaining a Door County Room Tax Permit, allowing building and fire inspections, providing a current floor plan, and proving they have insurance. Homes that use a septic system would have to post a sanitary permit showing the house's design capacity. Owners of the STR must also provide their information so they can be reached 24 hours a day and must reside within or have their residence located in Door County. The village keeps the right to suspend or revoke a license if the STR owner fails to comply with village and county ordinances, have three or more excessive noise or police calls, or has had their state license revoked. The ordinance will be enforced by Village Administrator Brent Bristol or someone he designates. Other communities like Liberty Grove and Sister Bay have contracted monitoring and enforcement services, eliminating the task from government officials. The village could issue fines from $250 to $5000 depending on the number of offenses.

If approved, it would be implemented in 2023. The Ephraim Board of Trustees invites residents, STR owners, property owners, and other stakeholders to speak at the meeting slated for June 14th at 7 p.m. You can click this link to participate if you cannot attend in person. 

Correction: The previous version of this story listed a minimum number of days. While that may true with other STR ordinances in Door County, there is currently no minimum listed in Ephraim's proposed ordinance. The story now reflects that.