Itasca County Board to host hearing on short-term rental ordinance

GRAND RAPIDS — The Itasca County Board will host a public hearing for its short-term rental ordinance at its meeting Wednesday, Aug. 14.

The Board hosted a hearing on the first draft of the ordinance in April and received pushback on a provision that would have exempted units rented for six days or less from county licensing.

The amended ordinance does not have the controversial exemption, which the board previously argued was in place to prevent overlap with Department of Health licensure. The current ordinance draft reduces licensing fees for applicants already licensed by the state from $450 to $100.

The new version also removes temporary licensure for units without compliant septic systems and no longer prohibits the use of RVs, tents, fish houses or similar structures. The amendments address additional complaints from the previous hearing.

If the Board adopts the new version of the ordinance, all existing short-term rental units will have to be licensed by Jan. 1, 2026. New units will need a license before beginning operation.

The full ordinance and application drafts can be found on the county's website.