Lander commission considers revising rules for short-term rentals

LANDER —- There are currently about 40 short-term rentals in Lander, according to a count by the city's Board of Adjustments and Planning Commission. The commission is currently weighing several elements of the benefits and drawbacks of short-term rentals in the city and how to create a clearer application process for those interested in offering short-term rental services.

Short-term rentals are dwellings, usually homes, that are offered to rent for less than 30 consecutive days. Many short-term rentals are hosted through platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO.

These rental properties often allow for homeowners and residents to profit from tourism and can benefit local economies, but they have also been strongly criticized for removing options from the housing market. While the commission expressed a desire for Lander to benefit from the industry, maintaining the character of neighborhoods was also expressed as a priority when considering how to define short-term rentals, how to structure applications and how to approach enforcement.

"We also want to acknowledge that we do want to have some tax-based growth," board member Chris Savan said of balancing the industry's benefits.

The planning commission continued discussion on applications and enforcement from previous conversations after receiving feedback from two city council members. One point of conversation surrounded a proposed definition of short-term rentals as needing to be hosted in the primary residence of the individual offering the service.

Some members of the commission said that this definition may limit individuals with secondary properties from benefitting from the industry.

Despite identifying around 40 current short-term rentals in the city, the board said it has only 22 licenses. Board members weighed possible fines to include in a draft for a future ordinance on guidelines, including considering the possibility of a $750 fine for every time a residence is rented without having a proper permit.

"Teeth is a hard part of a lot of our codes," Assistant Public Works Director Hunter Roseberry said of the challenges to regulating many guidelines.

Other non-compliance penalties discussed were determined to be too lenient for those running short-term rentals without a permit.

Planning commission member Chris Savan offered to write an initial draft of an ordinance, which will be discussed further at future meetings.

This story was published on Jan. 21, 2026.