Page County Rewrites STR Rules: No Ownership Wait, But New Zoning Lines Drawn

Page County, Virginia is on the verge of its most significant short-term rental overhaul in years, and the outcome of tonight's public hearing will determine whether your property operates freely, needs a special use permit, or gets squeezed out of the market entirely. The Board of Supervisors dropped the most contentious proposal, a two-year ownership requirement, before the hearing even began, but what remains still draws hard new lines around bedroom counts and road access that every host in the county needs to understand.

What the Board Already Decided Before Tonight

At its Aug. 3 work session, the Board of Supervisors approved moving the proposed zoning amendments to a public hearing and agreed to strip out several provisions that critics called unworkable. Gone is the two-year ownership requirement that would have forced new property owners to wait before renting. Also removed are what the board called "impractical enforcement provisions" and any duplicate or unnecessary requirements already addressed in the Code of Page County. What is left is a leaner but still consequential rewrite of how STRs are classified and regulated across every major zoning district in the county.

The planning commission, for its part, could not agree. A final 3-3 vote was recorded on two motions, one for approval and one for dismissal, so the draft moved forward to the supervisors without a formal recommendation. That split reflects just how divided the community is on this issue.

The Rules That Would Actually Affect Your Listing

The proposed amendments touch every major zoning district. Here is what the draft, dated Aug. 4, would do in plain terms:

• Three bedrooms or fewer, on a public road or a private lane serving no more than two other dwellings: permitted by-right in the Woodland-Conservation (W-C) and Agriculture (A-1) districts. You would not need a special use permit.
• Four or more bedrooms, or accessed by a private lane serving more than two additional dwellings: requires a special use permit in W-C and A-1. This is the threshold that will push a significant share of larger vacation rentals into a more expensive, uncertain approval process.
• Residential (R) district: non-owner-occupied STRs would require a special use permit only. Owner-occupied rentals get a separate, protected classification tied to state code provisions.
• Commercial (C-1) district: owner-occupied STRs are added as a by-right use. The district is also amended to limit only one single-family detached dwelling per lot.

A new definition for "short-term tourist rental, owner-occupied" is being added countywide, reflecting protections that already exist in Virginia state code for that category of host.

Tonight's Hearing and What Comes Next

The public hearing is set for 7 p.m. at Luray High School auditorium. The venue was moved there in anticipation of a large crowd, which itself signals how charged this issue has become. The board has already stated it will not take a final vote tonight. Supervisors want to absorb public comments and consider further changes before acting, so tonight is genuinely your best opportunity to shape the final ordinance.

This process has been years in the making. The board first discussed STR concerns in detail at a retreat on June 17, 2025, then held a joint meeting with the planning commission on Sept. 2, 2025, which led to the formation of a steering committee. That committee presented its findings through District 3 Supervisor Ryan Cubbage on March 2, 2026, and the board sent those findings to the planning commission for further review before the current draft emerged.

What Hosts Should Do Right Now

Even before the ordinance is finalized, hosts operating in Page County are subject to existing tax obligations. The combined lodging tax rate on short-term rentals in the Luray market includes a state rate and a local accommodation tax. Both Airbnb and Vrbo collect lodging tax on behalf of hosts in this market, but manual tax submission is still required, with a filing deadline each month. Make sure your compliance is current before the new zoning rules add another layer of requirements.

If your property sits in a gray zone, four or more bedrooms, or on a shared private lane, now is the time to consult the county's zoning office and consider speaking at tonight's hearing. The board has shown it is willing to revise the draft, but once a vote is taken, the window closes.

For the complete Luray compliance guide including tax calculator, checklist, and daily monitoring, see Luray, VA STR Regulations.