City of Newberg Seeks Input Surrounding Short-Term Rentals

NEWBERG, Ore. — Newberg is asking residents to share their thoughts on proposed changes to short-term rental regulations, including those for short-term rental booking software like Airbnb and VRBO.

“These events will help people understand our current rules and the recommendations from our vacation rental committee,” said Assistant Planner James Dingwall “We also want residents to share their own ideas to make sure the regulations work well for Newberg.”

The city has set up three public events in November and December to provide more information and get community input on the proposed updates.

  • Community open house on Nov. 20
  • Forum for vacation rental operators on Dec. 3
  • Virtual open house on Dec. 4

All events run from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The in-person meetings will be at the Newberg Public Library.

City data shows up to 87 vacation rentals operating in Newberg, with many in the downtown area and others spread across residential neighborhoods. Using software called Rentalscape, the City of Newberg keeps tabs on vacation rental listings and finds properties in the area may be operating without proper permits and not paying required lodging taxes.

“Rentalscape gives us a new way to track short-term rentals in real-time across the city,” said City of Newberg Planning Manager Clay Downing. “This helps us ensure everyone’s following the same rules.”

These regulatory updates come after discussions between August 2023 and March 2024 involving the City Council, Planning Commission, and a Short-Term Rental Ad Hoc Committee.

For more information and application materials, check out the city’s website.

Yamhill County Cultural Coalition Grant Application Deadline Approaching

The Yamhill County Cultural Coalition (YCCC) is seeking applicants for their annual grant, funded by the Oregon Cultural Trust, supporting community participation in cultural activities in Yamhill County. Applications are due by November 15, 2024. 

The grant must align with one of the following YCCC initiatives:

  • Promote, Maintain, or Expand Cultural Activities, Education & Organizations
  • Encourage Activities That Blend the Humanities, the Arts & Heritage
  • Increase Intra-County Communication Between Resources and Potential Audiences
  • Cultivate, Incorporate, or Expand the Use of County Resources and Assets
  • Broaden Cultural Opportunities for Diverse and Under-Served County Populations

Grant recipients can apply for up to $2,500, with the total grant amount hovering around $25,000 per year. Previous recipients include the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum, Chehalem Cultural Center, McMinnville Short Film Festival, Gather Repertory Theater, Penguin Production, and Newberg Public Art Council. 

YCCC is a nonprofit organization founded in 2002 dedicated to increasing public participation in culture by supporting and enhancing local cultural resources in Yamhill County. 

Learn more and submit your application at yamhillcountyculture.org

Last Day to Submit Your Ballots for the November 5 General Election

Today, November 5, is the last day for residents to turn in their ballots for the 2024 General Election. Ballots must be turned in to a ballot-drop location by 8 p.m.

Locally, Newberg voters will decide on three Newberg City Council seats:

  • City Council, District 1: Incumbent Elise Yarnell Hollamon, Challenger Britta Mansfield.
  • City Council District 3: Incumbent Glenn Cloyd, Challenger Jeri Turgesen.
  • City Council District 5: Incumbent Mike McBride, Challenger Tyson Butler.

County-wide, there is one contested election:

  • County Commissioner, Position 2: Incumbent Lindsay Berschauer, Challenger David “Bubba” King.

Two races in Yamhill County are uncontested: Sheriff (Sam Elliott) and Treasurer (Paulette Alexandria). 

Oregonians are also voting on five statewide measures:

  • Measure 115: Allow the Legislature to impeach elected state executives.
  • Measure 116: Establish the Independent Public Service Compensation Commission to determine certain public officials’ salaries.
  • Measure 117: Establish ranked-choice voting (RCV) for federal and state offices in Oregon.
  • Measure 118: Require Oregon to issue rebates to residents from surplus corporate tax revenue.
  • Measure 119: Require cannabis businesses to submit to the state Liquor and Cannabis Commission a signed labor peace agreement between the business and a labor organization with its licensure or renewal application.

See a full list of Yamhill County ballot drop boxes at an earlier Newsberg story.