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During a joint workshop with the County Council on Tuesday, the commission reviewed legislation sponsored by council members Lynn Mielke and Pete Lesher. Planning Commission members said they struggled to understand why stricter rules for short-term rentals were necessary.

Commission Member Chip Councell said some of the proposed items are more of a “hindrance� than an improvement to the county’s existing rules.

“I would almost support an easing of some of the restrictions more so than getting more stringent,� Councell said. “I’m struggling to see this as a balance.�

Mielke has previously said the legislation was drafted amid a “proliferationâ€� of short-term rentals in Talbot County, noting her concerns for St. Â鶹´«Ã½ village communities such as Bentley Hay and Rio Vista.

Mielke said Tuesday that in village zones, some communities don’t have covenants or restrictions on the temporary rentals. County attorney Patrick Thomas, who helped draft the legislation, noted it can be “tricky� to change covenants since many require 75 to 80% of homeowners to agree.

“They can be overwhelmed by short-term rentals, so the idea was to sort of make a distinction,� Mielke said.

Mielke added that an increasing number of short-term rentals are “being scooped up by investors,� which she says is hurting the county’s affordable housing stock. Planning Commission members disagreed.

“I don’t see where this is a proliferation,� Councell said, citing that the number of licensed short-term rentals hasn’t significantly increased or reached 200 in the last few years.

“They’re taking them from subpar to show pieces for people to come down and enjoy,� said commission chair James Corson. “ … I don’t think the majority of these are even in that range of affordable housing.�

Some of the new restrictions if the legislation is passed would include: mandatory landlines; more detailed stay logs for license renewals; a seven-night minimum stay for lease holders in residential and village districts; and a split of licenses into two classes based on if the property is the applicant’s primary residence.

As drafted, properties that aren’t the applicant’s primary residence would face new license limits: one license per 500 or 1,000 feet, depending on the zoning district.

The proposals have drawn support from a number of residents around the county but sharp criticism from short-term rental property agents and owners who view them as government overreach.

Property owners already must go through a review board to obtain or renew a license to operate a short-term rental. Most license requests are granted.

Corson raised qualms with how the proposed seven-night minimum stay could deter tourists from attending weekend events such as the Waterfowl Festival. Lesher acknowledged it’s “largely a weekend business� and said he’s comfortable keeping the current three-day minimum in place.

County Council member Dave Stepp weighed in against proposals for more detailed logs and required landlines.

“To have that legislation in there, it just doesn’t make any sense,� he said of the landlines.

No official changes were made to the draft regulations Tuesday. The commission will hold a public hearing and discuss the legislation at its July 2 meeting. A recommendation will then be made to the council, likely with significant revisions to the original proposals.

Planning Commission vice chair Michael Strannahan said the issue comes down to preserving the balance between economic benefits and maintaining the county’s complexion.

“It’s the old growth versus character thing we face all the time,� Strannahan said.