Dear Editor:
As Page County considers additional short-term rental (STR) regulations, I hope we can approach this issue with balance and local common sense. I’ve served as a member and chairman of the James City County Board of Supervisors, and I understand the challenge of protecting community character and housing affordability while also supporting economic development.
The concerns many neighbors raise are real: noise, traffic, rural identity, and the feeling that growth is happening faster than the community can absorb. Those concerns deserve clear standards and consistent enforcement. At the same time, STRs are a major driver of tourism spending and jobs in Page County—housekeeping, maintenance, landscaping, contractors, and other local services. In a rural county with limited opportunities, those dollars matter.
My family first discovered Page County by staying in an STR. We fell in love with the area, invested in two STRs here, purchased land for our forever home, and plan to move to Page County within the next 12–24 months to live and work locally. We’re also planning a third unit on our property designed specifically for STR use.
That perspective leads me to a middle-ground solution: adopt fair and reasonable regulations that support residents and prevent unchecked growth — without undermining tourism and property values. In particular, I encourage the County to:
- Grandfather existing, compliant STRs that invested under current rules.
- Favor Page County residents and locally rooted owners, whether they live on the parcel or elsewhere in the County.
- Discourage converting existing housing stock into full-time STRs, while being more favorable toward purpose-built STR units that don’t remove homes from the long-term market.
- Focus stricter limits on large-scale commercial operators, not responsible small owners.
- Ensure whatever is adopted is clear, enforceable, and predictable.
Page County can protect neighborhoods and housing while still welcoming visitors who support local businesses and jobs. Thoughtful, locally focused regulation can accomplish both.
Respectfully,
Hon. Kevin Onizuk ~ Page County property owner and future resident
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