Arden is largely located in Unincorporated Buncombe County, which currently permits short-term rentals in most residential zoning districts, making it the primary arbitrage alternative to the strictly banned City of Asheville. However, the County has implemented a Short-Term Rental Zoning Permit system to track inventory. CRITICAL WARNING: Arden is located directly next to the Asheville Regional Airport. Short-term rentals are strictly PROHIBITED in the Airport Zoning District (AI). You must check the zoning map to ensure the property is not in this specific exclusion zone.

Key Requirements

• Zoning Permit: You must obtain a Short-Term Rental Zoning Permit from Buncombe County Planning ($150 fee). This permit must be renewed every 2 years.
• Site Plan: The application requires a basic site plan showing parking (1 space per 2 bedrooms required) and waste disposal locations.
• HOA Warning: Arden is heavily populated with master-planned subdivisions (e.g., Royal Pines, Avery Creek). While the County allows STRs, many local HOAs explicitly ban them. You must verify the covenants before signing a lease.

Operational and Safety Standards

• Life Safety: You generally need working smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers. While a formal fire inspection is not always mandatory for every single-family permit, the County reserves the right to inspect, and multi-unit structures often require Fire Marshal approval.
• Waste Management: You must provide trash capacity for weekly accumulation (often requiring "bear-proof" containers if near wooded areas).
• Privacy: A local property manager (you or a contact) must be available within a 50-mile radius to respond to complaints.

Tax Obligations

• Total Tax Rate: ~12.75% Total (4.75% State + 2.25% County Sales + 6% Occupancy Tax).
• Collection: Airbnb and Vrbo typically collect the State Sales Tax (4.75%) and the Buncombe County Occupancy Tax (6%) automatically.
• Registration: You still need to register with the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (BCTDA) to get a tax account number, which is required for your permit application, even if Airbnb handles the payments.

Enforcement

• Fines: Operating without a permit can result in civil penalties of $500 per day.
• Airport Zone: Properties caught operating in the Airport District are shut down immediately.

Summary for Arbitrage

• Green Light: Most residential zones in Arden (R-1, R-2, R-3) are fine.
• Red Light: The "Airport District" (check the map!) and HOA neighborhoods.
• Future Risk: Buncombe County has discussed restricting new STRs to commercial zones in the future. While currently permissive, this creates a "regulatory risk" for long-term leases.