Planning and Public Safety Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Planning and Public Safety Committee met on February 18, 2020, with Councilmember James Brown presiding over the session. The committee addressed two main agenda items during the meeting, both of which were approved by the members present.

The committee began by approving the summary from their previous meeting held on January 21st before moving to discuss a short-term rental ordinance. Both agenda items received favorable outcomes, with the committee taking a total of 2 votes during the proceedings. The meeting also included public participation, with 5 public comments heard from community members on the matters before the committee.

The session focused primarily on regulatory matters, with the short-term rental ordinance discussion representing a significant policy consideration for the committee's planning and public safety oversight responsibilities.

Attendance

The following committee members were present at the meeting:

• James Brown
• Farmer
• Lamb
• Worley
• Gibbs
• McKern
• Bledsoe
• Evans

No members were recorded as absent or late for this meeting. All eight committee members were in attendance.

Votes and Decisions

The committee took two roll call votes during the meeting on amendments to the draft short-term rental ordinance.

Amendment to Remove Section 13-79(b) 2:30:00

Committee member Gibbs made a motion to remove section 13-79(b) from the draft ordinance. The motion passed by a vote of 5-3 with no abstentions.

• Voting in favor (5): Brown, Farmer, Worley, Gibbs, McKern
• Voting against (3): Lamb, Bledsoe, Evans

Final Motion to Advance Ordinance 3:00:00

Worley moved to forward the draft short-term rental ordinance to the full council as amended, with Farmer providing the second. The motion passed by a vote of 6-2 with no abstentions.

• Voting in favor (6): Brown, Farmer, Worley, Gibbs, McKern, Evans
• Voting against (2): Lamb, Bledsoe

The amended draft ordinance will now proceed to the full council for consideration. Evans, who voted against the amendment to remove section 13-79(b), ultimately supported advancing the amended ordinance to the full council.

Public Comment

Five community members addressed the committee regarding proposed short-term rental regulations during the public comment period.

Nancy Cristiano 1:00:00 spoke about Airbnb operations, highlighting the economic benefits and community engagement opportunities these rentals provide. She expressed concerns about the proposed monthly reporting requirements, suggesting they may be overly burdensome for operators.

Chris Hustis 1:10:00 addressed the broader regulatory framework, arguing that the proposed regulations would create excessive administrative burden on short-term rental operators. He requested additional time for community discussion before the committee moves forward with the ordinance.

Mark Streety 1:20:00, representing LUNA, offered qualified support for the draft ordinance while specifically opposing non-owner occupied short-term rentals. He cited neighborhood concerns as the primary reason for this position, suggesting that properties where owners are not present create different impacts on residential communities.

John Hackworth 1:30:00 questioned specific provisions in the proposed regulations, particularly the 52 rentals per year restriction. He suggested implementing a 600-foot separation requirement between short-term rental properties as an alternative regulatory approach.

Joellen Hayden 1:40:00 shared a personal account of how short-term rentals have affected her neighborhood. She described a situation where a neighbor converted a residential home into a large-scale Airbnb operation, which she said negatively impacted the character and integrity of the neighborhood.

The comments reflected a range of perspectives, from operators concerned about regulatory burden to residents worried about neighborhood impacts, with some speakers offering specific alternative regulatory suggestions.

Contested Items

The Committee meeting featured one primary contested item that generated significant debate among participants.

Short-term rental ordinance - This proposal sparked heated discussion among committee members and stakeholders. The disagreement centered on several key aspects of the proposed regulations:

• Rental frequency limits: The proposed restriction of 52 rentals per year drew criticism from some participants who questioned whether this limitation was appropriate or enforceable

• Registration fees: The $300 registration fee requirement became a point of contention, with debate over whether this amount was reasonable or potentially prohibitive

• Neighborhood impact concerns: Participants expressed conflicting views about how short-term rentals affect residential neighborhoods, with some citing concerns about noise, parking, and community character

The discussion revealed fundamental disagreements about balancing property owner rights with neighborhood preservation. While some committee members supported stricter regulations to protect residential areas, others argued that the proposed restrictions were too burdensome for property owners operating short-term rentals.

The contentious nature of the debate suggests this ordinance addresses competing interests within the community, with no clear consensus emerging during the meeting. The outcome of this discussion was not specified in the available meeting materials.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps and participant names were not available in the provided meeting data.*

Approval of January 21st committee summary

5:00

The committee reviewed and approved the summary of their January 21st meeting. James Brown presented the item to the committee for consideration.

The approval process proceeded without any corrections, amendments, or discussion from committee members. No concerns were raised regarding the accuracy or completeness of the January 21st meeting summary.

Outcome: The January 21st committee summary was approved as presented.

Short-term rental ordinance discussion

1:00:00

The committee reviewed a draft ordinance addressing short-term rental regulations within the jurisdiction. The discussion centered on three primary areas of concern: tax accountability, guest safety standards, and registration requirements for property owners operating short-term rentals.

Key speakers during the discussion included Farmer and Chad Edwards, who presented the framework of the proposed ordinance and addressed committee questions about implementation details.

The draft ordinance outlined specific registration requirements that would mandate short-term rental operators to register their properties with the appropriate municipal department. This registration system aims to create better oversight and tracking of short-term rental activities in the area.

Tax accountability provisions were discussed as a mechanism to ensure short-term rental operators comply with local tax obligations, including occupancy taxes and business licensing requirements. The committee examined how these provisions would be enforced and what penalties might apply for non-compliance.

Guest safety standards formed another significant component of the discussion, with the ordinance proposing specific safety requirements for short-term rental properties. These standards would likely include fire safety measures, emergency contact information, and property maintenance requirements to ensure guest welfare.

The committee ultimately approved moving forward with the short-term rental ordinance as presented. This approval indicates the committee's support for implementing comprehensive regulations governing short-term rental operations, addressing the growing presence of platforms like Airbnb and VRBO in the local housing market.

The approved ordinance will now proceed to the next stage of the legislative process, bringing the jurisdiction closer to having formal regulations governing short-term rental operations within its boundaries.