Council completes public hearing on short-term rental rules; asks staff to soften compliance step

The Liberty City Council closed the public hearing Aug. 12 on a proposed ordinance adding short-term rentals as a residential accessory use and directed staff to return with amended compliance language that makes the neighbor-contact step optional.
Planning staff told the council the proposal updates language from 2018 and borrows provisions from neighboring jurisdictions; staff estimated 25 to 30 short-term rental listings in the city on commercial platforms. ‘‘Using the Internet search between the popular platforms Airbnb and VRBO, VRBO, is anywhere from 25 to 30 best estimates,’’ the planner said during the hearing. He also said, ‘‘Planning and zoning hasn't received any’’ complaints to date.
Council members and staff spent most of the discussion on the proposed compliance procedure that currently would require that a complaining party first attempt to contact the designated contact person or rental agent for the unit. Councilwoman Cynthia Jenkins argued that requiring a neighbor to confront a neighbor was inappropriate and asked that the language be softened so a complainant may instead proceed directly to the city. ‘‘This language reads that it's up to me to first make initial contact to my neighbor…That is the first thing you gotta do,’’ Jenkins said. Several council members agreed that the initial step should be optional, not mandatory.
Staff explained the intent was voluntary self-regulation and that requiring a designated contact gives neighbors a local person to call during off hours to try to resolve problems quickly. The planner said the registration would also create a local contact list for units and facilitate a home-inspection component linked to public-safety standards.
The council voted to instruct staff to revise the ordinance language so the complaining party is encouraged, rather than required, to contact the designated agent and to return the revised ordinance for further consideration. The public hearing itself was closed at the Aug. 12 meeting; the council did not adopt the ordinance and asked staff to bring amended wording back without continuing the public hearing.