Council reviews draft short-term rental ordinance; staff to refine fees and zoning approach

City staff presented a sample ordinance for short-term rental registration and regulation. Councilmembers discussed a three-tier fee structure distinguishing owner-occupied units, local non-owner owners and non-local owners, with the rationale that in-town owners are easier to regulate and maintain the property.

Staff noted a zoning change may be required to make short-term rentals a permitted use or an issue of special use. Council discussed administrative assignment for registration and appeals; one suggestion was to vest initial authority with the community development director and allow an appeal to the city manager or an assigned designee to avoid conflicts in the appeals chain.

Council asked staff to refine fee schedules and implementation details and to include the short-term rental discussion on the February Committee of the Whole agenda.