Committee reviews proposed overhaul of Columbus short-term rental rules

Council Member Emanuel Reie, chair of the Columbus City Council’s Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee, presided over a follow-up hearing on short-term rentals that focused on staff proposals to modernize the city’s regulatory framework while preserving options for responsible operators.

Dr. Tanisha Puit, legislative analyst, told the committee the city adopted its first short-term rental rules in 2018 and updated them in 2019 and 2021, and that staff continues to see enforcement gaps. “Deputy Chief Weir shared the need to include a trespass authorization as part of the permitting process,” Puit said, explaining that a trespass authorization would allow officers to enter properties and remove disruptive guests without first contacting the owner.

Tony Celibreezy, deputy director of the Department of Building and Zoning Services, laid out the department’s main proposals: create a single Title 5 chapter that centralizes short-term rental requirements; implement a fully online registration and streamlined renewal affidavit; adopt graduated fines for repeat noncompliance; require neighbor notification for nearby properties; pursue automatic tax remittance by platforms; and establish clearer overnight and non-overnight occupancy limits. “We would like to see it put together under one chapter,” Celibreezy said, describing a single source of requirements that would be easier for residents and owners to navigate.

Staff proposed an overnight occupancy approach that ties allowances to beds and bedrooms (an example discussed was two people per bedroom plus a small number of additional guests), and a separate cap on non-overnight occupants to help police remove persons who are not part of the renting party. Celibreezy also raised a safety concern about basement bedrooms and said staff would consider inspections to confirm egress and compliance with Ohio building and fire codes.

The department recommended exploring a threshold at which multi-unit residential buildings would be regulated like hotels: if a significant percentage of units in a building are used as short-term rentals, the property could be subject to hotel/motel standards that require additional safety features and routine inspections. Celibreezy described graduated fines aimed at repeat violators and noted the practical limits of court-based enforcement, saying staff prefer incentives for compliance but will pursue fines and court action when necessary.

Council members questioned how online registration would work alongside fingerprint-based background checks (fingerprinting would still be in person), how neighbor notification would be scoped (staff proposed 125 feet from the parcel line, consistent with other land-use notices), and how the city could get platforms to share data or remit the 5.1% lodging excise tax. Celibreezy said the department is pursuing technical integrations so licensing staff receive timely notice when new units appear on booking sites and suggested an annual report to council tracking renewals, violations and problem properties.

The hearing was informational; no ordinance was introduced or voted on. Chair Reie said staff will continue reviewing testimony and pursue legislation ahead of the council’s July recess if consensus emerges.