The City Council on Tuesday night voted 6-3 on first reading to approve a substantial overhaul of the ordinance on Short Term Vacation Rentals - after an amendment passed to further limit absentee rentals in single-family areas.
Councilwoman Marvene Noel, who has fought to limit the rentals in her District 8, made a motion to amend the revised ordinance. The amendment would stretch the distance an absentee unit would be allowed from 500 feet to 1,000 feet to the nearest absentee rental in single-family areas.
That passed 5-4 with support from Council members Noel, Raquetta Dotley, Isiah Hester, Carol Berz and Demetrus Coonrod. Voting no were Chip Henderson, Darrin Ledford, Ken Smith and Jenny Hill.
At the afternoon session, Councilman Henderson said the move to 1,000-foot "would effectively shut it down." He said the majority of other cities looked at by the city were in the 300 feet to 500 feet range.
Ms. Noel said with 500 feet that 45 more rentals could go into her district. It would be 15 with the 1,000 feet.
She denied that it would shut down the rentals. She said, "Who says we have to be cookie cutter and like everybody else?"
On the amended version, No votes were cast by Council members Henderson, Ledford and Ken Smith.
The revised ordinance keeps the current "overlay" in which no rentals are allowed in certain districts.
At a recent council discussion, several members said they might be willing to allow rentals city-wide if the rentals are focused on commercial areas. The measure leaves four districts still without rentals since their Council members say their residents don't want them.
It sets up a nine-member STVR Board and gives neighbors the right to write letters of complaint about a rental that would trigger a hearing by the board.
There would be a maximum five percent of rentals in multi-family areas.
The current moratorium on new STVR applications by absentee owners would end July 10.