The Columbia Planning and Zoning Commission on Oct. 9 approved four short‑term rental conditional‑use permits and rejected one after residents raised concerns about parking, late‑night noise and public safety.

The commission’s action matters because the city’s STR program uses conditional‑use review to weigh neighborhood impacts against property owners’ requests to rent homes for short stays. The commission’s votes will be forwarded to City Council with recommendations for final action.

Most of the approvals followed staff recommendations that the properties meet Unified Development Code requirements and that owners meet specific parking and occupancy conditions. The denied application drew the largest public turnout and the strongest objections from neighbors.

502 Southwest Boulevard (case 29552025)
Staff recommended approval for a conditional‑use permit to operate 502 Southwest Boulevard as an STR with a maximum occupancy of six transient guests, up to 210 nights per year, and a condition that one garage parking space be available while the unit is used as an STR. The application packet noted two letters sent to the owner about unlicensed STR operation earlier in the year; the owners applied for the CUP after the second notice.
Motion: Commissioner Wilson moved to approve the CUP as recommended; Commissioner Gray seconded. Roll call: unanimous approval (Goway/Galloway Jones, Gray, Ortiz, Stanton, Stockton, Walters, Wilson, Brodsky, Darr voted yes). The commission’s positive recommendation will be forwarded to City Council.

1306 Saint Michael Drive (case 296‑2025)
Applicant Kevin Dickerber sought authorization for 1306 Saint Michael Drive for up to eight guests and up to 210 nights annually, contingent on adding two off‑street parking pads to reach the on‑site parking needed for that occupancy. Staff described a history of city code contacts at the property, including an illegal STR notice and multiple resolved solid‑waste violations; staff noted the property currently meets code only for four guests without parking improvements.
Neighbors and adjacent homeowners objected at length, citing repeated late‑night gatherings, a reported attempted forced entry at a neighboring home, and concerns about street width and children’s safety on the dead‑end block. Resident Jeffrey Doyle, who lives next door, told commissioners, “That’s the only time in my entire life that I ever feared for my safety in this city,” describing an episode he said involved an attempted forced entry.
Owner Kevin Dickerber addressed the commission: “Our purpose with this home is not to bother the neighbors,” and described security cameras, rules for guests and fines for violations. Commissioners debated whether the property could safely support the requested occupancy without altering the street character and whether prior code contacts weighed against approval.
Motion: A motion to approve the requested CUP with parking‑improvement conditions (move to allow up to eight guests contingent on two additional on‑site spaces) was made and seconded. Roll call: unanimous denial (Galloway Jones, Gray, Ortiz, Stanton, Stockton, Walters, Wilson, Brodsky, Darr voted no). The commission’s denial will be forwarded to City Council for a full hearing (listed as old business on the council agenda).

1205 East Ash Street Unit A (case 303‑2025)
Staff reported the unit is one side of a front‑to‑back duplex, with the parcel able to support the required on‑site parking for both units. Staff recommended approval of a CUP limited to two transient guests and up to 210 nights per year. No public opposition was recorded in the hearing.
Motion: Commissioner Walters moved to approve the CUP subject to the two‑guest/210‑night limits; Commissioner Gray seconded. Roll call: unanimous yes; recommendation to Council forwarded.

308 North Ninth Street (case 307‑2025)
Staff recommended approval for a four‑bedroom house to operate as an STR with a maximum occupancy of eight guests and up to 210 nights annually; staff noted resolved solid‑waste violations and one STR violation earlier in the year but said the property now provides adequate on‑site parking after restoring an earlier gravel drive. The owner attended and explained responsiveness to neighbors and maintenance plans.
Motion: Commissioner Stanton moved to approve the CUP as recommended; Commissioner Gray seconded. Roll call: motion carried (yes votes recorded; record shows a majority in favor). Recommendation to Council forwarded.

4216 Forum Boulevard (case 310‑2025)
Staff recommended approval for a three‑bedroom home to operate as an STR with a maximum of six transient guests and up to 210 nights annually. Several neighbors testified that traffic speeds on Forum Boulevard and proximity to driveways raise safety concerns. Owners said they use the house regularly, maintain it themselves and would respond quickly to complaints.
Motion: Commissioner Gray (as moved and amended on the floor) moved to approve the CUP with the six‑guest and 210‑night limits; motion was seconded and passed 8–1 (Commissioner Ortiz voted no). Recommendation forwarded to Council.

What commissioners and staff emphasized
- Compliance and conditions: staff repeatedly told the commission that CUP approval rests on technical compliance with the Unified Development Code (UDC) and on site‑specific conditions (parking, occupancy, agent proximity). Multiple staff presentations cited UDC sections used in the reviews (e.g., section 29‑3.3 VV and section 29‑6.4 M2 for STRs) and noted that conditional permits allow the commission to propose or require additional reasonable conditions.
- Enforcement history: staff and commissioners flagged past code contacts as relevant context. Planning staff and the commission reminded speakers that continued noncompliance can lead to enforcement actions; staff cited municipal code enforcement procedures under Chapter 22, Article 5 as the mechanism for revocation of licenses after verified violations, but noted that revocation is not automatic and requires verification and due process.
- Neighborhood concerns: recurring public objections across cases focused on parking spillover, noise, parties, and traffic safety on narrow or fast streets. Commissioners in several cases said neighbors’ testimony carried weight in their decisions.

Discussion versus decision
- Discussion: commissioners and staff treated STR applications as a policy‑neutral technical review first (zoning/UDC compliance), followed by assessment of neighborhood impacts raised during public comment (parking, safety, prior violations). Commissioners used public testimony and staff analysis to weigh whether to attach or require additional conditions.
- Decision: The commission issued formal recommendations to City Council: four CUPs recommended for approval (502 Southwest Blvd; 1205 East Ash Unit A; 308 N Ninth St; 4216 Forum Blvd) and one recommended for denial (1306 Saint Michael Dr). Each recommended action will be considered by City Council at public hearings.

Ending
The meeting record shows the city continuing to balance property‑owner rights to use property for short‑term lodging with neighborhood concerns about safety and character; commissioners repeatedly said that CUPs let them tailor approvals by condition and that enforcement remains the tool for addressing repeat or verified violations. The rejected St. Michael application will return to council for a full hearing after the commission forwarded its denial as old business.