The Town of Daniel Council on Oct. 6 continued a public hearing on a rezoning request for property at 2530 South Daniel Road after neighbors described what they said were disturbances from a short‑term rental and town staff said the planning commission had not delivered all requested materials.

The rezoning proposal, presented to the council by Mark Skousen, who said he is representing JDCO and the property owner John Hadfield of Hadco Construction, would reclassify a frontage parcel to industrial so the back portion (currently zoned industrial) can be accessed from the road. "He simply wants to put an office space there with parking on the front part," Skousen said, adding the site is roughly five acres and "75% of that property is an industrial zone."

Residents who spoke during public comment said the parcel had been used as a short‑term rental listed on Airbnb and VRBO and described repeated disturbances. "We have a house currently at the end of Big Hollow near Jack Rose's house that we've talked about in the past that has been used as an Airbnb and is advertised on Airbnb and on VRBO," resident Jolene Bassett told the council. She said neighbors had photo and video evidence of large crowds, tour buses and simulated tactical exercises with participants wearing hoods and firing blanks.

The town's legal counsel told residents the town's lawyers are compiling a formal complaint but asked for additional evidence before sending notices or proceeding to court. "Based on the evidence we submitted, it was a weak case, and they...wanted that additional evidence," the town attorney said, adding that the attorney will send a notice to the property owner when the complaint is ready. The attorney also said that, under the applicable state code definition, advertising a listing on a website is no longer treated as sufficient evidence and that photos or videos and other direct documentation are more useful.

Council and staff also discussed process and next steps. Planning staff and the council said the planning commission continued the item at its prior meeting to allow the applicant to present additional material; the planning commission is scheduled to revisit the matter on Oct. 15. The council voted to continue the rezoning matter to the council meeting on Nov. 3 so it can consider the planning commission's recommendation.

Skousen told the council the applicant is also seeking a legal opinion about whether the property's industrial portion can be accessed across the residential frontage parcel; he said that legal question is the only outstanding item he expects to add to planning documents. Neighbors cited concerns about traffic, noise and dust if the frontage is rezoned and used for commercial vehicle access. "It's a pretty big impact to Daniel Road," resident Jeff Reyes said of potential daily truck and crew movement.

The council did not take final action on the rezoning request; it formally continued the public hearing so the planning commission can present a recommendation and any additional material. The town attorney told residents the enforcement path for alleged short‑term rental violations includes compiling additional evidence, issuing notices to property owners, a 30‑day cure period after notice, then potential civil filing if noncompliance remains; criminal prosecution under the town code remains a separate option if the town pursues it.

What happens next: the planning commission was scheduled to consider additional evidence Oct. 15; the Town Council scheduled its next opportunity to act on the rezoning at the Nov. 3 council meeting. The town attorney and planning staff said they will continue collecting evidence for the short‑term rental complaint and will notify complainants when the town is ready to issue a formal notice to the property owner.