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Planning committee advances short-term rental registration, dollar-store infill amendment and updates development‑code timeline
Summary
The Planning, Annexation and Codes Committee called for ordinances to register short‑term rentals, to allow dollar‑store infill in existing buildings while preserving a moratorium on new construction, and discussed progress on a multi‑department development‑code rewrite.
The Planning, Annexation and Codes Committee on Monday voted to call for legislation on two distinct items: a short‑term rental registration ordinance and an amendment to the city’s 2021 ordinance that would permit dollar‑store infill in existing commercial buildings while maintaining the moratorium on new construction.
Committee chair Mr. Heiden said the short‑term rental measure is written to cover houses and apartments used as short‑term rentals (Airbnb, VRBO) and is intended to close a perceived loophole that allowed some short‑term rentals to avoid rental registration. Heiden described the draft as “very closely” modeled on the city’s rental registration program and said it is aimed at owner‑occupied structures being used as frequent short‑term rentals that generate noise and disturbance in residential neighborhoods.
On dollar stores, Councilor Heiden requested legislation to amend ordinance 01/24/2021 so that retailers characterized more as grocery stores could occupy existing vacant buildings while the moratorium on new dollar‑store construction remains in effect. Heiden said the change is intended to allow “infill” uses for vacant storefronts and to prevent the type of new‑build dollar‑store footprints the moratorium targeted.
Committee members asked for confirmation that planning staff and the director had reviewed the proposals; Director Derek Miller said the draft was intended to identify where short‑term rentals are located and that police had expressed enforcement concerns about parties and disruptive activity at such properties. Miller also answered that the short‑term rental language is limited to houses and apartments and does not cover hotels and motels.
Members then discussed the broader development‑code rewrite. Director Carter reported recent staff and consultant review meetings with OHM and a partnering firm, described the process as in its “home stretch,” and said the city is reviewing consultant questions and comments; a target date discussed informally in committee was May 2026. Several council members expressed frustration at turnover and delays; Carter and committee members said they would continue working through consultant questions and aim to finalize the draft.
Both the short‑term rental registration and the dollar‑store infill amendment were formally called for by the committee, meaning staff will prepare legislation for introduction to the full council. The development‑code rewrite remains in review and no ordinance adopting the new code was introduced at the meeting.
