Pullman council adopts broad zoning overhaul including ADU and short-term rental rules

The Pullman City Council on May 13 adopted a package of zoning updates that rewrite Title 17, add standards for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), create a short-term rental (STR) regulatory process and incorporate middle-housing provisions required by a state grant. The council approved the ordinance after public hearings and a months-long planning commission review.

The council’s action implements plain-language edits, new graphics, an ADU section and a new short-term rental chapter. The short-term rental rules require an initial application and safety review and establish life-safety requirements the city’s building official and fire marshal said should apply to all transient occupancies regardless of how often a room is rented. Planning staff told council the middle-housing updates were part of a Department of Commerce grant with a June 15 submission deadline.

Planning staff presented the final draft and recommended approval; the planning commission had voted unanimously to forward the amendments. During the council discussion, members raised several concerns: Council member Weller said many longtime residents rely on short-term rentals for supplemental income and expressed frustration that some requirements are state-mandated; Council member Guido said ADUs can help homeowners offset housing costs and urged public education; Council member Gaither noted that dozens of rental listings appeared online but relatively few had been through any local approval process and said the ordinance creates a necessary pathway for registration and inspections.

The code sets a one-time application fee for STRs and requires a renewal notification each calendar year (no annual fee). Staff explained the $200 application fee covers a base inspection hour plus planning and inspection review time. Existing STRs that already have approvals would be issued a new identifying number and would need to confirm continued compliance with the new life-safety standards. The code also includes a demolition-permit provision for structures 45 years or older so staff can photograph and document potential historic resources prior to demolition review; the historic preservation commission supported that threshold as a buffer from the typical 50-year historic benchmark.

Council discussion touched repeatedly on enforcement capacity. Guido and others urged clearer, better-resourced code enforcement and outreach so new rules are applied fairly. Weller said he opposed some state mandates embedded in the ordinance and worried smaller homeowners on fixed incomes could be disadvantaged. The ordinance passed on the council floor by recorded vote (4–2).