City staff presented a draft short-term rental ordinance to the Des Moines City Economic Development Committee on March 27, seeking guidance on how the code should treat overnight short-term rentals (Airbnb/VRBO-style) versus amenity rentals (pool/backyard rentals and similar uses).

The staff presenter said the draft is intended to allow property owners to economically use their property while ensuring renter safety, neighborhood peace and an enforcement mechanism. The presenter said the proposal would require platforms to display the city’s permit number on public listings and that staff could audit listings online to confirm compliance: “we require that they note in the public listing the city's permit number,” the staff member said, and “we could do a simple audit just by looking at Air BNBs or VRBOs on, online, and confirm that they're showing that they have a Des Moines license.”

Committee members asked about enforcement and local response requirements. The draft would require a local representative or designated contact who can provide an “effective response” (e.g., come to the property or arrange a contractor) and a phone number posted at the rental. The presenter described a noise-enforcement pathway: neighbors call Des Moines Police Department, officers respond, and staff can contact the local representative to demand remediation or pursue citations.

The draft separate issues for overnight rentals and amenity rentals, with committee members repeatedly asking staff to clarify occupancy limits, daytime parking rules for amenity rentals, and whether decibel limits should be included. Deputy Mayor Steinmetz and others said the draft’s due-process and procedural enforcement provisions are well structured, while other members asked staff to prepare options to distinguish amenity rental impacts (daytime parking, occupancy for gatherings) from overnight stays.

On enforcement for commercial operators, staff noted enforcement tools under the business license code (Title 5): repeated violations could lead to license revocation; fines up to $500 per day are available under the city code and, in persistent cases, the city could pursue criminal enforcement.

Direction and next steps: staff will return with an updated draft ordinance addressing committee input (occupancy distinctions for amenities, daytime parking, decibel considerations and enforcement language) and continue public outreach before presenting to the full council.