Show Low adopts ordinance requiring exterior short‑term rental posting; resident cites fires, seeks tougher enforcement

The Show Low City Council adopted Ordinance 2025‑04 amending the city’s short‑term rental rules to require conspicuous posting of owner or designee contact information on the exterior of the property and adopted Resolution R2025‑35 declaring the revision a public record.

The city attorney summarized the history and text: on March 19, 2024, the council adopted Ordinance 2024‑02 implementing regulations for short‑term rentals and that Section 16.55.0.07 currently requires short‑term rentals to post the owner or designee’s name, phone number and email in a “conspicuous place.” Staff said enforcement was complicated when owners placed the posting inside the home, and the proposed amendment explicitly requires the posting be outside the short‑term rental and specifies minimum size and font details.

During the public hearing, Mike Clement, who identified himself as a resident at 5041 South 30 Second Street, said he lives three doors from an Airbnb and described repeated problems. Clement said there have been “three fires, noise complaints” at that property and that two fires occurred during no‑burn restrictions; he urged larger, permanently affixed exterior postings that include permit number, expiration date and emergency contact. “I live 3 doors down from an Airbnb. It is a constant source of heartburn,” he said, and asked council to treat short‑term lodging “like a commercial lodging nestled in a residential neighborhood.”

Clement also recommended changing the enforcement provision so that “any combination of three verified violations of the chapter, whether against the property owner, the short‑term rental tenant, or the guest” within 12 months could be used to consider license discipline; he said he provided city staff copies of related police and fire records.

The city attorney explained that the state has limited cities’ regulatory authority over short‑term rentals, citing Arizona Revised Statutes 9‑500.39, and said municipalities’ ability to expand restrictions has not gained traction in the legislature. The planning and zoning director (referenced in the discussion) worked with staff to pick a realistic signage size intended to balance readability for first responders with occupant privacy.

A councilmember moved to adopt Ordinance 2025‑04 and Resolution R2025‑35; another councilmember seconded. The motion passed unanimously. Council members said they will review the redline language provided by the resident and rely on the city attorney and clerk for next steps; no immediate change to enforcement thresholds was adopted at the meeting.