Planning commission backs new short-term rental limits, sends ordinance to city council 6-1

Planning and Zoning Commissioners on an extended agenda item voted 6-1 to recommend amendments to the Unified Development Code that define “short-term rental unit,” add distance and density rules and repeal a prior interim prohibition. The commission’s recommendation will go to City Council for final action.

The revisions proposed by city staff would add a 1,000-foot minimum spacing between short-term rentals (STRs), limit STRs in multifamily buildings to 3% of units or two units (whichever is greater), and remove the expired interim one-year prohibition from the UDC. Staff said existing permitted STRs would be treated as legal nonconforming uses and could continue to operate and renew under current rules.

City planning staff noted outreach over nearly…