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Roswell moves to regulate short‑term rentals; first reading approves inspections and registration requirement
Summary
City council approved on first reading an ordinance to require annual fire‑marshal inspections, registration and enforce nuisance standards for short‑term rentals (Airbnb/VRBO) in Roswell; sponsors said the measure is intended to improve safety and provide code enforcement visibility.
The Roswell City Council voted 6‑0 on May 27 to approve a first reading of an ordinance that would require registration and annual safety inspections for short‑term rentals, commonly marketed as Airbnb or VRBO.
Michelle Alexander, Roswell’s community development director, told the council the draft ordinance is intended to add public‑safety measures and nuisance controls for properties used as short‑term rentals. “They have to have fire marshal have an inspection every year, and it requires a registration,” Alexander said, noting registration helps emergency responders and code enforcement reach property contacts.
Council member Sarah Beeson, who led work on the measure, said the ordinance is not aimed at banning short‑term rentals but at bringing oversight. “It’s not necessarily to get rid of short term rentals in the city or to restrict them in any way at this point in time. It’s more so to allow the city to have oversight in their operation and make sure that they are operated safely,” she said.
The proposal sets minimum safety items—examples discussed by staff and council included working smoke detectors, carbon monoxide alarms and operable means of egress—and creates a nuisance enforcement path that can lead to penalties after repeated violations. The ordinance would require owners to provide a local contact for 24/7 response for both emergency and nuisance complaints.
Council members said the measure responds to neighborhood complaints about occupant counts and disruptive gatherings. Council member Alan Sells said neighborhoods and HOAs had raised concerns about large gatherings in rented homes and that registration would provide “visibility to who the people are that own that are currently renting in Roswell.”
Because this was a first reading, the ordinance will return for a second reading before final adoption. Council members who worked on the draft said they modeled the proposal on rules used in nearby jurisdictions and emphasized the ordinance aims for safety and enforceability rather than heavy restrictions.
If adopted, the city will implement a registration system and annual inspection process, and will retain code enforcement tools to address repeated nuisance incidents.
