Council discusses changes to short-term rental rules, including occupancy limits and required contact information

The Two Rivers City Council discussed proposed amendments to the city’s short-term rental regulations that would add licensing, a maximum-occupancy formula and required contact information for emergency response.

Andrew, the city attorney, reviewed draft language that would add a current license requirement, clarify maximum capacity calculations and require contact information for the police, fire department, property owner and property manager to be available to the city. The ordinance language under discussion would also allow the city additional enforcement discretion in private-property cases rather than automatically requiring city intervention in every instance.

Council members debated how to define the maximum occupant count. One councilmember questioned a draft provision that appeared to allow “two persons for every bedroom plus four additional persons,” asking whether the intent was to permit extra occupants for living rooms or pull-out couches. Council members said they wanted to allow reasonable uses such as hotel-style pull-out couches and children on floors, but several expressed concerns about how many extra occupants to permit. After discussion, one councilmember said they preferred zero additional persons but was willing to compromise on two.

Andrew confirmed the council would not vote on the ordinance that night; the item was being placed into the code as part of ongoing edits and would return for formal action at a future meeting.