Planning Commission backs removing vacation-rental use from West Freemason historic districts

The Norfolk Planning Commission voted to recommend that City Council remove vacation‑rental (short‑term rental) uses from the West Freemason Historic and Cultural Conservation (HCWF‑1 and HCWF‑2) zoning districts, after civic‑league leaders and neighbors described parking, wear‑and‑tear and noise concerns tied to rentals.

The commission’s recommendation followed a staff briefing by Jeremy (Planning staff), who said the change would be implemented by deleting the use from the zoning use table and would not revoke an existing conditional use permit; a property already permitted through 2028 would not be immediately affected and could not renew after that date.

The request originated from the Freemason Street Area Association. John Thomas Kavanaugh, president of the Freemason Street Area Association, told the commission the association had asked for the change after a nearby owner sought to expand a permitted vacation rental and because on‑street parking is limited. “When you’re in real estate, it’s location, location, location. When you’re in short term rentals, it’s parking, parking, parking,” Kavanaugh said. Mike McCartney, vice president of the Civic League, said board members have been nearly unanimous in wanting to limit short‑term rentals to preserve neighborhood continuity.

One resident opposed the amendment. Donna Jato, representing her HOA, warned that parking shortages and occasional problematic gatherings make additional short‑term rentals a concern; she said the problems she described were hypothetical rather than tied to the existing permitted unit. Staff noted the Architectural Review Board (ARB) had earlier recommended denial of the text amendment, citing insufficient justification at the ARB hearing, but that the ARB’s denial forwarded the matter to the Planning Commission for decision.

Commissioners asked for clarity about community outreach and whether the civic league had discussed the item at public meetings. Kavanaugh said the association’s board discussed and unanimously supported the request, but that the association had not held a general membership public meeting specifically on the amendment. Aye votes carried the motion; one commissioner, Bateman, voted no, saying he believed broader community input might be warranted.

The commission’s recommendation will now go to City Council for final action. If Council adopts the text amendment, staff stressed it would not strip an existing CUP of its current permit term; the identified existing vacation rental remains permitted through its 2028 CUP and would be prevented from renewing under the new rules.