New Franklin council debates conduct-focused short-term rental ordinance; no final vote

New Franklin City Council spent a large portion of its June 15 meeting debating a proposed ordinance to regulate short-term rental operations (Ordinance 25-0004). The ordinance, as presented, removes distance-based location limits and instead targets guest conduct, safety and accountability measures, while establishing an annual permit and penalties for violations. Council did not adopt the ordinance and directed additional edits and legal review.

The ordinance’s sponsor said the draft shifts focus from where short-term rentals are located to how they operate. Councilmember Stiles said the proposal eliminates “location rules” because those would prohibit lawful uses on private property when a neighbor’s lawful use happens to be nearby. He described the ordinance as aimed at “safety, noise, parking, responsiveness of the city” and said enforcement would rely on conduct standards such as quiet-hours, occupancy limits, trash removal and a requirement for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and clear egress.

Supporters of the conduct-first approach told council the measure includes an annual permit, insurance requirements, a 24/7 local contact telephone number and an escalating penalty schedule that can lead to fines or permit…