Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Housing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bicknell council debates draft ‘extended stay’ rules, seeks inspections, licenses and limits on long‑term motel use
Summary
Council members reviewed a draft ordinance to regulate extended‑stay rooms and transient housing, proposing limits (e.g., maximum 60 days in a 180‑day window, cap on percent of rooms), inspection and licensing requirements, and a special permit process. Staff will prepare an application form and consider notifying property owners before adoption.
Bicknell town council members spent an extended portion of their Aug. 28 work meeting reviewing a draft extended‑stay ordinance intended to limit long‑term occupancy of motel rooms, RV park spaces and similar short‑term lodging.
Council members and staff described the draft as a compromise intended to allow temporary worker housing while guarding against motels that effectively convert to unregulated long‑term or low‑income housing.
Key elements discussed included: - Maximum duration: the draft would limit stays to a maximum of roughly 31–60 days within a 180‑day period (the discussion described a cap of "no more than 60 days in a 180‑day time frame"). - Percent cap: no more than 25% of a motel’s rooms could be designated as extended‑stay units under the draft, council members said. - Unit standards: rooms offered as extended‑stay units would need to be equipped as permanent‑style units (full kitchen with cook stove, refrigerator, sink) rather than standard transient hotel rooms. - Licensing and inspection: operators seeking to provide extended‑stay units would be required to obtain an extended‑stay license, submit to inspection, provide access to books and records upon request and meet conditions set by the town; staff noted Brock Jackson is preparing an extended‑stay application and license form. - Special permits and definitions: Planning and Zoning review and a special permit for extended stays were discussed as implementation tools; the ordinance contains definitions intended to distinguish motels, apartments and converted units.
Council members asked how the rules would affect legitimate seasonal workers and contractors. Staff and other members said the ordinance was designed to allow temporary workers to stay while preventing indefinite month‑to‑month occupancy that, council members said, can lead to property decline if motels begin to operate as low‑income housing without oversight.
Enforcement and outreach: council members agreed the town should notify property owners and managers before the ordinance goes into effect. The group discussed mailing a cover sheet explaining next steps, a licensing application, and a fee schedule. Brock Jackson and staff said they would produce an application form and inspection checklist.
Timing and next steps: the council directed staff to finalize the license form and application and to circulate the ordinance to affected motel owners and operators for awareness. A council member suggested voting on the ordinance at the next regular meeting, which the council planned to hold outdoors at the town park on short notice; no formal vote or motion was recorded at the Aug. 28 session.
Ending: Council members asked colleagues to read the draft and return suggested edits the following week so the town can finalize application materials and outreach language to property owners.
