Council directs staff review of short-term rental code, asks for legal alignment and enforcement options

The Pullman City Council voted on Oct. 14 to send parts of the city’s short-term rental rules to staff for review, asking for recommended changes, legal justification for any deviation from state law and a report back by March 2026.

Councilmember Fujairah moved the directive, saying constituent concerns since the code’s adoption warranted a second look. The motion asked staff to review Pullman City Code chapter 17.109 and chapter 17.1 as listed in the meeting packet and return with proposed code changes and justifications for any sections that would differ from Washington state requirements.

Council discussion acknowledged a range of views. One councilmember said she supports allowing alternatives to in-person inspections—such as photo submissions—and more explicit, complaint-driven enforcement, but emphasized she would not support removing safety measures that ensure guest preparedness and habitability. Staff clarified that some items identified by councilmembers are administrative enforcement matters and not all items would go before the planning commission; staff will forward appropriate items to that commission as part of the review.

The motion passed on a voice vote with one recorded opposition and no abstentions. The council instructed staff to present findings and any proposed code amendments for council discussion by March 2026.

The review is intended to address specific constituent concerns highlighted after the code’s recent adoption and to align local requirements with state rules where necessary.