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Strongsville resident asks about short-term rentals, council says short-term rentals are prohibited; zoning and safety checks needed for events
Summary
A Strongsville resident told council she runs a bed-and-breakfast and wants to expand events at a historic barn; law director and staff said the city has a short-term rental ban, the property must meet building code, and zoning and an on-site high‑pressure gas line limit some uses.
Deborah Thomas Lemmers told Strongsville City Council on Feb. 18 that she operates a bed-and-breakfast at 9160 Albion Road (a historic house built about 1830) and asked whether the city’s new short-term rental ordinance would allow her to continue doing rentals and expand event use at the site. Lemmers said the house is occupied by the owners, that rentals would be a portion of the house rather than the whole property, and that she is interested in weddings, dances, and possible collaborations with the local high school theater group.
Law Director Jamieson responded during audience participation that the council had enacted an ordinance that does not allow short-term rentals and that the ordinance contains no exception for owner‑occupied short-term rentals. Jamieson said the city has instructed the Lemmers to contact the building department before pursuing Airbnb-style operations and that the building department must confirm that the facility meets building, health and safety codes before any such activity could proceed.
Jamieson also told the Lemmers that zoning in the property’s area likely prohibits some of the event activities she described and that neighbors would have an opportunity to comment if a zoning change were proposed. He added a technical constraint: a high‑pressure gas line runs down the middle of the property and restricts certain building uses and modifications.
Why it matters: The exchange clarifies that Strongsville’s short-term rental ordinance, as enforced by city staff, currently prohibits short-term rentals without an explicit exception; property owners who want to operate lodging or event spaces must first secure required building‑code clearances and, if necessary, pursue a zoning change through council and the planning process.
What the resident asked: Deborah Thomas Lemmers (address given in the record as 9160 Albion Road) described using part of the historic home as a bed-and-breakfast and hosting weddings, dances and theatrical rehearsals in a barn on the property. She said she and her husband would be present during rentals.
What staff said: Jamieson said his office and city staff (including building and planning staff) have met with the property owners and advised they must bring the facility up to code before pursuing an Airbnb or event use and that some proposed uses would not be permitted without a zoning change. Jamieson said city staff would continue to work with the owners.
What is unresolved: Lemmers said she was exploring rezoning “for travel service” and expanding advertising beyond platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo; the council did not take formal action on the property during the meeting. The building department’s inspection results, any formal rezoning application, and the outcomes of required planning or zoning hearings were not specified in the meeting record.
Next steps noted in the meeting: Jamieson and staff instructed the Lemmers to contact the building department to begin the compliance process; if the owners seek a zoning change, they would need to follow the city’s planning and zoning procedures and present the request to council for consideration.
