Eureka council to review short-term rental ordinance drafts; no licensed Airbnb listings identified

At its April 28, 2025 work session, the Eureka City Council discussed the status of a short-term rental ordinance and agreed to have staff and council members compare two drafts and forward them for legal review.

Council members noted that a Transient Room Tax (TRT) ordinance has already been adopted for the city but that a standalone short-term rental code had not been enacted. Staff and council members identified multiple draft documents in city files with differing levels of detail and dates (documents referenced from 2021, May 2022, and a 2024 draft labeled "Ordinance 202400"). Councilman Greg Evans said the council never adopted the short-term rental ordinance and recommended sending both drafts to staff for comparison.

Council members discussed licensing and enforcement: short-term rentals would need business licenses and sales-tax/recording procedures tied to the TRT if the council chooses to adopt regulations. Jeremy Snell said he would send the drafts to Brad for review. Staff reported there are currently no licensed Airbnb or VRBO listings within Eureka city limits; an RV park and some past bedroom rentals were noted as distinct from short-term rental units shown on listing sites.

The council did not adopt an ordinance at the meeting. Members asked staff to compare the drafts, note differences on licensing and renewal procedures, and return with a recommendation for whether to proceed with an ordinance and which draft to use as the base.

Action assigned: Councilman Jeremy Snell to forward both drafts to Brad for review; Brad to review and return recommended changes.