Commission denies specific-use permit for non-owner short-term rental in Newport Place, 7-0

The Planning & Zoning Commission denied a request for a specific-use permit to operate a non-owner-occupied short-term rental (STR) on a 0.1237-acre Newport Place lot. The vote was 7-0 to deny.

Staff explained the city’s STR rules: non-owner-occupied STRs are generally prohibited within 1,000 feet of another non-owner-occupied STR unless the applicant obtains relief through a specific-use permit. The applicant, Caprice Michelle, said she owns the house and had previously leased it long-term; she asked to preserve it as an STR while she might move back at a future date. Staff recorded that the city mailed 137 notices and received nine notices in opposition.

Public testimony: Multiple nearby residents spoke against the permit, citing parking shortages, noise, litter, and public-safety concerns around transient occupants. One speaker urged the commission not to “make exceptions” to the rules because the city had adopted the proximity limit to protect neighborhoods. Staff clarified that the SUP process exists precisely to allow case-by-case relief where warranted, but the commission may deny any SUP if conditions are not met.

Vote and rationale: After considering public comment and staff explanation of the proximity rule and the petitions returned in opposition, commissioners voted unanimously to deny the permit. The record notes the city’s proximity requirement and the presence of at least two existing STRs within the 1,000-foot radius.

Ending: The denial means the property cannot operate as a non-owner short-term rental; the owner could pursue other lawful uses consistent with the zoning or later reapply if circumstances change.