Green Bay council refers short-term rental rules to staff after hours of public testimony

The Green Bay Common Council on Dec. 2 voted to refer its draft short-term rental ordinance and related enforcement options back to city staff for further work with alderpersons, the Short Term Rental Alliance, the Equal Rights Commission and community members.

Council action followed roughly six hours of discussion and more than three hours of public testimony in a packed chamber. The council's referral removes proposed minimum-stay and maximum-days-per-year limits from immediate consideration and directs staff to return with clearer, enforceable regulatory language and enforcement procedures.

Why it matters: The decision leaves intact the council’s near-term focus on enforcement mechanisms — how to identify violations, how to handle repeat problems, and what penalties or due-process steps should apply — while postponing broader policy choices such as caps or minimum stays that some alders and members of the public had urged. Supporters of stricter rules…