Portsmouth council weighs rules for short‑term rentals amid complaints about noise, parking and safety

At a Tuesday work session, Portsmouth planners briefed the City Council on short‑term rentals, saying the city currently lacks prescriptive local regulations and asking for direction on drafting an ordinance to address neighborhood impacts.

Dr. Russell, the staff presenter, told council that short‑term rentals are defined in this discussion as dwellings rented for less than 30 days and that Portsmouth’s local code is largely silent where the Code of Virginia allows owner‑occupied short‑term rentals. She said only six property owners had obtained zoning clearances while online platforms showed “more than 20 pages of listings” that appear to offer whole properties, which “anecdotally does suggest that we have a problem,” she said.

Why it matters: Council members raised neighborhood quality‑of‑life and public‑safety concerns — including noise, trash and parking strain — and said regulation could protect adjacent property owners while capturing missed revenue through registration or occupancy fees. Vice Mayor Moody cited instances tied to parties and suggested a registration requirement and local contact information to aid enforcement.

Council discussion focused on three practical elements: definitions and allowable forms of short‑term use; enforcement and staffing costs; and revenue collection. Several council members asked staff to examine how neighboring jurisdictions regulate the use: Dr. Russell noted that Newport News requires owner residency for a specified number of days and enforces parking standards, while Chesapeake restricts short‑term rentals to certain overlay districts.

On enforcement and cost recovery, council members debated requiring a business license, an annual registration fee or inspection fees to fund compliance work. Council members also asked staff to collect incident data tied to properties operating as short‑term rentals and to return with draft ordinance language that addresses owner‑occupancy definitions, limits on one‑night rentals or party uses, local contact or manager requirements, and potential density or neighborhood restrictions.

Direct quotes: "We have a problem," Dr. Russell said, referring to the number of whole‑house listings appearing online compared with the small number of locally permitted operators. "There should be a requirement for the same thing [as hotels] — show identification," Vice Mayor Moody said, urging a registration mechanism and local contact information for operators.

What comes next: Staff said they will prepare draft ordinance options, outline pros and cons, and propose a stakeholder engagement plan; Dr. Russell suggested a tentative six‑month timeframe for drafting and community outreach but council members varied on the desired pace. The council did not take formal action on ordinance language at the session and asked staff to return with more detailed recommendations, cost estimates for enforcement, and benchmarking from neighboring jurisdictions.