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Peachtree City council debates short‑term rental permit rules, cap and background‑check changes
Summary
Council reviewed a proposed short‑term rental permit ordinance (public hearing set for Oct. 17). Key debates centered on a 1% citywide cap (council favored a flat cap at the current level), removing fingerprinting for background checks (Planning Commission recommendation supported), notification to nearby property owners, and permit fees.
City staff and councilors spent a prolonged work‑session segment reviewing a draft short‑term rental (STR) ordinance that would require an annual permit for every host and impose operational conditions intended to limit neighborhood impacts.
Staff said the draft includes a 1% citywide cap on STR permits (based on the tax digest), a requirement for off‑street paved parking, a 24/7 local contact who must be able to respond within one hour, guest‑occupancy agreements and limits on subleasing. The planning commission recommended removing a fingerprint requirement from the background‑check language and instead performing Georgia‑only criminal record checks; councilors who spoke supported that change after a legal review.
Council discussed notification requirements for neighbors and whether owners should be required to notify all property owners within 200 feet. The planning commission recommended written notice to nearby properties; councilors split on whether to require owner outreach versus mailing formal notices. In the meeting, a majority agreed to follow the planning commission’s written‑notification approach for the initial permit issuance.
On caps, staff and councilors examined several versions of the 1% cap. Using the city’s recent tax digest, staff said 1% equates to roughly 120–135 homes; council favored locking the cap at the current numeric level rather than letting it grow proportionally to future housing additions.
The draft also included an application fee that staff said was calculated to cover initial background‑check costs, inspection time and tracking software: approximately $375 the first year and $300 for renewals was discussed as the practical threshold to cover staff time. Council debated whether to reduce fees for existing operators; staff said the software, inspections and monitoring costs limit how much the city can reduce the charge without subsidizing operations.
Council confirmed a public hearing for Oct. 17, and staff will deliver a redline reflecting the Planning Commission’s recommendations (Georgia‑only background checks, written notification language) in the next packet. The ordinance remains a draft until the hearing and any subsequent revisions.
