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Jasper City Council adopts rezoning and short‑term rental ordinances
Summary
The Jasper City Council unanimously approved rezoning for a parcel at 5th and 15th Street to allow an event rental center and adopted new short‑term rental and licensing rules to regulate Airbnb‑style operations.
The Jasper City Council unanimously adopted a rezoning ordinance for a parcel at 5th and 15th Street and approved two related ordinances to regulate and license short‑term rental properties.
Brent Carver, who presented the items for planning staff, told the council the Jasper Planning Commission had held a public hearing in April and unanimously recommended rezoning the property from single‑family residential to BT (business transition) to permit an event rental center. “This was approved by the commission unanimously,” Carver said. The council suspended rules for immediate consideration and then adopted the rezoning ordinance by unanimous voice vote.
On short‑term rentals, Carver said the ordinance would allow the city to regulate short‑term rental platforms and hosts, noting common examples such as Airbnb. City staff described requirements that will be part of the licensing process, including emergency contact information for Jasper Police Department, proof of rental insurance, notice to neighboring properties, signage limits, restrictions to prevent noise and parking violations, and procedures for handling complaints. “We are recommending that we set up some guidelines as it relates to having emergency contacts with our Jasper Police Department,” the clerk said during the presentation.
Council members discussed enforcement and due‑process protections. One staff speaker noted that before revoking a business license the owner is entitled to a hearing because the license constitutes a property interest protected by the Fifth Amendment; the hearing in such cases would be before the council.
All three ordinances—the rezoning, the short‑term rental regulation, and the implementing licensing ordinance—were adopted during the June 4 meeting. The council directed staff to proceed with the licensing steps described by city staff so the new rules can be implemented.
What’s next: the licensing ordinance creates administrative steps for enforcement and revocation; staff said they will follow up with formal licensing procedures and notifications to property owners in affected neighborhoods.
