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Signal Mountain council tables short‑term rental fee and enforcement changes after lengthy debate
Summary
Council debated raising short‑term rental application and renewal fees and stiffening penalties for operating without a permit, including proposals for a $1,000 initial penalty plus $500 per day; council withdrew its motion and tabled the item for further information about enforcement and AHO authority.
The Signal Mountain Town Council spent much of its March 9 meeting debating how to deter unpermitted short‑term rentals and how to enforce penalties when owners operate without required permits.
Town building and codes staff told the council that "currently, in the ordinance for this, short term rental, there is a $500 penalty" for violations (staff). Council members and staff discussed changing the application and renewal fees (the current application fee was cited as $250) and the penalty structure. One councilor argued for a larger penalty, saying, "I like $500 per day," as a way to discourage noncompliance.
Councilors and staff focused on two enforcement questions: whether an administrative hearing officer (AHO) is the appropriate enforcement path for permit violations, and whether an AHO has discovery powers to determine when an owner first began renting without a permit (which affects how far penalties could be applied retroactively). Staff said the AHO pathway streamlines enforcement and that an initial notice of violation normally anchors daily penalties.
Options discussed included setting a higher initial penalty (suggestions ranged from $500 up to $1,000) plus a per‑day fine for continued operation (examples of $500 per day were mentioned) and increasing the application or renewal fees to better reflect staff time spent on inspections and verification. Council members raised fairness concerns and suggested more information is needed about AHO procedures, notice radii for affected properties and whether the town or county rules constrain any changes.
After extended discussion and multiple questions about enforcement mechanics, penalty calculation and administrative procedures, the council withdrew a pending motion and voted to table the item for further information and a future agenda review.
