Residents urge Midway council to ban short-term rentals after large Palace Estates party

Marilyn Sheridan of 137 Kanah Court told the Midway Town Council on March 2 that an owner operating 134 Kanah Court as an Airbnb began hosting stays in December and that between Jan. 17 and Feb. 28 eight separate groups used the property without any garbage arrangements. She described a Feb. 14 gathering that began with four cars and escalated to about 40 cars and people arriving by rideshare, saying the event involved alcohol, marijuana, loud music and conduct that spilled onto neighbors' yards. "Midway is a quiet community of families seeking safety and security, not a vacation destination," Sheridan said.

Kim Davis of 163 Palace Drive spoke in support of Sheridan, saying the volume of strangers—she noted the neighborhood has roughly 10 streets with limited egress—created safety and access concerns for residents.

Sheridan told the council she called the sheriff and that the response took more than an hour, and she asked the Town to require garbage-pickup arrangements for short-term rentals and to prohibit short-term rentals entirely in Midway. Councilors did not take formal action on either request during the meeting; the items were raised during the public-comment period and recorded for the minutes. No ordinance, referral to staff or vote on a short-term rental policy was made at the March 2 meeting.

The comments came during the public-comment portion of the council's regular meeting; council members acknowledged the concerns but proceeded to other agenda items. If residents want the council to consider regulatory changes, they may request that the topic be placed on a future agenda or ask staff to prepare a report for Council consideration.