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Council advances zoning changes for boarding and lodging houses and adopts six‑year rental inspection program
Summary
The council held a public hearing and approved zoning amendments that distinguish lodging houses (owner-occupied, special-use permit) from boarding houses (non-owner-occupied, allowed in R3), added parking requirements, and adopted Ordinance 1172 establishing a six-year rental-inspection cycle with triggers for more frequent inspections.
Amanda (planning staff) presented a zoning amendment to align the municipal code with building and rental-housing regulations. Key changes: lodging houses (including bed-and-breakfast-type uses) would be owner-occupied and allowed by special-use permit in residential districts; boarding houses (non-owner-occupied) would be allowed in R3 multifamily zones. Staff proposed parking standards: one space per bedroom for boarding houses, and two spaces per dwelling unit plus one per guest room for lodging houses.
Council members pressed staff on definitions (guest room vs. dwelling unit), maximum occupancies, and enforcement mechanisms. Staff said maximum occupancy remains tied to code occupant-load calculations and that the new rules work in tandem with the rental-housing inspection program. Council discussed inspection frequency: the adopted program proposes an on-site inspection once every six years with a self-inspection every two years and provisions to increase inspection frequency for problematic properties.
The council approved first reading of one related ordinance (1173) and later adopted Ordinance 1172 (rental housing program) and the program guidelines, fee schedule, and inspection guides by recorded votes of five to zero. Council directed staff to monitor outcomes and report back—members signaled interest in revisiting inspection frequency if problem properties increase.
