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Columbia Falls staff propose single permitting approach for short‑term rentals; commissioners weigh limits for primary homeowners
Summary
City staff recommended a single permitting system with mandatory permit numbers, a 60‑minute local contact, and a $250 annual permit fee; commissioners and the public debated a stricter 'primary‑homeowner' limit like Bozeman’s, while the city attorney cautioned about legal risk and grandfathering.
City staff told the Columbia Falls Planning Commission they will present a short‑term rental (STR) ordinance framework to the city council that would create a single permitting process for all STRs, require display of permit numbers on hosting platforms, mandate a 60‑minute local contact response, and use a tiered enforcement system with an anticipated $250 annual permit fee.
City manager Hanks said staff recommendation is to remove the 150‑foot neighbor‑notification letters but to provide transparency via a public map of permitted STR addresses and to treat STRs as a regulated business with civil penalties and permit revocation…
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