Council reviews draft short‑term rental ordinance that would require registration, occupancy limits and noise monitoring

Shenandoah councilmembers spent much of their June 12 meeting reviewing a draft short‑term rental ordinance that, as presented, would require property owners to register short‑term rentals, set limits on occupancy and vehicles, and authorize noise monitoring devices and, in some cases, license revocation.

The presenter described four regulatory areas the draft addresses: registration (to identify operators and ensure hotel‑occupancy taxes are paid), occupancy limits (common models tie limits to bedroom counts), vehicle parking restrictions (generally limited to driveway/garage capacity), and noise/outdoor activity monitoring. Councilmembers discussed whether the city should use a 30‑day threshold to define a short‑term rental, whether fines should be daily (the draft included penalties of up to $500 per offense), and whether revocation authority should be reserved for repeated or criminal incidents. The presenter also said registration would let the police department locate short‑term rentals and track complaints over time.

Council members raised enforcement and privacy questions, noting that many enforcement actions would be complaint‑driven. One member asked how the city would enforce parking rules if prior ordinances (for example regarding overnight trailer parking) proved hard to implement; another asked whether registration fees should cover staff time for inspections and enforcement. Councilmembers noted that hotels and other licensed lodging already face different inspection and licensing rules, and they discussed whether similar fire‑safety checks or annual inspections should apply to registered short‑term rentals.

Members also discussed coordination with online platforms. The council was told Airbnb and Vrbo offer complaint portals and that platforms can publish occupancy limits in their listings if a city adopts specific rules.

The council did not take a vote. The mayor said he would produce a redlined draft showing suggested edits and that staff would send a notice to identified platform hosts and to neighbors near registered short‑term rentals, inviting public comment. Staff reported there are an estimated seven short‑term rentals known to the city, six of which appear to be paying hotel‑occupancy tax; that figure was described as approximate. Council directed staff to collect complaint and call data for the known properties and to return a revised draft for future consideration.

Next steps: the presenter will circulate a redline of the ordinance language, staff will notify hosts and nearby residents and the council will consider public input before scheduling any formal vote.