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Bull Shoals council debates whether Bel Arco Resort units are tourist accommodations or long-term rentals
Summary
Citizens and council members debated whether the Bel Arco Resort units should be limited to short-term tourist accommodations; the city attorney's opinion that resorts are for tourist use and should not be leased as apartments was discussed and the mayor said a letter to resort owners will be drafted.
At the March 26 meeting the council heard extended public concern over operations at the Bel Arco Resort, where residents and council members said some units appear to be offered as monthly or long-term rentals rather than short-stay tourist accommodations. Multiple citizens raised worries about neighborhood impacts and property values.
The minutes record discussion of a city-attorney opinion that "resorts are for tourist accommodation and should not offer leased apartments." Council members noted that enforcing zoning restrictions is complicated by ownership disputes and legal complexities, and emphasized the need for clear definitions and consistent application of the city zoning code.
Mayor Bill Stahlman said the city will draft a letter to resort owners regarding regulations. The minutes do not record a council vote to change zoning at the meeting; rather, the issue was discussed as an enforcement and interpretation matter and returned to during the final pre-adjournment discussion of enforcement of violation letters.
No individual resort owner was named in the minutes and no specific enforcement action was recorded at the meeting. The minutes contain inconsistent spellings (the transcript shows both "Bell Arco" and "Bel Arco"); this article standardizes to "Bel Arco Resort" for clarity while noting the transcript variation.
