Code enforcement seeks $40,000 for short‑term rental registration software; staff proposes fee to offset costs

Robert, the city’s code enforcement officer and local health officer, asked the council to fund an OpenGov short‑term rental registration and permitting platform, estimated at about $40,000 for first‑year implementation with much lower recurring subscription costs thereafter.

Robert said the software would let staff register short‑term rentals, schedule and record inspections, and process a registration fee that would cover onboarding and ongoing administration. He estimated the city may have “a few hundred if not five to six hundred” short‑term units and said registration would be distinct from the state lodging license. He suggested an annual or multi‑year inspection cadence depending on the total number of units discovered.

Why it matters: councilors noted housing impacts and property‑rights concerns on both sides. Robert said the fee can be set to make the program cost‑neutral and that the city’s current lack of a registry means staff cannot easily track complaints or concentrations of rentals.

Key details cited in the discussion: the state collects a 9% lodging tax but does not share registrant lists with municipalities; Robert is drafting an ordinance with registration requirements and penalties for non‑compliance; staff expect first‑year onboarding costs to be higher with lower recurring subscription fees later.

Robert: “It’s going to save us quite a bit of money as far as payroll and benefits” by reducing administrative load through the software. The manager said the short‑term rental software was one of the few “yes” recommendations in his memo on the condition the council agrees to a registration fee.

Next steps: staff will include the software estimate and projected registration revenue in the budget documents and bring ordinance language and fee proposals for council review.