Neighbors voice safety and parking concerns but zoning board approves short-term rental at The Knoll on one-year probation

The Tuscaloosa City Zoning Board of Adjustments on June 22 approved a special exception allowing a short-term rental at 4 The Knoll (SFR-4, Council District 5), after more than an hour of public comment that included neighbors describing traffic, parking and crime-related concerns. The board approved the petition with a probationary one-year license and the staff-recommended occupancy/parking limits (four adults, two vehicles) as read into the record.

Applicant Garrett Bullock told the board he operates two other short-term rentals nearby and said he and co-manager Ann Preston Bullock will actively manage the property. "We're extremely present," Ann Preston Bullock said, describing management practices and house rules intended to limit disruptive behavior. Garrett Bullock said the property has been used for long-term stays since his purchase and that short-term rentals help cover operating costs.

Several nearby residents urged denial. Longtime property owner Jesse Harris described tight, curved streets and said unfamiliar drivers create safety risks; he called the location “a very, very bad place for a short-term rental.” Elizabeth Cox, who lives less than 15 feet from the property, recounted repeated incidents of theft, vandalism and other criminal activity near the house and said high turnover would worsen neighborhood conditions. Cassandra Dorsey described narrow roadways and repeated damage to residents’ property. "We have several problems," Dorsey said, listing gas siphoning, stolen cars and previous drug houses in the area.

Applicants and supporters disputed the linkage between short-term rentals and the neighborhood’s criminal incidents, noting that long-term rentals and other factors predate the petition and that strict short-term rental rules and local contacts provide enforcement tools. Garrett Bullock and Ann Preston Bullock said they have local phone numbers and would respond to neighbor complaints; they also said they screen guests and enforce occupancy and parking rules at their other properties.

Board members acknowledged neighbors’ safety and parking concerns. Mary Katherine Holt said short-term rental rules can make it easier to identify and remove problematic guests and noted the city’s probationary licensing system provides enforcement options if the operator fails to follow rules. Other board members urged neighbors to document complaints through 311 and to contact their council representative about patrols and lighting.

After discussion the board read and voted on petition ZBA-40-26; the motion carried and the petition was approved with the conditions set by the board (occupancy/parking limits, 30 nights per year and a one-year probationary term). The board noted that renewal decisions can consider any documented violations that occur during the probation period.

The approved petition allows short-term rental use at 4 The Knoll under a one-year probation with the occupancy and parking conditions recorded by the board; neighbors were advised to use 311 and other channels to report violations during the probationary year.