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Planning commission recommends nightly‑rental permit for Derek Bergstrom home with quiet‑hours and occupancy limits
Summary
Toquerville planning commissioners recommended approval July 8 of a nightly‑rental permit for 1115 Southwest Westfield Road, contingent on quiet hours between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., a maximum of 10 guests, and an accurate listing, after neighbors described recurring loud parties and safety concerns.
Toquerville — The Toquerville Planning Commission on July 8 recommended that the city council approve a nightly‑rental permit for 1115 Southwest Westfield Road after hearing multiple neighbor complaints about loud parties and safety concerns.
Applicant Derek Bergstrom told the commission he uses the property intermittently and will provide a local contact and phone number for complaints. “I have no problem doing that,” he said when commissioners proposed limiting occupancy to 10 and requiring updated listing information.
Neighbors and an emailed commenter described repeated late‑night noise, large groups and unsafe behavior. Johanna Adam, who said she lives nearby, told the commission the house was advertised as a “luxury Zion retreat” that “sleeps 16 plus” and that events and parties were promoted. “This is not appropriate for our residential neighborhood,” she said.
Staff said the property meets the code’s basic criteria (not within 500 feet of another nightly rental, sufficient parking) but acknowledged the city had recently received noise complaints and that the listing’s advertised occupancy exceeded the ordinance cap. Legal counsel explained enforcement options to the commission, including fines and that “the nightly rental license may be revoked at any time upon notice in a hearing conducted by the planning commission.”
Commissioners said approving a licensed operation creates clearer enforcement pathways than leaving an owner operating without a permit. Several commissioners said conditions could be attached to the recommendation to protect neighbors, including a requirement to keep the public listing accurate, a local contact able to respond within 30 minutes, and written rules for guests about noise and neighborhood expectations.
The commission voted to recommend approval contingent on three principal conditions: nightly quiet hours between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., a maximum of 10 guests, and that the public listing be updated to reflect those limits. The recommendation will go to the Toquerville City Council for final action.
The commission and staff encouraged neighbors to continue reporting violations so the city can document any infractions that could lead to fines or license revocation under the nightly‑rental ordinance.
