Planning commission backs short‑term rental rules as written, forwards amendment to council 4–1

The Bonner Springs Planning Commission voted to forward a proposed amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance addressing short‑term rentals to the city council, approving the staff‑recommended language by a 4–1 roll call vote.

Staff reviewed four policy options for special use permits, ranging from 500‑foot spacing to a 1,000‑foot separation and an outright ban in the Central Commercial district. The current draft, which the commission chose to send to council unchanged, retains a 1,000‑foot spacing rule outside downtown and restricts downtown to one short‑term rental per block face unless council alters the language.

Jordan Michael Mackey, a downtown resident, urged the commission to exclude short‑term rentals from downtown: "Please keep that crap out of our downtown. We don't want it," he said, citing negative effects he has seen in other cities. Staff told the commission that the pilot program produced only one application and that rental inventory appears tight: "as of last week, there are only 20 homes in Bonner Springs that are on the market," staff said, arguing that loosening spacing could reduce long‑term housing availability.

Commissioners debated options including 500‑foot and 1,000‑foot spacing, whether to ban downtown use entirely, and whether to measure limits by block or block face. After discussion, the motion to move the amendment forward as written passed 4–1; Commissioner Mesmer voted no. The commission will forward the item to the Aug. 10 city council meeting for final action.

Staff noted enforcement provisions limit large investors by restricting owners to two short‑term permits per owner/organization, and reiterated that the pilot was intended as a trial. The commission’s vote preserves staff’s original balance between housing‑supply concerns outside downtown and limited downtown allowances for now.

The council will consider final action on Aug. 10.