Daily Regulatory Notes 07/06/2026
Cities address STRs. Pasco, WA advances STR licensing ordinance; Starkville, MS eyes hotel tax on Airbnb; Bella Vista, AR votes on permit cap increase; Mobile, AL weighs ordinance overhaul; Lexington, KY cracks down on unpaid STR fines; Park Township, MI defends rental ban lawsuit. READ MORE.
PASCO, WA
A short-term rental ordinance in Pasco is set for council approval following a June workshop where residents raised housing, safety, and neighborhood concerns. If passed, the ordinance would take effect January 1, 2027.
Agenda Report on Ordinance No. 4847 - Regulations for Short-Term Rentals | Source: https://pasco.civicweb.net/
Operators will need a business license and short-term rental permit plus a local contact available 24/7 who can respond to complaints within one hour. The rules bar event use like weddings and parties, and require proof of insurance and annual safety self-certification.
STARKVILLE, MS
Mayor Lynn Spruill says a proposed ordinance would extend Starkville's 2% hotel tax to Airbnb and VRBO stays following a 2025 state law permitting municipalities to tax third-party rental bookings.
Owners would pay a $15 annual license fee and meet posting and registration rules within 60 days of passage.A second public hearing on the amendment follows July 21.
Draft City of Starkville ordinance proposing amendments to the Unified Development Code to regulate short-term rentals. | Source: https://www.cityofstarkville.org/
BELLA VISTA, AR
Bella Vista's City Council will vote later this month on raising the short-term rental permit ceiling from 600 to 687 that will mean a nearly 15% increase meant to match the city's population growth.
Opponents at the June 22 meeting asked for a 200-foot buffer between rental properties instead and argued the city should balance growth with protections for residential neighborhoods.
MOBILE, AL
Mobile officials may overhaul the city's short-term rental ordinance following a contentious permit denial over zoning compliance.
Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/live/tSovtV8O2AM?si=DGtOOQRbMX6HZUJC
During a June 30 work session, Mobile's City Council agreed its short-term rental ordinance needs updating after members denied a conditional use permit for a Kentucky Street rental over trash enclosure setback violations.
Councilman Cory Penn called for a full rewrite and a rental owners' advocacy leader agreed the current rules make it difficult to operate legally.
LEXINGTON, KY
Lexington's General Government and Planning Committee reviewed short-term rental enforcement on July 1 and revealed 61 citations totaling $78,125 since the city began regulating unhosted rentals, with $59,125 still unpaid.
Revenue Director Wes Holbrook said the city is pursuing liens including a $22,000 lien on one property and withholding licene renewals from owners with outstanding fines.
PARK TOWNSHIP, MI
Property owners suing Park Township say officials permitted short-term rentals in residential areas for nearly 50 years before reversing course in 2022 when more than 200 homes were operating as rentals.
The township has now asked a federal judge to dismiss the suit and called it an attempt to relitigate a ban that Ottawa County's Circuit Court upheld in November.
Complaint and Jury Demand, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan
Plaintiffs' federal civil complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan against Park Township, Michigan.
📱 Social Buzz
Episode Title: The KABC News Blitz
Episode: SB79 The Housing Density Law Takes Effect
Listen: https://omny.fm/shows/the-kabc-news-blitz/sb79-the-housing-density-law-takes-effect
Owners of a few thousand condos on Maui long approved for vacation rental use have a new opportunity to sidestep a ban intended to increase the supply of housing for residents after losses in the 2023 wildfire that destroyed most of Lahaina.
— Star-Advertiser (@StarAdvertiser) July 5, 2026
Read more: https://t.co/uCWHw7Nq39
Lakeshore’s Park Township defends lawsuit over short-term rental ban https://t.co/QZaJl5Q9wx
— Grand Rapids Press (@GRPress) July 5, 2026
Gilbert poised to hike short-term rental fees https://t.co/y4TnxczYXL #News
— The Right News, Right Now. (@BradPorcellato) July 5, 2026
Recently constructed or permitted ADUs cannot be used as short-term rentals in San Diego.https://t.co/luUQYYmZ5o
— NotoriousAirbnb (@NotoriousAirbnb) July 5, 2026
In case you missed it:
Genelaine Urbano
Genelaine Urbano
Genelaine Urbano
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