Daily Regulatory Notes 07/23/2025
Cities address STRs. Utah reports impacts; Ocean City, MD rejects proposed ordinance; Rindge, NH enforces ordinance; Kennesaw, GA approves ordinance; Pleasant Ridge, MI reviews regulations; Lakewood City, OH proposes ordinance. READ MORE.
Utah
A recent study by Utah State University reveals that residents across the Bear Lake region are sounding alarms over the rapid growth of short-term rentals, especially as communities on the Idaho side lag behind in regulation.
Read the full report here.
With more than 1,000 Airbnb listings in a region with under 10,000 full-time residents, locals report rising frustration over disappearing neighborhood connections, unaffordable housing, and nuisance issues like noise, trash, and overcrowding. While Utah's Rich County has implemented licensing and occupancy limits, Idaho’s Bear Lake County offers virtually no oversight—prompting calls from regional leaders and homeowners alike for a more balanced regulatory framework.
Ocean City residents voted 834 to 800 against a proposed ordinance that would have introduced length-of-stay limits for short-term rentals in residential and mobile home districts, effectively blocking a phased regulation plan that aimed to address rising neighborhood complaints.
The measure would have required at least five-night stays by 2025, eventually reaching 31 nights by 2027—affecting about 300 properties. Supporters argued the rules were needed to protect full-time communities, while critics rallied against what they viewed as an unnecessary burden on homeowners.
Rindge, New Hampshire officials are now actively enforcing a new short-term rental ordinance passed in March that requires property owners offering stays of less than 30 days to seek site plan approval and obtain a conditional use permit from the Planning Board.
At the July 2 Select Board meeting, members agreed to begin sending letters to noncompliant property owners directing them to apply through the Planning Office. The town has also posted public notices across multiple locations to raise awareness. All applicants must meet safety and health standards, including septic capacity and occupancy limits.
Kennesaw will start issuing short-term rental licenses on October 1, implementing a new ordinance that limits such rentals to primary residences in single-family zones and imposes a 250-foot buffer between units, a 150-license cap, and a two-license-per-owner rule.
The city plans to review the ordinance in April 2026 once enforcement and demand data are in. Currently operating rentals will be grandfathered in if they meet basic ownership and tax documentation requirements. The city’s code enforcement team will oversee complaints, and the $250 application fee will be added to the official fee schedule in September.
Pleasant Ridge, MI
Pleasant Ridge officials are taking a deeper look at how short-term rentals are affecting their close-knit community.
During a July 8 city commission meeting, residents shared both concerns and praise, with some highlighting disruptions like parties, police calls, and neighborhood decline, while others pointed to the value of hosting family for weddings and funerals in a city without hotels. Officials discussed possible next steps, including caps on the number and concentration of rentals, more rigorous licensing rules, and clearer standards for permit revocation.
No vote was taken, but the commission scheduled a public workshop for September 9 to explore regulation options.
Lakewood City Council is moving toward tighter oversight of short-term rentals after residents raised complaints about late-night noise and disruptive guests.
A proposed ordinance would require STR owners to obtain a yearly permit, meet safety standards, and follow rules on property maintenance and occupancy. The Housing and Development Committee will take a closer look at the measure before it's brought to the full council, with a potential vote expected in the coming weeks.
In case you missed it:
Genelaine Urbano
READ: Daily Regulatory Notes 07/22/2025
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