Daily Regulatory Notes 09/11/2025
Cities address STRs. Colorado schedules vote; Des Moines, WA advances ordinance; Sandy Springs, GA shuts down unlicensed STR; Milton, DE reviews enforcement; North Charleston, SC; Faribault, MN discusses new rules; Macon-Bibb County, GA; Nye County, NV; Wells, ME; Hudson, WI. READ MORE.
Colorado
Several Colorado counties are turning to voters this November to raise lodging taxes on hotels and short-term rentals, following a new state law that lifts the cap from 2% to 6% and expands how revenues can be used.
Read the full bill here: HB 1247
Chaffee, Eagle, Ouray, Park, and Routt counties are seeking to double or triple their rates, with most aiming to direct funds toward public safety, housing, childcare, and infrastructure instead of traditional tourism marketing.
Officials argue the increases are needed to offset costs from over tourism and the growing STR sector, but hotel and rental owners warn higher rates could deter visitors at a time when bookings are already slowing. With some counties pledging the minimum 10% toward marketing as required by law, business groups fear reduced promotion will push travelers to competing destinations.
Des Moines takes a first step toward regulating short-term rentals, with council unanimously advancing an ordinance to a second reading on Sept. 4.
The measure would require STR operators to obtain a permit, pass an initial inspection, notify neighbors of their plans, and follow rules on occupancy, bookings, parking, and conduct. Unpermitted rentals would face civil infractions. While the council also began discussing the newer trend of “amenity rentals” such as backyard and pool spaces, no decision was made, with members noting that Washington state is expected to adopt its own pool rental rules in the near future.
Sandy Springs has secured a court order shutting down an unlicensed short-term rental after neighbors’ complaints of noise and parking issues came to a head.
The property, run by Ohio-based Failsafe Data LLC, lacked both a business license and STR permit and ignored two municipal court summons earlier this year. On August 28, Judge Shukura Ingram issued a temporary restraining order and injunction, requiring the company to stop operations and pay nearly $8,000 in legal fees to the city.
Milton officials are moving closer to stricter oversight of short-term rentals, with the Planning and Zoning Commission recommending they be designated a special permitted use in districts where bed-and-breakfasts are allowed.
That change would subject STRs to hearings and commission approval, adding new hurdles for operators. The commission also suggested a menu of further restrictions — including primary residency rules, quotas by area, and annual rental limits — leaving council to decide how far to go. Hosts, meanwhile, voiced frustration at being excluded from the process and raised concerns about vague complaint procedures.
The North Charleston Board of Zoning Appeals has sided with city staff in enforcing the new cap of 60 short-term rentals per district, rejecting an appeal from a property owner who applied just after the moratorium took effect.
The ordinance, passed Feb. 27, freezes new permits once the cap is reached but allows existing operators to renew annually. In District 5, where 66 rentals are active, applicant Micah Van Strien said he relied on staff guidance and applied promptly, but was placed on the waitlist.
STRisker Government Office Dashboard
Trying to keep up with the main players in the STR game? Know your councilmembers, commissioners, committee chairs, and key staff that are part of the process.
Faribault officials are weighing new rules for short-term rentals after a City Council work session this week signaled strong interest in requiring Airbnb and VRBO hosts to register with the city.
Council members agreed that rentals of less than 30 days should be subject to the same safety inspections, insurance requirements, and registration fees that apply to other rental housing. City Administrator Jessica Kinser said staff will review how other cities regulate STRs and return with options before the end of the year.
Macon-Bibb County is moving forward with a new $3 nightly occupation tax on hotels, short-term rentals, and campgrounds, scheduled to take effect in January 2026.
Read more about Occupation Tax here.
County leaders expect the fee to bring in roughly $2.5 million each year, which could support up to $40 million in debt service for major tourism projects such as a convention center or arena. Mayor Lester Miller emphasized that the tax will fall on visitors rather than residents or hotel operators, noting it is a pass-through fee that makes the county more competitive with cities like Savannah and Augusta.
The measure passed the county commission unanimously, and officials are now preparing to educate operators on compliance, warning that penalties, including potential license loss, will apply for noncompliance.
Nye County is rolling out new rules for short-term rentals in Pahrump, requiring all operators to obtain proper licenses by November 2, 2025.
Under Town Ordinance No. 74, each STR listing must carry its own license, with application and inspection fees set by Resolution 2025-01. The process starts with a Nevada business license, followed by a town business license and STR packet, and then a planning department review that includes septic inspection details. Once approved, applicants can complete STR registration and pay fees before receiving their business license. Owners must also register with the county treasurer to collect and remit room tax.
Maine communities are increasingly divided over the spread of short-term rentals, with neighbors raising concerns about livability and affordability while town leaders weigh how to regulate them.
In Wells, residents like Alyson Austin say STRs are reshaping quiet neighborhoods, while in Newry, skyrocketing home prices are prompting debate over a proposed Vacation Rental Registration Ordinance that would establish safety checks without banning rentals outright. Local oversight varies widely, with some towns capping non-owner-occupied rentals or requiring annual permits, though enforcement remains inconsistent.
Hudson’s City Council passes a new short-term rental ordinance that limits licenses to 25 citywide and adds new conditions for future applicants, including proof of owner occupancy for at least 183 days a year and a 300-foot buffer between licensed rentals.
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Properties licensed before Sept. 2 are exempt, but violators risk daily fines of $500–$1,000. The rules take effect once the city lifts its moratorium on new applications, though one council member dissented, calling the measure overly targeted.
In case you missed it:
Genelaine Urbano
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