Daily Regulatory Notes 09/25/2025
Cities address STRs. Warrensburg, MO reviews enforcement; San Antonio, TX revisits rules; Brewster, MA suggests rules; Buchanan, MI & Steamboat Springs, CO approve ordinance; Arapahoe County, CO conducts survey; Fayetteville, AR; Kingston, NY; Solvang, CA, Syracuse, NY. READ MORE.
Warrensburg residents voiced growing frustration over short-term rentals during a Sept. 16 county listening session, saying investor-owned Airbnb homes were fueling noise complaints and crowding while driving up housing costs.
Supervisor Kevin Geraghty defended the town’s licensing system but said the board is now weighing limits on how many STRs can operate. County Administrator John Taflan highlighted that Warren County’s registered STRs climbed to 1,600 this year, coinciding with average home prices jumping nearly 55% since before the pandemic.
San Antonio’s latest zoning board meeting puts short-term rental regulation back under the spotlight, with commissioners hearing a mix of HOA complaints and tax compliance snags that highlight the city’s broader enforcement challenges.
The most pointed case involved a property owner promoting neighborhood amenities like pools and tennis courts to guests, in clear violation of HOA deed restrictions, leaving board members to wrestle with how STR operations fit—or don’t fit—within residential communities.
Brewster’s select board is now weighing a new path for short-term rentals after receiving the final task force report on September 15, which lays out six major recommendations.
The centerpiece is a licensing and registration program supported by residents at listening sessions, paired with the use of OpenGov software to manage compliance. The report also calls for more staff to handle inspections, setting occupancy limits, requiring proof of state registration, and designating 24/7 local contacts for properties. While the task force left zoning changes, fees, and some enforcement measures open-ended, the board voted unanimously to accept the report and will take it up formally at the November special town meeting.
Short-Term Rental Task Force
The Buchanan City Commission has enacted new rules for short-term rentals, finalizing an ordinance that permits STRs primarily in the downtown corridor but prohibits them in single-family residential areas.
The decision, taken after a moratorium earlier this year, sets a cap by grandfathering the city’s 15 current STRs and authorizing only 15 more in non-residential districts. While earlier hearings drew opposition from property owners who argued the moratorium hurt sales, this week’s public hearing drew no speakers, signaling quiet acceptance of the compromise.
Steamboat Springs City Council approved a new enforcement ordinance on September 16 that gives some short-term rental operators a one-time 60-day window to reapply for a license, easing penalties for first-time lapses in the city’s green zone but keeping stricter limits in yellow and red zones.
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The 6–1 vote, with Gail Garey dissenting, also requires the city to issue violation notices before taking operators to court, a shift meant to reduce the punitive climate around minor compliance errors. That carve-out drew strong pushback from property owners facing hefty fines, some of whom urged council to extend the amnesty window in the name of fairness.
Social Listening 🎧: Podcast
Policy talk doesn’t just happen in the news cycle—it can also live in long-form audio. STRisker’s Podcast Signal turns hours of episodes into actionable insight, indexing transcripts so you can surface key mentions of STRs, ordinances, and local decision-makers in seconds.
Arapahoe County is moving toward its first short-term rental licensing program, unveiling two regulatory options for unincorporated areas and inviting public comment through October 10.
Option A would require STRs to be the owner’s primary residence with unlimited rental days, while Option B would allow rentals for up to 180 days a year regardless of ownership status. Both proposals include common rules such as a local contact available within an hour, compliance with state noise laws, set parking and occupancy limits, and safety standards, with fees set at $200 for new applications and $350 for annual renewals.
A public hearing before the Planning Commission is scheduled for October 21, with the county aiming to finalize the program for enforcement by spring 2026.
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging Fayetteville’s short-term rental ordinance, ruling that the city’s 475-unit cap and permitting system are constitutional.
The case, filed by a Texas couple after their Type II rental application was denied, argued the ordinance violated the Dormant Commerce Clause, was unconstitutionally vague. U.S. District Judge Timothy Brooks rejected each claim, noting the rules were clearly defined, not discriminatory, and did not deprive the owners of property rights. The decision leaves the city’s 2021 short-term rental regulations intact as the couple’s parallel case continues before the Arkansas Supreme Court.
Kingston and surrounding Ulster County towns are grappling with the rising footprint of short-term rentals, which make up over three percent of the local housing supply.
County Comptroller March Gallagher warns the imbalance is squeezing housing options for permanent residents, even as STRs drive tourism revenue. At least 16 municipalities have introduced rules ranging from caps on permits to owner-occupancy requirements, but Gallagher says enforcement challenges remain.
Solvang leaders continue to weigh how best to regulate short-term rentals, with the City Council reviewing two draft ordinances during its September 22 session.
One draft would limit STRs to the village mixed-use zone, while the other would allow them more broadly across the city, including in residential neighborhoods, with exceptions. Staff explained the 2015 ordinance is no longer sufficient, prompting the need for stronger and clearer rules. Council members emphasized that the meeting was for feedback, not adoption, leaving the future direction open.
At its September 22 meeting, Syracuse’s Economic Development Committee flagged short-term rentals as a rising issue alongside its wider focus on housing and parking rules.
Officials noted that STRs are adding pressure to neighborhood parking and stressed the need for better oversight. They highlighted recently enacted county legislation that creates a registry for STRs, a move aimed at tightening tax collection and monitoring.
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Genelaine Urbano
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