Daily Regulatory Notes 11/21/2024
Every day, we bring you a detailed overview of recent news and updates about primary decisions, community feedback, or legislative changes relevant to the short-term rental industry. đź“°
North Myrtle Beach, SC
November 20 Workshop Live
North Myrtle Beach officials are developing stricter regulations for short-term rentals to address neighborhood disruptions and safety concerns. Proposals include annual permits costing $250, safety and parking inspections, occupancy limits, and requiring a "local responsible party" to respond to complaints within 30-45 minutes.
```Several workshops are expected to be held to finalize the language. The tentative timeline for the ordinance is to be finalized by April but won’t take effect until August.
"This is a way to deal with what we're already allowing, and making sure that those people are doing it in a way that is respectful of the neighborhood and neighbors," City Manager Ryan Fabbri said, referring to the owners of rental properties. The Post and Courier
St. Louis, MO
A 17-year-old was critically injured in a shooting at a short-term rental in Soulard, St. Louis, on Saturday night. This raises alarms about safety and highlights delays in implementing stricter regulations.
Even though Ordinance 71729 was passed last year, implementation has yet to catch up. The city’s building division only recently began processing compliance applications, leaving properties vulnerable to incidents like this.
'We passed tougher regulations over a year ago, went through the board of aldermen, was approved, and was really supposed to be in place by now. Unfortunately, we are seeing that the building division, the entity given the responsibility of regulating these (properties), didn’t have the tools they need. Here we are a year later, just now opening the application process to get these things under control,' Spencer said. - KTVI Fox 2 St. Louis
Continue reading the ordinance here…
Saratoga Springs, NY
Dane Artisola
Continuation from Monday...
Residents of Saratoga Springs packed City Hall to weigh in on revised short-term rental regulations that could soon reshape the local market. The latest proposal eliminates the owner-occupied requirement and lowers the rental limit to 150 days annually. Additional requirements include licensing, fire inspections, $1 million in insurance, and a local contact.
```Though there are still mixed sentiments from the proposal’s proponents and critics, a vote on the legislation is expected on December 3 following further revisions and public feedback.
Spring Lake, MI
Dane Artisola
Continuation from...
The Village of Spring Lake, Michigan, has enacted a six-month moratorium on new short-term rental applications, set to expire on May 18, 2025. The unanimous council decision follows resident concerns about the impact of short-term rentals, particularly in areas like Monarch, Dixie, and Rex Streets. The village’s planning commission will review the existing Short-Term Rental Overlay District, approved in January 2023, to propose potential changes.
Public hearings will be held to gather community input, though dates have yet to be announced.
Seabrook, SC
Dane Artisola
Continuation from...
Seabrook Island's ongoing effort to finalize its short-term rental (STR) ordinance took another step forward during a special town council meeting, where several adjustments were made but the primary cap numbers remained unchanged.
The proposal establishes two zones: one near the beach with a cap of 540 STRs for condos, townhomes, and single-family homes, and another for single-family homes further inland with a cap of 105.
The council removed the Class B rental clause, which would have allowed legal residents to rent for up to 72 days annually outside the cap, citing concerns that it could be exploited. Additional revisions included removing redundant trash regulations and tweaking the violation point system to increase penalties for some infractions.
Read more about Seabrook Short-Term Rental & Related Ordinance.
Peachtree City, GA
Peachtree City has adopted a new short-term rental ordinance after years of deliberation, finalizing the rules during a November 7 council session.
A look into the the ordinance: Sec. 917 – SHORT TERM RENTAL
Mayor Kim Learnard praised the work of city staff and the planning commission in crafting a policy that limits the number of STRs across the city, requires permits and inspections for operators, and prioritizes the safety and character of residential neighborhoods.
```Effective January 1, 2025, the ordinance establishes a structured yet balanced approach to managing STRs, with Learnard describing it as a compromise reflecting the community’s needs.
Placer County, CA
The Placer County Board of Supervisors’ meeting addressed significant updates to North Tahoe’s short-term rental (STR) program and proposed ordinance amendments.
Currently, 3,245 STR permits have been issued out of a 3,900 cap, with trash, noise, and parking violations topping the list of enforcement issues. Public feedback highlighted additional concerns, such as excessive lighting and illegal barbecues, underscoring residents’ frustrations with the program's impact on their quality of life.
Continue reading the ordinance here...
The STR Advisory Group proposed several amendments, including revisiting the cap on units per property and deferring enforcement of minimum rental nights until the permit cap is met. A request to extend the defensible space inspection deadline to 2025 was rejected, with the Board unanimously voting to keep the November 30, 2024 deadline.
Eagle County, CO
Eagle County is working to finalize short-term rental (STR) regulations that could take effect by the 2025-2026 ski season, focusing on health, safety, and data collection rather than workforce housing impacts.
STRs account for 14% of the county's housing, with 1,580 units primarily in resort communities like Beaver Creek and Arrowhead. The proposed ordinance includes a $300 annual registration fee to fund administration and requires owners to meet health and safety standards.
Read the full ordinance here.
North Carolina
Nearly two months after Hurricane Helene, the North Carolina Short Term Rental Alliance has introduced a matchmaking service to provide temporary housing for displaced Western North Carolina residents. The program allows STR owners to register via an online platform to receive email notifications of tenants in need, who can specify housing requirements like size, budget, and pet-friendliness.
As of Tuesday (November 19), 23 hosts have registered, and the program is actively recruiting more participants, including STR operators, long-term rental providers, and homestay hosts, to meet the significant demand caused by the storm’s destruction.
“While we may be an Alliance for Short-Term Rentals (as defined as a whole-home, furnished rental for less than 30 days), we're using our standing in the hospitality industry to try to meet this critical need, and to help expedite the process for everyone,” Weber added. -BPR News
Read the Hurricane Helene Recovery Recommendations here.
New York
Dane Artisola
Continuation from...
In response to New York City's housing crisis, the City Council is considering major legislative changes, including loosening short-term rental restrictions, enhancing tenant protections, and addressing summer heat safety.
A bill by Council Member Farah Louis would allow one- and two-family homeowners to rent units short-term, bypassing Local Law 18’s stricter rules, though housing advocates fear potential abuse.
Another proposal by Council Member Lincoln Restler would require landlords to provide air conditioning to keep apartments below 78°F in summer, raising concerns about energy costs and administrative hurdles.