Short-Term Rentals: Weekly Briefing | August 31 - September 3, 2026 (35)

🔝 Top Stories

• Montgomery, AL: City Council voted 8-0 on September 1 to approve the city's first short-term rental ordinance after nearly a year of discussion which will stretch the emergency response window from 15 minutes to one hour before the measure heads to Mayor Steven Reed for signature.
• El Paso, TX: City Council unanimously amended the city code to bring Airbnb and Vrbo stays under the hotel occupancy tax at a combined 17.5% rate that the city expects to raise $3.5 million a year.
• Clark County, NV: A point-of-sale ban that stops platforms from processing payments for unlicensed rentals took effect September 2 with fines of $500 for a first unauthorized transaction and $1,000 for each repeat.
• Buena Vista, CO: Trustees voted 3-2 on August 25 to approve a full rewrite of the town's short-term rental rules that caps non-primary residence rentals at 1% of homes in R-1 zones, 3% in R-1.5 through R-3, 7% in MU-1 and 11% in MU-2.
• Beverly Hills, CA: The Beverly Hills Vacation Rental Alliance filed a federal lawsuit on August 31 challenging Ordinance No. 25-O-2918 which has barred leases shorter than one year in residential zones since August 2025.
• Corpus Christi, TX: City Council voted 6-0 on August 25 to stop accepting new Type 1 owner-occupied permits until November 17 while it redefines owner occupancy to require a homestead exemption.

📍 Regional Highlights

• Minnesota: U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz granted summary judgment on August 19 and rejected claims that Bloomington and Apple Valley's 30-day minimum stay rules amount to an unconstitutional taking.
• Sister Bay, WI: The village petitioned the Wisconsin Supreme Court on August 31 to review a unanimous July 14 appeals ruling that struck down its four-bedroom cap on short-term rentals.
• Mohave County, AZ: Assessor Jeanne Kentch confirmed on September 1 that she will keep moving full-time rentals from the 10% residential ratio to the 15% commercial ratio despite a legal threat from the Goldwater Institute in a change that could reach about 985 properties.
• New York, NY: City data released September 1 shows more than 3,500 registered short-term rental hosts, the highest count since Local Law 18 enforcement began in September 2023 along with 65 denied applications for rent-regulated units between July 2025 and June 2026.
• Anchorage, AK: The first results from the city's registry place nearly 18% of more than 2,500 registered rentals in Girdwood ahead of the October 1 grace period deadline.
• Richardson, TX: The city's temporary moratorium expired August 25 after council amendments raised the annual registration fee from $100 to $300 and set 500-foot spacing between new rentals.
• Edwardsville, IL: Aldermen voted 6-1 on September 1 to approve the city's ninth short-term rental at 229 Commercial St. over Alderman SJ Morrison's concern about its proximity to the Columbus Elementary School playground.
• Hull, MA: The Planning Board voted 4-2 on August 26 to deny a condo document change that would have allowed rentals under 30 days at the 21-unit Residences at the Aquarium.
• Hopkins, MN: The Planning & Zoning Commission backed a conditional use permit for 125 Oakwood Road on a 4-3 vote that advanced to the City Council on September 1 as staff prepare cap and spacing ideas.
• Grand Traverse County, MI: Commissioners approved a resolution September 2 asking the Legislature to let counties levy a local accommodation tax on hotels and short-term rentals.
• Ventura, CA: Owners had until August 31 to renew under the updated ordinance after the annual fee rose from $204 to $1,526 on July 1.
• Vermont: The Muddy Moose Project turned eight Morristown vacation rentals into year-round homes with Vermont Federal Credit Union announcing financing support on August 27.
• Boise, ID: Two months after amended Code 67-6539 stripped Idaho cities of licensing authority, a woman was killed August 30 when a suspect fired multiple shots at a West Bench vacation rental hosting a large party.
• Las Vegas, NV: An 18-year-old was shot and killed August 30 after a fight at a house party inside an unlicensed Airbnb in southwest Las Vegas and Airbnb suspended both the listing and the guest.
• Youngstown, OH: A birthday party at a Coleman Drive Airbnb ended in gunfire that struck at least three to four homes on August 29 with no injuries and no suspects.
• St. Augustine, FL: Deputies charged a 59-year-old neighbor with aggravated assault after he pointed a scoped rifle at bachelor party guests outside a Salado Road Airbnb on August 22.

✅ New Ordinances Approved

• Friday Harbor, WA: The Town Council adopted Ordinance No. 1841 on August 20 confining visitor lodging to the Commercial Zone and capping lodging at 40% of floor space in mixed-use projects.
• Scottsdale, AZ: Council members unanimously agreed August 24 to require each rental's registered contact to answer police by phone or email for non-emergency complaints under Ordinance 4720.
• Tybee Island, GA: The City Council approved a sector-based cap system that takes effect January 1, 2027 and requires owners to name an emergency contact.

💬 Catch Up on Discussions

• Salida, CO: City Council took up Ordinance 2026-22 on second reading September 1 with a 12-night minimum annual active-use requirement and tighter residency proof for license renewals.
• Gilpin County, CO: Commissioners gave first-reading approval to Ordinance 26-01 on August 25 to enforce outdoor fires at rental properties more effectively while keeping the existing licensing system.
• Pittsburgh, PA: City Council is returning to a fall agenda with rules limiting new residential-zone rentals to owner-occupied homes along with registration, licensing and a per-building cap.
• Gilbert, AZ: The Town Council took up a September 1 package that would raise the annual STR license and renewal fee from $100 to $250.
• Wells, ME: Selectmen and the Planning Board held a joint hearing September 1 on the town's first-ever rental rules that would set parking requirements and create an overlay district.
• Ocean Springs, MS: City leaders concluded at an August 28 workshop that a full inventory and permit mapping system is needed while the residential cap stays at 115 permits.
• Bridgton, ME: Officials placed the proposed registration ordinance on the November 3 ballot with annual registration, proof of primary residence and occupancy capped by septic capacity or two guests per bedroom plus two.
• Baytown, TX: The city wants to rezone roughly 4.98 acres near the ExxonMobil Baytown Event Center into a Mixed-Use Neighborhood district that permits STRs.
• Huntington, UT: Ordinance No. O-2026-9 would require a business license and conditional use approval along with occupancy limits and separation rules in residential zones.
• Harrietstown, NY: The council used its first work session to flag septic provisions, a consecutive-days definition and a non-owner-occupied loophole in the draft law.
• Manatee County, FL: Staff returned September 2 with two options, one updating noise and parking enforcement and the other creating a registration and inspection program for about 3,000 rentals.
• Pacifica, CA: City staff presented three paths after the California Coastal Commission voted 6-4 on August 12 to certify the rules only after removing the primary residence requirement and lifting the unhosted cap from 60 to 120 days.

📅 Future Meetings

• Pittsburgh, PA: The Planning Commission votes on the zoning piece September 8.

• Huntington, UT: A public hearing at City Hall is set for September 10.
• Baytown, TX: The Planning and Zoning Commission takes up the rezoning September 14 ahead of an October 8 council public hearing.
• Gilpin County, CO: September 22 brings the second reading and public hearing in Central City.
• Harrietstown, NY: Residents can weigh in on the draft law at a September 24 public hearing.

🐦 Tweet Highlights: Catch the latest discussions on X

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