🎯 STRisker: Bulletin - Fayetteville, AR
Fayetteville Council Acts Fast to Keep Short-Term Rental Rules Alive
Fayetteville Locks In Short-Term Rental Rules Just in Time
Fayetteville City Council acted Tuesday to ensure there would be no interruption in the city’s short-term rental regulations, approving both a renewed ordinance and a critical emergency clause just days before the existing rules were set to expire.
The city’s short-term rental ordinance, first adopted in April 2021, included a sunset clause designed to give council flexibility as it refined the rules. That clause has been extended five times and was scheduled to expire on Dec. 30. Without council action, Fayetteville would have been left without any short-term rental ordinance on the books.
Government Websites by CivicPlus®
According to City Attorney Kit Williams, that outcome would have created immediate problems. Without an active ordinance, legally operating short-term rentals would suddenly be considered illegal under existing zoning laws. Williams warned this could trigger enforcement confusion, expose the city to litigation, and leave both hosts and neighbors unsure of their rights.
Earlier this month, council approved the ordinance itself, but the emergency clause failed to receive the required six votes. That clause is what allows the ordinance to take effect immediately. Without it, the new rules would not have gone into effect for 31 days—creating a regulatory gap that city staff described as untenable.
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.
To resolve the issue, council voted to reconsider both the ordinance and the emergency clause at Tuesday’s meeting. Because of the procedural reset, there was no new staff presentation or public comment. Council members moved directly to a vote.
This time, both the ordinance and emergency clause passed, with councilwomen Sarah Moore and Monique Jones voting in opposition. The approval ensures that Fayetteville’s short-term rental rules remain continuous, with no lapse when the sunset clause expires later this month.
For short-term rental owners, the decision provides immediate clarity. There will be no sudden change in legality, no scramble to interpret zoning codes, and no pause in the permitting framework. For city officials, the emergency clause avoids what Williams described as a period of “chaos” that could have strained enforcement resources.
The repeated extensions of the sunset clause suggest that short-term rentals remain a sensitive and evolving issue in Fayetteville. While this vote does not introduce sweeping new regulations, it underscores the city’s intent to keep oversight in place while continuing to debate future adjustments.
As the ordinance takes effect immediately, hosts and property managers are encouraged to remain compliant with existing rules.
Stay Updated with STRisker
STRisker offers tools and features to keep you updated with the Short-Term Rental movement across the U.S.
👍 We’d love your feedback.
We're always looking for ways to improve Bulletins.
Was this one useful to you? Other topics you'd like to see get covered?
✉️ Just reply directly to this email. We read and respond to every message!
-Will McClure
🙋 P.S.
Know someone else who should be reading this Bulletin? Feel free to forward this along. We want to make sure operators and stakeholders are aware of regulatory changes in their area.