🎯 STRisker: Bulletin - Sumner County, TN
Regulations on Hold: Sumner County’s STR Fight Remains Unresolved
A Deep Dive into Your Area’s STR Updates — Helping You Navigate the Ever-Changing Rental Landscape.
Sumner County Standoff: STR Rules Still in Limbo
The long-simmering debate over short-term rentals in Sumner County’s unincorporated areas is reaching a boiling point, with frustrated residents and county officials still at odds over how—or even whether—to regulate them.
Unlike nearby Hendersonville and Gallatin, which already have clear short-term rental rules in place, Sumner County’s 400-plus miles of unincorporated land remain largely unregulated. That’s raised alarm bells among residents who say short-term rentals have brought noise, unruly guests, and unwanted activity into once-quiet neighborhoods.
County officials have floated a stand-alone STR ordinance several times, most recently one modeled after Wilson County’s rules. The draft proposed key restrictions, including:
- 24-hour contact availability for rental properties
- A minimum property size of two acres
- Revocation of permits if properties generate complaints
Despite that, the proposal has repeatedly stalled in the planning commission—and constituents are feeling ignored. Commissioner Don Schmit says his neighbors want their voices heard, especially after complaints involving everything from drunken behavior to suspected drug use.
“They just want to stop the problem before it gets worse,” Schmit emphasized.
Some officials feel similarly stymied. Commissioner Ben Harris has pushed for an ordinance for three years, but told News 2 his efforts have been “falling on deaf ears.” The lack of action, he said, is disappointing for the many families asking for clearer boundaries around STR operations.
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But the issue has also stirred up strong opposition. Commissioner Jeremy Mansfield, a vocal critic of STR restrictions, blasted the proposal as an infringement on property rights. “It’s gross overreach,” he said bluntly, adding that county leaders shouldn’t be policing what people do on their land—STRs included.
Tensions flared during the most recent planning commission meeting, where Schmit said residents didn’t appreciate the suggestion they should “move to the city” if they didn’t like living next to STRs.
Whether or not the ordinance returns to the agenda is still up in the air. The next planning commission meeting is scheduled for August 12—but with opinions split and tempers flaring, the path to STR regulation in Sumner County remains far from clear.
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