Planning board takes up short-term rentals

By Grace Lovins

At the directive of the Birmingham City Commission, the city’s planning board took up discussions of short-term rentals during the Wednesday, May 13, meeting, kicking off discussions of how rentals should be regulated through the city’s zoning ordinance going forward.

The commission provided the board directive to review rental regulations after placing a six-month moratorium during their April 27 meeting on issuance of new rental licenses for rentals of less than thirty days. The move was a response to a recent shooting that took place at a short-term rental located on E. Lincoln Street where gunshots took place at party held there.

Planning director Nick Dupuis explained that the commission directed the board to find somewhere in the zoning ordinance for a restriction on short-term rentals and to introduce a minimum rental of thirty days. They were also asked to evaluate the impact of rental housing density in the city.

Dupuis included in the meeting packet proposed ordinance language to get the board started, including the creation of a “rent or rental unit” land use category to each zoning district where residential dwelling units are permitted as well as use of specific standards for “rent or rental unit” to each associated zoning district.

Board member Daniel Share kicked off discussions by pointing out the big picture: that the regulations are intended to address transience and accountability. He brought multiple items up that he said he believes the board should keep in mind during discussions, including owner-occupied rentals, and people renting out their homes while they are on vacation or on sabbatical.

Share also brought up the board keeping in mind accessory dwelling units and how those should be handled in the context of rentals.

Board chair Scott Clein and member Bryan Williams individually brought up the context of rentals when it comes to zoning districts and time requirements.. Williams said he feels the board needs clarification on housing in the entire city or specifically within residential neighborhoods, saying the complexity of the city could create cause for concern.

Clein pointed out that the city is left one bucket of rentals that could range from 30 days to 365 days. He pointed out that direction might be needed from the commission if rentals should be broken down even further into a “middle” timeframe covering 30 days to about six months.

In the end, the board asked Dupuis to clean up some of the proposed ordinance language, return with data about housing rentals, and, for the meantime, remove the question of density from the ordinance and add discussions on items like parking and the accountable party being within a certain number of miles from the property.

Clein informed attendants that the matter would be taken up again during the board’s next meeting on Wednesday, June 10. No formal action was taken during Wednesday night’s meeting.