Last week the city’s board of aldermen approved an amendment to the Parkville Municipal Code regarding short-term residential dwelling rentals (RDRs) in residential districts.
The new code addresses the board’s concerns that too many short-term rentals throughout the community could dilute the character of neighborhoods and impact the quality of life for our residents and community at large.
In 2019, the board of aldermen recognized the growth and popularity of third-party short-term RDR platforms, such as Airbnb, VRBO, and Home Away, and reviewed regulations for Parkville.
The board of aldermen, with a recommendation of the planning and zoning commission, adopted an ordinance creating provisions and guidelines for short-term rentals in residential districts in September 2021. Since the adoption, three conditional use permits have been approved by the board.
One year later, the Parkville Planning and Zoning Commission and the Parkville Board of Aldermen proposed amendments to Parkville Municipal Code Section 405.040, Subsection K set one year earlier, including:
·Limiting the number to no more than four per ward;
·Restricting the number of units that can be rented to one dwelling unit per property;
·Requiring owners to occupy properties as their primary residence;
·Requiring properties to have at least one dedicated on-site parking space (shall not include on-street parking in public right-of-way); and
·Providing city staff administrative approval authority, provided they adhere to all the criteria in the code.
Mayor Dean Katerndahl said, “Short-term rentals are already allowed in commercial districts, so this new code addresses the community’s concern that short-term rentals may have the ability to adversely impact neighborhoods. Our goal with the revisions is to ensure the city remains a community-focused environment while still welcoming visitors to Parkville.”