City of Columbia, Missouri

Meeting Minutes

Planning and Zoning Commission

Conference Rooms

1A/B

Thursday, May 4, 2023

5:30 PM

Work Session

Columbia City Hall

701 E. Broadway

I. CALL TO ORDER

8 -

Present:

Tootie Burns, Sara Loe, Anthony Stanton, Michael MacMann, Valerie Carroll,

Sharon Geuea Jones, Peggy Placier and Shannon Wilson

1 - Robbin Kimbell

Excused:

II. INTRODUCTIONS

III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

Meeting agenda adopted unanimously

Move to approve

IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

April 20, 2023 Work Session

Attachments: Work Session Minutes

Move to approve April 20 work session minutes

V. NEW BUSINESS

A. Short-term Rental Survey Response Review

Attachments: Staff Report to Planning and Zonng Commission

Appendices I-V

Mr. Zenner covered housekeeping items for the evening’s work session and

outlined background information for the audience. He indicated that City Council

had reviewed the draft ordinance and wanted more public input in prior to future

public hearings for the proposed ordinance. He stated that the intent of the

evening’s meeting was to review the public input that had been collected through

planning staff’s survey.

Mr. Cantin greeted the Commission and introduced the survey results. He began by

covering the format of the survey which included seven survey questions. Mr.

Zenner noted that the survey had been republished. Mr. Cantin resumed diving

into the data analysis by sharing the survey responses and pie charts that had been

sent out as attachments with the May 4th agenda. Commissioner Loe asked if

non-residents had been separated out from the charts and reiterated that she

would like to see that analysis. Staff overviewed responses by Wards. Mr. Cantin

provided an analysis of the written comments. He noted that ChatGPT was used to

summarize and analyze the written comments which he validated by analyzing

individual responses.

After seeing the data analysis and hearing staff’s analysis, the Commission

provided their comments. Individual Commissioners noted that BeHeard was not

effective, the small number of responses was not representative of the

community, and that questions could be improved. Commissioners also noted that

Council will need a backbone when this is introduced to them for their vote. A

Commissioner suggested that there may be limited responses because the average

person is apathetic to this issue and comments may vary from the first draft

ordinance due to effects of the pandemic in that more people may be looking for a

second stream of income.

Mr. Zenner offered closing thoughts and laid out the next steps for the draft

ordinance. Considering that there was little time left for the work session,

Chairperson Geuea-Jones allowed one STR owner and one non-owner to speak.

VI. PUBLIC COMMENTS

Jesse Yankee, an STR owner, was frustrated that this meeting was open to public

comment while prior work sessions were not. She implored Commissioners and the

City to define “affordable housing” as it was mentioned frequently in STR

discussions. She disliked the word “minimum” used in survey questions as it is

subjective. She stated that the general public doesn’t know what’s happening

during the Planning Commission’s work sessions. Maria Oropalla, not an STR owner,

was not against allowing STRs in general. She stated the survey questions were

misleading and suggested that the Commission or staff should have met with

neighborhood associations at their meetings.

VII. NEXT MEETING DATE - May 18, 2023 @ 5:30 pm (tentative)

VIII. ADJOURNMENT

Meeting adjourned at approximately 6:59 pm

Move to adjourn