City of Columbia, Missouri

Meeting Minutes

Planning and Zoning Commission

Conference Rooms

1A/1B

Thursday, February 24, 2022

5:30 PM

Work Session

Columbia City Hall

701 E. Broadway

I. CALL TO ORDER

8 -

Present:

Tootie Burns, Sara Loe, Joy Rushing, Anthony Stanton, Valerie Carroll, Sharon

Geuea Jones, Robbin Kimbell and Peggy Placier

1 - Michael MacMann

Excused:

II. INTRODUCTIONS

III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

Meeting Agenda adopted unanimously.

Move to approve agenda

IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

February 10, 2022 Work Session

February 10, 2022 work session minutes adopted as presented.

Move to approve minutes as presented

V. OLD BUSINESS

A. Short-term Rental Regulations - Permitted Use Table

Modifications & Proposed Definitions

Mr. Zenner reintroduced the topic by recapping the discussion of the previous

meeting as it pertained short-term rentals (STRs) as an accessory use.

Commissioners chose to discuss three tiers of STRs for this work session which

includes the accessory use, the principal commercial use, and an in-between

classification. Fleshing out the definitions of these classifications would allow the

Commission to begin honing in on the Permitted Use Table. It was noted that

‘permanent resident’ and ‘primary residence’ would need to be defined if included

in any other language or use-specific standards.

Conversation began with the in-between use, or ‘middle-tier’, of STRs.

Commissioners inquired as to whether this might include a professor who is gone

on sabbatical for 6 months and chooses to lease out their residence for several

months, which is common in the community. Staff replied that that scenario would

not be considered a STR but rather a long term lease. Commissioners felt that with

discussing the scenarios the process is getting too complicated. Staff noted tracking

time periods of absence is reminiscent of the original ordinance and agreed the

process was becoming complicated.

Commissioners brought up executive rentals which are a private arrangement not

advertised through a third party such as AirBnB. These private agreements are

discussed in the by-laws of some Home Owner Association’s (HOA) covenants and

are often brought forward to HOAs for approval.

Commissioners reiterated to the group that focus should be on regulation that can

be reasonably and practically enforced. In discussing potential tiers, it was

proposed that thresholds could be set for number of days rented per year as it may

be required that operators of STRs report on their operations annually to the City.

Commissioner Geuea-Jones moved to discuss three STR tiers which was seconded

by Commissioner Kimball and passed unanimously. Tier 3 was roughly outlined as a

principal, commercial use driven by investors. The Permitted Use Table was

displayed up for reference and comparisons were made to the ‘Bed and Breakfast’

use and its treatment by the UDC. The use was noted for its definition and

use-specific standard that requires that the establishment be owner-occupied and

managed. This use is conditional in the R-2, R-MF, and M-OF districts but permitted

by-right in M-N, M-C and M-DT. Some commissioners felt that tier 3 STRs should be

allowed in the mixed-use districts but not residential districts. For discussion

purposes, Commissioners Carroll made a motion to make Tier 3 STRs conditional in

M-OF and permitted in M-N, M-C, and M-DT. Motion was seconded by

Commissioner Rushing and passed unanimously.

Moving back to the in-between use, tier 2 was outlined as a STR operated out of a

primary residence not affiliated with investors. The Commission generally felt that

this tier would need the most consideration by the group and discussed in which

zones it should be a conditional use. There was disagreement over what would

define a primary residence. Staff relayed information for definitions of

owner-occupied STRs in Ann Arbor, MI as had been discussed on prior occasions.

Relating to bad actors and regulation that is enforceable, some commissioners

noted that the STR operations would become complaint driven. Commissioners

inquired as to whether there is a gap between tier 2 and 3 in terms of definitions or

use classifications.

With time left for one more motion, Commissioner Geuea-Jones moved to require

all tiers of STRs to submit quarterly audits giving some City department the ability

to review the audits for compliance. Motion was seconded by Kimball and passed

unanimously. Mr. Zenner thanked the Commission for their time highlighting that

progress has been made on the ordinance during recent work sessions. He

indicated that the next work session would take a break from STRs and return to

familiar topics of UDC text changes or public outreach regarding updating the

Comprehensive Plan