Columbia’s city council set to vote tonight on short-term rental regulations

Sweeping proposed new regulations on short-term rentals are set to be voted on tonight by Columbia’s city council. The council has been working to develop land use regulations to govern short-term rentals since 2018. The council is set to vote tonight on the six-page proposal.

Sixth Ward council member Betsy Peters tells 939 the Eagle that she’ll abstain from voting tonight. Councilwoman Peters, who owns an Airbnb, spoke Sunday morning to hosts Mike Murphy and Al Germond on 939 the Eagle’s “Columbia Buzz.” She tells listeners that concerns about a possible conflict of interest led to her decision.

The new regulations would amend the city’s unified development code to accommodate short-term rentals. It would require that they be licensed, inspected, restricted to a maximum number of guest and days of operation and pay the same five percent lodging tax that hotels pay.