City pauses new Short-Term Rental applications

The Broken Arrow City Council unanimously approved a 120-day moratorium on applications for new Specific Use Permits for Short-Term Rentals.

Short-Term Rentals are rental properties with leases shorter than a traditional 12-month lease, often 30 days or less. Short-Term Rentals have been made popular with vacationers wanting to escape hotels through Airbnb and VRBO or for corporate housing for temporary employees.

For homeowners, the appeal is flexibility, more profit per rental, and lower overhead costs.

This moratorium allows city staff to complete a review of the status of Short-Term Rentals and make recommendations on whether new ordinances are warranted. Renewals of existing permits will be accepted.

The moratorium follows a request by the Council at its Jan. 3 meeting calling for the pause to assess the long-term implications of Short-Term Rentals.

City Attorney Trevor Dennis presented Resolution No. 1511 to the City Council on Jan. 17.

"The City Council can end that moratorium early if they wish to, as it would be before the 120 days, and then it could be renewed," Dennis said.

City staff is currently evaluating the ordinances already in place regarding Short-Term Rentals.

Type 2 Short-Term Rentals are permitted in the R-3 District (Multi-Family Residential Zone) with a Specific Use Permit approved by the City Council. A Short-Term Rental license is required for each year of operation.

With Type-2 Short-Term Rentals, up to six individuals or two families can stay for up to 30 days.

According to the zoning ordinance, one guest room may be permitted for every 2,000 square feet of lot area, up to a maximum of four guest rooms.

Also, with a Type 2 Short-Term Rental, one parking space is required for each guest room and one for the owner-operator.

Opposition to Short-Term Rental applications has included concerns about safety, violations of Homeowner Association covenants prohibiting the operation of a business on residential property, the effect on property values, and unknown people coming and going into neighborhoods.

"A draft recommendation has been prepared, and we are planning to bring it before the Planning Commission for a public hearing next month," Acting Community Development Director Jill Ferenc said.

The final recommendation is expected to come back to the City Council in March.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.