Active Updated

short term rentals

Renting homes or rooms for short stays, regulated by local licenses and rules.

What to Watch
Whether the city publishes clear old-vs-new short-term rental license fee line items and an effective date residents can easily follow.
Coming Up

Typically discussed at City Council. Check back when the next agenda is published.

The Story

Council’s short-term rental action so far has mostly been about money: licensing fees were part of a bigger city fee overhaul that first got tabled 5-3, then passed 9-0 with added limits on inspection fees. Separately, tourism staff said the number of short-term rentals fell from about 40 to 34 over the past year, alongside a year-over-year drop in room tax revenue.

Key Decisions
  1. passed 9-0 City Council · Dec 15, 2025

    25-228 Ordinance to Amend Chapters 1-2-1 of the Municipal Code, Fees (Tabled from November 17, 2025 meeting)

    Motion to waive reading and adopt the ordinance with the amendment of a $2500 cap on residential projects and $100,000 cap on commercial projects for inspection fees

    Mark Bittner Yes
    Doug Brandt Yes
    Shannon Derby Yes
    Bill LeClair Yes
    Darla LeClair Yes
    Tim Petri Yes
    Bonnie Shimulunas Yes
    Scott Stechmesser Yes
    Adam Wachowski Yes
  2. passed 5-3 City Council · Nov 17, 2025

    25-228 Ordinance to Amend Chapters 1-2-1 of the Municipal Code, Fees

    Motion made by D. LeClair, seconded by Shimulunas to table this item to a future work session agenda (25-228 Ordinance to Amend Chapters 1-2-1 of the Municipal Code, Fees)

    Shannon Derby Yes
    Bill LeClair Yes
    Darla LeClair Yes
    Bonnie Shimulunas Yes
    Adam Wachowski Yes
    Mark Bittner No
    Doug Brandt No
    Scott Stechmesser No
Record

  1. Council voted 5-3 to table an ordinance updating the city’s master fee schedule; the proposal included higher short-term rental license fees, a new harbor sludge tipping fee, and a rework of building permit fee calculations.

    City Council

  2. Council adopted Ordinance 25-228 updating the city’s master fee schedule, including changes to short-term rental licensing fees, a new harbor sludge tipping fee, and a restructuring of building permit fees.

    City Council

  3. Council amended the fee ordinance to cap inspection fees at $2,500 for residential projects and $100,000 for commercial projects.

    City Council

  4. The amended fee ordinance passed 9-0.

    City Council

  5. Tourism staff reported 2025 room tax revenue finished about 10% lower than 2024, and the Room Tax Commission ended the year with a little over $75,000 in its general fund.

    City Council

  6. Tourism staff said the city’s short-term rentals dropped from about 40 to 34 over the year, with a few more expected to come off the list going into summer.

    City Council
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