LV City Council passes short-term rental rules

Approval process includes $1,000 fee

The Las Vegas City Council on Wednesday voted 4-3 in favor of passing new regulations for shortterm rentals in its borders.

The ordinance includes a $1,000 fee for would-be operators that will give the city greater oversight and create a rigorous approval process for where short-term rentals can go. Outgoing Councilmen Bob Beers, Steve Ross, along with recently reelected Stavros Anthony voted

against the measure.

Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian, who has been fighting for stricter regulations on short-term rentals for a decade, said this move was a step in the right direction.

“We know we have not done this as efficiently as we could have in the past,” Tarkanian said.

Council members went back and forth during the three-hour-plus discussion and heard from dozens on both sides of the issue during a public comment period often interrupted by jeers and cheers.

Much of the discussion centered on whether the regulations would alleviate the city’s “party house problem,” or put a regulatory burden on businesses in good standing with the city.

RENTALS

the insurance contract because of his “extreme bias.”

Theattorneyfordukeandallstate declined to comment on either the Williams’ opinion or the Greene lawsuit, which was filed in May.

Prince said he hopes that based on the two previous rulings, insurance companies will decide it’s not worth the cost to fight for Duke to testify on a case-by-case basis.

Prince said Duke is effective with jurorsandhasa“boyishcharm.” When Prince was an insurance defense attorney, he hired Duke for about two years before deciding Duke was too aggressive.

Greene was insured by Allstate when he was the victim in a motor vehicle accident in November 2015. One doctor said Greene was a candidate for surgery, but Allstate hired Duke for an evaluation. Allstate then refusedtopayforthesurgeryafter receiving Duke’s report.

If Prince can prove Duke con-

spired with Allstate to discourage insurance companies from hiring him, personal injury plaintiffs could win higher settlements across Las Vegas.

But Duke will have strong motivation to defend himself. He will be fighting for his reputation as well as his income.

Jane Ann Morrison’s column runs Thursdays in the Nevada section. Contact her at jane@reviewjournal. com or 702-383-0275. Follow @ janeannmorrison on Twitter.