Hot Springs board tables rentals limit
HOT SPRINGS — The Hot Springs Board of Directors tabled a lower cap on vacation rentals in areas zoned for residential use for the second time in as many business meetings Tuesday.
Citing the absence of Districts 2 and 6 directors Elaine Jones and Steve Trusty, District 4 Director Carroll Weatherford made the motion to table the item until Aug. 2. The motion was adopted on a voice vote, with District 5 Director Karen Garcia voicing the lone dissent.
Lowering the annual cap on short-term rental business licenses in residential zones from 500 to 400, effective next year, was tabled for the second time. The board has said the sooner short-term rental owners and investors know what the cap will be the better. Several owners have told the board millions of dollars in real estate transactions are conditioned on properties having a short-term rental license.
The twice tabled amendment would make Nov. 1 the application deadline for 2022 licenses. If there are more than 400 at the start of next year, those over the cap would be eligible for annual renewal.
Garcia made the motion to table after presenting an amendment that brought appeals of special use permits to the board. The ordinance regulating short-term rentals the board adopted last year made a special use permit a prerequisite to obtaining an short-term rental business license in a residential area.
The planning and development department issues the permits. Its decision can be appealed to the Board of Zoning Adjustment within 30 days of the permit approval being published in the newspaper. Several directors have said appeals should come to the city board rather than the board-appointed Board of Zoning Adjustment.
Garcia’s motion substituted the board for the Board of Zoning Adjustment in the appeals process, but part of her amendment touched on the administrative policy for issuing special use permits last year’s regulatory ordinance delegated to the city manager.
City Attorney Brian Albright told the board it lacked the authority to amend administrative policy. He suggested removing language that delegated the administrative policy to the city manager, which would effectively excise the policy from the special use permitting process.