The Chattanooga City Council on Tuesday is scheduled to hold its regular meeting to consider a rezoning request that would allow short-term vacation rentals to be built on two parcels of Southside properties.
The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission in August heard a proposal from Nathan Brown, the property owner, to consider rezoning the land to a classification that would allow the construction of townhomes for use as short-term vacation rentals.
The properties are located at 1115 and 1117 E. 14th St. as well as an untitled lot in the 1100 block.
The committee, based on the August meeting, recommends denying the application, according to a report submitted to the City Council.
Instead, the commission recommends the City Council move against the short-term rental requirement and only allow single-family detached homes, townhomes, or zero-line units, which is a residential subdivision where the home reaches or is close to the property line.
The committee also recommends that parking and access be located at the rear of the property.
(Read more: Hamilton County strengthens regulations for short-term vacation rentals, adds regular inspections)
Brown, the owner of property and homebuilder Southern Sun Home Builders, said in an interview that he plans to build eight townhomes on the property for long-term rentals if the City Council bans short-term vacation rentals at his home. Property.
After imposing a one-year moratorium on new short-term vacation rentals, the city began accepting applications for short-term rentals in July under a new law that pushes new regulations on rentals.
The Chattanooga Times Free Press reported in July that demand for short-term rental permits was lower than expected.
In the two weeks after the moratorium ended, 38 new applications were submitted to the city.
Chris Anderson, Mayor Tim Kelly’s senior advisor for legislative initiatives, said Monday that he did not have updated numbers immediately available.
The properties on East 14th Street are in District 8, which is represented by Councilman Marvin Noel, R-Orchard Knob.
Noelle could not be reached by phone or email for comment, but she has previously expressed opposition to having too many short-term rentals in the city, especially in her district.
In February, Noel proposed not allowing short-term vacation rentals within 1,000 feet of each other in a separate single-family zoning district. The measure was ultimately not included in the final ordinance approved in May that imposed new regulations on short-term rentals.
The Times Free Press previously reported that new regulations clamp down on short-term rentals in the city.
Brown said the new regulations are too restrictive.
“They may have left it (the moratorium) in place at this point,” Brown said.
Noel has previously argued that illegal rentals in her district are a problem.
In a press release in May, Kelly said the city must crack down on illegal rentals, which he said distort the character of neighborhoods and inflate housing prices.
(Read more: Chattanooga City Council unanimously approves additional land for North Shore development)
Contact Ben Sessoms at bsessoms@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.
