Soldotna City Council will hold a public hearing on proposed regulations for short-term rentals in the city Wednesday night at their council meeting.
The ordinance aims to regulate short-term rentals in residential dwellings, like Airbnb and VRBO. Currently, Soldotna requires a conditional use permit for traditional bed and breakfast accommodations, but has no provisions for the type of short-term rentals growing more popular in the city.
The new ordinance was drafted after two work sessions, one in February and one in June.
The ordinance starts by replacing the term “bed and breakfast” with “short-term rental unit,” and then creates two classes — owner occupied and non-owner occupied.
The new codes will allow for owner occupied short-term rentals to operate within residential zoning districts.
This is a departure from the current standards that require traditional B&Bs to obtain a conditional use permit prior to operating.
The codes will allow for non-owner occupied short-term rentals within commercial zoning districts to be treated as principle uses, and are subject to the same standards as any other businesses.
In other zoning districts, they would be required to obtain an administrative permit.
The council will hear public comment at their meeting on the ordinance Wednesday at 6 p.m.
