Chattanooga holds public hearings on Airbnb and other short-term vacation rentals


              FILE - In this Oct. 16, 2015 file photo, Bruce Bennett folds a blanket in a room that he makes available to rent in he and his husband's home in San Francisco. Supervisors in a city nearly synonymous with the internet say an ordinance requiring Airbnb and other short-term rental platforms to list only legal units or face steep fines is a simple change to existing law. Airbnb, however, says the new regulation challenges the heart of what makes the internet the flourishing, free-wheeling frontier it is: that internet platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, cannot be sued or punished for the content posted by third-party hosts. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)
FILE - In this Oct. 16, 2015 file photo, Bruce Bennett folds a blanket in a room that he makes available to rent in he and his husband's home in San Francisco. Supervisors in a city nearly synonymous with the internet say an ordinance requiring Airbnb and other short-term rental platforms to list only legal units or face steep fines is a simple change to existing law. Airbnb, however, says the new regulation challenges the heart of what makes the internet the flourishing, free-wheeling frontier it is: that internet platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, cannot be sued or punished for the content posted by third-party hosts. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)

The Chattanooga City Council will hold a public hearing concerning new rules for short-term vacation rentals this afternoon.

Proposed ordinances would allow short-term vacation rental operators to forego the current requirement to zone their properties similar to designations used for apartments or offices. However, they would have to undergo a certification process that requires a $125 application fee and possible denial.

Council members discussed concerns with John Bridger, executive director for the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency, earlier today.

"My main concern is the balance of property owner rights," Councilwoman Carol Berz said.

The proposed legislation will have "a major impact on some neighborhoods," said Councilman Yusuf Hakeem, he chairs the body's Planning Committee.

Upcoming Events