The Chattanooga City Council shot down proposed new rules for short-term vacation rental operations and pushed back a vote on an ordinance dealing with beer sales in movie theaters.
The move to nix the short-term regulations came as a surprise to some council members, who have requested changes to the proposed legislation and held two public hearings on the issue. The new regulations called for implementing a certification process for approving residential properties to offer short-stay room rentals, such as those found on websites like Airbnb. Currently, property owners must have their properties designated as R3 or R4 zones, which also allow apartments or offices, if they wish to use them for short-stay rentals.
On Tuesday evening, the council voted 6-2 in favor of Councilman Russell Gilbert’s motion to deny passage of the proposed legislation. Councilman Chris Anderson was absent due to illness, according to Council Chairman Moses Freeman. Councilmen Chip Henderson and Jerry Mitchell opposed Gilbert’s motion.
“I think a community has the right to say whether they want a business next to them or not,” Gilbert said after the meeting, citing the wishes of his constituents.
In an earlier meeting, he told his colleagues around 40 people voiced opposition to the new rules in a community meeting he attended.