The city made big changes to its rules for short-term rentals this week.
The City Council unanimously adopted a resolution Tuesday to streamline the city’s short-term rental rules, doubled the limit on the number of vacation rentals allowed in large apartment buildings in Ocean View and created new constraints with which rental operators must comply.
Under the new rules, all short-term rentals need security cameras, noise monitors and trash collection agreements. All short-term rentals with more than four bedrooms now need a conditional use permit approved by city council.
In Ocean View, where the bulk of the city’s short-term rentals are located, the city increased the limit on the number of vacation rentals allowed in apartment buildings from nine to 24 units. Those who want to operate short-term rentals in an apartment building must get a conditional use permit approved by city council.
It also requires on-site management at all times at any property with more than nine dwelling units.
The city of Norfolk first permitted short-term rentals in 2018. There are 215 short-term rental units registered with the city, and another 250-300 units operating without registration, according to city staff. The penalty for operating an unregistered short-term rental is $200.
Some residents and civic leagues are concerned the changes could open the door to an influx of short-term rentals in Ocean View.
Rick Anderson, president of the Cottage Line Civic League, who spoke on behalf of Cottage Line and two other Ocean View civic leagues at Tuesday’s meeting, said the organizations want city council to ensure that doesn’t happen.
“Certain blocks of streets in Willoughby and Ocean View have a concentration of apartment buildings,” Anderson said. “It is possible that these streets or blocks with this concentration of apartment buildings, future STR’s, can become a commercial hotel row. That’s not what we want.”
Councilman Tommy Smigiel, who represents the area, addressed those concerns at a previous council meeting.
“We’re really monitoring this,” Smigiel said. “I will keep watching this so we’re not saturating the community with these.”
Daniel Berti, daniel.berti@virginiamedia.com
