Proposed changes to the Richmond, Va.’s zoning ordinance relating to short-term rentals (STRs) were introduced at a July 24 City Council meeting and are headed to the Planning Commission for consideration at its next meeting, Aug. 21. The amendment has been in the works since early last year and has been planned since the city adopted its current rules in mid-2020. Officials said at the time they would revisit the rules after a year to see how operators perform and tweak the ordinance as needed. City planners initially recommended eliminating a primary residency requirement in which operators must reside at the property being rented for at least half the year. Planners are now proposing to retain the residency requirement in all residential zoning districts, but to remove the requirement in nonresidential districts. Other proposed changes include an increased fee for biennial STR permits from $300 to $600.
Richmond BizSense (07/27/23) Jonathan Spiers