Short-term vacation rentals were back on the city’s agenda in Parkville last week.
At the Tuesday, March 7 board of aldermen meeting, the aldermen were presented with a slate of properties in both the historic district. The online-brokered vacation rentals were seeking conditional use permits for operation. Two of the three on the agenda had been previously awarded conditional use permits. A total of four short-term vacation rentals are permitted in the historic district, with five applications seeking approval.
The board of aldermen may override its own policy and allow five – or more - although individual aldermen have expressed concerns with doing so, as director of community development Stephen Lachky said there are other potential applicants are already on a waiting list.
Mayor Dean Katerndahl said a neighbor of a property on Sixth Street had complained about parking shortages in the area of the short-term rental. Katerndahl volunteered to personally investigate the situation.
“I told them if they have a problem to call me, and I will go knock on the door of the AirBnB and see if the cars parked there are theirs,” Katerndahl said.
Heather Greenfield sought two permits for two homes, making her properties the fourth and fifth in the historic district. Katerndahl questioned what use it was to have the rule for four properties if the city was going to disregard it.
When the vote for one of Greenfield’s properties ended on a tie, Katerndahl cast the final no vote, but suggested Greenfield may choose which of her properties she wishes to retain as a short-term rental.