The Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission sent back for changes Wednesday a proposed amendment to Tulsa’s zoning code dealing with short-term rentals.
The proposal would have distinguished between accessory uses -- homeowners renting out rooms in their primary residence or the entire home from time to time — from principal uses — investors buying single-family homes solely in order to rent them on Airbnb and other sites. Both would need to get a license from the city.
Short-term rentals falling under the principal use designation would also have needed approval from the Board of Adjustment. Spencer Gainey with the Greater Tulsa Association of Realtors said those hearings are often tainted by disputes with neighbors.
"We would like to see a more standardized process that takes out the variable of different neighbors that you may be surrounded by," Gainey said.
Realtor Juli Couch said she owns several regular and short-term rentals, and Airbnb is good at self-regulating so hosts causing problems with neighbors get weeded out.
"Every single guest rates me and rates my house, my communication, my cleanliness, my response rate, and if I don’t keep up a 4.8 or above, they kick me out. I’d rather have an Airbnb as my neighbor than a rental," Couch said.
TMAPC members asked for the Board of Adjustment requirement to be removed. They also asked for the guest limit to be changed from "one party of guests." Attorney Michael Jones said that's an issue for some of his empty-nester clients renting out multiple rooms.
"One person has a woman who’s a doctor that’s in town doing some business and has been doing long-term training and has been in her house for a year. She also has a nurse in her house that’s been there for eight months," Jones said. "She wouldn’t be able to do that and license with you guys because those are two separate parties."
The regulations will be reconsidered in two weeks. Approval by TMAPC sends them to the city council.
