Short-Term Rental Update:
Planning Commission approved Council STR policy updates with some changes
On Thursday, November 14, 2024, the Planning Commission held a public hearing for Council's rural short-term rental proposal.
Minor changes were made to their proposal, including:
- Reducing the threshold for how many unhosted STR units can be approved within a 1,000 square-foot area from 3% to 2%
- Increasing the required buffer between unhosted STR units from 500 feet to 600 feet
The planning commission approved the regulations as amended. The resolution will now return to the full council for a final review and approval.
11/18/24
Short-Term Rental Update:
New city hotline for reporting short-term rental violations
Lexington's STR hotline and reporting tool is now live.
Neighbors can now make complaints about STRs for violations of the ordinance using the website and phone number below. You can attach photos or videos to provide evidence of violations. When filing a complaint, please include as much detail and evidence as possible, which will assist the Department of Revenue in determining if a citation should be issued. The city will also work with police to confirm any noise complaints, parties, or other violations.
Phone: 859-710-9048
Website: https://secure.hostcompliance.com/lexington-fayette-urban-county-ky/complaints/type
Please note: The Division of Revenue operates during normal business hours, which means reported issues may be over by the time staff receives and processes the complaint.
11/14/24
Short-Term Rental Update:
Council poised to initiate Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment for Rural Zones to Planning Commission
The Urban County Council requested that the Rural Land Management Board (RLMB) propose regulations of Short-Term Rentals in rural areas--specifically the AR, AB, and AN zones. These proposed changes are in draft form and public feedback provided to the Planning Commission and Urban County Council is highly encouraged.
The RLMB worked for over a year to develop recommendations that were presented to the Council's General Government and Planning (GGP) Committee on May 7th, 2024. The next presentation about these proposals came before GGP on September 10th, 2024. Most recently the General Government and Planning Committee again discussed these proposals on October 15th, 2024. The Committee then voted to move these proposals to the full Council at that meeting.
The Urban County Council heard the required resolution to send the ZOTA to the Planning Commission on Thursday, October 24th, 2024. They suspended the rules to give it two readings, and the resolution was adopted at that meeting.
The Planning Commission will have sixty (60) days to review the proposed updates, hold a public hearing, and return it to the Urban County Council for final review and approval.
Any updates or changes to the public hearing schedule and the text of these proposed changes will be posted here when they become available.
Updated 11/18/24
Short-Term Rental Update:
Planning Commission to review proposed Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment for Urban areas
The Urban County Council passed a resolution to send proposed updates to the Planning Commission on Thursday, September 26th, 2024. These proposed updates are focused on the zones largely within the urban service area. The AR, AB, and AN zones are being addressed separately. These proposed changes are in draft form and public feedback provided to the Planning Commission and Urban County Council is highly encouraged.
The Lexington Planning Commission will now review the proposed Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment. A public hearing is expected to be held Thursday, November 14th, 2024 at 1:30 p.m., in the Council Chambers of the Urban County Government Building, 200 East Main Street. You can review the proposed updates under "Documents" listed as "Proposed Short-Term Rental ZOTA."
Any updates or changes to the public hearing schedule will be posted here.
10/18/2024
Short-Term Rental Update:
Council poised to initiate Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment to Planning Commission
Following their special meeting held on August 29th, 2024, the General Government & Planning (GGP) Committee voted to send the draft updates to the full Council. You can watch that meeting and the discussion surrounding Short Term Rental updates here.
The full Urban County Council was then updated on the GGP meeting and voted during the Work Session on Tuesday, September 10th, 2024, to send the draft changes to the Planning Commission for their review. This request is made with a resolution.
The first reading of the required resolution will take place on Thursday, September 12th, 2024. A potential second, final reading could occur on Thursday, September 26th, 2024.
Following a second reading, the Planning Commission will have sixty (60) days to review the proposed updates, hold a public hearing, and return it to the Urban County Council for final review and approval.
08/30/2024
Short-Term Rental Update:
Special General Government and Planning Meeting
As part of the ongoing review process, the Lexington Urban County Council’s General Government & Planning Committee (GGP) will hold a special meeting on Thursday, August 29th at 3:00pm in the Government Center (200 E. Main Street). If you are unable to attend in person, the meeting can be viewed via livestream here.
On the agenda will be proposed updates to the regulations of Short Term Rentals (STRs).
Potential updates include: distance requirements and a formula to help determine when a concentration of STRs is occurring in residential areas in addition to other considerations.
The packet for the special GGP meeting will be posted on Engage Lexington early next week with the full text of the proposals available for review prior to the meeting.
Should the GGP Committee vote to make any changes to the regulations of STRs, the LFUCG Planning Commission would next be tasked with reviewing the proposed changes to the policy, including holding an open, public hearing to get community feedback before approving and/or disapproving any updates.
A summary of the special GGP meeting and detailed next steps will be sent through Engage Lexington.
The City of Lexington is seeking feedback from the public regarding local Short-Term Rental regulations.
Since June of 2019, the Urban County Council has sought to craft local policies to address Short-Term Rentals (STRs), particularly in residential areas. The COVID-19 Pandemic led to a pause in the policy-making process, with efforts resuming in March of 2022. With input from neighborhood representatives, STR operators, the Divisions of Planning, Revenue, and Department of Law, the Council proposed and ultimately passed updates to the Code of Ordinances and Lexington's Zoning Ordinance in July of 2023.
The Urban County Council is seeking input from STR operators and others in the community about the local regulations since they took effect on January 11th, 2024. The Urban County Council is now conducting a planned review of the implementation process to-date. Your feedback is critical to continue crafting a local and responsive set of regulatory approaches to Short-Term Rentals in Lexington.
The Council will review these policies and public feedback in the General Government & Planning Committee, where any amendments will be vetted before being presented to and voted on by the full Urban County Council.
Short-Term Rental Update:
Planning Commission approved Council STR policy updates with some changes
On Thursday, November 14, 2024, the Planning Commission held a public hearing for Council's rural short-term rental proposal.
Minor changes were made to their proposal, including:
- Reducing the threshold for how many unhosted STR units can be approved within a 1,000 square-foot area from 3% to 2%
- Increasing the required buffer between unhosted STR units from 500 feet to 600 feet
The planning commission approved the regulations as amended. The resolution will now return to the full council for a final review and approval.
11/18/24
Short-Term Rental Update:
New city hotline for reporting short-term rental violations
Lexington's STR hotline and reporting tool is now live.
Neighbors can now make complaints about STRs for violations of the ordinance using the website and phone number below. You can attach photos or videos to provide evidence of violations. When filing a complaint, please include as much detail and evidence as possible, which will assist the Department of Revenue in determining if a citation should be issued. The city will also work with police to confirm any noise complaints, parties, or other violations.
Phone: 859-710-9048
Website: https://secure.hostcompliance.com/lexington-fayette-urban-county-ky/complaints/type
Please note: The Division of Revenue operates during normal business hours, which means reported issues may be over by the time staff receives and processes the complaint.
11/14/24
Short-Term Rental Update:
Council poised to initiate Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment for Rural Zones to Planning Commission
The Urban County Council requested that the Rural Land Management Board (RLMB) propose regulations of Short-Term Rentals in rural areas--specifically the AR, AB, and AN zones. These proposed changes are in draft form and public feedback provided to the Planning Commission and Urban County Council is highly encouraged.
The RLMB worked for over a year to develop recommendations that were presented to the Council's General Government and Planning (GGP) Committee on May 7th, 2024. The next presentation about these proposals came before GGP on September 10th, 2024. Most recently the General Government and Planning Committee again discussed these proposals on October 15th, 2024. The Committee then voted to move these proposals to the full Council at that meeting.
The Urban County Council heard the required resolution to send the ZOTA to the Planning Commission on Thursday, October 24th, 2024. They suspended the rules to give it two readings, and the resolution was adopted at that meeting.
The Planning Commission will have sixty (60) days to review the proposed updates, hold a public hearing, and return it to the Urban County Council for final review and approval.
Any updates or changes to the public hearing schedule and the text of these proposed changes will be posted here when they become available.
Updated 11/18/24
Short-Term Rental Update:
Planning Commission to review proposed Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment for Urban areas
The Urban County Council passed a resolution to send proposed updates to the Planning Commission on Thursday, September 26th, 2024. These proposed updates are focused on the zones largely within the urban service area. The AR, AB, and AN zones are being addressed separately. These proposed changes are in draft form and public feedback provided to the Planning Commission and Urban County Council is highly encouraged.
The Lexington Planning Commission will now review the proposed Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment. A public hearing is expected to be held Thursday, November 14th, 2024 at 1:30 p.m., in the Council Chambers of the Urban County Government Building, 200 East Main Street. You can review the proposed updates under "Documents" listed as "Proposed Short-Term Rental ZOTA."
Any updates or changes to the public hearing schedule will be posted here.
10/18/2024
Short-Term Rental Update:
Council poised to initiate Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment to Planning Commission
Following their special meeting held on August 29th, 2024, the General Government & Planning (GGP) Committee voted to send the draft updates to the full Council. You can watch that meeting and the discussion surrounding Short Term Rental updates here.
The full Urban County Council was then updated on the GGP meeting and voted during the Work Session on Tuesday, September 10th, 2024, to send the draft changes to the Planning Commission for their review. This request is made with a resolution.
The first reading of the required resolution will take place on Thursday, September 12th, 2024. A potential second, final reading could occur on Thursday, September 26th, 2024.
Following a second reading, the Planning Commission will have sixty (60) days to review the proposed updates, hold a public hearing, and return it to the Urban County Council for final review and approval.
08/30/2024
Short-Term Rental Update:
Special General Government and Planning Meeting
As part of the ongoing review process, the Lexington Urban County Council’s General Government & Planning Committee (GGP) will hold a special meeting on Thursday, August 29th at 3:00pm in the Government Center (200 E. Main Street). If you are unable to attend in person, the meeting can be viewed via livestream here.
On the agenda will be proposed updates to the regulations of Short Term Rentals (STRs).
Potential updates include: distance requirements and a formula to help determine when a concentration of STRs is occurring in residential areas in addition to other considerations.
The packet for the special GGP meeting will be posted on Engage Lexington early next week with the full text of the proposals available for review prior to the meeting.
Should the GGP Committee vote to make any changes to the regulations of STRs, the LFUCG Planning Commission would next be tasked with reviewing the proposed changes to the policy, including holding an open, public hearing to get community feedback before approving and/or disapproving any updates.
A summary of the special GGP meeting and detailed next steps will be sent through Engage Lexington.
The City of Lexington is seeking feedback from the public regarding local Short-Term Rental regulations.
Since June of 2019, the Urban County Council has sought to craft local policies to address Short-Term Rentals (STRs), particularly in residential areas. The COVID-19 Pandemic led to a pause in the policy-making process, with efforts resuming in March of 2022. With input from neighborhood representatives, STR operators, the Divisions of Planning, Revenue, and Department of Law, the Council proposed and ultimately passed updates to the Code of Ordinances and Lexington's Zoning Ordinance in July of 2023.
The Urban County Council is seeking input from STR operators and others in the community about the local regulations since they took effect on January 11th, 2024. The Urban County Council is now conducting a planned review of the implementation process to-date. Your feedback is critical to continue crafting a local and responsive set of regulatory approaches to Short-Term Rentals in Lexington.
The Council will review these policies and public feedback in the General Government & Planning Committee, where any amendments will be vetted before being presented to and voted on by the full Urban County Council.
