Council’s Feb. 13 meeting held a slate of approvals from city council taking up only half of an hour meeting, the first half dedicated to Mayor Butch Berry’s State of the City.
During Public Comments a letter by Gwen Bennett was written into record in support of the B&B moratorium, saying the original allowance of B&Bs in the city had been to resolve an issue of empty historic buildings and a need for them to have upkeep. Bennett asked for the city to move forward with the moratorium and to remove language in code allowing new B&Bs or “any conversions of residential homes to business.”
Citizen Rae Horner told council that she did not understand the need for a B&B moratorium. She said that her property at 4 Douglas St. had been brought up in conversation about the need for a moratorium, but that the 200 ft. rule had already kept them from establishing one. She said that current rules stopped their application. She thanked Kyle Palmer for saving them the application fee and said the rules already in place do enough work for the city.
Commissioner Melissa Greene voiced concern over SB197 that would prevent local governments from limiting the use of a property as a short-term rental. She said the bill would “erode neighborhoods” and that if the Planning Commission is asking for a moratorium, council should support them.
Planning Chair Susan Harman explained that local concern over the number of B&Bs in the city and a need to clean up language in several B&B Conditional Use Permits had caused Planning to ask for the moratorium.
Aldermen clarified with Harman that any CUP applications already slated on Planning’s agenda would be heard and could still be approved even with the moratorium. The moratorium would not prevent the transfer of CUPs on a property sale. Resolution 833 passed unanimously with the amendment that the moratorium would start on Feb. 15 at midnight and end in August.
Other Items
- Alderman David Avanzino was unanimously voted to sit at the CAPC, taking over alderman Autumn Slane’s position.
- Resolution 834 approving the 2023 update to Title VI Program for the Transit Dept. was approved.
- Resolution 835 was also approved unanimously, stating that discrimination in any form, directed at any person, will not be tolerated in Eureka Springs and stated the city’s support for the LGBTQ+ Community.