Seneca to start over on Short Term Rentals

The City of Seneca has decided to start over on developing a short term rentals amendment to the zoning ordinance. Currently, the zoning ordinance does not address short-term rentals. At their meeting Tuesday night, the Seneca City Council voted down the second reading of a proposal, explains City Administrator Scott Moulder. “We decided to kind of slow down and start the process over. I know there are a lot of sideline variables impacting this particular ordinance, so we want to make sure that we get it right. The council voted down the existing ordinance at second reading, so we’re starting over. We will be drafting a whole new ordinance. I’ve met with the attorney and I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to meet with some of the residents and get caught up on some of the concerns, suggestions and ideas. So, I appreciate everybody’s patience in working through this and allowing me coming in on the tail end of it to kind of slow it down and become more familiar with it before we start making recommendations to council. So, we are going to draft a new ordinance, make a number of amendments based on the results of the meetings that we have had and some of the review that staff has put into it. Then it will go back to the Seneca Planning Commission and kind of start the process over. Unfortunately, it will take us a little longer to produce a final product, but the final product needs to be a good workable document that actually has some impact in bettering the lives of citizens as well as providing an opportunity for people to rent their homes.” The city plans to hold a public hearing on the short term rentals amendment to the zoning ordinance once it is finalized; however, no timetable was given on when that might be in the future.