What is a Short-Term Rental?

A short-term rental is the leasing out of a furnished residential dwelling on a short-term basis, generally less than 30 days. 

City Council Direction

It is estimated that there are approximately 500-600 short term rental units in Fayetteville. However, Fayetteville’s codes do not have specific rules or allowances for short term rentals. In July 2019 the City Council adopted a resolution directing staff to study and develop an ordinance for short-term rentals for their consideration.

View the resolution here. (pdf)

Step 1. Focus Group Meeting 1

As the first step in studying short-term rentals, the City hosted a focus group on August 19, 2019 to discuss the issue. The focus group represented various perspectives including neighborhood representatives and concerned citizens, rental owners and managers, and hotel owners. The group was guided by a professional facilitator to identify key issues and recommendations in moving forward with local rules for short-term rentals. View the first Focus Group Notes here. (pdf)

Step 2. Public Input Meeting

The City hosted a public input meeting about short-term rentals on September 30, 2019. Click here to view the notes from the public input meeting.

Step 3. Focus Group  Meeting 2

On January 15, 2020, the City hosted a second focus group meeting to review and comment on the first draft code for short-term rentals. Click here to view the notes from the second focus group meeting. 

Step 4. Planning Commission Meeting(s)

The Planning Commission first saw the draft code for short term rentals on Feb. 10, 2020. After significant public comment and discussion, the Planning Commission tabled the item to allow staff time for editing the ordinance. On Feb. 24, 2020, staff presented an edited draft code and report to the Planning Commission. This version was then forwarded to City Council with a few changes and recommendations. The current version of the draft code can be found here, which includes some of Planning Commission’s recommendations.

Step 5. City Council Meeting(s)

After the Planning Commission, the final step will be a presentation of the revised draft code to the City Council for their consideration and potential adoption. Due to the current Covid-19 public health crisis, the Administration has decided to postpone taking this draft code to City Council until in-person City Council meetings have resumed. This will allow for members of the public to be more engaged with the ordinance adoption process.

Comment Here: 

Provide your comments, suggestions, and feedback on Speak Up Fayetteville, the City’s online engagement portal.