By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Great Bend’s building inspection staff felt it was important to have regulations in place for short-term rentals, or Airbnbs. The purpose of the ordinance regulating the operation and offering of an Airbnb is balancing the rights of owners’ ability to rent out properties and preserving the neighborhood.
Great Bend Interim City Administrator Logan Burns said the
ordinance would establish a licensing program with Airbnb owners applying for a
permit and undergoing an inspection.
"We have a list of properties that are currently Airbnb," said Burns. "We would give them notice, and they would have two months to come in and get licensed. We also have some of the conditional use properties that we have already done. They've already established themselves so they would just have to come in for their license."
Initially the ordinance stated Airbnb owners needed at least 55% of adjacent
owners to sign an affidavit approving of the Airbnb in their neighborhood.
Great Bend City Council member Jolene Biggs felt a higher number of residents
needed to approve any changes.
"If I'm living on block, I want to protect more than just what's on either side of me to protect that neighborhood," said Biggs. "That's my only concern."
The council voted in favor of the ordinance that requires Airbnb owners to get
55% of certified property owners within a 200’ radius of the proposed rental.
The initial fee to file for an Airbnb license is $100 with a yearly renewal of
$75.