Tybee Island short-term rental ordinance moves to next step as mayor asks for impact study
A controversial Tybee Island short-term rental ordinance will have a public hearing at Tybee Island's Planning Commission on April 15, the next step before it reaches Tybee Island City Council again for a vote.
Councilmember Nick Sears proposed an ordinance in early February that would reduce the number of STRs in residential districts by terminating their permits upon sale of the home in R-1, R-1-B and R-2, which is most of the island. It comes after the ordinance passed in October 2022 that stopped the issuance of short-term rental permits in residential areas. The proposal came with a slew of displeased property owners who have come to speak during the public comment section of every meeting since.
The decision to send the ordinance to Planning Commission was approved 4-1, with Michael "Spec" Hosti voting against and councilmember Tony Ploughe abstaining, on Thursday, March 14.
Tybee Island Mayor Brian West is also requesting an economic impact study of the proposed ordinance.
More: Proposed short-term rental ordinance on Tybee Island moves forward
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There some discussion from Councilmembers Nick Sears and Kathryn Williams, discussing the scope of the study and if it would be done in-house or by externally.
"The study is nothing but a forecast, a guess, and I think that's nothing that the city should do because whatever conclusion they may come to, it will be thought that we are in favor of that conclusion," Sears said. "The effect of this ordinance is going to happen over many years. Whoever's doing the study would have to make a series of assumptions over 10 to 30 years. The attrition is not going to happen regularly over time. I don't know how you'd build that into a study."
The parameters of the study will be discussed at the next city council workshop which is on Mar. 27.
Williams also requested a resident sentiment survey to examine the effects of tourism on Tybee Island residents.
Destini Ambus is the general assignment reporter for Chatham County municipalities for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach her at dambus@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Tybee Island short-term rental ordinance moves to planning commission
