Lawrence city leaders want cap on how many whole-home Airbnbs a single owner can operate

City leaders expressed interest Tuesday in putting a cap on the number of whole-home Airbnbs and other short-term rentals that can be operated by a single owner.

As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission voted 3-2, with commissioners Stuart Boley and Leslie Soden opposing, to have city staff draft changes to existing regulations that would establish a licensing process for all short-term rentals, including whole-home rentals where the property owner lives elsewhere. The license program would allow all types of short-term rentals by right citywide, but would allow the licenses to be revoked for just cause. The commission also directed staff to investigate a potential provision to limit how many whole-home short-term rentals one individual can operate.