Potential changes to Airbnb regulations to be discussed by Lawrence city leaders

Planning commissioners have some of the same concerns as city leaders regarding certain Airbnb rental properties, queuing up a discussion of potential changes to the city’s recently established short-term-rental regulations.

Last month, Lawrence city commissioners hit pause on the consideration of permits for some Airbnb rental properties to ask major questions about how the properties should be regulated. Specifically, the commission voted to defer considering permits for three whole-home short-term rentals, where the property owner resides elsewhere, so it could get responses to questions posed by Commissioner Stuart Boley regarding affordable housing, taxing rates and potential time limits on the permits, among other topics.

The City Commission directed staff to provide responses to those questions to the Planning Commission, whose recommendations or discussion points would be referred to the City Commission for consideration. The Planning Commission received a staff report on the topic and discussed the concerns as part of its meeting Wednesday.