A bill filed in the Kentucky Senate this week would tamp down local governments’ abilities to regulate vacation rentals listed on popular websites such as Airbnb and VRBO.
Senate Bill 110 is the latest attempt by the Kentucky General Assembly to curtail local government control of short-term rentals. A bill to restrict local government’s oversight of vacation rentals was proposed in the 2024 session but did not get a hearing before a Senate committee.
Walt Gaffield, president of the Fayette County Neighborhood Council, said his group will fight the bill. The Fayette County Neighborhood Council successfully lobbied the city of Lexington for more restrictions on short-term rentals.
“The proposed legislation is an attack on local government control on behalf of special interests. It’s an insult to the city of Lexington, the mayor, the Urban County Council, Lexington neighborhoods, and Fayette County residents,” Gaffield said. “The General Assembly will be hearing from us and our supporters.”
The bill, filed by Sen. Stephen West (R-Paris), prohibits local governments from setting density restrictions. Lexington recently changed its ordinance to allow the Board of Adjustment, which grants conditional use permits for unhosted short-term rentals, to deny a permit if the short-term rental is within 600 feet of another rental or if more than 2% of homes in 1,000 feet are short-term rentals.
Read the rest at the Herald-Leader.
