Short-Term Rental Regulation

At a glance

What: whether the Town should regulate Airbnb-style short-term rentals.
Where it stands: monitoring. On September 22 Council suspended active work by consensus; the research is kept on record.
Next: Brock Hall was to confirm whether the Town or Davidson County's disturbing-the-peace ordinance (section 130.01) governs noise and to hold a call with Airbnb.

Began with complaints about an Airbnb at 134 Kanah Court in Palace Estates (see Short-Term Rentals - Palace Estates (134 Kanah Court)) and a second one on Old US Hwy 52 tied to the Thomas Rezoning - Old US Hwy 52 Tax Map 12 Lot 71.
Hall counted 6 to 8 rentals in Town.

Hall proposed extending the zoning ordinance's bed-and-breakfast standards (owner or manager on site, no nuisance) to Airbnbs.
Residents including Marilyn Sheridan asked for a ban or enforcement.
The 2024 state law Senate Bill 382, which Sheridan cited, limits local regulation of uses that comply with zoning.

Most complaints are noise and parking best handled by law enforcement.
Other rentals (Claratom Dr, Norman Shoaf Rd, Evergreen Dr, Gardner Court) had no complaints.
The Old Highway 52 rental appeared to have stopped August 31.
Airbnb was responsive.

2026-09-22 - Town Council Vision Session - Council suspended further regulation work by consensus; Hall to check noise ordinance applicability and call Airbnb.
2026-07-13 - Town Council - Sheridan and Arnold Bridge III spoke again; Hall proposed a public Town Hall meeting and a Planning Board presentation; Mike McAlpine suggested a multi-agency approach at the Fall Vision Session.
2026-05-04 - Town Council - At the Thomas rezoning hearing, the owner said the Old US Hwy 52 building is a short-term rental that triggered a zoning violation notice.
2026-03-02 - Town Council - Sheridan and Kim Davis asked the Town to require garbage service and prohibit short-term rentals.
2026-02-19 - Town Council Vision Session - Hall raised extending bed-and-breakfast standards to Airbnbs after a Kanah Court party complaint; Jackie Edwards supported updating the ordinance.