What: the City's short-term rental (STR) rules: the Short-Term Rental Limitation Overlay (STRL-O) text amendment, the rezoning of the Willoughby area into the overlay, and the stream of STR conditional use permits.
Where it stands: On 2026-10-13 the Council adopted the STRL-O text amendment (Ordinance 50525) 7-1 and rezoned the Willoughby area to STRL-O (Ordinance 50526) unanimously. An amendment to cut the buffer distance from 300 feet to 150 feet was lost 2-6. STR permits continue to come before the Planning Commission and Council.
Update 2026-11-06: three permits recommended in October are on the Council consent agenda of 2026-11-10, and two more are on the Planning Commission agenda of 2026-11-19; outcomes not yet posted.
Next: More STR conditional use permits: the Council agenda of 2026-10-27 lists STR permits at 241 W. Ocean View Avenue, Dey Street and 1615 Colonial Avenue (outcomes not read).
Details
The 7-1 vote on the ordinance is read from the posted action results; the dissenting member is not identified in the source and is not named here.
About 22 residents spoke on the STR overlay on 2026-10-13 (not named). Earlier, 12 public speakers on 2026-09-15 raised topics including short-term rentals.
Planning staff gave STR briefings at the work sessions of 2026-09-15 and 2026-09-29.
Planning Commission, 2026-10-08: conditional uses approved 4-0 for an STR renewal at 241 W. Ocean View Avenue (units 1 and 2) and an STR homestay at 3624 Dey Street.
Planning Commission, 2026-10-22: recommended 4-0 an STR renewal at 9555 20th Bay Street, an STR at 1024 Hillside Avenue and an STR homestay at 8001 Simons Drive (with reduced parking); the request for an STR at 1100 W. Ocean View Avenue (Southern Hospitality) was withdrawn.
Council, 2026-09-15: STR conditional use permits on the consent list and a regular-agenda STR permit on Tidewater Drive (shown as adopted; individual tallies not verified).
Consent items C-2, C-4 and C-5: short-term rental permits at 1024 Hillside Avenue (vacation rental), 8001 Simons Drive (homestay, reduced parking) and 9555 20th Bay Street (vacation rental), following the Planning Commission recommendations of October 22.
Consent items C-1 to C-12: short-term rental conditional use permits (241 W. Ocean View Avenue and Dey Street), restaurant permits, a right-of-way dedication, refunds and a right of entry for Hampton Roads Connector Partners.
Short-term rental items, all 4-0: a renewal at 9555 20th Bay Street, 1024 Hillside Avenue, and a homestay at 8001 Simons Drive with reduced parking recommended. The request for 1100 W. Ocean View Avenue (Southern Hospitality) was withdrawn.
PH-5, rezoning of the Willoughby area to STRL-O (Ordinance 50526), adopted unanimously.
About 22 residents spoke. A motion to cut the buffer from 300 to 150 feet was lost 2-6; the text amendment was then adopted 7-1 with Smigiel dissenting, and the Willoughby rezoning was adopted unanimously. Supporters stressed density and a citywide pilot; opponents stressed property rights, tourism revenue and lack of data.
Short-term rental permits on the consent agenda, recommended 4-0: Vazo Wine Social (112 Granby Street), a renewal at 241 W. Ocean View Avenue (units 1 and 2) and a homestay at 3624 Dey Street.
Renewal at 9555 20th Bay Street, a new permit at 1024 Hillside Avenue and a homestay at 8001 Simons Drive (reduced parking) recommended; the Ocean View Avenue request was withdrawn.
Previewed a renewal at 8432 Radnor Road and a new self-managed rental at 1210 Vireland Avenue (about 8% concentration within 500 feet); staff may use a 300-foot radius plus one-mile context.