State of Louisiana

City of Grambling

The City of Grambling adopted the following Ordinance:

ORDINANCE NO. #0307024-1

AN ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH AND IMPLEMENT APPROVAL STANDARDS FOR SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROPERTIES IN THE CITY OF GRAMBLING, WITH ALL PROVISIONS INCLUDED THEREIN, AND TO OTHERWISE PROVIDE WITH RESPECT THERETO.

WHEREAS, the draft proposals for approval standards for Short-Term Rental Properties were submitted to the City Council of the City of Grambling, Louisiana at its regular meeting on February 1, 2024 for informal review and discussion; and

WHEREAS, in accordance with the intent of La. R.S. 33:140.27 for a Public Hearing and Notice to be issued, the City Council of the City of Grambling, Louisiana, held a Public Hearing at its regular monthly meeting on March 7, 2024, before voting to establish certain standards for Short Term-Rentals in the City of Grambling; and

WHEREAS, in accordance with the intent of La. R.S. 33:140.35, at least 10 (ten) days' Notice of the time and place of the Public Hearing was published in the Ruston Daily Leader (a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality), and said Notice was published on -------; and

BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Grambling, Louisiana, in due, regular and legal session convened, that the approval standards for Short-Term Rental Properties in the City of Grambling are established to read as follows:

A Short-Term Rental is a residential dwelling unit which is neither a hotel, motel, nor bed and breakfast, in which a dwelling unit, or a portion thereof, is offered or provided to a guest by a Short Term Rental Operator, for a fee, for fewer than 30 consecutive nights.

PERMIT REQUIRED

No person or entity shall operate a short-term rental property or advertise a residential property for use as a short-term rental, without the owner of the property first having obtained a short-term rental permit.

The purpose of establishing short-term rental standards, and permit registration process, will be to govern the renting of privately owned residential dwelling units on a short-term basis; ensure the collection and payment of sales and occupancy taxes, as established in the City of Grambling Codes of Ordinances; ensure that short-term rental activities do not threaten the character of residential neighborhoods; ensure the protection of the existing housing rental stock; and ensure that such short-term rental activities do not become a nuisance or threaten the public health, safety or welfare of neighboring properties.

PERMIT TYPES AND USE STANDARDS

Any host wishing to rent their dwelling unit for short-term rental, shall apply for a short-term rental permit.

When Required. A Short-Term Rental Permit is required when a host rents an entire dwelling unit, or a portion thereof, to overnight guests. Maximum occupancy of the short-term rental property shall comply with the approved short-term rental application.

All Short-Term Rental Permits may be reviewed and approved administratively by the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Special Events Prohibited. Weddings, corporate events, commercial functions, parties, and other similar events which have the potential to cause traffic, parking, noise, or other impacts to the neighborhood are prohibited as part of any short-term-rental operation.

Special Exception Use Approval Standards of Short-Term Rentals. The Zoning Board, or the City Council must consider the following approval standards for short-term rentals.

o Health and Safety. Whether the design, location, and operating plans must be such that the public health, safety and/or welfare is protected.

o Land Use. Whether the proposed special exception use is compatible with the general land use of adjacent properties and other property within 300 feet.

o Neighborhood Impact. Whether the proposed short-term rental will adversely affect the neighborhood character.

o Parking. Whether the proposed special exception use is in compliance with the required parking standards for the designated land use (i.e., will there be sufficient parking to accompany a short-term rental).

o Contact Information. Whether the applicant or authorized agent has provided information sufficient to verify a qualified person will be available to be contacted about use of the short-term rental during and after business hours.

o Notice to Neighbors. Has the licensee or authorized agent either mailed, or otherwise distributed by hand, a flier to neighbors within a 500-foot radius of the short-term rental property address outlining the proposed use and owner or representative contact information.

o Six (6) or more nuisance calls to the police for offenses occurring on the short-term rental property over a period of six months will result in the revocation of the occupational license for a short-term rental at that location.

o An unlimited number of bedrooms in any dwelling may be made available for short term rental; however, the number of overnight guests in a short-term rental dwelling shall not exceed 10 (ten) adults.

PERMIT APPLICATION, PROCEDURE, EXPIRATION, AND RENEWAL

The Office of Planning and Zoning, along with the City's Attorney Office, shall develop a short-term rental property application packet with all operational requirements. Said application shall be submitted by any potential host or property owner at least 30 days before beginning any short-term rental operations in the City.

o A short-term rental permit shall expire one year after it is issued. Short-term rental permits may be renewed annually upon the payment of a renewal fee to cover the applicant renewal screening. All renewal requests are encouraged to be received at least 30 days prior to the expiration date for their existing permit.

o A short-term rental property permit shall not be transferred or assigned to another individual, person, entity, or address, nor shall the permit authorize any person, other than the person named therein, to operate a short-term rental property on that property. A short-term rental permit does not run with the land.

o All short-term rental permits shall require annual registration when the title of the short-term rental transfers to a new owner or when any changes In ownership of a short-term rental property occur.

o A short-term rental permit may be renewed annually if the operator completes the following, as applicable: (1) pays the renewal fee; (2) provides information concerning any changes to the previous application for, or renewal of, the short-term rental property registration; (3) submits records for the last year to demonstrate compliance with this Article; and (4) provides two years of property tax reporting and revenue tax reporting. Failure to submit a renewal application at least 30 days prior to the expiration of the registration shall render the registration and permission to operate a short-term rental property null and void.

o At least 30 days prior to any advertising of a short-term rental property, the owner, host, or property management firm shall register the short-term rental property. For professionally managed short-term rental property, registration for multiple short-term rental properties may be made by filing a complete list of all the short-term rental property in the City managed by such firm.

o No short-term rental application shall be accepted without signature by the owner or the property management firm, under penalty of perjury, acknowledging that the short-term rental is in habitable condition and complies with the health and safety standards set forth in this Article.

o Prior to filling out an application, please verify that the Short Term Rental is located within the city limits of Grambling.

o A public hearing will be held to notify all neighboring property owners of the Short Term rental use.

o A Short Term rental property will only be allowed in Residential Districts and Multiple Family Districts

LOCAL REPRESENTATIVE REQUIRED

Each owner or property management firm shall appoint a person who is available 24 hours per day, seven days per week, to serve as the local representative for the short-term rental and shall respond on-site within 60 minutes to complaints regarding a condition or operation of the short-term rental or the conduct of the short-term renters; and take remedial action to resolve any or all complaints. The owner may, at his/her discretion, appoint an additional representative to serve as a backup, and shall provide all contact information for said additional representative.

The owner or property management firm shall notify the Zoning Administrator or designee in writing of the appointment of a local representative within seven days of such appointment or modification of any such appointment, including contact information.

HEALTH AND SAFETY STANDARDS

Each short-term rental property, at all times, shall comply with the following standards, as well as any property standards and fire prevention standards established in the Grambling City Ordinances, while the short-term rental is occupied:

Buildings, structures, or rooms shall not be used for purposes other than those for which they were designed or intended.

Roofs, floors, walls, foundations, ceilings, stairs, handrails, guardrails, doors, porches, all other structural components and all appurtenances thereto shall be capable of resisting any and all forces and loads to which they may be normally subjected and shall be kept in sound condition and in good repair.

Smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers shall be installed and operable, and all wood-burning fireplaces and stoves shall be cleaned on an annual basis.

All inspection services should be done prior to issuance of a permit, at the cost of the applicant.

An operable toilet, sink, and either a bathtub or shower shall be located within the same building, and every room containing a toilet or bathtub/shower shall be completely enclosed by walls, doors, or windows that will afford sufficient privacy.

The appropriate level of trash and recycling receptacles should be maintained so there is no overflow of trash and recycling on the property.

Maximum occupancy of the short-term rental property shall comply with the approved short-term rental permit type, as described on the approved short-term rental application. Each owner shall provide short-term rental insurance.

FEES AND TAXES

All fee(s) for short-term rental property shall be set forth by the City of Grambling.

For each short-term rental property, all applicable City and Parish Sales Taxes, as well as any Occupancy Taxes, shall be timely collected and remitted.

All professionally-managed short-term rental property shall submit one tax payment for each property, so long as there is sufficient supporting information to identify each individual short-term and the taxes collected on such short-term rental.

VIOLATIONS, PENALTIES, AND ENFORCEMENT

It is unlawful to violate any provision of this Article. Each day of violation shall be deemed a separate offense and be punishable as such.

Violation of any term, condition, requirement, or duration of a short-term rental permit approved under this Article is unlawful, and will constitute a violation of this Code, and will subject the violator to the penalties as set forth. In addition, the short-term rental permit may be revoked or suspended following public hearings by the Planning and Zoning Board.

Enforcement of this Article may be initiated in any of the following ways:

The Planning and Zoning Board is authorized to revoke any short-term rental permit, as well as issue any zoning violations to the property owner to which the short-term rental is operating.

Authorized personnel from the City's Revenue Division may revoke any short-term rental permit if they determine that the short-term rental permit is violating any applicable ordinances, statutes, rules, and regulations of the City, Parish, and the State of Louisiana.

Authorized personnel from the City's police department may issue citations for any short-term rental if they determine that the short-term rental is violating any applicable ordinances, statutes, rules, and regulations of the City. Any person violating the provisions of this Article shall be issued a citation, which shall be paid in the same manner as provided for offenders of local traffic violations.

APPEALS

Within 30 (thirty) days after the date of the decision for any administrative short-term rental permit, the applicant or any aggrieved party may appeal a decision to the Planning and Zoning Board.

If the aggrieved party is not satisfied with the Board's decision, it has the right to appeal to the City Council.

EXISTING SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROPERTY

Any existing short-term rental currently operating within the City of Grambling shall apply for registration, pursuant to this Article, within 90 days after the effective date of this Article.

All existing short-term rental properties, as described above, that have been operating prior to the effective date of this Article, shall have their application reviewed administratively.

BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that the Mayor of the City of Grambling shall be and is hereby authorized to do any and all things and to sign any and all documents in a form acceptable to the City Attorney necessary to effectuate the purposes set forth herein.

BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that if any provision or item of this Ordinance or the application thereof shall be held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions, items or applications of this Ordinance which can be given effect without the invalid provisions, items or applications; and to this end, the provisions of this Ordinance are hereby declared to be severable.

BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that all ordinances or portions thereof in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.

APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FORM:

/Attorney Ronald Lattier/

City Attorney's Office

§2. This Ordinance shall become effective after final adoption and publication of same in the manner prescribed by law.

This Ordinance was introduced on February 1, 2024, by Council member Jerry Lewis; Notice of Public Hearing having been published on April 14, 2024 and said Public Hearing having been held, the title having been read and the Ordinance considered, a motion to adopt was made by Council member Jerry Lewis, seconded by Council member Cathy H. Giles a record vote was taken and the following result was as following:

This resolution having been submitted to a vote, the vote thereon was as follows:

INSERT CHART

The motion was carried.

This ordinance was adopted on the May 2, 2024 and presented to the Mayor for his signature on the May 3, 2024 (which is less than 3 days from the date the ordinance was adopted). PamelaStringfelloow/ City Clerk. Approved by the Mayor on this 3rd day of May, 2024.

/Alvin Bradley/ Mayor. Published in the Ruston Daily Leader, Ruston, LA, on May 17 & 19, 2024.