Short-term rental ordinance on aldermen’s agenda for Tuesday meeting

Published 2:25 pm Monday, May 22, 2023

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NATCHEZ — Natchez City Planner Frankie Legaux will introduce a new ordinance to govern short-term rentals in the city at Tuesday’s meeting of the Natchez Mayor and Board of Aldermen.

The board meets at 6 p.m. at the city’s Council Chambers, 115 S. Pearl St.

A short-term rental is defined as a room or housing unit that is rented to a person or group for a fee for a time period not to exceed 30 days. The ordinance calls for each short-term rental to have a local property manager located within Adams County who is able to respond to questions or concerns 24 hours per day. It also calls for each short-term rental to secure a privilege license from the city in order to operate.

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The city’s planning commission approved the short-term rental ordinance at its May 11 meeting.

Legaux said Tuesday’s introduction of the ordinance is for information purposes only. Because the board can vote on the ordinance, it must be presented to citizenry as a public notice in newspaper advertising. She said, if approved at the board’s June and July meetings, the short-term rental ordinance could take effect Aug. 1.

“Our discussion Tuesday will be just a question and answer session,” Legaux said.

She is also suggesting that the city pace a moratorium on accepting new applications for guesthouses until after the short-term rental is approved or denied.

Also on Tuesday’s agenda, the aldermen will:

• recognize Mayor’s Youth Council graduates.

• recognize Project Search interns from Merit Health Natchez.

• recognize Clarice Martin and Dr. Brenda Johnson-Moore from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women.

• recognize Rebecca Owens who will make a presentation on crime.