New Orleans planning commissioners and the public got their first opportunity this week to weigh in on proposed reforms to the city’s short-term rental regulations, with residents seeking stricter limits and officials asking for the rules to be simplified.
The City Planning Commission on Tuesday held a public hearing on the transient lodging study, released in October. Presented by the consultants who prepared it, the study was met with suggested changes from city staff and members of the public.
While the report broadly favored limiting short-term rentals in historic neighborhoods like Treme, Marigny and Bywater — where pockets of mixed-use zoning have allowed for their proliferation — commissioners indicated they had an appetite for even tighter regulations. Speakers during public comment likewise called for simpler rules, additional restrictions in other neighborhoods, non-transferable temporary licenses for short-term rentals and stronger enforcement of existing rules…