Draper property owners will need a license to list their homes on Airbnb or similar platforms after the City Council adopted Ordinance #1721 on Tuesday, July 21, according to the meeting summary posted by OpenUtah. The city's official recap had not been published as of Wednesday, July 22.
The ordinance amends Draper City Municipal Code Titles 6 and 9 to require short-term rental (STR) operators to obtain a permit and meet new licensing standards. Until the vote, Draper had no rules governing short-term rentals. Homeowners could rent an entire house or a room with no city oversight.
How the STR rules took shape
The ordinance had been in the works since at least June 2, when planning staff member Todd Taylor presented a draft to the council in a study session. That draft proposed allowing rentals in single-family homes, townhomes, condos, and detached ADUs, but not internal ADUs.
Community pressure mounted after a fire at a suspected short-term rental property in April. Draper resident Nick Porter, who posted video of the blaze on social media, told KUTV in April: "The fire next door made it personal. Our safety is now directly affected by someone else's business."
Mayor Troy K. Walker and Councilmember Fred Lowry supported a minimum renter age of 21 during the June 2 study session. Some council members pushed for a three-night minimum stay during a July 9 work session. Details of the final ordinance's specific provisions were not immediately available.
Black Bear Diner liquor license
The council also granted a limited-service restaurant license to Bear Tracks Holdings LLC, the operator of Black Bear Diner at 12057 S. State St. The agenda packet included a Utah liquor liability filing, indicating the license allows the cabin-themed diner to serve alcohol with meals.
Rezoning on 13275 South and 13800 South
Michael and Tori Adamo's request to rezone their 1.08-acre property at 265 E. 13275 S. from RA1 (40,000-square-foot minimum lot size) to RA2 (20,000-square-foot minimum) moved forward under Ordinance #1731. At roughly 47,000 square feet, the parcel would be large enough for two lots under the new designation.
A separate request from Solid Construction would reclassify a 0.31-acre site at 273 E. 13800 S. from Residential Agricultural to Regional Commercial on both the land use and zoning maps, under Ordinances #1732 and #1733. The Draper Planning Commission heard both applications on Wednesday, June 25.
ADU rules revisited
The council took up Ordinance #1734, a city-initiated ADU text amendment, just two weeks after voting 4-0 to deny a similar measure. On Tuesday, July 7, the council rejected Ordinance #1727, which would have changed standards for detached accessory dwelling units. The OpenUtah meeting summary describes the new version as loosening ADU rules to make it easier for residents to build backyard cottages or basement apartments. The council's vote on the revised ADU measure was not immediately available.
Under current code, detached ADUs require at least 12,000 square feet of lot area.
The next Draper City Council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, August 12. That session will include a Truth and Taxation public hearing on the city's proposed 25% property tax rate increase.
