By Ryan Clark
NKyTribune reporter
The Covington City Commission talked about short term rentals last week and noted a public comment period held at the Life Learning Center on Thursday.
Mayor Joseph Meyer also reminded the public that there is an electronic way to submit comments, and that the city already has about 30-35. (You can do so here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfSCfF-snY_1DFL219vBGnyhAS22fHX8xHiOOpy0A28Yl69CA/viewform)
“They have been very insightful and helpful and overwhelmingly positive, so we urge people to continue to use that as another means of communicating with the Commission,” he said.
In December, Commissioners voted to approve a temporary moratorium on the city’s acceptance, review, and processing of new license applications for short-term rental dwellings.
Citing “many hundreds” of short-term rentals in the city, City Solicitor David Davidson explained the emergency, as well as the need to legislate it.
“It’s safe to say that there are many hundreds of short-term rentals going on in the city where we have permits and licenses for maybe 20 percent of those — probably not even 20 percent — so we have a state of affairs in the city where our laws are not being adhered to that I think is a pretty significant occurrence, and by itself would be suggestive of an emergency,” Davidson said. “We also have the fact that the short-term rentals are directly impacting the availability of affordable housing. Apartment buildings that once housed two, three, four families now sit empty except on weekends.”
Back in December, Commissioners voted 4-0 and approved the temporary moratorium.
Later in the meeting, Commissioner Ron Washington proposed a motion.
“I’ve received a lot of public feedback about our short-term rentals, pros and cons,” he said. “I just want to make sure that as we’re going through this process over the next six months that our public, our citizens, are heard — so I’m going to offer this amendment up to the Board of Commissioners: I make a motion to order the city manager to solicit public input on short-term rentals. The city manager shall invite the public to a hearing to discuss the pros and cons of short-term rentals. He shall generate a report of said hearing to the commissioner.”
Commissioners then approved the amendment.
Budget
Commissioners heard a first reading of a proposed amendment to an ordinance for the city budget that would:
• Add $1.5 million to general fund transfer revenue and expense
• Add a new fund, Fund 13 — National Opioid Settlement, with revenue of $800,000
• Add $1.5 million to Self-Insured Employee Health Plan Fund revenue and expense
Noise ordinances
Commissioners heard a first reading of a proposed change to noise ordinances that will try to address noise problems in the city — especially in relation to bars.
This ordinance change will “empower the ABC administrator to get involved in regulating noise if it is coming from bars and to try to deal with those issues,” said City Solicitor David Davidson.
Demolitions
Commissioners approved four demolitions of vacant buildings:
1815 Jefferson Avenue
2718 Madison Avenue
4205 Decoursey Avenue
4309 Huntington Avenue
New hires
Commissioners approved the hirings of:
Peter Hager, Procurement Officer
Maxwell Brinkley, Police Officer
William Gonzales, Police Officer
Wade Webster, Police Officer
Luke Moser, Police Cadet
Dallas Hedger, Laborer I, General Maintenance Division
Resignations
Commissioners approved the resignations of:
Richard “Scott” Menefee, Police Officer VI
Stephanie Patrick, Clerk Typist
Benjamin Johnson, Firefighter/Paramedic IV
Mark Antrobus, Solid Waste Coordinator
Andrew Wilhoite, Director of Special Projects & Intergovernmental Affairs
Retirement
Commissioners approved the retirement of:
Lisa Roaden, Urban Housing Specialist
Reappointment
Commissioners approved the reappointment of:
Jessica Spencer — Urban Forestry Board
Feral Cats
“We had a resident contact us about an issue dealing with an organization that is helping feed feral cats and some negative interactions that they’ve had,” said Commissioner Tim Downing. “I’ve passed those messages along with staff and I talked with City Manager (Ken) Smith prior to the meeting I’m hoping that we can get an update on the appropriate protocols and what kind of guidance we can offer to the residents that are dealing with this issue here within the next week or two.”