Madison establishes short-term rental appeals board

The Madison city council approved the establishment of an appeals board for short-term rental permits at the November 9 city council meeting.

The appeals board will consist of five members who hear and decide appeals on revoked and suspended short-term rental permits. Board members will be one employee of the Madison Police Department, one employee of the Planning Department, one employee of the Fire Department, one member with professional experience in construction appointed by the city council, and one member appointed by the mayor.

Members cannot own or operate a short-term rental. The board will hear appeals within 60 days of appeals being filed.

“If this is approved this evening, we’ll start working with the city clerk to get the board composed and bring a resolution to formally approve the board at your December 7 meeting,” said City Attorney Megan Zingarelli.

“I appreciate all the work that legal has done on this and continued review of other pieces that we’re looking at for future meetings, including the density,” said District 2 councilman David Bier.

The council also heard a first reading for a proposed $500 fine for individuals operating a short-term rental without a permit or license.

“We do have our warning letters out there in the community for short-term rentals that have been identified, and so we’re proposing this fine as a way for when these cases are brought before the municipal court for the judge to have a fine that’s recommended by council instead of approving certain fines,” said Zingarelli.

The short-term rentals appeals board will be presented to the council for formal approval on December 7.