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One of City Council’s highest priorities is to preserve and maintain Oakwood’s character for residents. This is why City Council has determined that the short-term rental of residential property is inconsistent with the permanence, established character, density, and tranquility of Oakwood’s residential neighborhoods and is potentially detrimental to property values. The ordinance being introduced will prohibit short-term rentals in the City with the goal of protecting and preserving these qualities of our residential neighborhoods. Key provisions include:

  • The ordinance only prohibits rentals having a duration of 25 consecutive calendar days or less. Rentals exceeding 25 days, such as month-to-month or yearly leases, will still be permitted as they always have.
  • Generally, violations would be treated as an unclassified misdemeanor, meaning that they are subject to fines only and not a jail term. There is, however, an enhancement provision for repeat offenders that can convert the offense to a fourth degree misdemeanor, which can result in up to 30 days in jail.
  • To avoid causing any hardship by impacting current listings or contracts, the prohibition would not take effect until November 1, 2019.

This was a first reading of the ordinance, so Vice Mayor Byington made no motion.

AN ORDINANCE
BY VICE MAYOR BYINGTON NO 4890
AN ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH AN AMENDMENT TO THE ORGANIZATION AND STAFFING SCHEDULE AND THE PERSONNEL SCHEDULE FOR THE PURPOSE OF CREATING AN ACCOUNT CLERK I CLASSIFICATION; TO ESTABLISH THE HOURLY RATE OF COMPENSATION FOR THAT CLASSIFICATION; TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN THE EXISTING ACCOUNT CLERK II CLASSIFICATION FROM THREE TO TWO; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.

A copy of the ordinance, having been placed on the desks of each member of Council prior to introduction, was read by title.

Vice Mayor Byington explained that this is an ordinance to update the City’s Organization and Staffing Schedule and Personnel Schedule to reflect personnel changes in the Finance Department. Currently the schedules list three (3) Finance Department employees in the “Account Clerk II” job classification and there is no “Account Clerk I” classification. With this amendment, the “Account Clerk I” job classification will be reintroduced and a maximum pay rate of $23.91 will be established for that position. The allocation of employees in the “Account Clerk I” and “Account Clerk II” classifications will also be adjusted. This will result in one (1) Finance Department employee in the “Account Clerk I” classification and two (2) Finance Department employees in the “Account Clerk II” classification, with no effect on the total number of full-time employees.

This is being introduced as an emergency measure because there is an anticipated retirement in the Oakwood Finance Department in September, and it is necessary to establish the Account Clerk I classification immediately to begin the process of properly backfilling and staffing the department.

Thereupon, it was moved by Vice Mayor Byington and seconded by Mrs. Hilton that the ordinance be passed as an emergency measure, with no second reading required.

Mayor Duncan clarified that the City is not hiring anyone else, just changing titles. He then noted that a four out of five yes vote is required in order to waive the second reading of the ordinance.

Upon call of the roll on the question of the motion, the following vote was recorded:

MR. WILLIAM D. DUNCAN YEA
MR. STEVEN BYINGTON YEA
MR. ROBERT P. STEPHENS YEA
MRS. ANNE HILTON YEA
MR. CHRISTOPHER EPLEY YEA

There being five (5) yea votes and no (0) nay votes thereon, said ordinance was declared duly passed and it was so ordered.