At our December 18th meeting, I voted to approve a 160-unit short-term rental development called Mojave Village just off Hwy 91. I do not believe short-term rentals are good for Ivins. In addition to practical challenges they create, they undermine the sense of community that defines this city. That’s why I have consistently voted against rezoning land to Resort Commercial (RC), which allows short-term rentals.
Since joining the City Council, I have voted against every RC rezoning proposal except one. The sole exception was approved only after I required a condition prohibiting short-term rentals on that property.
Last night’s vote was difficult because the underlying zoning decision was already made. It was rezoned RC in 2022, when I cast one of my lone “no” votes. Under Utah law, that zoning gives the owner the right to pursue short-term rentals on the site. At this stage, the City Council cannot legally prohibit that use outright.
But what we can do, and what I focused on, is require strong, enforceable conditions that meaningfully limit impacts. I proposed 37 conditions that were approved (download my memo). These address management accountability, occupancy limits, parking enforcement, noise controls, trash handling, security, response times, records, inspections, and clear consequences if management fails. These are not symbolic measures. They provide the City with real enforcement tools and establish firm expectations for how short-term rentals must operate in Ivins.
I continue to believe short-term rentals are the wrong direction for Ivins, and I will continue to oppose rezoning additional land to allow them. But when the zoning already exists, the responsible course is to use the authority we do have to protect the community as strongly as possible. That is what this vote was about.
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