NIXA, Mo. — An illegal Airbnb operation will be the hot topic of Nixa City Council tonight.
Neighbors say a home on Scott Wayne Drive is a nuisance with guests coming home early in the morning and strange dogs running around their yard. Landlords whose properties border Airbnb have filed complaints and petitions. Unable to get a resolution from their city council, neighborhood builder, or homeowners association representatives, they turned to KOLR 10 Investigates for answers.
The town of Nixa has an ordinance dictating the rules for short-term rentals like Airbnb’s, but the town told KOLR 10 on Monday that it knowingly allows the landlord in question to rent out his home to guests without permission. inspection or business license needed while it goes through the application process.
“My biggest grievance is the violation of the city ordinance,” neighbor Ed Quiko said.
This city ordinance states that to operate a short-term rental, owners must first obtain planning and zoning approval, city council approval, and then obtain a special use permit and business license.
“They’ve been operating without a license since April,” Quiko said.
Drew Douglas, communications manager for the town of Nixa, said the town was delaying issuing the $500-a-day fine while the landlord sought permission. City documents show the operator applied for the special use permit and business license on June 29.
“Our motivation isn’t to penalize them, it’s to help them get into compliance and make them work properly,” Douglas said.
OzarksFirst has attempted to get answers from operator Airbnb, but has declined to comment at this time.
“Ignorance of the law is no excuse in this country, at least that’s what I’ve been taught. You can’t tell me you can drive a car without a license and then belatedly say I’m sorry,” Quiko said.
Neighbors argue that the tenants are disrupting the otherwise quiet family neighborhood and raising major safety concerns.
“We don’t know who comes in and who comes out,” Quiko said.
The city ordinance states that short-term rentals must also pass an annual safety inspection. Nixa confirms that the Airbnb on Scott Wayne Drive has not been inspected. After this story aired, the city clarified that the property on Scott Wayne Drive will not need an immediate inspection if approved for a short-term rental special use permit. Because it completed construction in October 2021, Nixa city rules designate it as a new home that passed building inspections before receiving a certificate of occupancy.
Nixa does not require a rental inspection until at least 12 months after the Certificate of Occupancy is issued, but not until the time the applicant applies for renewal of their Special Use Permit.
Douglas says the landlord in this case will not need a rental inspection until January 2023 if she applies at that time to renew her business license as a short-term rental property.
KOLR 10 Investigators obtained a copy of the bylaws from the homeowners association at Old Castle Estates. Airbnb is also breaking these rules.
Section 9 states that each dwelling must be dedicated exclusively to single-family dwelling, but short-term rental has already obtained approval from Nixa Planning and Zoning.
The next stage of the process will take place at 7 am on August 15 at the Nixa Town Hall. Council members will hear the owner’s case for a special use permit. The public can speak for up to five minutes and neighbors plan to do so.
Council is then expected to vote on whether or not to issue the operator a special use permit at the August 22 council meeting.
Individuals interested in applying to operate a business legally in the City of Nixa can use the Business Concierge Service to answer any questions by calling 417-725-3785 and asking for Deputy City Administrator Cindy Robbins.
If you have a story you’d like KOLR 10 Investigates to investigate, email investigative reporter Lauren Barnas at [email protected].
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