Mentor City Council has passed an ordinance to prohibit short-term housing rentals in the city.
The ordinance establishes prohibitions against short-term rentals in all zoning districts.
Mentor Planning Director Kathy Cantanzriti previously told The News-Herald council had held a few work sessions o
n the topic since 2024.
“They are a popular option for travelers seeking temporary, short-term stays, and the city has discovered that a handful of short-term rentals are operating within Mentor without proper regulation or permitting,” Catanzriti said. “The law director (J. Peter Szeman) was asked to draft an ordinance for city council’s consideration to establish prohibitions against short-term rentals in all zoning districts, which was placed on council’s agenda in early October 2024.
“City Council received public comment on the proposed ordinance, asking that council consider allowing short-term rentals with appropriate regulations and not adopt a complete ban of them,” she added.
Szeman explained during a recent council meeting while legislation at the state level had previously been stuck in committee, passage of an ordinance allows local municipalities such as Mentor to define their own laws regarding short-term rentals.
City officials conceded that short-term rentals are popular in the city, particularly for out-of-town shoppers, diners and birdwatching enthusiasts, but voted 6-1 to ban them in the city.
...read more read less
