Multiple Midlands municipalities made moves to modify short-term rental regulations Tuesday.
In a unanimous vote, Columbia City Council approved an amendment to the city's existing short-term rental rules. Short-term rentals that can be booked on applications like Airbnb and Vrbo will be limited to commercial and mixed-use districts; nearly no new rentals will be allowed to pop up in interior neighborhoods.
A June 2025 shooting at an Airbnb in which a teenager was killed ignited the want for change. Elected officials, neighborhood representatives and rental operators had debated on the proper course of action for months.
Rental operators argued that part of the allure of staying at an Airbnb or equivalent is the location and alternative feel to a hotel. Some within residential neighborhoods see the properties as a carousel of people and potential trouble.
Mayor Daniel Rickenmann said the new regulations are about building balance in neighborhood safety and business opportunity.
"Right now, where we stand, neither side is completely happy," he said, "So that tells me we've created the right thing."
The city passed an ordinance in 2023 that established short-term rental regulations throughout Columbia. A pause on new short-term rental permits was enacted following the 2025 summer shooting.
Existing short-term rentals will not be forced to move locations. And new rentals that fall outside of commercial and mixed-use zones will only have permits approved if they are located along a four-lane road.
The capital city will discuss owner-operated short-term rentals at a later meeting.
On the same day in West Columbia, City Council voted to adopt a resolution to amend zoning ordinances related to short-term rentals. The city has no concrete plan in motion.
