The Duluth City Council will consider a proposal to repeal the city's controversial 300-foot rule when it meets Monday.
The rule was put in place about three years ago to slow the conversion of conventional single-family homes into rental properties, especially near college and university campuses. In these areas, the rule seeks to keep new rental properties from popping up within 300 feet of an existing operation.
The rules arose as a result of parking issues, complaints of noise and other types of friction between renters and homeowners in neighborhoods located near a campus.
Now that new rules on rental properties and stricter enforcement are being proposed, Council President Jeff Anderson favors lifting the 300-foot rule. Many property owners have complained that the restrictions made homes more difficult to sell and softened their value.
Anderson said the 300-foot rule was meant to offer temporary protection to neighborhoods while city administration worked to craft a longer term solution.
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But the proposal is likely to generate lively debate Monday.
"From what I'm hearing, I don't think now is a very good time to do this," said Councilor Sharla Gardner during an agenda session Thursday night.
She said concerned campus neighbors had expected the 300-foot rule to remain in place while the city developed a "small area plan" that would take a comprehensive look at how to address issues that had arisen from the proliferation of rental units in conventional residential parts of town.
But Mayor Don Ness believes many of these concerns can be addressed through new rental reforms that would enforce off-street parking requirements, step up inspections and assign a full-time police officer to focus both on problem tenants and landlords.
The council probably will take final action on these proposed new rules, including licensing fees that would pay for increased city staff time, on Dec. 20.
