[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6078214,"mediaKeyId","2960393-727416223108df1bc59290adce4e55e3","parentId",2960393,"title","Council denies extension for liquor-license compliance at 2479 Nashville Highway","audioSeconds",206,"startMs",1372515,"endMs",1579000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2960393-727416223108df1bc59290adce4e55e3&start=1372&end=1579","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2960393-727416223108df1bc59290adce4e55e3/thumbnail_1372515.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6078214/Tennessee/Council-denies-extension-for-liquor-license-compliance-at-2479-Nashville-Highway","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6078214-0e7bf9928a39c83257ea7fdd2c27aa49/orig.mp4?Expires=1770950081&Signature=WZ~F4TLCHVAXGJ5e-p5Ab1dZA2vSDEL~EfsXkW7~Zc5hddbouuyn6M9X5WEgbdesjnsvyZ0UmrosR8zFp-VHFXeNMBQQNDBbEs66meWIcGj0OBQjKNOJ4hONkx1J6ROMg6OX8M1ytT-iD4RKZwV~4SxpXU3gCLnig-GsfXBm7EZF63x8VCloLBn1Z2PCceGbkhPc3w08TA3Sbf~ITl1lZIzdChWAMM7-Hnm5H3vpT2rHBS0iVtbMJyHoXPquyY4vK~a6MdVVKXT3Bkcw5b9NfKAanpk2ZtsNvwQX200IQXif5GjIeM-5srbzclbEXNaR4Srp0Xs7Z4yy7-95MeNqHw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Columbia, TN","date","2025-04-11T00:00:00Z","article","The City Council voted April 10 to deny a request from Nilesh Patel for a three-month extension of a certificate of compliance for 2479 Nashville Highway.

Staff explained the applicant had been awarded a liquor license about a year earlier but had not started construction required by the city ordinance. City attorney/counsel and Development Services staff recommended denying the extension because inspections and evidence indicated no work had begun. “He hasn't had any construction on his building yet,” counsel said in the meeting summary.

Mayor (name not specified) moved to deny the extension; the motion was seconded and the clerk recorded the vote as carried. The council noted that denying the extension could allow another applicant to submit for that certificate once the process reopens.

Ending: Staff will notify the applicant and continue to follow the city’s certificate and licensing procedures.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Columbia, TN Council Meeting 2025-04-11","oneSentenceSummary","The council denied a requested three-month extension for a certificate of compliance for 2479 Nashville Highway after staff reported no construction activity; denial was made on council motion and carried unanimously.","taxTitle","City of Columbia, Maury County, Tennessee","taxId",54382,"location","Tennessee","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6078219,"Votes at a glance: Columbia City Council approves consent agenda, multiple resolutions and zoning amendments",0,1181365,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2960393-727416223108df1bc59290adce4e55e3&start=1181&end=1181","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2960393-727416223108df1bc59290adce4e55e3/thumbnail_1181365.jpg","/articles/6078219/Tennessee/Votes-at-a-glance-Columbia-City-Council-approves-consent-agenda-multiple-resolutions-and-zoning-amendments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6078219-429fc02802c63e6c963cced6dec31aae/orig.mp4?Expires=1770950081&Signature=eeRfqzccwKZ1f1x78cxU23u7yLG060QlxV9GwiCydP1AIN-NowriOmOX690k~84h2d3Ms6MifgJdD473Q-ix3Py1fTGsjoozppT2wJc84v3WhSJD6b5TUxdqlnpn8NVkN41JuDy-hp7FL7ZXz8xFUQ8dVI3Poar8sMpJXM2acV-AiCEdOOz-msWltouxhfJMRkt6HBd0s0J-mAT8aYAB5gWy1Ie4qg6G694N8i8wNTdhTA0h9~FxV2rgcdW5Utlqre2Y2nMebPsykCOyfexA2HCTLmSjrDm583LvBKZkicA9lGG1sa08vhvlPb6hyj-BGDqCKG4MTAiI3uROM33hiQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At its April 10 meeting the City Council of the City of Columbia approved the consent agenda, adopted multiple resolutions and advanced several ordinances in actions that were largely unanimous.

Key outcomes at a glance

- Consent agenda (items 7.1–7.12): Approved. The consent package included approval of $6,516,628.22 in disbursements for February 2025 (7.1), contract awards for police uniforms and professional services, fee revisions for employee assistance services, and construction and lease contracts for capital projects and equipment (7.2–7.12).

- Item 8.1 (administration): Denial of request for a three-month extension to a certificate of compliance for 2479 Nashville Highway (applicant Nilesh Patel). Motion to deny carried by council vote.

- Resolutions (section 9): Council approved multiple resolutions including acceptance of sewer improvements for Rock Springs Road (Res. 25-22), Bear Springs Phase 1 (Res. 25-23), the city’s strategic plan Columbia 25 Through 28 (Res. 25-24), a $75 property-tax relief cap for eligible elderly low-income homeowners (Res. 25-25), designation of official local newspapers (Res. 25-26), several other sewer/street acceptance resolutions and a TDOT/GNRC prioritization request for widening I-65 from I-840 to Bear Creek Pike (Res. 25-31).

- Ordinances (section 10): Council approved second consideration of a rewrite of Article 4 (building lot and site standards) in the zoning ordinance (ordinance 45-36) and of Article 9 definitions (ordinance 45-38). Council also amended and approved ordinance 45-41 addressing short-term rental standards (see separate story). The council approved an amendment to the development services fee schedule (ordinance 45-37) to align STR permit fees with the administrative permitting approach.

Roll-call and procedure

Most actions were moved, seconded and adopted on roll-call votes with the clerk recording “Aye” votes from members present. On items with extensive public comment (notably the STR ordinance) the council considered and adopted amendments before final passage.

What the approvals do

- Capital and contracts: The consent items authorize contracts and expenditures for infrastructure, equipment leases and professional planning and design services affecting multiple wards and municipal projects.

- Planning and zoning: The ordinance approvals update the city’s zoning definitions and standards and adjust the fee schedule to reflect administrative permitting for STRs rather than conditional-use review before the Board of Zoning Appeals.

- Fiscal relief: Resolution 25-25 establishes a maximum $75 property-tax relief for qualifying elderly low-income homeowners for 2025.

Next steps

Staff will implement the ordinances and contracts approved tonight, issue permit guidance under the revised development fee schedule, and begin administrative processing of STR permits under the terms adopted by council. Several items include follow-up tasks for Development Services and Public Works.","The council approved the consent agenda (items 7.1–7.12), several resolutions (9.1–9.10) and ordinances including updates to building lot standards and the development fee schedule; a liquor-license extension request was denied.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6078224,"Columbia council amends zoning to allow short-term rentals in core commercial districts, grandfathers some existing operators",3319,2136345,5456120,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2960393-727416223108df1bc59290adce4e55e3&start=2136&end=5456","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2960393-727416223108df1bc59290adce4e55e3/thumbnail_2136345.jpg","/articles/6078224/Tennessee/Columbia-council-amends-zoning-to-allow-short-term-rentals-in-core-commercial-districts-grandfathers-some-existing-operators","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6078224-d4708606757e7884fe28275ee666c50a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770950081&Signature=fbN3fa6T28KVVJubnje-zwjCDJ4WbRCaE4LjjMFy~h9vD5ZfjoUqffgv4XvoYgA97v96XxJrc10GmAboTayYXCTTYHUNQoYBUPM4EEG9PPbC~q44TQIEZBXe1xW-cCu~ycgjyLm3yaK6wmhiTpBdVeLqZJyMfKTSBTAmN71H5ldS48cI7COlEvsX16uPamWSy9kaW5ldI2uSjhpmIl0k7jwc8a5ZQvRL8B~7AgEY6Cb6KFfpQygDDd-Tx7RPFUEr9WE7WNbHVU~clgdk0VHGI96oB23o-XNSkqHrEp-Ko0UlpFEl0e9Zt9W9Ng-PXWWKMJEL1ZG0yGvCpw9wfjjY5A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City Council of the City of Columbia on April 10 approved an amended zoning ordinance that will permit short-term rental (STR) units without an owner-occupancy requirement in central commercial districts and establish a process to permit certain existing operators in other residential districts.

The vote followed more than two hours of public comment and council debate. The final ordinance (amended ordinance 45-41) allows STRs in Character Districts CD-4, CD-4C and CD-5 without an owner-occupancy condition and adds a grandfathering path for properties outside those districts that can document recent occupancy-tax remittance.

Council members and city staff said the change was intended to balance the city’s interest in protecting residential neighborhoods with preserving downtown tourism and the incomes of existing operators.

City Attorney (name not specified) told council members that state law already protects some preexisting uses and explained the legal limits the city faces. “If you currently have a license, [you are] legal,” the City Attorney said during the discussion, adding that state law protects properties that were operating and remitting occupancy tax for six of the 12 months immediately before July 2022.

Zoning administrator Mr. Keltner explained how the city’s prior zoning code treated short-term rentals and why some units are already lawful nonconforming uses. He told the council that many addresses raised in public comment were established under the earlier code and “are actually already legal nonconforming as is today.”

Several residents and operators urged the council to preserve STRs. Steve Napier, who addressed the council during the public comment period, said: “I just would implore you again just to reconsider this regulation about short term rentals.” Mercedes Robinson, who identified herself as an STR operator, described safety steps she takes at her properties: “I have fire extinguishers. I have gone above and beyond in every way possible.” Josh Magee, who manages properties, said STRs support local jobs — cleaners, maintenance workers and contractors — and urged council to accommodate them.

Other speakers, including Planning Commission vice chair Sue Stevenson, urged limits in lower-density residential districts. Stevenson said the Planning Commission voted 6-0 to amend the short-term rental ordinance and recommended keeping STRs prohibited in CD-2 and CD-3 districts to “preserve the peace and solitude and beauty of these district areas.”

After public comment the council debated several amendments. The mayor proposed, and council approved, language that lets properties that had remitted occupancy (hotel/motel) tax for at least six of the prior 12 months (counting to 04/10/2025) apply for a short-term rental permit and continue operating until the property is sold, transferred, unused as an STR for 30 months, or is found in violation of local law three or more times — mirroring statutory grandfathering conditions. Council also removed conditional-use references to the Board of Zoning Appeals to avoid a patchwork of case-by-case approvals that staff said could create inconsistent treatment and potential litigation.

The final motion, as adopted, requires affected operators to apply for a city STR permit and to provide proof of occupancy-tax payments by December 31, 2025, if they seek to preserve grandfathered status. The council voted to approve the ordinance as amended; Council member roll call showed unanimous support for the final package.

Council members emphasized the ordinance is not a permanent freeze: they discussed future adjustments such as stricter limits near parks or a defined downtown radius that might receive special treatment.

The new rules take effect on adoption; the ordinance as amended sets administrative permitting and fee provisions in the development services fee schedule (ordinance 45-37) as the council simultaneously amended that fee schedule to align with the STR permit process.

The change drew repeated questions about properties the city has promoted on tourism pages and how those listings had been handled previously; staff said promotion does not itself determine zoning status and reiterated that many of the questioned properties had been legally operating under prior ordinances.

The ordinance text adopted by council mirrors the state’s grandfathering parameters and adds a local permitting deadline and enforcement triggers; the council made cleanup edits to accessory-use tables so principal- and accessory-use listings align.

Council members and staff said they expect to continue monitoring outcomes and to consider future refinements, including targeted geographic restrictions or enhanced enforcement for repeat offenders.

Ending: The council adopted the amended short-term rental ordinance and related fee changes on voice/roll-call votes after two amendments; the city will begin accepting permit applications under the new rules and has set a year-end deadline for operators seeking grandfathered status to submit evidence of occupancy-tax payments.","The City Council adopted an amended zoning ordinance that allows short-term rentals without an owner-occupancy requirement in core downtown and commercial districts, and added a grandfathering provision for units that remitted occupancy taxes before 04/10/2025.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council denies extension for liquor-license compliance at 2479 Nashville Highway

Votes at a glance: Columbia City Council approves consent agenda, multiple resolutions and zoning amendments

Columbia council amends zoning to allow short-term rentals in core commercial districts, grandfathers some existing operators