The Saratoga Springs City Council agreed at a pre-meeting discussion to post Proposed Local Law No. 4 of 2025, a text amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) that would allow short-term rentals as accessory uses in specified zoning districts, and to hold a public hearing on the proposal at the council's next regular meeting.

The change under consideration would list short-term rentals as accessory uses in residential, residential-mixed, commercial-mixed, commercial-gateway and institutional zoning districts, with an intention to include urban-core residential areas as well. Mayor Zafford said the UDO language and the Part 1 Environmental Assessment Form would be uploaded to the agenda and that council would guide the public hearing process at the meeting.

City staff member Susan Bridal, who reviewed the draft environmental form with the council, described the filings as an initial Part 1 EAF and said the action could be treated as an unlisted action because short-term rentals would be accessory uses. Bridal said the council remains the only agency to approve the local law and noted the council could amend the law later based on future findings: "The council can always amend a local law based upon subsequent findings," she told the council during the discussion.

Council members and staff discussed whether the amendment should be processed as a "Type 1" action and said they had sought advice from Land Use Board counsel Leah Everhart. Bridal indicated the Part 1 EAF, the proposed UDO language and the council's findings (Part 2) would be completed or available for council review and that staff would provide the final documents for the agenda packet.

Council members also discussed outreach and coordination with Saratoga County officials, who the mayor said may follow Saratoga Springs' approach and adopt similar local rules. Council members referenced data-gathering after enactment, noting possible adjustments later — for example, imposing day-count limits or a density overlay once usage data are available.

The council did not adopt the local law at the pre-meeting. The item was posted for a public hearing and potential vote at the next regular meeting; staff said findings and final proposed language would be provided to council members before that meeting.

The short-term rentals proposal will appear on the council agenda with the required public-notice language and staff will guide council through the EAF and findings during the public hearing.