By Bob Burns | Fountain Hills Times
Owners of existing short-term rental properties in Fountain Hills must obtain a required permit to operate within 60 days, and anyone operating a short-term rental without proper registration is subject to a violation and penalties.
The town council previously passed an ordinance requiring owners of short-term rentals to obtain an annual permit from the town. The permit application must contain the full name, address and 24-hour phone number of the person serving as the emergency point of contact for the property, proof of insurance and proper tax license, among other information.
Those who operate a short-term rental in Fountain Hills may use the registration portal to obtain the required permit. Notices of violation will be sent and handled by Code Enforcement following the 60-day period. In addition to any other penalty pursuant to the Town Code, the town may impose a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per month against an owner if they fail to apply for the permit within 30 days of receiving the written notice of violation.
Currently, there are more than 200 properties operating as short-term rentals in Fountain Hills, according to staff.
Another new portal allows residents to report complaints or nuisances, which will go to Code Enforcement for review and follow-up.
A written notice will be sent to non-compliant operators on a monthly basis alongside Code Enforcement actions, as applicable.
Operators may access the registration site at portal.deckard.com/az-maricopa-town_of_fountain_hills-str-portal. Complaints may be filed using complaints-str.deckard.com/fountainhills-az-str-complaints.
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