Politics
Templestowe Council Adopts Short-Term Rental Licensing Rules Matching Regional Standards
Property owners offering short-term rentals in Templestowe will pay a $250 annual license fee and register guest records with the city starting January 2027 under rules already operating in Riverton and Oakdale.
How we reported this
The Templestowe City Council on July 7 approved a short-term rental licensing ordinance by a 5-2 vote, requiring hosts to obtain permits and submit quarterly occupancy reports to the planning department. The measure brings Templestowe into line with licensing programs already enforced in Riverton since 2024 and Oakdale since 2025.
City staff presented data from the planning department showing 87 active short-term rental listings within Templestowe limits as of June. Under the new rules, each listing must display a city-issued permit number on all booking platforms, and hosts must keep records of guest stays for three years.
Effects for property owners and neighbors
Residents who rent rooms or entire homes for periods under 30 days will face an application process that includes a safety inspection and proof of liability insurance. The ordinance limits the number of rental days per calendar year to 180 for any single property, a cap identical to the one in place in Riverton.
Households living next to licensed rentals can file complaints about noise or parking through the same city code enforcement office that handles other zoning issues. Revenue from the license fees is projected in the council resolution to cover two new part-time compliance positions.
Next steps and enforcement timeline
Staff will mail registration packets to known hosts by September 1. The first round of permits must be issued before December 31 to allow listings to remain active on platforms after the January deadline. Council documents state that failure to obtain a license will result in fines of $500 per day after a 30-day warning period.
Planning staff will deliver a six-month compliance report to the council in July 2027, including the number of permits issued and complaints received, using the same format already used by Oakdale.