Pullman approves short-term rental codes

The Pullman City Council on Tuesday approved new rules regarding short-term rentals.

The council decided to move forward with the Pullman Planning Commission’s recommendations regarding short-term rental codes.

According to previous Moscow-Pullman Daily News reporting, the most significant recommendation from the commission is an exemption for long-term residents who live at the property for at least six months renting out two or fewer rooms.

The alteration would void all requirements currently enforced for these operators. Non-Pullman residents and larger listings would still be required to obtain a business license and have an inspection by a city building official to rubber stamp a host of safety requirements like emergency evacuation plans, wall-mounted fire extinguishers, egress lights, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and more.

The council reviewed these changes during a June 6 meeting. On Tuesday, there was little discussion before the council approved the new city codes, though Mayor Francis Benjamin said the council could discuss short-term rental application fees at a future meeting.

The entire revised code, which is the culmination of discussions going back to last year, can be found on Tuesday’s meeting agenda.

Also on Tuesday, the council heard a presentation about the future of the Pine Street Plaza Pedestrian Bridge.

The bridge floated off its abutments during a March 14 flood and is currently resting on the northern bank of the South Fork of the Palouse River.

Pullman Public Works Director Frank Mulcahy said that a structural bridge engineer is evaluating the bridge and will recommend solutions for repairing or retrofitting the structure.

Mulcahy presented the council several possible options regarding the bridge’s future. This was only a discussion item, so no action was taken by the council.

The city could have the existing bridge repaired and reinstalled as it is currently designed. Or, the bridge could be retrofitted so that it can be raised above the water during a flood event.

The existing bridge could also be bolted down to prevent it from floating away.

Mulcahy said the city could permanently raise the bridge, but it would have to be modified to meet ADA requirements. The bridge could also be replaced altogether.

Any option that involves retrofitting the bridge or replacing the bridge will require the city to add the project to the capital improvement program and allocate funds for the work.

The city could place the existing bridge back into position as early as December, but retrofitting the bridge won’t likely be completed until 2027.

Councilor Nathan Weller said he was concerned about having a bridge that can be raised because it would require moving parts that may fail in the future.

“In my opinion, the less moving parts we have the better,” he said.

At the beginning of Tuesday’s meeting, Benjamin announced that former Pullman City Councilmember Ron Wachter died on Monday.

Wachter served on the council from 1977 to 1995. Benjamin said he also served on the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport Board for 36 years and was involved in the construction of two airport terminals during that time.

Benjamin said Wachter was heavily involved in the community as a Pullman High School booster, president of the Washington State University Cougar Club Association, a member of the Pullman Lions Club and former director of the Palouse Empire Fair Association, among other roles.

Benjamin said Wachter had an “incredible impact on Pullman, the county and the region.”