City Council advances overhaul of Stillwater's short-term rental rules

Proposed ordinance would require licenses in all zoning districts, replace public hearings with administrative review

Chris Peters

May 05, 2026 - 7 min read

Green markers on a map presented May 4 to Stillwater City Council show 167 active short-term rental licenses, most clustered in neighborhoods near Oklahoma State University. The proposed ordinance advancing through council would require licenses for short-term rentals in all zoning districts and cap their concentration in single-family neighborhoods. – City of Stillwater

City Council advances overhaul of Stillwater's short-term rental rules — Green markers on a map presented May 4 to Stillwater City Council show 167 active short-term rental licenses, most clustered in neighborhoods near Oklahoma State University. The proposed ordinance advancing through council would require licenses for short-term rentals in all zoning districts and cap their concentration in single-family neighborhoods. – City of Stillwater

Stillwater City Council gave first-round approval May 4 to an ordinance that would replace the city's seven-year-old short-term rental licensing framework with a new system extending licensing requirements to all zoning districts, shifting the approval process away from Planning Commission hearings, and capping the concentration of short-term rentals in single-family neighborhoods to protect their character.

The council voted 4-0 to advance Ordinance No. 3604 to a second reading. Vice Mayor Amy Dzialowski was absent from the meeting.

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