MARSHALL — A proposed city code governing residential rental properties in Marshall will have a public hearing in February. This week, members of the Marshall City Council voted to introduce the proposed rental code ordinance, and set a hearing date on Feb. 13.

The council didn’t discuss the proposed rental code at their meeting Tuesday. The introduction of the ordinance and public hearing were approved as part of the council’s consent agenda.

Discussions on creating a rental code for the city go back as far as 2021. A proposed rental code that came before the city council in January 2023 drew backlash from both local property owners and renters. Landlords said the proposal was too broad, and tenant advocates called for better protections for renters.

Instead of acting on the 2023 proposal, council members directed city staff to form a committee for further review of a rental code ordinance.

The committee, made up of members including city staff, Marshall Fire Department representatives, landlords and tenant advocates, met five times over the course of the past year. On Oct. 31, the committee voted to recommend a new rental ordinance to the council.

The text of the proposed rental code says that its purpose is to help protect public health and safety, by doing things like promoting fire safety, reducing environmental health hazards and giving minimum standards for facilities.

Under the proposal, rental housing, including short-term rentals, would need to be registered with the city, and have an owner or local property manager living within 50 miles of Marshall. Registrations would need to be renewed every other year, and property owners or managers would need to complete a self-inspection checklist for each rental unit.

The city would have the ability to set registration fees, the proposed ordinance said.

Under the proposed rental ordinance, tenants would have the ability to make complaints about a rental property to the city. After getting a complaint, the city would give the property owner or manager 48 hours to address the issue, unless the complaint alleges an immediate health or safety concern. If a complaint isn’t resolved after 48 hours, the city can inspect the property and notify owners and tenants of ordinance violations. The city can also give a compliance order to the property owner to address the issue.

The proposed ordinance also includes protections for tenants if they make an emergency call or call the city to file a complaint.

According to the proposal, the rental ordinance would not apply to on-campus university housing, hotels, or licensed group homes or nursing homes.