Fountain Green, Utah Short Term Rental Regulations Guide for Airbnb hosts

Overview: Are Short-Term Rentals Allowed in Fountain Green, UT?

EXPLICIT ANSWER: Short-term rentals are NOT currently permitted in Fountain Green, UT, but the city is actively moving toward allowing them with strict owner-occupied requirements.

As of January 2025, the Fountain Green Planning and Zoning Commission has recommended that the City Council adopt an ordinance permitting short-term rentals, but only on an owner-occupied basis. The City Council has not yet voted on or formally adopted these regulations. Until the City Council takes formal action, short-term rentals remain prohibited in Fountain Green.

What do Airbnb hosts actually earn in Fountain Green?

Fountain Green hosts earn a median $16,046/year with $182 ADR and 43% occupancy.

Top performers pull in $35,527+ per year.

See the full Fountain Green market breakdown

How to Start a Short-Term Rental Business in Fountain Green

Current Status and Timeline

The Planning Commission recommended the STR ordinance to the City Council in January 2025. The recommendation requires the ordinance to be placed in formal format before the City Council can vote on it. Investors should monitor City Council meetings for final adoption.

Proposed Owner-Occupied STR Framework

When adopted, the framework will require:

Primary Residency Requirement: The STR unit must be the owner's primary residence for at least 51% of a 12-month period (approximately 180 days). This occupancy requirement does not need to be consecutive.

Local Representative: Each STR must designate a local responsible party who can respond to complaints within 30 minutes during rental periods.

Occupancy Limits: Guest limits will be tied to the size and accommodations of the dwelling rather than fixed arbitrary numbers.

Required Documents, Permits, Licenses, and Guidelines

Permits and Licenses (Proposed)

Business License: Required before operation, subject to annual renewal
Conditional Use Permit: May be required depending on zone designation
Annual Safety Inspection: Required before business license issuance or renewal

Safety Requirements (Proposed)

Smoke Alarms: Must meet current building code requirements
Egress Requirements: Proper emergency exits as per building standards
Fire Safety Compliance: Adherence to fire code regulations

Application Requirements

Inspection Form: Completion of city-provided inspection form
Owner Documentation: Proof of primary residence status
Local Representative Contact: Information for on-call responsible party

Specific Regulations: City, County, and State Level

City-Level Regulations (Proposed Fountain Green STR Ordinance)

Owner-Occupancy Requirement:

Must be owner's primary residence ≥51% of 12-month period
No requirement for consecutive occupancy
Applies to residential units within mixed-use buildings if they meet dwelling standards

Operational Requirements:

Designated local representative able to respond within 30 minutes
Guest limits based on unit size and accommodations
Annual inspection and business license renewal process
Compliance with all applicable building and fire codes

Zoning Considerations:

Planning Commission noted that ordinance should apply to residential units in commercial buildings (e.g., apartments above Main Street businesses)
These units must meet dwelling standards including smoke alarms and egress requirements

Enforcement Mechanisms:

Business licensing and inspection-based enforcement
No citywide cap on number of STRs currently proposed
Future re-evaluation planned after trial period

County-Level Regulations (Sanpete County)

No specific Sanpete County STR regulations were found in the provided content. STR regulations would likely be governed by state law and city ordinances unless the county has adopted separate regulations.

State-Level Regulations (Utah)

The provided content does not include specific Utah state-level STR regulations. Utah state law generally allows municipalities to regulate short-term rentals through local ordinances, but investors should consult current state regulations for any requirements that may apply.

Contact Information for Local Authority

Fountain Green City Officials

Mayor: Mark Coombs
City Recorder: Michelle Walker
Address: Fountain Green City Hall, 375 N. State, Fountain Green, UT 84632

City Council Members

Rod Hansen
Alyson Strait
Jacob Littlefield
Kim Johnson
Kerry Farnsworth

Planning and Zoning Commission

Chairman: Mark Woods
Co-Chair: Tyler Smith

Building and Safety

Building Inspector: Sanpete County official designated to inspect buildings under construction

Contact Information

For specific STR inquiries, contact:

Fountain Green City Hall: For business licenses and permits
Planning Commission: For zoning and ordinance questions
Sanpete County: For building inspections and codes

Source Pages and References

Planning Commission Recommendation Article (January 9, 2025): citizenportal.ai/articles/6675564/Planning-commission-recommends-owner-occupied-short-term-rental-rules-to-City-Council
Planning Commission Meeting Summary (January 9, 2025): citizenportal.ai/articles/6644539/Planning-commission-recommends-owner-occupied-short-term-rental-rules-to-city-council
Fountain Green City Council Meeting Minutes (January 16, 2025): www.utah.gov/pmn/files/1234791.pdf
Fountain Green City General Plan and Land Use Ordinance - Chapter 2 Definitions: fountaingreencity.gov/general-plan-and-land-use-ordinance/chapter-2-definitions/index.html

Important Considerations for Investors

Market Approach

The Planning Commission chose to start with restrictive owner-occupied rules to "test the water" before potentially loosening restrictions later based on community feedback and market experience.

Timeline Uncertainty

The exact timeline for City Council adoption of the ordinance is not specified in the provided content. Investors should monitor City Council meetings for updates.

Future Policy Flexibility

Commissioners indicated the ordinance would be revisited after a trial period, with potential for loosening restrictions if community concerns are not realized.

Enforcement Infrastructure

The city plans to use business licensing and inspection processes for enforcement, with staff committed to creating forms to track inspection dates and compliance.

Disclaimer: This guide is based on the provided content as of January 2025. STR regulations are subject to change. Investors should verify current requirements with Fountain Green City Hall before making investment decisions.

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Ask the AI Advisor about Fountain Green

Fountain Green is a small, quiet farming community tucked into the north end of Sanpete County in central Utah, set against the western foothills of the Sanpitch Mountains. The town has a population of roughly 1,100 residents and reflects the rural pioneer heritage that defines much of the valley, with open hay fields, modest residential streets, and uninterrupted views of the surrounding high desert and forested ridges. It serves as a low-key gateway to a part of Utah that sees far fewer visitors than the southern national parks but offers an appealing mix of outdoor recreation and small-town character. Fountain Green sits about 75 miles south of Provo and roughly 130 miles south of Salt Lake City, reached by a scenic drive down US-89 through the Spanish Fork Canyon and along the Sanpete Valley corridor.

Just a few minutes west of town, Maple Canyon has earned a reputation as one of the premier sport-climbing destinations in the United States, drawing climbers from across the country to its unique limestone conglomerate walls. The canyon offers hundreds of bolted routes across a wide range of difficulties, set in a strikingly narrow and colorful slot. Maple Canyon is roughly a 15 to 20 minute drive from Fountain Green, making it a natural day trip for active visitors staying in the area.

A bit farther to the southwest, Yuba State Park wraps around the warm waters of Sevier Lake, where travelers come to swim, fish, water-ski, and camp among the red sandstone ridges. The reservoir is about a 45 minute drive from Fountain Green and offers a relaxed desert-lake contrast to the cooler mountain setting just outside town.

To the south, the Sanpete Valley unfolds through a chain of historic pioneer communities including Fairview, Mount Pleasant, Spring City, Ephraim, and Manti, each with its own stock of nineteenth-century architecture, murals, and agricultural traditions. The Manti Utah Temple, a striking white limestone landmark completed in 1888, anchors the town of Manti about 40 minutes south and is one of the oldest temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints still in operation. Visitors also pass through Ephraim, home of Snow College, one of the oldest two-year colleges in the country.

For guests willing to make a longer day trip, the southern edge of the Fishlake National Forest lies about an hour and a half to the south, with the towering stand of quaking aspens known as the Pando clone, alpine lakes, and high-country trails that showcase some of central Utah's most scenic terrain.

Fountain Green appeals to short-term rental operators looking for a quiet base that combines small-town character with easy access to climbing, lake recreation, and historic valley towns. Its central Utah location places it within reach of several distinctive regional draws, and the surrounding landscape offers the kind of open, uncrowded experience that travelers increasingly seek when they want to step away from the busier parts of the state.