HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-24-17 Public Comment -A. & E. Hooker-ShortTermRentals
To:
Mayor C. Taylor
Deputy Mayor C. Andrus
Commissioners J. Kraus, C. Mehl, and I. Pomeroy
Assistant City Manager C. Winn
Neighborhood Coordinator J. Johnson
RE: City Commission meeting agenda item G-2 "Recommendations for Regulating STRs"
Thank you for the time and hard work that went into the research and development of this report. The
issue is not an easy one. That being said, our belief is that the priority of this endeavor is to preserve
the livability of our town for its full time residents who are the life and soul of our neighborhoods and
town.
The report has listed many recommendations for regulation and over-sight that we believe are very
well thought out and will serve the city well.
In addition, believe that the recommendations for defined Type 1 STRs are reasonable as written.
However, central to our core concerns regarding non-owner occupied STRs is the fact that
one such residence represents the loss of a neighbor or family that preserves the
cohesiveness of an established neighborhood. The purpose of residential zoning districts is to
ensure spaces for residential use and to limit commercial impacts. STRs may be residential, but
they do have commercial impacts that cannot be denied. The eventual loss of full time residents
eventually takes it toll by decreasing cohesion in neighborhoods and has the potential to become a
neighborhood or town that serves visitors more than its residents. Do we really want to live in that
town? We, and most people we know don't.
That being said, we believe that the proposed regulations for Type 2 and 3 STRs are too lax and do
not serve to preserve the integrity of our residential neighborhoods. We believe that the volume of
non-owner occupied STRs is on the path to increase by large numbers in a relatively short period of
time...all we have to do is look at the last 3 years. We therefor believe it is imperative that the volume
of Type 2 and Type 3 STRs should be further restricted through some mechanism in all residential
neighborhoods to lessen impact. In fact, we believe Type 3 STRs are inconsistent with R-1 and R-S
zoning. Other cities have tackled this issue including our neighbors Missoula and Kalispell.
Thank you for your consideration. We have lived in our home for 38 years and we have had the
distinction of being the old-timers on our block for the past 15 years! Our children played with
neighbor kids, running from yard to yard without us having to wonder who was staying next door or in
the house up the street. Will parents of young children want to be living in a neighborhood with STRs
nearby? We neighbors feel a sense of safety in knowing and having personal connection with one
another; we also feel accountable to one another. It has been great and we want to see Bozeman's
healthy neighborhoods preserved for other families.
Thank you.
Alan and Emily Hooker
1102 S. 3rd Ave
emilyhooker@icloud.com
406-548-8956