HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-21-17 Public Comment - R. Walsh - Short Term RentalsFrom: Reno Walsh [renowalsh@gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, May 21, 2017 9:09 AM
To: Chris Mehl; Rebecca Owens
Subject: Type III Vacation Rental
Hello Chris and Rebecca,
Will the commission make an exception to a Type III ban in R‐S, R‐1 or R‐2 zones for properties that have
already received a CUP?
My name is Reno Walsh. A CUP for our vacation rental at 721 N. Montana was approved by the
commission in the fall of 2016. We invested close to $2000 in the permitting process and probably close
to 60 hours in the process. We followed every rule and regulation set in place by the city and state at
that time. We have been operating the Cabin On Montana since January. We manage the property
ourselves. We do not work with an agency like Mountain Home or Above & Beyond. You can learn more
about the Cabin On Montana here: https://bozemanmontanavacationrental.com/
My family and I live adjacent to the Cabin On Montana but not on the same property site. The city would
probably define our vacation rental as Type III. It is in an R‐2 zone.
“The ordinance being considered Monday would require that homeowners in any of the three rental
categories register with the city, something the city plans to enforce by requiring that a rental’s
registration number be displayed on advertising like Airbnb or VRBO.com listings. It would also ban Type
II rentals outright in R‐S and R‐1 districts, the city’s lowest‐density residential zoning designations, and
ban Type III rentals in R‐S, R‐1 and R‐2 zoning…“ ‐
Chronicle<http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/city/stricter‐vacation‐rental‐proposal‐
heading‐before‐bozeman‐commission‐monday/article_a2191a17‐36db‐50de‐8cb2‐599d2eb285ef.html>
Our vacation rental is a centerpiece of my family's financial viability here in Bozeman. We are currently
not netting an income but the rental comes close to covering the mortgage and taxes on the property
itself. We are hoping that the property will offer an income to our family by the time we retire in 20 or
so years.
My wife and I feel fortunate to have the jobs we do here in Bozeman but unfortunately we do not earn
enough income to set aside a nest egg for retirement. The supplemental income we hope to be earning
from the property in the future and the value of the property itself is our nest egg. Without the vacation
rental in our financial portfolio we will need to consider relocating to another city that could offer my
wife and I higher paying jobs with a 401K. We have lived in Bozeman for close to 25 years. We are
looking forward to our daughter going to Hawthorne and then Bozeman High.
I believe the city has approved a total of six CUP’s for vacation rentals that fall into the Type III Category
in R‐S, R‐1 or R‐2 zoning.
We hope the commission will make an exception to the Type III ban in R‐S, R‐1 or R‐2 zones for
properties that have already received a CUP.
Please call me at 406‐580‐5919 or email me with any questions or comments.
I will be at the meeting on Monday evening.
Thank you,
‐
renowalsh<https://www.facebook.com/renowalsh>
cabinonmontana<https://bozemanmontanavacationrental.com/>
406.580.5919<tel:1‐406‐580‐5919>