HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-21-17 Public Comment - A. Sherwood - Short Term RentalsFrom: Anne Sherwood [annedsherwood@gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, May 21, 2017 11:24 PM
To: Carson Taylor; Cyndy Andrus; Chris Mehl; I‐Ho Pomeroy; Jeff Krauss
Subject: Please Allow Vacation Rentals
Dear Bozeman City Commissioners,
As a former member of the Bozeman Historic Preservation Advisory Board, I’m writing you because I’m
deeply disturbed by the legislation under consideration strongly curtailing Short Term Rentals (STR) in
Bozeman, particurly R1 and R2. Please reconsider your tough stance on vacation rentals in Bozeman.
It seems a few outspoken citizens have made a non‐issue into an issue. Vacation rentals have been going
on in Bozeman for decades enabling people to live in the community while traveling for work. Many
professionals in Bozeman need to travel for their jobs and being able to short‐term rent their properties
enables them to reside in our wonderful community even if their job often takes them afar.
This reminds me a lot of the chicken coops in town debate in 2009. During that fall, a few neighbors
complained about chickens and suddenly they were illegal though many, many members of Bozeman’s
community already had coops in place. The commission implemented rules and requirements and a
chicken licensing fee for in‐town coops. The citizens followed the requirements and I do not think there
has been one complaint since this occurred. It became a non‐issue that just needed some legislation to
guide it.
The people who tend to vacation rent in Bozeman are often returning members of our community or
ones who are hoping to join it by buying a home. They are parents of MSU students. They are people
working in town. They are guests of weddings or anniversary parties.They are people who grew up in
Montana and now return with their family for a ski holiday. Back in 2003 when I was vacation renting my
historic bungalow on S. Seventh Avenue while I was on a four‐month Pew Fellowship in International
Journalism, a couple stayed in my home during graduation weekend. Their son was graduating. I left a
guest book for all guests to sign and the mom signed the book with an incredible coincidence. Ever since
their arrival she had felt at home in my place. Then it dawned on her that this was the very home she
had rented some 30 years earlier when she was a student at Montana State. At first, she didn’t
recognize the house as many parts of the home had been restored and improved since its days as a
college rental. She complimented me on the restoration and said how wonderful it was to be back.
These renters are not strangers to our community. They don’t trash the homes they stay in. They don’t
disrespect the neighbors. Quite the contrary. They reconnect with old friends, make new ones and fall in
love with our community all over again. And, some renters are new but they are usually looking to move
from somewhere bigger and more expensive and come to Bozeman to live better. They rent homes so
they can feel what the neighborhood is like. Maybe some people want to close the borders to Montana,
but the truth is our growth is what has kept us so vibrant and alive. Our Main Street thrives when people
rent in the historic district and frequent local businesses. Many visitors would rather stay close to
campus or in a home where they feel more attached to the community than they would in a hotel.
Vacation renting has been going on without issue for many decades. The new technological advances
simply make it easier for the homeowner to verify the quality of the people renting their home and vice
versa. This has improved the experience for everyone not made it worse. Renters now feel like “guests”
of the owners and treat the home as such.
This is the time to put some safety regulations in place and properly register vacation rentals but this is
not the time to outlaw them. This would only damage our long‐term residents who rely on this income
and our short‐term visitors who support our economy.
Thanks in advance for being supportive of short‐term rentals by implementing thoughtful and
supportive legislation that is reflective of the importance of short‐term rentals in our community.
Sincerely,
Anne Sherwood
Anne Sherwood
Anne Sherwood Photography, Inc.
525 South Black Avenue
Bozeman, Montana 59715
406.539.7703 mobile
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