HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-22-17 Public Comment - P. Aengst - Short Term Rentals1
Clerk Temp
From:Peter Aengst <paengst@yahoo.com>
Sent:Monday, May 22, 2017 1:03 PM
To:Agenda
Subject:comment on STR regulations under consideration
I am writing as a homeowner in downtown Bozeman (R1 district) who has lived here 20 years and had friends and work
colleagues stay at short term rentals (STRs) when visiting Bozeman. As I understand what is currently proposed with the the
new STR regulations, non owner-occupied rentals would be banned from R2 - even existing ones that have health and safety
licenses and pay bed tax. That seems fairly severe and also unfair to those who have already created a business with in town
short term rentals (like Bozeman Cottage). I also understand that proposal is for a complete rental ban in R1 where the owner
lives less than half the year. I don't support that. Combined these two provisions would essentially mean that no whole-house,
year round vacation rentals would be available anywhere near downtown. While I'm for regulating STRs, I do think that they are
not creating excessive problems to date and should be considered for downtown given that they bring some benefits (allow
some to keep their homes/pay taxes, bring more diversity to downtown, etc).
What's concerning is that this proposed policy doesn't really address the main concern of preventing too many STRs from being
created but does appear to ban currently State-compliant STRs (i.e. paying bed tax and getting health/safety permits). This
doesn't seem fair and potentially creates legal exposure for the city given that STR owners have been advised for 20 years not
to get a Conditional Use Permit. I encourage you to look at grandfathering is some of these STR owners in R1 and R2 (i.e.
where Type 3 STRs should be allowed in R2 zoning districts, and Type 2 STRs should be allowed in R1 districts).
Peter Aengst
501 South Third Ave
Bozeman