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Home My WebLink About05-22-17 Public Comment - B. Antonopulos - Short Term Rentals1 Clerk Temp From:Beth Antonopulos <antonopulos@gmail.com> Sent:Monday, May 22, 2017 1:45 PM To:Agenda Subject:Comments regarding proposed STR policy on tonight's agenda Attachments:STR letter May 2017 final.pdf Categories:Public Comment Dear Commissioners, Attached please find my comments about the STR proposal on tonight's agenda. My husband and I plan to attend the meeting as well, and we look forward to hearing your thoughts on this important policy issue. Sincerely, Beth Antonopulos 585-9740 Dear Bozeman City Commissioners, Thank you for directing city staff to go back and rethink their initial policy recommendations on Short Term Rentals (STR) in the city of Bozeman. The second version of the policy has some good ideas that could help our community grapple with the issue. However, there are still some significant problems. Last spring, my family became interested in the STR issue when a neighbor applied for a CUP to run a full-time STR in his former home on Cleveland Street. We objected for fairly localized reasons – we worry about late-night noise, parking issues, and a parade of transient visitors. When there are problems, they must be addressed with a new set of renters each time. Also, we didn’t understand how it would be possible to allow this CUP without also granting any number of other homeowners the same privilege and opening the door to many other mini-hotels in our quiet residential neighborhood. We have had to go over several times in the past year to deal with noise issues well after 10 pm. Since then, I’ve learned much more about the STR phenomenon. We attended several meetings held by the city and discussed the issues with our neighbors. One year later, I’m still concerned about the local issue of the Cleveland Street STR, but I think there is a much bigger picture to consider. A brief amount of time searching the main STR web sites turns up a large number of (illegal) STRs within just a few blocks of our home. Several homes that have sold recently (corner of S 3rd Ave and Garfield as well as a house on S 3rd between Hayes and Grant) are now full-time STRs. Also, some neighbors are using their ADUs as STRs (corner of Cleveland and 4th Ave and 800 block of S 3rd Ave are just two examples of many). Homes that previously had full-time residents are now lucrative mini-hotels for short-term visitors. Others will be eager to park money in homes while property values rise if they can meet expenses and/or profit by using the home as an STR. This use benefits only the owners, and in the long-term will destroy our otherwise healthy residential districts. In the short term, it is quickly depleting the number of homes available for long-term residents in our urban core. So, back to the proposed policy up for discussion at tonight’s meeting. Some zones already allow STRs due to their mixed-use nature. An approach that requires STR owners to register, meet safety and other regulations, and regularly renew this information seems like a common-sense way to ensure that this burgeoning industry meets city standards and encourages fair and reasonable conditions. It should be allowed in those zones. Also, I fully support an online registry that neighbors, customers, etc. can check for information. Using existing code enforcement policies to discourage violations is also a reasonable solution. However, there is no logic to allowing the newly-defined STR types in either R-1 or R-2 zones. Just because a number of highly-vocal STR operators have been working under the radar in the past, doesn’t mean they are entitled to continue this essentially illegal practice. These zones are clearly defined for long-term residential use and not primarily for business uses. Now that websites make STR choices available with a few clicks, the practice is exploding in a few of our neighborhoods. It is necessary to stick to our zoning rules even if it makes some residents unhappy. Previously a CUP was required in both R-1 and R-2 zones to even consider this business use of property because it reduced the long-term residency use of the homes. Why does the new policy change this to benefit a few people fortunate enough to have more than one home at the expense of neighborhood quality? The current proposal specifically attempts to get around this zoning policy by removing the need for STR operators to obtain a business license. However, when questioned on the rationale behind this recommendation at the May 12th meeting, Mr. Saunders had no answer except to say that city staff had many differing opinions on this matter, and that perhaps it was seen as a way to appease STR operators. Mr. Wynn left the room shortly after I asked about this issue, so there was no chance to hear his view. STRs advertise a product/service, bring in paying customers, and should pay taxes. How is that activity not a business? Please insist that the city policy requires STR operators to obtain a business license. Otherwise, I predict that the industry will be back in a few years asking to remove restrictions since it was defined as a legal “residential” (rather than business) use of property within all of our residential neighborhoods. Note that fees and paperwork can be adjusted so that there is no need to double-file to obtain the business license and the new city registration. Comment [MS1]: Comment [MS2R1]: Comment [MS3R1]: In conclusion, this year has taught me that the STR industry is big business. While there are STR operators who individually intend no harm, their commercial success blinds them to the fact that their increasing numbers are damaging our residential neighborhoods. We want to live in a place with homes for neighbors of all types who participate in our community on a full-time basis. We do not want to live in a resort neighborhood where half of the “residents” are just visiting. Despite the STR operator’s claims that they are interested in the community, I believe it really does boil down to being all about the money. Please look at the Cleveland street ad on the Mountain Homes’ website: http://www.mountain- home.com/rentals/properties/the-cleveland-house/ Weekly Monthly May 14 - June 10, 2017 $2,050 - June 11 - September 09, 2017 $2,450 $10,336 September 10 - October 07, 2017 $2,050 - October 08 - November 18, 2017 $1,950 $8,193 November 19 - November 26, 2017 $2,450 - November 27 - December 20, 2017 $1,950 - December 21 - January 06, 2018 $2,450 - January 07 - May 12, 2018 $1,950 $8,193 May 13 - June 09, 2018 $2,050 - The city council has the power to just say no to STRs in our residential neighborhoods. Many generations have collectively built our community. Please help to keep the focus on these residents rather than those who would cater to visitors at their neighbors’ expense. Sincerely, Beth Antonopulos 1020 S 3rd Ave 585-9740