HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-30-19 Public Comment - K. Powell - Short Term Rental UpdateFrom:Chris Mehl
To:Agenda
Subject:FW: Short Term Rental Update
Date:Saturday, November 30, 2019 8:55:52 AM
Chris Mehl
Bozeman Deputy Mayor
cmehl@bozeman.net
406.581.4992
________________________________________
From: KPowell & S Griswold [powellgriz@icloud.com]
Sent: Friday, November 29, 2019 9:31 PM
To: Chris Mehl
Subject: Short Term Rental Update
Hi Chris
Appreciate your posting earlier this week on Next Door about the upcoming City Commission Meeting.
Saw that there will be a Short Term Rental Update.
I seem to remember that the Commission had asked for an STR update to happen around August of 2018, but there
were so many plans in the works that there was no time to get the data together to give an update.
Glad an update will happen on Monday.
Reading about other cities dealing with STRs it is interesting and sometimes alarming.
STRs can definitely be nice for visitors (I stayed in one recently in Washington DC).
But it depends on where they are located and how they are managed.
Numerous cities are finding that too many STRs are helping drive up the price of homes and decreasing the amount
of long term rentals available.
Another issue that comes up is when a person or company has more than one property that are STRs. This can
really change a neighborhood into a commercial motel district.
Fortunately, the City’s Ordinance already deals with this issue as it does not allow Short Term Rentals that are not
owner-occupied (Type 3) in any residential zoning.
What I hear from neighbors in UNA and other neighborhoods is a concern about enforcement.
Apparently there are still some STRs that are operating without being registered with the City, so they are not
paying their fee & have not had a health or safety inspections.
I would encourage city commissioners Monday to ask staff how the software program that was purchased to monitor
STRS on the web is working.
Are they picking up STRs advertised but not registered? Are letters being sent out to these properties stating they
need to be registered?
Is the city following up on these letters? What action is taking place if an operating STR does not comply?
Knowing how to contact the STR owner or management company is also an important part of the city Ordinance.
This info is supposed to be posted at each STR.
I have heard of at least one incident where there were noise and trash issues but no phone number posted on how to
reach the owner or the current management company. Without this info the only option is to call the police.
It will be interesting to hear the update and the discussion about STRs at Mondays meeting.
Thanks again Chris for the heads up. I did not know the STR update was on the agenda. Since it is right after
Thanksgiving, others may have missed it without your email.
Kathy Powell
406-600-164
powellgriz@icloud.com