HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-17-23 Public Comment - D. Seymour - STR - No on Ordinance 2149From:Darryl SeymourTo:AgendaSubject:[EXTERNAL]STR - No on Ordinance 2149
Date:Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:55:50 AM
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Below are some of my basic concerns with this discussion. My wife Kelly has submitted her concerns as well, extending into our personal family as well.
First, I don't understand how STR's are still in the same discussion as affordable housing. I guess it was an assumption way back when this all started to explore if STR's
were affecting this, but then the city approved a year long study to ascertain if there was any validity to exploring changes to STR's to affect the affordable housing
challenges faced by the city. As evidence in the hour long report given at the city commission meeting, paid for by us the tax payers, making any changes to STR's, in any
fashion, will have zero effect on affordable housing. The report pointed out that in most markets there is a saturation point between 20%-50% of STR's in resort towns
and our valley represents only 2.5%. Discussion was made regarding any of the owners who would possibly lose the previously granted and zoned use of their property as
a STR, would not rent or sell their property anywhere near the affordable housing threshold, thus again making zero effect on this issue.
It was also reviewed by your Community Development Board, they voted against the ban and even stated that any changes to STR's would have NO effect on affordable
housing. Additionally, all of the property owners, especially those who have gone through the approval process, paid for licenses and invested millions of dollars
collectively to purchase residences in approved zoning areas allowed for this use, should not be penalized unfairly.
I believe that this shouldn't even be a consideration for the commission because STR's and affordable housing are not part of the same discussion as evidence by the
study you had done and the results that showed as such.
We are a strong NO on this in any fashion.
Darryl Seymour
President
Bozeman • Big Sky • Livingston
O: 406.587.7702 • F: 406.587.2891 • C: 406.580.0785
dseymour@montanatitle.com