SANDPOINT -- The vacation rental home issue has been shunted to Sandpoint's Planning and Zoning Commission, but no moratorium will be imposed before debate over regulating them is resolved.
The commission will examine all options, propose possible regulations and hold a public hearing before sending a recommendation back to the council.
The city's Administrative Committee had recommended the council not only forward the idea to the commission, but also to drop the idea of not regulating the rentals and to discard the notion of creating an overlay or tourist zone.
The Planning and Zoning Commission should consider all the possibilities before any recommendation is made, said Councilwoman Cindy Elliott. Officials need to hear more from both sides, council members agreed. Previous comment "wasn't balanced. There wasn't a full representation from neighborhoods," said Councilwoman Alison Burgstahler.
Until the commission and council decide if they want to regulate vacation rentals, the city will allow new ones. Although Councilwoman Sandy Lamson moved to impose a moratorium, Elliott recommended taking a more reasoned approach. Lamson's motion was defeated in a 3-2 vote. Elliott said she could imagine "all kinds of scenarios" that would make a enforcing moratorium difficult.
What if an elderly woman allowed her relatives to live in her home while she goes to Arizona, but needs compensation from them, she questioned. "Do we want that little old lady to go to jail when she comes back form Arizona?" she asked.
The commission will also consider how the city should deal with signage for the homes. Sandpoint Vacation Rental signs attached to properties upset some neighbors in residential zones where commercial signs are not allowed.
After the city began talking about regulating the homes, Sandpoint Vacation Rentals owner Brad Golphenee removed the signs, saying he wanted to work with the community and city as much as possible.
Discussion on vacation rental regulation has been going on for months. Some worry that vacation rentals in zones where no commercial activity is allowed disturb neighborhood integrity, and that the activity amounts to commercial use. Although Gretchen Hellar told the council that the city's definition of hotels and motels includes vacation rentals, City Attorney Will Herrington said zoning codes do not address the short-term rentals.
Vacation rental use can be viewed as a single-family use, which is allowed, he said.
Vacation rental managers were outspoken in their opposition to regulation. They say regulation threatens private-property rights, and that the business brings resort city tax money to Sandpoint coffers. Vacation rentals increase property values and afford property owners a better lifestyle, they say. Besides, regulation of the rentals would be difficult to enforce, all agreed.
Regulation proponents say that not only do the homes upset neighborhood integrity and violate exiting laws, but investors snapping up houses for short-term rentals causes housing costs for existing residents to rise as well.
Reprinted with Permission from the Bonner County Daily Bee.