Short term rentals discussed more in Electric City

Short-term rentals are an unpopular idea to some in Electric City, but the idea keeps getting brought up. 

The city voted down the idea of allowing short-term (under 30 days) rentals in 2019 after more than a year of discussing the issue.

But the idea was brought up again last month, with the city council discussing various pros and cons to the idea, and rules they could make to address problems that can arise from short-term renters. 

Such rules could include requiring owners to live within a certain distance of a rental property, requiring the annual renewal of a license to rent out a short-term rental property, and more.

Nancy and David Brown, who have spoken against short-term rentals in the city for several years due to their own negative experiences with such renters by their Lakeview Avenue home, spoke at the Aug. 9 city council meeting.

Nancy Brown noted past issues, including large numbers of people at a neighboring property, large amounts of alcohol consumed by those renters, renters wandering into their yard, performing sexual activities in full view of neighboring homes, overflowing trash bins, and more.

She noted that the idea of short-term rentals was shot down previously for a reason.

David Brown asked a series of questions related to who would enforce rules meant to address these issues if short-term rentals were allowed.

His comments accentuated the point that the rules may be well intended, but that doesn’t make them easy to enforce. 

Nancy Brown also noted the concerns of Mark and Debbie Jenson, who were not at the meeting, but have previously been vocal about the negative aspects of short-term rentals.

Also at the meeting, Jim Bailey, along with wife Mary Jane Bailey, who spent a career in local real estate, noted that short-term rentals can affect the housing market in a negative way. He described the area as a “nice, peaceful area” and expressed wanting to keep it that way.

Councilmember Brian Buche said that the topic had been brought up again with the council because of a citizen raising the issue with him, and he wanted to be fair to their point of view.

No one at the meeting, neither council members nor members of the public, spoke in great support of the idea of short-term rentals, although it wasn’t shot down entirely by the council either.  

City Clerk Peggy Nevsimal noted that the idea wouldn’t likely be on the agenda again for several months, but could be brought up again for next year’s city comprehensive plan, and that the monthly council meeting agendas are always posted online a few days before the meetings occur on the second Tuesday of each month if people wanted to keep an eye out for it being discussed again.

Electric City’s website can be found at https://www.electriccity.us/.