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Agenda Item
9. Recommendation to adopt Resolution R23-125 amending short-term rental (STR) application fees within the Washoe County Development Code Master Fee Schedule, with an effective date of October 1, 2023, as authorized by Washoe County Code Section 110.906.05, and approve an annual adjustment to those fees based on the Western Consumer Price Index beginning on July 1, 2024. This amendment updates fees related to the administration and enforcement of STR standards and permits in unincorporated Washoe County. Proposed updates include: increases of approximately $270-$350 for Tier 1 STR permit applications and renewals; new fees for applicant-requested changes to existing STR permits; and a new fee for applicant appeals of Tier 1 STR permits. Virtual Public Comment Eligible. Community Services. (All Commission Districts.) FOR POSSIBLE ACTION
I STRONGLY support increasing fees on short-term rentals to cover administrative fees and a Washoe County Enforcement Officer. I also STRONGLY support capping the number of short-term-rentals in Washoe County, particularly in Incline Village. NV homeowners and tax-payers have begged and pleaded to be heard, including the Board of County Commissioners, about the degradation and destruction of our residential neighborhoods to the entitled STR cancer blight.
Item 9: Cap STRs and Raise Fees to Cover STR Program Cost and Expanded Code Enforcement
The 2021 short-term rental (STR) ordinance never addressed residents concerns. In ordinance development workshops we asked to cap STRs and pleaded not to include STRs as a residential use, fearing such an allowance would displace long-term renters and harm and hollow out IVCB. We'd seen what Airbnb and its brethren did to other communities. We asked the County to institute annual inspections and impose strict code enforcement for public safety and well-being. We got none of our requests.
Chair Hill voted against the voices and concerns of the majority of her voting constituents and tried to position the ordinance as a way to protect our neighborhoods. It has done nothing of the sort. The peace, livability and well-being of our neighborhoods has only degraded. Further, the ordinance never addressed the costs to residents in the areas of trash, noise, traffic, infrastructure demands, and parking problems, etc. STRs also contribute to housing shortages and fuel overtourism problems.
The first ordinance reading in 2021 turned out many against converting our once peaceful, safe residential neighborhoods into quasi hotel districts. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m181eDQkRz4&t=22228s
In both readings, Chair Hill led the ordinance motions and promised to review it in 6 months. That promise was never upheld. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgkjDvlqNTA
Nearly two years on 650-850 STRs (many un-permitted) operate in IVCB. Commissioners in 2021 caved to lobbying led by Airbnb and other out-of-town business interests. I ask you now to amend an ordinance that wrongly elevated STR operator needs over residents. Please cap STRs at 200 housing units. For resident well-being, restrict STRs to commercial zones where they belong. Thank you.
Lastly, few knew of a survey sent to STR contacts. Please do not allow STR owners (many of whom don’t live in IVCB) to dictate how commerce will be regulated. This is akin to letting the fox guard the hen house. Increase fees to fund stronger enforcement, code compliance and regular fire safety & health inspections. Please stop prioritizing STR operators needs over residents needs
Highly recommend amending the STR ordinance, if not banning STRs altogether:
* Cap STRs at 200 or 5% of all housing units per community (whichever is less) to increase availability of long-term rental housing for residents and lessen the adverse impact of "clerkless hotels" on the quality of life for our communities.
* Dramatically increase fees and fines to fund a robust STR monitoring program and provide a deterrent to those who flout the ordinance.
Non-hosted STRs, as BUSINESSES (accepting money for the provision of goods or services is the very definition of commerce),do not belong in residential neighborhoods. As the WCC and TRPA have permitted or will soon permit the CALNEVA and Biltmore hotel redevelopment, STRs will soon longer be needed for tourist accommodation and TOT revenues in IVCB.
I am speaking on behalf of Concerned Neighbors of Tyrolian Village, who now number more than 80 property owners. We support Resolution R23-125 and believe the fees need to be increased higher to cover the costs of enforcement for the permitted 642 short term rentals in Incline Village. In particular, we believe at least two full-time enforcement individuals need to be stationed in Incline, particularly on weekends and at night when most of the STR problems occur. Our small HOA has over 30 permitted and at least 3 unpermitted STRs. Despite HOA rules passed earlier this year, we continue to experience problems with STR renters shooting weapons, peeing off decks, throwing beer bottles into forest land that surrounds our community, putting garage on the streets, clogging our narrow roadways, lighting fires (5 so far documented including several in our dumpsters), allowing their dogs to bite residents and neighbor dogs, using illegal drugs, and playing loud music at midnight. There is currently only one (1) FTE Code Enforcement Officer. Your staff suggests an additional 1.5 to 2 positions. We suggest at least 2 more that would be stationed in Incline Village. Asking the sheriffs to handle night and weekend problems is poor use of law enforcement time and jeopardizes their response to other problems. In short, please enact this resolution and consider an additional fee to support two more enforcement personnel located in and dedicated to our community.
My name is Eric Tracy and I am a full time resident of Incline Village. My only comment/question about this agenda item is "How come the revenue raised from the short term rental administrative penalties (aka monetary fines levied against both lawful and unlawful STR's) is not considered anywhere in today's Staff Presentation nor included in the financials discussed in their Staff Report? At a minimum. this revenue to the county should be utilized to offset expenses related to STR Enforcement. It should be FEES PLUS FINES that are used to cover County STR expenses, but this entire discussion and agenda items totally neglects the FINE REVENUE. What is the STR fine revenue being used for if not the STR program???
I support raising hefty fees on STRs that should not only cover the county's costs but be paid to neighbors of STRs.
Fees must account for the added burden to the community of hundreds of transient guests in and out of neighborhoods!
STRs are far more resource intensive than a regular home. Especially ones permitted up to and over 18 new guests per night.
These additional burdens are on
roads,
sewer septic systems,
water systems,
neighbors having to install more security systems,
neighbors having to install more fences,
neighbors having to become neighborhood watch,
greater resources needed for 24/7 response of police to noise nuisance, trespassing and other crimes,
more garbage,
Additionally, We all are required by law to carry automobile insurance. If we injure or harm another person's property with our auto, our insurance is intended to cover the damage costs.
Likewise, in addition to the above additional burden to neighborhoods, STRs offer significantly greater risk to fires starting. This is especially true of STRs located in the outskirts of the towns and cities of Washoe County. STRs should be required by law to carry fire insurance that would cover damage to adjacent properties and communities (especially for those that don't have fire insurance of their own). This greater risk adds yet another burden of neighbors having to have fire insurance to meet this greater risk. These additional burdens are unfair to the community and neighbors! STR owners should not be profiting at the expensive of the neighbors and community. These are externalized costs to neighbors of STRs and the community.
8/21/23
I STRONGLY support increasing fees on short-term rentals to cover administrative fees and a Washoe County Enforcement Officer. I also STRONGLY support capping the number of short-term-rentals in Washoe County, particularly in Incline Village. NV homeowners and tax-payers have begged and pleaded to be heard, including the Board of County Commissioners, about the degradation and destruction of our residential neighborhoods to the entitled STR cancer blight.
Dianne Schmenk
dschmenk@charter.net
775-833-0474 (H)
775-720-6654 (C)
Item 9: Cap STRs and Raise Fees to Cover STR Program Cost and Expanded Code Enforcement
The 2021 short-term rental (STR) ordinance never addressed residents concerns. In ordinance development workshops we asked to cap STRs and pleaded not to include STRs as a residential use, fearing such an allowance would displace long-term renters and harm and hollow out IVCB. We'd seen what Airbnb and its brethren did to other communities. We asked the County to institute annual inspections and impose strict code enforcement for public safety and well-being. We got none of our requests.
Chair Hill voted against the voices and concerns of the majority of her voting constituents and tried to position the ordinance as a way to protect our neighborhoods. It has done nothing of the sort. The peace, livability and well-being of our neighborhoods has only degraded. Further, the ordinance never addressed the costs to residents in the areas of trash, noise, traffic, infrastructure demands, and parking problems, etc. STRs also contribute to housing shortages and fuel overtourism problems.
The first ordinance reading in 2021 turned out many against converting our once peaceful, safe residential neighborhoods into quasi hotel districts. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m181eDQkRz4&t=22228s
In both readings, Chair Hill led the ordinance motions and promised to review it in 6 months. That promise was never upheld. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgkjDvlqNTA
Nearly two years on 650-850 STRs (many un-permitted) operate in IVCB. Commissioners in 2021 caved to lobbying led by Airbnb and other out-of-town business interests. I ask you now to amend an ordinance that wrongly elevated STR operator needs over residents. Please cap STRs at 200 housing units. For resident well-being, restrict STRs to commercial zones where they belong. Thank you.
Lastly, few knew of a survey sent to STR contacts. Please do not allow STR owners (many of whom don’t live in IVCB) to dictate how commerce will be regulated. This is akin to letting the fox guard the hen house. Increase fees to fund stronger enforcement, code compliance and regular fire safety & health inspections. Please stop prioritizing STR operators needs over residents needs
Highly recommend amending the STR ordinance, if not banning STRs altogether:
* Cap STRs at 200 or 5% of all housing units per community (whichever is less) to increase availability of long-term rental housing for residents and lessen the adverse impact of "clerkless hotels" on the quality of life for our communities.
* Dramatically increase fees and fines to fund a robust STR monitoring program and provide a deterrent to those who flout the ordinance.
Non-hosted STRs, as BUSINESSES (accepting money for the provision of goods or services is the very definition of commerce),do not belong in residential neighborhoods. As the WCC and TRPA have permitted or will soon permit the CALNEVA and Biltmore hotel redevelopment, STRs will soon longer be needed for tourist accommodation and TOT revenues in IVCB.
I am speaking on behalf of Concerned Neighbors of Tyrolian Village, who now number more than 80 property owners. We support Resolution R23-125 and believe the fees need to be increased higher to cover the costs of enforcement for the permitted 642 short term rentals in Incline Village. In particular, we believe at least two full-time enforcement individuals need to be stationed in Incline, particularly on weekends and at night when most of the STR problems occur. Our small HOA has over 30 permitted and at least 3 unpermitted STRs. Despite HOA rules passed earlier this year, we continue to experience problems with STR renters shooting weapons, peeing off decks, throwing beer bottles into forest land that surrounds our community, putting garage on the streets, clogging our narrow roadways, lighting fires (5 so far documented including several in our dumpsters), allowing their dogs to bite residents and neighbor dogs, using illegal drugs, and playing loud music at midnight. There is currently only one (1) FTE Code Enforcement Officer. Your staff suggests an additional 1.5 to 2 positions. We suggest at least 2 more that would be stationed in Incline Village. Asking the sheriffs to handle night and weekend problems is poor use of law enforcement time and jeopardizes their response to other problems. In short, please enact this resolution and consider an additional fee to support two more enforcement personnel located in and dedicated to our community.
My name is Eric Tracy and I am a full time resident of Incline Village. My only comment/question about this agenda item is "How come the revenue raised from the short term rental administrative penalties (aka monetary fines levied against both lawful and unlawful STR's) is not considered anywhere in today's Staff Presentation nor included in the financials discussed in their Staff Report? At a minimum. this revenue to the county should be utilized to offset expenses related to STR Enforcement. It should be FEES PLUS FINES that are used to cover County STR expenses, but this entire discussion and agenda items totally neglects the FINE REVENUE. What is the STR fine revenue being used for if not the STR program???
I support raising hefty fees on STRs that should not only cover the county's costs but be paid to neighbors of STRs.
Fees must account for the added burden to the community of hundreds of transient guests in and out of neighborhoods!
STRs are far more resource intensive than a regular home. Especially ones permitted up to and over 18 new guests per night.
These additional burdens are on
roads,
sewer septic systems,
water systems,
neighbors having to install more security systems,
neighbors having to install more fences,
neighbors having to become neighborhood watch,
greater resources needed for 24/7 response of police to noise nuisance, trespassing and other crimes,
more garbage,
Additionally, We all are required by law to carry automobile insurance. If we injure or harm another person's property with our auto, our insurance is intended to cover the damage costs.
Likewise, in addition to the above additional burden to neighborhoods, STRs offer significantly greater risk to fires starting. This is especially true of STRs located in the outskirts of the towns and cities of Washoe County. STRs should be required by law to carry fire insurance that would cover damage to adjacent properties and communities (especially for those that don't have fire insurance of their own). This greater risk adds yet another burden of neighbors having to have fire insurance to meet this greater risk. These additional burdens are unfair to the community and neighbors! STR owners should not be profiting at the expensive of the neighbors and community. These are externalized costs to neighbors of STRs and the community.