The owner of the home at 3608 Jefferson asked for a meeting with the Valentine Neighborhood Association (VNA) to request our approval to use the home as a short-term rental. The VNA scheduled a meeting at his request and sent two email notices to all residents who are members of the neighborhood association. We also hand delivered a newsletter containing information about the meeting to all residential homes in the neighborhood and some apartment buildings.
At the meeting, 14 people signed a sign-in sheet (although there were actually about 40 people in the room for the discussion. We also received email comments from two households).
Mr. Grove was given 10 minutes to explain why he sought a special use permit so that he could operate the home as a non-owner-occupied short-term rental. He said he purchased the home last year and has spent $160,000 on renovations. He was unable to get consent from 55% of the adjacent property owners and therefore was seeking a special use permit from the city.
Grove said he had a noise monitoring device that would alert him after 10 p.m. if there was excessive noise at the property and that he had installed outdoor security cameras.
After the presentation the neighbors in attendance voted unanimously that the neighborhood should not support the special use permit.
Neighbors gave the following reasons, among others, for not supporting the permit:
- Want the homes in the neighborhood to be owner occupied
- The home has been run as an unregistered short-term rental since last year, in violation of city regulations
- The str has been advertised as capable of sleeping 12 people when the city limit is 8 people
- The owner did not talk to neighbors before opening the home as a short-term rental
- There have been problems with excessive numbers of cars parked at the home while it was being used as a short-term rental
UPDATE AFTER MEETING: Following the meeting, Mr. Grove was notified by the city that he had not scheduled this public meeting properly since it was held before the application for the special use permit (which was made on the same day as the public meeting) was made before the case had been docketed by the city. He was told by the city he would be required to hold an additional public engagement meeting for the case. VNA notified Mr. Grove that, as the VNA spent a considerable amount of effort putting together the public meeting he requested, he needs to take responsibility for setting up and hosting any additional meeting. We will share information about another meeting if we receive it.
UPDATE MAY 8: The city has now passed new legislation on short-term rentals, including a provision that pending applications would be voided and hosts can reapply under the new rules on June 15, 2023. Under the new rules, non-owner occupied short term rentals are not allowed in residential districts. This property is within a residential district. See the new regulations