HomeMy WebLinkAboutShort Term Vacation Rentals
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To whom it may concern:
I am writing as a concerned Mother, homeowner, and lifelong Port Angeles resident. Our family is dealing with - and has been for the last 3 years - a swarm of short term vacation rentals
in our neighborhood. We live in a residential neighborhood 2 blocks from Hamilton Elementary School. In every direction of our home there are more than a handful of these rentals.
Directly across from, behind and all around our residence there are short term rentals. Our concern is that there has been no respect of the zoning codes where we live and that causes
problems - especially when children are involved. We are not the only home raising children in our neighborhood.
We chose this area of PA because of our children and the environment we want them to be raised in. We have no way of knowing who is staying from day to day in these rentals and I feel
it's a potentially dangerous situation. These rental companies (Airbnb, VRBO, etc.) do not run background checks on the renters. In contrast, thoroughly vetted renters of a residence
would have a background check in addition to credit check, references, deposits, etc.
We have small children and, as mentioned before, there is an Elementary School within a stones throw of our home. This has gotten way out of control and I'm not going to hesitate to
report every last one of these rentals. I have already called code enforcement and expect some regulation to happen asap. If I am wrong about zoning and these rentals are allowed to
operate in this manner, then please disregard this message. If, however, these rentals are operating in a zone that prohibits this, I expect a response. We have a small business here
in Port Angeles and both my husband and myself were raised here our entire lives. We have contributed to the economy, paid our taxes and played by all the rules - we expect the same
of our leaders in the Community.
This situation demands a resolution and I will be following up to ensure that our privacy and regulations in our Housing Zone are upheld.
Thank you for your time.
Kate Jacobs
360 477 7411