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Council Exhibit A 17-3984 From: Rick Carter To: Jeremy Barnhart; Victoria Seals; Denny Walsh Cc: Jeanne Carter Subject: AirBnB/Short Term rental policy Date: Thursday, November 02, 2017 9:47:11 AM Hi, Jeremy (Victoria and Denny). You may remember me from the Park Commission and/or the Big Island Committee. My wife and I just received the letter regarding the short term rental policy discussion. As the letter noted, last year the city planning commission went through a similar process and proposed a policy to the city council. Jeanne and I went to the meeting when the council met to take up the issue. The issue came up quite late and by then there were only three folks in the audience, Jeanne myself and a gentleman from an Orono Condominium Association. The gentleman was interested in seeing the city institute a policy prohibiting rentals for periods of less than 30 days. When it became clear to the council that the condo association could control the uses in their own buildings and began to understand what AirBnB was from Jeanne and myself, they decided to not pursue the policy any further. When we have guests, it is typically one person or a couple, with one car staying with us in our house for a couple of days. They also patronize (at our suggestion) the local businesses, eating and drinking establishments. Most of our neighbors have more noise, parking, traffic and trash generated by service providers in a given week than our guests. We have included the letter we sent to the council prior to their meeting below. We will certainly come to the November 13, 2017 meeting, but we are wondering if we could hear more about the complaints that have been received. Thanks for listening. Rick and Jeanne Carter 2780 Shadywood Road Orono, MN 55331 Cell 612.385.5182 E-mail sent to you and the council on Friday, April 8, 2016 1 am following Orono's proposal to consider an ordinance on short term (vacation )rentals with great interest, and I would like to offer you my perspective on the issue. After running the Birdhouse Bed & Breakfast Inn for two years in Excelsior, my wife Jeanne and I purchased a home on the lake in Orono. Jeanne decided to list our home on AirBnB as a result of her experiences hosting at the Inn, and using AirBnB herself as a guest in other locations, which she found to be quite enjoyable, safe and convenient. There are currently no traditional lodging options available on Lake Minnetonka, but the demand is there. We see AirBnB and VRBO as an opportunity to welcome visitors to our home and share all the great things that the Lake Minnetonka area has to offer. Typically we host folks who are in town for family events such as weddings, funerals, reunions and business trips. We prefer their stays to be less than 4 days, as we want guests; not roommates or tenants. Our guest limit is four adults, and they have the use of our lower level. While our guests are here, they are out in the community spending money at local restaurants, shopping with local retailers, and visiting places like the Arboretum, theaters, Gale Woods Farm, etc. We are owner -occupied and always available either in-person, or by phone or text, to our guests during their stay. Once or twice a year we rent out the entire home for events, such as the upcoming Ryder Cup. We use an owner's representative during these times who is responsible for managing our property and