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�o�o <br /> To: Chair Leskinen and Planning Commission Members <br /> ,� � <br /> Jessica Loftus, City Administrator ti� � <br /> L~ <br /> tqkESHn�� <br /> From: Jeremy Barnhart, Community Development Director <br /> Date: November 16, 2015 <br /> Subject: #15-3759, City of Orono, <br /> Text Amendment:Vacation Rentals <br /> Public Hearing <br /> Application Summary: The rental of private property for vacationers may impact existing <br /> neighborhoods due to increases in traffic, noise, and activity during irregular hours. <br /> Staff Recommendation: Staff requests review of issues and direction prior to proceeding. <br /> List of Exhibits <br /> Draft Ordinance <br /> Background <br /> The use of property for short term rentals appears to have been growing over the past several <br /> years, in part due to the proliferation of AirBnB,VRBO, and Home-away websites, where <br /> travelers can search for homes based on local amenities, including Lake Minnetonka. Identified <br /> concerns with the rental of rooms or houses in residential areas include absentee owners, loud <br /> parties,traffic, parking, overcrowding, and safety of renters. <br /> The City has received some complaints; vacationers host events at late hours that conflict with <br /> neighbors not on vacation; renters park in the street or have parties that spill off of the <br /> property, depositing trash and similar items in the yard. When this issue was originally raised, <br /> staff identified 8 homes in the city listed on the VRBO website. A notice was sent to these <br /> owners, posted on the website, and the city newsletter reminding owners to "be a good <br /> neighbor". <br /> The City does not have a rental ordinance, a mechanism to inspect property annually to verify <br /> life safety requirements of the building code are met,therefore,the safety of vacationers in <br /> private homes is not verifiable. <br /> The attached first draft is intended to initiate discussion of the issues and possible solutions. <br /> Staff suggests regulating this issue through a business licensing process, where a license is <br /> required annually. The Planning Commission is asked to review the ordinance, and identify <br /> other concerns not addressed. With Planning Commission direction, staff will prepare <br /> appropriate changes, to be reviewed at a future meeting. <br /> _ � <br />