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Short term rental ordinance to move forward on Marco
Planning board and advisory committee to discuss landlords’ responsibilities for nuisance tenants
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Ever wonder what it’s like to live next door to a place that is rented by the hour? Marco Island resident Ken Honecker wishes you could imagine his loss to quality of life due to his neighboring rental.
“It’s essentially open season ... Just come over for a birthday party and leave. I don’t think that should happen in a single family neighborhood,” Honecker exclaimed.
Residents living next door to short-term rental properties, sometimes defined as anywhere from one hour rentals to six month rentals, should find some relief in an ordinance being reviewed by the Planning Board and Short-Term Rental Housing Advisory Committee Wednesday night.
Honecker and other neighbors of rentals said they wished the City of Marco Island chose an ordinance similar to the City of Naples and Sanibel Island which limits rentals to 30 days or longer.
The city defined a short-term rental as one that rents for less than six months and the draft ordinance will limit rentals to only one lease within seven days, but does not limit the minimum length of stay.
The proposed ordinance put together by the rental housing advisory committee will hold tenants responsible as well as landlords who have frequent problems including noise violations at the same property.
For years Honecker says he has experienced problems with a neighboring rental at 640 Dorando Court – owned by Cory Maile of Realty Net Real Estate – including as many as six cars parked on the lawn, trash left out in front of the house, as many as 35 people staying in the house, trespassing, loud music and boats parked improperly.
The case will be going before the code enforcement board next month.
Chief code enforcement officer Eric Wardle said a challenge in the past has been that the police respond to many of the noise complaints in the evening and on weekends.
The Marco Island Police Department just recently began sending code enforcement the results of those calls so that there is record of how frequent the problem is at specific properties, Wardle said.
A joint workshop to discuss the proposed recommendations for the registration and operational requirements of short term rental homes will be held by the Planning Board and Rental Housing Committee 7 p.m., Wednesday, at Mackle Park.
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Landlords have to be held accountable for their tenants. Some only care about collecting the rent at the end of the month. This practice has to stop. Rent out to responsible people.
#1 Posted by talktome on July 18, 2008 at 12:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What the City of Marco Island needs is more taxes to hire more salaried workers. When will the City and citizens see this fact?
You deserve the government that you get. Every day there is a new tax ... "for the general welfare" of us all.
You wonder why the economy in Marco is as it is? Look at yourself citizens of Marco. Adding a tax is not the answer.
When there is no one in Marco please turn off the light.
#2 Posted by marcoredeagle on July 18, 2008 at 12:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Short term rentals are necessary due to the fact that everything is so expensive on Marco... noone can afford to stay too long!!
#3 Posted by hourigan82247 on July 19, 2008 at 7:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Please take note of the realtors on this committee and do not patronize them. The complainers are not the ones that that give them business it is the investors and entrepreneurs that do--and we will be looking elsewhere now. This is nothing short of a home owners association for single family houses. This is really not the time to be making regressive rules it does not do the market any good.
#4 Posted by sunnycity on July 19, 2008 at 4:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Excellent! I can't wait for this to pass.
#5 Posted by MMarco on July 20, 2008 at 7:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wardle isn't going to do anything. Other than sitting around waiting for a paycheck. He fits right in with the rest of the wasted salaries on this island.
#6 Posted by hourigan82247 on July 20, 2008 at 10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
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