HomeMy WebLinkAbout031125 email - Letter and commentary in support of Short Term Rentals_ in advance of the hearing meeting on 03_17_2025 (0002)ALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
Hello,
My wife Cassandra and I are writing in response to the short-term rental regulations that Jefferson County WA is considering and holding a hearing to evaluate and discuss. This letter
and comments are intended for the Commissioners of Jefferson County WA, the Planning Commission, and Department of Community Development. We understand there is a hearing meeting on
Monday 03/17/2025, and as we are both working won’t be able to attend. Therefore, please read and consider our commentary now and at the hearing.
As background, my wife and I purchased our home in Jefferson County for several reasons. One reason was a retirement investment for the future. Another main reason was to enjoy the
beauty, outdoors, and all that Jefferson County has to offer with our 5 children. We, along with our kids, Malia (17), Alex (12), Kai (7), Ava (4), and Elsie (2), enjoy our Jefferson
County home as much as we can when we are not working, at school, or kids’ events. In the meantime, we are a permitted short-term rental in Jefferson County WA. This enables us to
enjoy Jefferson County as a family and be financially able to do so. Further, this is a place that my wife and I see us enjoying for ourselves and family in retirement. To enjoy our
home as a family now, and in future retirement we financially depend upon the continued use of our Jefferson County WA home as a permitted short-term rental.
Please consider this feedback in the Jefferson County WA hearing(s) about short-term rentals and possible regulations:
* I do support having the option to use my property for a short-term rental, and it is currently permitted. This was my intended use when I purchased the property and there were
no restrictions on short term rentals at the time I purchased. It would not be right to take this option from me, or any current owner, who had not been advised of a restriction at
the time of their purchase.
* I do not intend to impose hardship on other homeowners when I use my property for a short-term rental, and do not wish hardship imposed on me by others to prevent my intended
use.
* It is possible that some would prefer not to have short term rentals in the county. If it is the vote of the many that there are restrictions, those restrictions should be stated
for future buyers. This plan would ensure all future purchasers were put on notice that short term rentals are not an option before buying the property.
* When my family bought our house, this was an investment for our 5 kids and us. Using it as an STR now enables us to enjoy the area, have a retirement plan, and enable STR renters
to contribute to the Jefferson County economy.
* Regarding the economy, at this point I have surely paid thousands of tax dollars to Jefferson County because of STR income. I have also invested thousands of dollars going through
the permitting process and paying for the permit multiple times. Additionally, I support local Jefferson County residents who clean, do routine maintenance, and provide general support
as needed. My STR guests are also massive supporters to the local economy, restaurants, tourism, etc.… Please consider the negative financial impact this proposal will have on the
Jefferson County economy.
* The proposal as it stands, does not adequately allow grandfathering through the written words of the current proposal. This should be addressed to properly allow grandfathering.
* The latest proposal of restrictions that I saw at the last meeting had a very confusing section about grandfathering. In that Planning Commission meeting on 03/05/2025, Brent
Butler stated that currently permitted short-term rentals would be “legal non-conforming”, or in other words “grandfathered”. Further, Brent stated this meant that currently permitted
short-term rentals would not fall into any of the proposed 3-year limits, or other new restrictions beyond when they were permitted. However, the language that I saw on the proposal
in that meeting did not adequately read this way. I would ask that if regulations are put in place that it clearly articulates this section allowing “legal non-conforming” or “grandfathering”
and shows no 3-year limits on those currently permitted.
* In the planning commission meeting on 03/05/2025, there was a section of the proposal that read “Legal non- conforming housing units( sometimes called grandfathering) shall not
be included under this chapter 18. 210( 3) and( 4), but must: a) At a minimum, prior users must demonstrate that the current use is essentially the same as before July 10, 2006 ( when
JCC 18.20.210 was adopted), and even if prior use is established, it must meet life safety requirements, state requirements, i.e., 64.37 RCW& licensing requirements.” We are concerned
about section a) that speaks about July 10, 2006. I have talked with many people, and nobody can clearly articulate what this means. This is very confusing, and if people bought after
2006, and have been permitted by Jefferson County, then they should not have their short-term rental stripped from them.
* I sat in on planning meetings as this proposal was drafted. This proposal is based on known inaccurate data, the voice of a few strong-willed individuals, and lacks legal standing.
This current proposal should be revised to be based on accurate data and abide by the law.
* The current proposal is most certainly in violation of Constitutional rights, property rights and privacy rights. This proposal will most certainly draw massive legal fees and
losses for the county in the court of law.
* There were a lot of planning committee premises that were inaccurate. Some on the planning committee voiced that eliminating STR’s will help long term rentals. This is an inaccurate
premise. If you force STR’s to sell, then that will probably be a cash deal about $1M+ in many cases. These homes won’t turn into long term rentals. They will most likely sit empty
for most of the year. This will hurt the local economy, and jobs such as cleaners, taxes you collect, restaurants and tourist economies will suffer. This proposal hurts Jefferson
County and does not help a supposed housing crisis which no solid data was even shown for.
* If current permitted STR’s are grandfathered in (which they should be), then those STR’s grandfathered should stay with the property if it were to be sold. Otherwise, you are
devaluing the property and the original investment, and most likely again violating laws.
We welcome discussing or helping in the planning process at any time. Please feel free to reach out to us, and involve us.
Thank you for listening, and your considerations.
Eric & Cassandra Lentz
206-465-4336
(Please see our letter attached)