HOT TOPICSPalm Beach Post
May 31, 2013
I would like to respond to the commentary “Short-term rental ban would hurt city.”
The writers have established themselves as investors who bought properties in Lake Worth with the sole intent to rent. The city code limits short-term vacation to 60 days. Many homes, though, are being rented out by the day, week or month. The investors doing this, of course, favor changing the code.
The writers claim that opponents of the change used “fear-mongering” and the specter of Ted Bundy at a city commission workshop. This was not the case. I said to the commission, “I did not move into a home on a beautiful residential street to live next to a Motel 6.” Other opinions were given, few in favor of changing the code.
Read more... on what a single family homeowner wrote to the Palm Beach Post on vacation rentals.
9 comments:
Great commentary, so true. Nice comments especially the ones copied below here. We need to stop all these rich, wealthy, business people and big business to stop running our city. When rich men can own a boarded up blighted slum building in our city, but not live in that neighborhood and can get a free ride constantly getting code violations every so often, making others have to live next to this boarded up blight that brings down our property values on this side of the city, it just is not right. Lynn, they only care about making money not about us, it is sad. I applaud the commentary from this author, thanks for sharing Lynn. We need to stay on top of all of this. The ironic thing is the one person on the code board is one of the big contributors to blight, go figure. Just like Jeff getting campaign contributions from the red light camera co, there is so much corruption in this city, gee I wonder why codes are overlooked for some?
"I would hope that the mayor and commissioners value the residents of Lake Worth enough not to change our single-family districts and cause further devaluation of our property. Short-term vacationers renting homes in residential areas change our traffic patterns, our parking patterns and familiarity of our streets. Homeowners, not short-term renters, create the ambiance of a neighborhood.
We are the ones voting for Mayor Triolo and the commissioners to enforce codes that enhance our quality of life. We are the ones who support the city full-time and care about its success or failure. Investors, especially those not living in the city, have nothing vested in the city other than as a place to stay for a very short period of time.
There is much that needs to be changed in Lake Worth. This compliance code is not one of them. It needs to be enforced in its entirety, for the sake of every residential homeowner in the city."
Thanks Helene Jarvis and Lynn for writing this and bringing this up to the forefront for our leaders, so in hopes they will start listening more to the citizens more in this city.
But my friends they are going to change our single family neighborhoods. If you get a chance to look at the zoning labeled SF-R (Single Family Residential) the Zoning Department has made Assisted Living Cewnters/Facilities, Nursing Homes/Facilities and Retirement Homes/Facilities as a "Conditional" Approved building in all of our single family neighborhoods. These are facilities that run 24 hours a day.
Lets say you buy a home in a lovely neighborhood and then very close to your home they build a "Commercial" type Assisted Living facility that has employees, delivery trucks, shift changes etc. Happening 24/7. Yes these types of facilities should have a place and they are very good things but its another back handed way for the city to sneak higher tax paying "Businesses" in to your back yard. Call your Commissioners today and say NO at that Single Family 7 means ONLY Single Family Homes.
What you fail to realize is that Federal Law requires that cities allow these uses. It's the reason why we can't stop halfway houses and drug rehabs in our single family neighborhoods. We are forced to add these uses by the feds.
At every neighborhood meeting the Sheriffs tell us to keep our eyes open and be aware of who is coming and going in our neighborhood. How in the world will we be able to keep an eye on our neighbors if WE DON"T KNOW WHO THEY ARE ?!?
7:56 I have no skin in the game. I just think we should quit worrying about people renting nicely kept homes for a couple days or more. I mean they come here because they want to enjoy our community not pillage it.They spend money which should ease the burden on residents. Make them get inspections, licenses, and pay taxes. I wish that alarmist woman would knock off the Ted Bundy bit and realize Florida is a tourism state. Without hotels, which, by the way that same woman is against due to some height issue. What will draw visitors here.
One huge inaccuracy anonymous above at 9:34--that woman is NOT against hotels in our downtown. She is against buildings over 4 stories--big difference--keep it accurate. Thanks.
9:48 I did say due to some height issue.
Make them get inspections, licenses, and pay taxes. I wish that alarmist woman would knock off the Ted Bundy bit and realize Florida is a tourism state. Without hotels, which, by the way that same woman is against due to some height issue. What will draw visitors here.
Code can't handle what they have on their plates NOW!! Nobody is against hotels, IN OUR BUSINESS DISTRICTS!!!! HOTELS have no business in residential neighborhoods. Again- a point the poster refuses to acknowledge, how are we supposed to keep an eye on our neighborhoods if we don't know who the neighbors are?!?
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