Cohousing-L Mailing List: Short term rentals (ie Air BNB)

[markwlavine (markwlavine]

Hi all. We are new to this list and appreciate the opportunity to get input 
from more experienced communities. We are a small community of nine lots, some 
of which are still being built out, but we do meet regularly and those of us 
already here share much and get along wonderfully. However, in the process of 
developing our by-laws we have discovered quite a split in folks' positions on 
short term (less than 30 days) rentals. Some of us do not want Air BNB type 
rentals at all, and others want no restrictions at all (ie unlimited ST rentals 
- potentially all units, 365 days a year.) It gets stickier because each lot is 
zoned for a second structure - accessory dwelling unit - which some are now 
considering as sources of future income. Others of us have always envisioned a 
stable community of neighbors living and sharing together, and the idea of so 
many people coming and going all the time doesn’t at all fit with this vision, 
especially since the community borders state park wilderness and is such a 
peaceful, rural setting. 

We are interested in learning how other communities have dealt with this issue, 
and also want to hear real experiences of the effect on communities where ST 
rentals have been permitted without any checks or limits. I feel as if this is 
an important decision, and we want to get as much input from other communities 
as we can. Thank you so much for whatever information you can provide. And if 
you have developed by-laws around this topic, any examples of wording would 
also be appreciated. Thanks again!

Mark Lavine
markwlavine [at] icloud.com