The “sharing” economy is growing rapidly, with services like Uber and Airbnb becoming more mainstream. This is all well and good, but with such quick growth, there are bound to be risks and unanticipated side effects.
It makes sense that someone who owns a condominium at Park City should be able to post and manage the vacation rental on Airbnb.
Sounds great…when it’s not in my backyard. How would I feel about my next door neighbor renting out one or more rooms in her house? Would I want vacation renters coming and going in my residential neighborhood on a nightly or weekly basis? Should my neighbor have the right to use her home however she wishes?
Utah House Bill 409
Utah House Bill 409, sponsored by Representative John Knotwell, would place a one-year moratorium on the creation or change of a city’s land use ordinance relative to short-term rentals. This allows cities that currently regulate or ban the practice to continue to do so, but puts a “pause” on others doing the same. Should municipalities be allowed to designate areas where such rentals are not allowed or is it a violation of private property rights?
This blog contains more questions than answers. Please share your opinion in the comment section below.
2 Comments
This article comes at an interesting time when the City of Francis, UT is currently considering a petition to annex a 26 acre plot and approve a flagship hotel, c-store, gas station and a gated community of town homes on the lot. (See Butler-Christensen Annexation Petition – http://siterepository.s3.amazonaws.com/2863/public_notice_for_newspaper_2_1_16_1.pdf)
The town homes are the interesting piece because the city would want nightly rentals due to the tax revenues, but the residents are opposed for the very reasons you mention in your article. I’m sure Airbnb would be a big part of the rental pool in this development if it goes through. But the residents are trying to plea with the city to disapprove or dramatically reduce the scale of this.
Thanks for your comment. Certain neighborhoods in Park City are also wrestling with this issue.