Work Session (Additional Communication)

Carl Spina, a resident of Empire, expresses his concerns regarding the Short-Term Rental (STR) committee’s efforts to create new ordinances. He and his wife, a middle-class family, recently built a cottage in the New Neighborhood of Empire, intending it to be their family vacation home. They chose this location partly because the city ordinances and Planned Unit Development (PUD) did not prohibit STRs, which they planned to use occasionally to help finance their cottage. Spina is worried that the new regulations being considered by the committee could impact their financial plans and property rights.

Spina questions the necessity of the proposed restrictions, citing the 2020 STR report which indicated that STRs have not caused significant issues in Empire. He argues that STRs are vital for the survival of small, local businesses and challenges the notion that they contribute to problems such as limited housing stock, affordability, noise, trash, and traffic. He emphasizes that no direct evidence has been presented linking STRs to these issues in Empire. Spina also values community and neighborly relations but believes that the desire for friendliness should not justify limiting property rights.

In his message, Spina urges the committee and the city council to clearly identify the specific problems they aim to address with the new STR policies. He advocates for fair regulations that solve identified issues without infringing on property rights. Additionally, he highlights the distinction between families like his, who occasionally rent out their homes, and properties that are primarily used as STRs. Spina hopes that the council will consider these differences when drafting new ordinances.