Short-term rental house proposed to Providence zoning commission
September 14th, 2012 Posted in OpinionBy Dani Hayes
PROVIDENCE — The Planning and Zoning Commission is considering amending the city’s zoning regulations after Wednesday’s meeting. The discussion came up because of a proposal from a former Providence resident. Brandan Hadlock, who now lives in Lehi, wishes to use a house he owns, located off East Center Street in Providence, for short-term rentals.
The commission was concerned about short-term renting because it closely resembles hotels and motels, businesses that are only allowed in a commercial area.
“We have a lot of home businesses in Providence and that’s why people want to move here,” said Skarlet Bankhead, the city administrator. Most at-home business owners live on their property but this situation is different, she said.
“We need to be cautious because what we will be allowing is an informal lodging house,” Bankhead said.
With the exception of bed-and-breakfasts, lodging houses are not allowed in residential areas. This exception is due to the fact that at a bed-and-breakfast there is a constant person on site, where in this case there won’t be, Bankhead said.
“We need to handle this matter in a cautious way so it isn’t going to be a problem for the neighborhood,” Bankhead said. “That’s our priority. If we do allow it, we want to make sure it will be a successful thing for the neighborhood and the owner of the house. The city needs to organize regulations that protect both sides of the issue.”
Commission members agreed they wanted to avoid making the residential area of the city into a transient area. Because of the short-term renting period, the commission is concerned about groups that may consider lodging at the house. Loud parties and large family reunions were among some of the groups discussed.
Hadlock believes that he can maximize his profit by renting his house on a short-term basis rather than long term.
“So many people are unemployed,” Hadlock said, “and opportunities like this should be made possible for people to maximize the value of their assets.”
Hadlock believes that the government should limit restrictions of citizens’ liberties and “celebrate success rather than take advantage of success. If one of our fundamental rights is our pursuit of happiness, then the government should only create laws when absolutely necessary.”
Hadlock said that he understands the commission’s concerns over the neighborhood but feels strongly that he has a right to do what he wants with his property.
“I don’t think we are ready to say anything on the matter,” said Roy Sneddon, the commission’s chairman. “This is the first time we heard of it. I think I am reasonable to express the view that we need to have more information to remove skepticism. We need to dive much deeper into the matter to make a conclusion.”
The commission will meet again on Sept. 26 to discuss the issue further.
NW
Tags: Brandan Hadlock, planning and zoning, Providence, short-term rental
Sorry, comments for this entry are closed at this time.