STRs: City council’s options

The definition of a neighborhood in communities, especially resorts, is being radically changed by the internet as investors, developers, and traveler’s changing ideals and needs are met. The proliferation of STRs, communities changing from single use zoning (SEA) to accommodate duplexes and multi households is causing a ripple in the traditional neighborhood feeling.

Often the STRs present a transient “party” like unstable ever changing transient community with many accompanying issues especially around the core of cities. Neighborstained (William Shakespeare) rebellious subjects, enemies to peace. “Aemulatio vicini” the legal term that perhaps comes closest to saying ‘just because you can do something doesn’t mean that you should do it.’ In my opinion, the city council has three general options: 1. To do like France and raise taxes on vacant and second homes within a 1-mile radius or so of the core (centered where Fourth Street crosses Sherman) maintaining the traditional area neighborhood feeling, 2. Change/expand the zoning to commercial and encourage motels/hotel construction in/near downtown (now only few boutique motels and the resort exist) with graduated height restrictions which would stimulate, condense and keep downtown businesses viable, and open nearby residential living to locals, 3. Or last option: as now, create a complex expensive bureaucracy to manage, clean up, surveil and police STRs and change zoning to accommodate and reflect the type of transient neighborhood so families can determine if they want to live in that type of neighborhood.

JAMES H. MUNDY IV

Coeur d’Alene