Short-term rentals

This is a wake-up call! Realtors and property managers are poised to turn Annapolis’ Downtown Residential Neighborhoods into business zones for weekend getaways with vehicles and pedestrian congestion that rivals Ocean City.

One property manager who testified at a recent council meeting has 15 properties ready to turn into owner unoccupied short-term rentals when the current moratorium expires on April 11 unless residents actively tell the City Council —

“no more STRs!”

Lobbyists and real estate agents are heavily pressuring City Council members during this election year to allow more STRs. Nearly 40% of some neighborhoods are already STRs and some blocks have seven or more. Each time a home is bought for investment, we lose the chance for a long-term resident to contribute to the quality of life and safety provided by a neighborhood.

How many other properties will become STRs? The choice is to keep historic residential neighborhoods reflective of our maritime heritage — or, to make Annapolis a beer hot-spot for visitors with owner unoccupied STRs.

We, Annapolis, addressed this issue in the ‘90s when the most recent B&B standards were updated. The compromise reached was two on each side of a block. That has worked well and they are still real neighbors.

The weekend occupants of the owner-unoccupied STRs are neither good nor bad neighbors — just not neighbors!

Residents who wish to keep their neighborhood from becoming business zones must promptly tell all council members and commission/committee members.

The Planning Commission and Rules and City Government Committee plan to hold hearings on STRs before the next City Council meeting on March 22.

The time to act is now! It matters.

Carl Larkin, Annapolis