HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-546 (5)
CityClerk
From:Planning Shared
Sent:Monday, April 10, 2023 8:28 AM
To:Agenda Comment Forward
Subject:FW: voicing my concern over proposed short term rentals on Fletcher Street
Please read below.
Thank you
Mirinda Hopkins
Development Coordinator
Planning Division
City of Fayetteville
479-575-8267
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-----Original Message-----
From: bblock <bblock@housesinc.com>
Sent: Saturday, April 8, 2023 4:28 PM
To: Planning Shared <planning@fayetteville-ar.gov>
Subject: voicing my concern over proposed short term rentals on Fletcher Street
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Concerning the proposal by Mike Scott which goes to the City Council meeting on April 18 for 348 Fletcher, and all the
others who are trying to turn these new townhouses into short term rentals.
I would like to voice my concern over ALL the proposals coming in to your office for the new townhouses on Fletcher
Street. I do not approve of them. We own the duplex across the street at 313/315 Fletcher. When we saw this
townhouse project being built we never dreamed that it would be turned into a “hotel”, which is really what short term
rentals are.
I do not understand why the city is choosing to disregard laws and allow people in our city to turn properties that are
clearly in single family neighborhoods into these “hotels”. This is unacceptable in so many ways. When purchasing or
owning a property, the expectation is that the city will adhere to the current zoning, not change it on a whim.
What if someone decides to open a bar. Is that eventually going to be acceptable? Or an auto body shop? Or any
activity outside of that properties current zoning. Are we just going change the current zoning laws to let people do
whatever they want with their properties? Where does this stop? How is it fair to those who bought a property relying
on zoning laws, only to have the city change them.
This is unjust to surrounding neighbors throughout the city. It is sometimes causing a nuisance, ruining neighborhoods,
eliminating affordable housing for local people, causing hostility to neighbors and all sort of other problems.
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On Fletcher in particular, there have been trash cans and recycle cans on the sidewalk and actually out in the middle of
the street for weeks at a time. From talking to other people having to suffer through having these mini “hotels” next
door to them in their single family neighborhoods, this is a common problem. The trash is hauled to the street
whenever someone “checks out” and it sits there until the trash people come, in the meantime often getting knocked
over by animals and trash strewn all over the street, which the real neighborhood owners have to clean up or else deal
with the debris in their own yards and street.
I have talked to other people living next to some of these airbnbs/vrbos and they have had to put up with all night
parties, lots of cars parked on the street, strangers moving in and out constantly, and lots of other issues.
Some people may ask how this is different than letting someone rent a house or apartment on a long term lease.
Presumably when someone rents long term most often the owners ask for rental references, and will do background
checks - thus finding out all kinds of info such as sex offenders, felons, etc. They also get large deposits and use other
means of protecting their property and thus protecting the neighbors too. When someone rents long term, the owners
and neighbors then know who is living there, instead of a revolving door of unknowns on a daily basis.
Thank you for your consideration.
Beverly Block
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