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Council urged to remain flexible on vacation rentals
by Lester Chang - THE GARDEN ISLAND
Residents voiced concerns this week about a bill to regulate vacation rentals and bed-and-breakfasts, taking the opportunity to be heard before a Jan. 24 County Council public hearing.
Ann and Guy Croydon spoke before the council Wednesday to get their point across early: that there are many vacation rental owners like them, who live on Kaua‘i and care about the island, and don’t make huge profits from their rentals.
The Croydons asked the council to remain flexible in developing legislation initiated by councilmembers JoAnn Yukimura and Jay Furfaro, that has been in the works for more than a year.
The Croydons own a rental in Hanalei Palms on Weke Road.
“If we aren’t allowed to have a vacation rental, we may have to sell it,” Ann Croydon said.
The details of the bill have yet to be determined, and the council will consider public comment before making any decisions, Furfaro said.
The county Planning Commission, upon reviewing a draft of the bill, recommended that the council tighten up
controls over the commercial units.
But the draft bill seems to offer contradictory language.
On one hand, it recommends homes used as transient vacation rentals and bed-and-breakfasts be allowed only in visitor destination areas designated by the county, including Princeville, Kapa‘a Town, Po‘ipu and parts of West Kaua‘i.
On the other hand, vacation rentals would be allowed in residential areas in non-visitor destination areas, but only if a minimum of 75 percent of the property owners within a 500 feet radius don’t oppose it.
The draft bill also restricts the size of rental signs and noise volume in neighborhoods, and requires someone be available 24 hours a day to respond to queries about a transient vacation rental properties.
To concerns from Yukimura about the proliferation of transient vacation rentals from Hanalei to other parts of the island, Guy Croydon said the market demand will determine where the vacation rentals open up next.
Croydon, a pilot who currently lives in a Kapa‘a home with his wife and three children, bought the Hanalei home as an investment.
After living in the unit, then renting it residents, the Croydon said they decided to rent it as a vacation rental because Guy Croydon’s salary had been trimmed.
“My job got really fluky,” he said.
Now an asset, Ann Croydon said they considered renting the home out through a program that promotes affordable rental housing, but found the amount they could charge would barely cover their mortgage.
But even though they stand in the proverbial line of fire, the Croydons say they don’t want to make any judgments on the legislation.
“I would not say we are for or against it at this point,” Guy Croydon said. “Because it all depends on how it is written.”
• Lester Chang, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) or lchang@kauaipubco.com.
Ann and Guy Croydon spoke before the council Wednesday to get their point across early: that there are many vacation rental owners like them, who live on Kaua‘i and care about the island, and don’t make huge profits from their rentals.
The Croydons asked the council to remain flexible in developing legislation initiated by councilmembers JoAnn Yukimura and Jay Furfaro, that has been in the works for more than a year.
The Croydons own a rental in Hanalei Palms on Weke Road.
“If we aren’t allowed to have a vacation rental, we may have to sell it,” Ann Croydon said.
The details of the bill have yet to be determined, and the council will consider public comment before making any decisions, Furfaro said.
The county Planning Commission, upon reviewing a draft of the bill, recommended that the council tighten up
controls over the commercial units.
But the draft bill seems to offer contradictory language.
On one hand, it recommends homes used as transient vacation rentals and bed-and-breakfasts be allowed only in visitor destination areas designated by the county, including Princeville, Kapa‘a Town, Po‘ipu and parts of West Kaua‘i.
On the other hand, vacation rentals would be allowed in residential areas in non-visitor destination areas, but only if a minimum of 75 percent of the property owners within a 500 feet radius don’t oppose it.
The draft bill also restricts the size of rental signs and noise volume in neighborhoods, and requires someone be available 24 hours a day to respond to queries about a transient vacation rental properties.
To concerns from Yukimura about the proliferation of transient vacation rentals from Hanalei to other parts of the island, Guy Croydon said the market demand will determine where the vacation rentals open up next.
Croydon, a pilot who currently lives in a Kapa‘a home with his wife and three children, bought the Hanalei home as an investment.
After living in the unit, then renting it residents, the Croydon said they decided to rent it as a vacation rental because Guy Croydon’s salary had been trimmed.
“My job got really fluky,” he said.
Now an asset, Ann Croydon said they considered renting the home out through a program that promotes affordable rental housing, but found the amount they could charge would barely cover their mortgage.
But even though they stand in the proverbial line of fire, the Croydons say they don’t want to make any judgments on the legislation.
“I would not say we are for or against it at this point,” Guy Croydon said. “Because it all depends on how it is written.”
• Lester Chang, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) or lchang@kauaipubco.com.
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puput wrote on Apr 3, 2009 10:19 AM: