Pleasant Ridge discussing short-term rental regulations

PLEASANT RIDGE — The topic of short-term rentals has been a hot one in the city of Pleasant Ridge.

The Pleasant Ridge City Commission met at its July 8 meeting to discuss short-term rentals, the concerns of residents and what kinds of changes could be made to the city’s ordinances in its approach to short-term rentals.

According to the city, some of the changes or limitations the commission could pursue could be limitations on the number of short-term rentals; the concentration of short-term rentals; whether they should only be allowed in certain areas of the city; how licenses should be approved and their length; how the city should, or if it can, pursue license removals; and licensing fees.

City Attorney Greg Need said the problem for a city like Pleasant Ridge is that existing short-term rental ordinances are in places like vacation and lakefront areas, and what works there wouldn’t necessarily work in Pleasant Ridge.

Need agreed with City Manager James Breuckman on permit revocation and that it wouldn’t be appropriate to delegate that issue to an administrative official.

“There is discretion and the courts have said that you have a lot of latitude when you initially grant a permit,” he said. “But once somebody has a permit, they have a property interest, the courts have said, in that permit and you have to follow due process to have it revoked. You have to have specific standards, and if there is any kind of leeway or gray area or discretion, that’s best before the legislative body like the commission and not the city manager.”

Residents who had negative and positive experiences with short-term rentals in the city spoke during the meeting.

Josh Bartlett has lived next to a short-term rental on Fairwood Boulevard and said that during that time multiple issues have occurred that involved a police response. These issues include partying, fights, a break-in, parking violations and, most recently, a late-night party that led to an altercation and allegedly a firearm being in play.

Though there haven’t been any issues at the site since April, it’s not a matter of if, but when the next incident will happen, Bartlett said, and whether or not short-term rentals are a good idea for the city.

“If they’re permitted, they need to be held to a higher degree of accountability than they currently are,” he said. “If they’re sticking around … consider regulating the properties based on necessary police action. If people are committing crimes like breaking and entering, then I can’t think of something like that, that wouldn’t be considered a strike, at least as we term it. Whether it results in police action or some other measurable aspect, hold them accountable when incidents occur through fines or revocation of permits.”

“The potential long-term effects of short-term rentals in Pleasant Ridge are also worth examination,” Bartlett continued. “How do they influence the fabric of the neighborhood — removing long-term residents and active members of the community? Does Pleasant Ridge want to be a community of kind, caring, engaged neighbors or one of small business interests masquerading as homes catering to transients?”

Don Jones spoke positively of his experience with short-term rentals. Jones said that when his son got married two years ago, family members from around the country rented a place in the city, allowing the family to stay in the area and be within walking distance of his house.

“It was a great asset to the community because, as you all know, there is no hotels or motel or other places where family members can stay in Pleasant Ridge itself, that they could walk to our house and be part of that celebration that was going on,” he said. “So, while there’s obviously some difficulties and such, I think I heard that of course banning them outright is probably not probable anyways, but also let’s consider these where they’re an asset to the community, an opportunity for people to bring our families to the community and stay in the community. For us, it was wonderful. We’re hoping to do that again for celebrations.

“We also know there’ll be times when we need to bring our families for times of sadness and, again, where they can be here in the community with us for that is something that’s very important,” he continued. “So, as you’re weighing this, again regarding our community and where the opportunities are for people to stay and be here when they’re visiting is a great benefit and something that I hope will factor into the decision-making as you think about how to best proceed.”

No decision was on the table at the meeting regarding short-term rentals. It only was a discussion on how the commission could proceed.

The commission decided to schedule a workshop to further discuss short-term rentals, which is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9, at City Hall, 23925 Woodward Ave.

Commissioner Katy Schmier said the workshop is important, as the commission needs to come to a clearer idea of what to do.

“I think personally that we do need increased regulation,” she said. “We have a few reasons for this need for regulation. I think it’s disruptive to that character of the neighborhood. Having people come and go, transient. … It can be disruptive to the character of the neighborhood, and I think that is something that is not only important to me, but important to everyone who has decided to live here to maintain that character of the neighborhood. I think it has impacts on kind of infrastructure, potentially services; you know, it’s potentially straining resources. And I think we’re seeing that a little bit now with the police.”