Nick and Adelina Deccio ran an Airbnb bread and breakfast at their house in Maplewood until the city shut it down in March, along with all others in the city, after city assistant manager, Anthony Traxler found out about them and brought it before planning and zoning. Any short term rentals aren’t allowed in Maplewood.
Since then the Deccios have been working with the city, trying to push through an ordinance to allow them to continue their business. Planning and zoning worked through a draft ordinance Monday night. The Deccios were there as well as others that supported Airbnb in Maplewood.
See also: Maplewood plan and zoning: B&B ban applies to Airbnb too
In public comments, Adelina told the commission her concerns of the draft ordinance, which the commission addressed later.
Lamira Martin said she also had an Airbnb, on Zephyr, until it was shut down. She said she never had complaints from neighbors. She said it’s a great way for guests to be part of the neighborhood because the host can recommend places to eat. One of Martin’s neighbors said she was never bothered by the Airbnb, and hoped Maplewood would take a “progressive stance.”
Resident, Joseph Scott said he doesn’t have a stake in the decision but can see the value Airbnb brings to the city. “Just because we live in a city with a history doesn’t mean we need to be stuck in time,” he said.
Traxler said City Manager Marty Corcoran wanted plan and zoning’s comments on the draft. No vote was taken Monday. One is expected next month on a revised ordinance.
Traxler said short term rentals would be subject to annual business license inspections to insure it’s up to code. Homes are only inspected then they’re sold.
New planning and zoning member, Emily Knippa, who said she had used Airbnb, said she hoped the ordinance wouldn’t require exit signs over doors. Adelina said it’s still their home, and wouldn’t like things like that. Traxler said exit signs or escape route maps wouldn’t be required.
Commission member Sheri Phillips asked if this would open the door to a “full-on B&B,” and chairman, Dan Noonan, said he understood the ordinance to apply to any B&B, not just Airbnb. Anthony said it wouldn’t limit someone from just advertising a B&B on Craigslist.
Adelina asked if it would this restrict the opportunity to only people with a garage or carport, since street parking isn’t included as a place for guests to park.
“It would restrict it,” Traxler said. “The issue is, when you have a single family home, you’re supposed to have two off-street spaces per code. Some may not have that.
What you’re doing is increasing the intensity beyond just those occupants, and again, it’s a business in a residential neighborhood. It may be more restrictive, but that’s the issue. It’s a business.”
Deccio asked about an item that gives the city manager power to make any changes in the future, and Traxler said that was the intent. He called it a catch-all in case the ordinance misses anything. He assured Deccio it wouldn’t be used to shut them down on a minor issue.
Other points covered:
- A home owner can’t be on vacation when their house is rented.
- Record-keeping probably won’t be a problem because Airbnb keeps records, and owners keep records for taxes.
- A required permit sign will be small.