City Council To Enforce Ban On "Mother-In-Law" Vacation Rentals, Cutting Source Of Income For Some Homeowners During Area's Busiest Time Of Year

In Port Townsend, Washington, the Olympic Peninsula Daily News reports:

• The City Council directed its staff to enforce a ban on the use of so-called mother-in-law units as short-term vacation rentals, even though it will cause many of these operations to cancel reservations during the busiest time of the year. "I understand this action is causing some inconvenience," said council member Mark Welch. "But it shouldn't be a surprise that we are enforcing a law that has been on the books for some time." On May 4, the city sent out 21 notices to what it calls accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, rentals which were in violation of the ban. City Hall discovered the ADUs via their online advertising as short-term rentals.

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• A dozen people weighed in about the issue during the public comment of Monday night's City Council meeting. Most of them favored a re-evaluation or repeal of the ban, which would cause them to lose projected income or issue refunds. "If I am forced to comply with this, my house will go into foreclosure," said Barbara Morey, who rents a portion of her property at vacation rates. [...] Several of those testifying said that canceling reservations made for the August to October time frame would cause an inconvenience for her guests that will give them a bad taste about the town.

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• Not all of the public testimony opposed the ban, as two bed-and-breakfast owners spoke in its favor. Mary Ann DeLong said licensed bed and breakfast operations pay more taxes and have to comply with a number of stringent insurance regulations. And Janet Allen said it was difficult to compete with the "bootleg properties" that have fewer restrictions and can charge less money."I think this should be enforced," DeLong said of the ban. "To do otherwise is unfair to those of us who have complied with all aspects of the law for many years."

For the story, see Council not budging, but operators of mother-in-law units want Port Townsend to re-evaluate code.