Matthews leaders discuss short-term rentals

MATTHEWS – Pat Robinson has approached the Matthews Board of Commissioners a couple of times about banning Airbnbs in neighborhoods with single-family homes. 

Robinson presented commissioners with a petition of more than 100 names against short-term rentals – like the one next to her daughter’s home. 

“That's in a residential area right where children play,” Robinson said. “It's like a hotel. It's like somebody might be there one night. Somebody might be there two nights. They never know who's going to be next. It's just not good.”

Matthews Planning Director Jay Camp told commissioners March 25 that staff could draft language by June that includes defining what a short-term rental is and add it into the town’s table of land uses. 

“An outright ban on a use is not allowed,” Camp said. “You have to acknowledge a use and have a place for it somewhere. I think as part of this deliberate process to draft these regulations, hold a public hearing, garner input from the community, we need to take a look at our table of uses and look at what zoning districts short-term rentals are appropriate within but we can't do an outright ban.”

Commissioner Mark Tofano made a motion directing staff and the town attorney to draft that language. That motion passed. He also convinced staff to bring back some more information during their April 22 meeting. 

Commissioner Renee Garner said she had received 10 or so emails from people supporting short-term rentals.

“I would hate to restrict or eliminate this possibility as somebody who enjoys short-term rentals going to other towns,” Garner said. “I would hate to outright ban them but I would like to find a way to make people feel safe living around them.”

Commissioner John Urban said he received feedback from people operating short-term rentals. Urban also spoke with a representative from one of the web-based short-term rental companies that said they don’t allow parties and neighbors to report violations.

“It was heartening to know that they have this in place but how many people know that when you're next to a Vrbo that you have rights from that aspect of it?” Urban said. 

He suggested that staff may want to glean from such companies’ regulations. 

Mayor John Higdon said he understands the frustration of residents living near short-term rentals but in his talks with other mayors across the state, every time these communities try to regulate them, their “hands get slapped by Raleigh” or they get sued by a landowner.

“I want to do what we can,” Higdon said, “but I want to make sure that we're absolutely on strong legal ground because there's no need for us to go down a path and then just have our hands slapped and then turn it right back around to the way it was.”