New poll released on short-term rentals
The Shelter Island Association (SIA) presented a survey Tuesday to the Town Board on short term-rentals it conducted this month.
One of the most revealing statistics from the survey, which employed the online tool survey monkey.com, is that 63 percent of those responding believe unregulated short-term rentals are not beneficial for Shelter Island. About 20 percent said lack of regulations was a good thing and 18 percent were neutral on the issue.
On the question of whether short-term rentals “are good for commercial operations” on the Island, 52 percent of those responding, said yes, 23 percent said no and 25 percent had no opinion.
Although the survey had received 325 responses — characterized as a good sampling by SIA President Tim Hogue — to an extensive questionnaire of 13 questions, with an additional 137 comments written by responders, Mr. Hogue admitted there were flaws in survey.
A person that Mr. Hogue identified as one who was against any legislation restricting short-term rentals put the poll on a Facebook page and some of the data the SIA received after August 17 could be skewed, Mr. Hogue said. In addition, answering a question from Chuck Krause, Mr. Hogue said that none, or very few, of the questionnaires went to Center residents.
The SIA used homeowner’s associations to distribute the survey via email, and the Center has no such association, so that part of town was “under-represented,” Mr. Hogue said.
Dueling Polls
The Shelter Island Chamber of Commerce had it’s own online poll that asked only two questions — if the respondent was a member of the chamber and if proposed legislation restricting short-term rentals would have a positive or negative financial impact. About 48 percent of chamber members who responded said it would be a negative impact and 21 percent said it would be positive.
At the meeting, Supervisor Jim Dougherty seemed to dismiss the chamber’s poll, and didn’t reveal the results.
After the meeting, Mr. Krause, who is on the board of directors of the chamber, told the Reporter that its survey was “very simple and nothing that leads the witness, as was given to us today from the Shelter Island Association’s survey. We are commerce of business. Unlike this Town Board and the constituents of other associations, we very much have the Shelter Island economy as our main focus.”
Mr. Hogue responded that, “we took great lengths to have questions as neutral as possible.”
The Summer’s Debate
The issue of unregulated short-term rentals booked over the Internet, mostly through airbnb, has consumed the board’s business for most of the summer. The discussions at Town Hall have drawn fire from residents who maintain that “party houses” are proliferating on the Island due to the short-term Internet bookings, with loud music and drunken and obnoxious behavior occurring day and night in once peaceful neighborhoods.
They’ve been countered by those who have said summer rentals — either short or long term — are a significant supplement to their incomes, helping them stay in their homes by accommodating well-behaved families and couples who contribute to the overall Island economy during the summer months.
On the subject of neighborhoods being disrupted by unruly renters, the SIA survey asked: “Have you ever been disrupted by short term rentals (e.g., noise, lack of parking, security issue)?” About 23 percent of responders said yes, and 77 percent answered no.
Asked how they would feel if a short-term rental was on their block, 60 percent of people responding said they would either be very uncomfortable or moderately uncomfortable and 40 percent said it would not be an issue.
At Tuesday’s meeting, the debate continued, with resident Amanda Katta, who said she was born and raised on Shelter Island, had returned with her husband, Edward last year and purchased “our first home” with the intention of living here permanently with their daughter.
Ms. Katta said she and her husband rely on short-term rentals to “balance out our initial investments.”
She agreed with a proposed seven-day minimum stay for guests, a rental registry for homeowners and holding homeowners responsible for the conduct of guests.
She disagreed with a proposal by the board limiting homeowners to one rental period per month. “It’s already a short summer season,” Ms. Katta said, and the restriction “defeats the purpose” of renting their home for income.
Ms. Katta also took exception to charges that rentals are commercial enterprises in residential zones, noting that “many independent contractors now running enterprises out of their homes.”
She supported some regulations, she said, “to retain and maintain the quality of life and a special place for the Shelter Island community.”
But she urged the board to urged the board to consider the plight of may young families who want to stay on the Island but need supplemental income from seasonal rentals to achiever their goals.
Phil DiOrio told the board that the town’s comprehensive plan “speaks about cottage industries and home occupations but this is a very different thing.”
Mr. DiOrio also said that a suggestion by Councilman Jim Colligan to pass legislation with a one-week minimum for rentals and then “tweak it later” if needed to two weeks, would never work.
“People would have a pre-existing, non-conforming specifically allowed use that you’ll never get past,” Mr. DiOrio said.
Councilman Paul Shepherd asked Town Attorney Laury Dowd if that was accurate. Ms. Dowd said, “Not legally, but maybe politically.”
Mr. DiOrio said that once there’s an allowance for a use of property to homeowners, “it is very difficult to take that away form them.”
Mr. Dougherty thanked the SIA for the information the survey provided and said the board would consider the issue at future work sessions before holding public hearings on draft legislation.
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