Regulations related to short-term residential rentals are getting closer to becoming a reality in Waukegan as the City Council’s Community Development Committee directed further changes to a revised ordinance prepared by the mayor’s office.
After hearing a bevy of complaints from owners of short-term rental properties at its Nov. 4 meeting, the committee wanted more time to consider what regulations, if any, should be imposed.
With the committee set to consider the legislation again on Monday, Mayor Ann Taylor sent a revised ordinance to council members easing some of the initially proposed rules. Many were well-received, but reducing the distance between homes from 1,000 to 500 feet was unacceptable.
The committee voted 4-1 to direct the city’s corporation counsel to prepare a further revised ordinance removing the 500-foot separation clause, enabling one person to operate two short-term rentals near one another.
Ald. Michael Donnenwirth, 7th Ward, said he has heard from a number of his constituents and is happy with the revised ordinance, but wants the 500-foot separation requirement removed. He does not believe it is necessary.
“Everybody seems to have the consensus it’s not broken, so we don’t need to fix it,” Donnenwirth said. “I’m opposed to the 500-foot and 1,000-foot restrictions. It should be removed. If we end up with problems, we can deal with it later.”
Ald. Lynn Florian, 8th Ward, said she felt the mayor’s office listened to comments from the public and found middle ground. She voted against the removal of the 500- or 1,000-foot barrier. She said if there are too many short-term rentals, it could impact the character of a neighborhood.
“If we don’t have neighbors, we don’t have those connections anymore,” Florian said. “We need to keep some kind of control over it so we don’t have streets full of them. We didn’t know this situation existed a year ago. Keeping some sort of distance requirement is a very good idea.”
Steve Hill, who lives in the Sheridan Road Historic District north of downtown Waukegan, operates several short-term rental homes in that area. He said his neighbors will let him know quickly if there is a problem, but generally they are pleased with the operation.
“Without any data to back up these restrictions, why include them at all,” Hill said at the meeting. “The mayor’s office has told us that the ordinance can be amended down the road to remove restrictions, but that seems counterintuitive.”
Along with the 1,000-foot restriction, the initial version of the ordinance included a 48-hour minimum stay, a license, off-street parking, exterior security cameras and a $5,000 penalty for violations, among other requirements.
Stewart Weiss, an attorney with corporation counsel Elrod Friedman, said at the meeting the minimum stay was changed from 48 hours to two nights, removing the limit of 100 short-term rental units in the city and parking spaces, but warned cars parked illegally would be ticketed.
Weiss said other changes reduced the fine for violations from $5,000 to $750, which is in line with other code violations in the city. While the application fee was increased from $25 to $50, the annual license renewal fee dropped from $300 to $100 per unit.
The committee will again consider the final revised ordinance when it meets Jan. 6 at City Hall. The full City Council is also scheduled to vote that night.
Joining Donnenwirth in voting in favor of the amended changes was Ald. Thomas Hayes, 9th Ward, Ald., Victor Felix, 4th Ward and Ald. Juan Martinez, 3rd Ward.
