Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Letter to Supervisors re: short term rentals - from Lisa Boltzen

Dear Supervisor's,

I am writing this statement in hopes that it persuades your decision when voting on the proposed ordinance to regulate short-term rentals.

I have served on the Board of Copper Cove @ Lake Tulloch Owner's Association for almost 6 years, I have served in the capacity of the Board President and currently as Board Secretary.

I have been a homeowner in the Lake Tulloch community for 11 years and I have experienced the same challenges of many of my neighbors, some of them financial & some nuisance neighbors. Most of all, I have experienced & enjoyed the vacation style opportunities that living in the Lake Tulloch community offers to everyone "locals & visitors" alike


We are a small community of people that thrive on money spent by visitors vacationing in our area. I have witnessed every summer for 11 years, the increased business at the local eateries, gas stations, saloons, golf course, grocery store, community events & activities. We as a community cannot afford to have these vacationers, travel elsewhere to spend their vacation dollars. With Lake Tulloch Resort closed down for renovations, there are no motels & only very few overnight accommodations in the Copperopolis area. Without short-term rentals, you  will be sending vacationers who want to experience a vacation at Lake Tulloch to Tuolumne County searching for accommodations. All that prospective revenue will be spent at South Shore, hotels, motels, restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores or even further up the hill to Pinecrest Lake.....all part of the Tuolumne County tax base.

The processing fees that have been recommended for this proposed ordinance, $2000.+
I have to  consider the fee outrageous!! The proposed regulation unfairly limits our property owners rights to rent their homes. I don't like how our area is being represented. Our supervisor is either listening to the limited few that have complained or she is inflicting her personal opinion on this issue, otherwise Supervisor Ponte would be adhering to the many voices of her constituents! "Supervisor Ponte"  I ask you to show us the facts that have swayed your decision? The facts that reflect the pros & cons that you have received regarding short-term rentals. I myself, can honestly only name two homeowners that have complained, of one specific incident in the last 6 years. Since 2006, I have served on the Board of homeowners and those two homeowners are not full-time residents. They are not providing anyone with an accurate picture of residing in this community.
The county is wasting too many of our tax payer dollars on this proposed ordinance when the money could be better spent to enforce ordinances that are already in place ie,; the noise ordinance and fire code.

I do not own a waterfront home, but I do know that waterfront property owners pay higher priority taxes due to higher assessed values, they also pay higher insurance rates and higher maintenance for upkeep.
I don't think it's fair for the County, to charge waterfront property owners a fee to rent out their home, while I live three miles away, with 24 hour access to Lake Tulloch and I can rent out my home without applying nor paying fees for this proposed regulatory ordinance.
This proposed regulatory ordinance that you are deciding on reflects a prejudice to only those waterfront residents on Lake Tulloch as it will only effect them and nobody else in the entire county!

Let the people of our community vote to decide if this is what they want for Lake Tulloch!!
This is America, don't take away our rights of property ownership!!!

Regards,

Lisa Boltzen