Request from Greg Garrett

Request from Greg Garrett for you to come speak to the Planning Commission in Hampton this Thursday, May 16th starting at 3:30 p.m.

This request is for any of you who believe that short-term rentals are not only a good investment for the owners, they are good for family tourism, good for helping families and friends who want to stay in a house instead of a hotel when traveling, good for revitalizing neighborhoods, good for the entrepreneurial ecosystem in cities that allow them and good for helping raise tax revenue to run our cities...while also not harmful to our neighborhoods if done correctly.

You may not have a short-term rental in Hampton, but if we get one excellent Short-term Rental Ordinance passed in one of our Hampton Roads cities, then we have a chance of other cities following suit when we have a great example in a neighboring City. This is our best chance!

The City of Hampton is about to pass a new Short-term Rental Ordinance. The next step is Thursday afternoon starting at 3:30... which is the Planning Commission meeting. Be prepared that the meeting could easily go to 6:30 or 7:00 p.m.... you probably have to get there to sign up to speak before 3:30.... there's no reason that you cannot leave after you finish your short talk. I know this could be a significant time commitment for you, but if we can get this Ordinance modified slightly & passed, it will be well worth it.

I have served on 2 Stakeholder Groups in the City of Hampton and we met 13 times. We(led by City Staff) came up with what could have been the best Short-term Rental Ordinance, fair and balanced for investors, neighbors, tourists and cities that I'm aware of in any city in the country.

The vast majority of the good components of the initial proposed Short-term Rental Ordinance are still in place, however there are a few stipulations that are really going to be counterproductive that I'm hoping the City of Hampton will change.

If you would consider coming to the Planning Commission meeting this Thursday, May 16th, starting at 3:30, I'm requesting that you speak in favor of the Ordinance as long as these 2,3,4 changes are made to make it better.

The key pieces that need to be changed from the current proposal:

1. MOST IMPORTANT CHANGE NEEDED...The 500 ft 360° rule that prevents any other short-term rental within 500 ft(as the crow flies) of the property lines of another short-term rental should be REMOVED from the Ordinance... this rule by itself could eliminate 25%, 30% to 40% of the current short-term rentals that are currently operating in Hampton without complaints. It's unnecessary and it accomplishes almost nothing while eliminating the chance of thousands of homeowners in Hampton from getting involved as a short-term rental landlord/entrepreneur

2. The Cap needs to be 3% in neighborhoods like Buckroe instead of 1%.. I do believe that the 1% Cap throughout most of the city is a good provision, even though it might need to be expanded in the future after it is proven that short-term rentals can be good for neighborhoods.

3. 2ND MOST IMPORTANT CHANGE NEEDED...Hampton needs to allow owner occupied short-term rentals where someone is renting a room out in their house while they are there. These should just be allowed "by right" and no permit should be needed. They definitely should not be counted in the Cap. This extra income generating endeavor is totally different than having a whole house short-term rental. The City could still require that the appropriate tourism taxes or sales tax on the revenue be paid.

4. Three(not just 2, as currently proposed) short-term rentals should be allowed next to each other because this is good for family tourism where families want to travel together.

Otherwise it is a great proposal!

You don't have to be a resident of the city of Hampton to speak. Normally in these meetings, all you have to do is state your name and then you have up to 3 minutes to state your position. When speaking like this, the 3 minutes seems to disappear almost as soon as you start talking.... you can read a short position paper or just be prepared to make your 1,2,3 or 4 points.

I think it's important to begin your brief input by saying that you are generally in favor of the proposed Hampton STR Ordinance and believe it will be good for the City for whatever reason you think it would be good.. but suggest 1,2,3,4 or more changes if you agree with my suggestion of these changes.

Greg Garrett