We have had our home away from home in Conway for over 25 years visiting three seasons of the year with the intent that we will live in Conway at retirement. We are recent STR providers for others who want to enjoy all the valley has to offer in the summer months.
While this letter points out some of the impacts of the the decision to follow the ordinance of Conway that does not allow STR’s in residential zones- a zoning provision that has been almost universally upheld by courts as a valid use of zoning power- and implies that the decision by Conway voters was unfair or bad, it fails to acknowledge the inherent unfairness STRs have over hotels and motels.
First, when STR’s are booked through third party sites like Airbnb, neither the owner nor 3rd party pay full room and meals taxes on the amount charged to the consumer, yet hotels and motels must do. Why do these 3rd party sites get to pay lower taxes? There are a myriad of other advantages STRs have as well. All hotel rooms must have two means of egress from each bedroom, and fire rated halls. STRs do not. Hotels and motels must have sprinkler systems. STRs do not. Hotels and motels must have high fire rated corridors. STRs do not. Hotels must have hard wired smoke, fire and carbon monoxide detectors. STR’s do not. Hotels must be fully ADA compliant. STRs do not.
All of these requirements placed on traditional hotels and motels were designed to provide great safety to guests but all come with very significant costs. Yet STRs get to avoid all of these requirements and costs.
Finally most STR operators are not subject to fair housing laws. Hotels are, and this too imposes costs such as training for all staff.
So before anyone feels too badly for STR operators who now are clearly subject to zoning decisions, remember that those owners get to pay lower taxes, maintain properties not designed or built to the same safety standards, and not subject to many of the same regulatory burdens
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Shed a tear for the Massh*le who has two homes when many people here can barely afford one.
While this letter points out some of the impacts of the the decision to follow the ordinance of Conway that does not allow STR’s in residential zones- a zoning provision that has been almost universally upheld by courts as a valid use of zoning power- and implies that the decision by Conway voters was unfair or bad, it fails to acknowledge the inherent unfairness STRs have over hotels and motels.
First, when STR’s are booked through third party sites like Airbnb, neither the owner nor 3rd party pay full room and meals taxes on the amount charged to the consumer, yet hotels and motels must do. Why do these 3rd party sites get to pay lower taxes? There are a myriad of other advantages STRs have as well. All hotel rooms must have two means of egress from each bedroom, and fire rated halls. STRs do not. Hotels and motels must have sprinkler systems. STRs do not. Hotels and motels must have high fire rated corridors. STRs do not. Hotels must have hard wired smoke, fire and carbon monoxide detectors. STR’s do not. Hotels must be fully ADA compliant. STRs do not.
All of these requirements placed on traditional hotels and motels were designed to provide great safety to guests but all come with very significant costs. Yet STRs get to avoid all of these requirements and costs.
Finally most STR operators are not subject to fair housing laws. Hotels are, and this too imposes costs such as training for all staff.
So before anyone feels too badly for STR operators who now are clearly subject to zoning decisions, remember that those owners get to pay lower taxes, maintain properties not designed or built to the same safety standards, and not subject to many of the same regulatory burdens
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.