No solution to vacation rental debate in Hamilton County

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The debate over vacation rentals in Hamilton County continued to intensify Wednesday. 

The Hamilton County Commission held a committee session to debate the matter.

The resolution at the heart of this debate was presented a few weeks ago by Commissioner Gene-O Shipley.

His resolution would ban vacation rentals in unincorporated portions of Hamilton County.

This has led to a discussion on what rights both sides have.

Those who own vacation rentals say it’s their right to run a business on their private property if they wish.

Deana Luedtke, an owner of a short-term vacation rental, said, “I am a short-term onsite manager myself, and having this allows me to keep my home. Allows me to have vacationers come visit our city and spend money and helps people who have disasters have a short-term place to stay at.”

On the other side, those against vacation rentals argue it brings a higher chance of crime and lowers property values.

 John Germ, a Soddy-Daisy resident who is against vacation rentals, said, “We want a neighborhood where we can live in peace and quiet. We spent money to ensure that, and we just think that the county ought to uphold those regulations that say single family dwellings and not short-term vacation rentals.”

Commissioner Joe Graham has been the most vocal opponent to this resolution, saying that scapegoating vacation rentals for crime is wrong.

He said, “Let’s not muddy the water with something that happened to the people that were staying at a short-term vacation rental, because it doesn’t matter if they were short term, long term, or the owner, it could’ve happened to anyone.”

Commissioner Shipley still says he is sticking to his crusade to ban vacation rentals.

He said, “We’re already saying, the RPA is, we need 49,000 homes in the next so many years, how many of them is going to get bought up by short-term rentals?”

There was no resolution to whose freedom the commission will value more.

Luedtke argues, “I think as an individual, we should be able to do what we want with our own homes.”

Kathy Faulkner, who spoke against vacation rentals, said, “Those of us that are in unincorporated Hamilton County have no one to look to and to protect our property rights other than you all.”

One woman remarked, “In 24 years of ministry, I’ve never seen such an orchestrated circus as what’s happened here.”

Commissioner Graham did suggest a specific investigator for vacation rentals should be considered for the resolution.

The Commission will further debate this resolution at their regular meeting on May 29 and vote on the resolution on June 5.

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