The town of Carefree at their February 7 council meeting unanimously approved new guidelines on Short Term Rentals (STRs). Carefree follows Paradise Valley and Scottsdale in amending ordinances on STRs now requiring stricter licensing procedures, noise and nuisance controls. These give some autonomy back to the town. The amendments allow for collection of fees for licensing, proof of insurance, and set penalties that will offset some of the costs the town has incurred while attempting to monitor STRs. The amendments will soon be posted on the town website for review.
Since the STR industry stormed into Arizona in 2016, they have presented a plethora of problems, economic and criminal. STRs operate as hotels in the midst of tranquil neighborhoods not zoned for business. This quasi-hotel STR industry has enjoyed favor over homeowners’ tranquility, plagued by weekly loud parties.
To the uninitiated, STRs seem innocent enough vacation spots in their locales. Then one pops up in your neighborhood replete with 24/7 disturbances by entitled revelers, who’ve spent thousands for an average stay of 3 days about 50+ weeks per year. It’s an unfathomable situation for those living next to them. STR entitled transients basically assume ownership of the neighborhood, until the next group of privileged partiers arrive to celebrate their new environs, blasting loud music, shouting incessantly, etc. STRs have been free to behave outrageously, elude any laws or regulations hotels must adhere to, and are much cheaper than hotels by sharing costs.
Due to the interest in the problems associated with STRs, and concern for residents’ grievances, under the guidance of Carefree Mayor John Crane, council members, and planning director, Stacey Bridge-Denzak, the town now has options that provide relief to homeowners and the town. Much thanks to the town of Carefree.
Janet L. Veves
Carefree
