Lorraine Bennett • Progress Project Manager Kristy Carter has been working to help Hayesville develop plans for bike and pedestrian trails. The town is doing a lot already, Carter said.
By Lorraine Bennett
Staff Writer
The Hayesville Town Council Monday was forced to table a proposed ordinance applying short term rental standards after about 20 people showed up mostly to question whether the limitation should be as short as 30 days or a longer length of time, preferably 90. Some of them questioned whether there should be restrictions at all, especially when the town is trying to attract tourism.
The public hearing, which took place before the regularly scheduled council meeting, lasted about 45 minutes. A sampling of the comments included:
• "Why is the period of time 30 days compared with 90 days, which is standard for most of the state of North Carolina?"
• "Most traveling nurses are on 90-day contracts. This would put the kabosh on any traveling medical personnel."
• "With a 90-day restriction you would have a lot less turnover."
• "Clay County is lacking in ability to house visitors. Who's asking for this ordinance to be put in place?"
• "This seems unnecessry."
• "Airb&b owners should be notified about this. Owners of short term rentals take very good care of their property."
• "What is the intention of this ordinance?"
"Clay County had a very vibrant Travel and Tourism Council," said Linda Gonzalez. "We made an aggressive effort to collect occupancy taxes. These energies here (to pass the ordinance) seem misplaced. They should be going into strengthening travel and tourism."
"We are very much interested in tourism and developent," Counilman Harry Baughn said. "We need in addition to airb&b's a hotel. We hear your concerns. The intention is to get ahead before we're faced with 200 airb&b's."
"You've got to think ahead of the game," Councilwoman Lauren Tiger agreed. After taking note of the crowd's mood, Tiger said, "I make a motion we table this for the present."
The proposed ordinance, which had already passed the Hayesville Planning and Zoning Board without opposition, would apply to all dwelling units used for overnight lodging provided to renters for no longer than 30 days.
Short term rentals would be allowed only in residential dwelling units.
Owners would be required to secure a zoning permit and renew the permit on an annual basis.
No more than two adults would be allowed per bedroom. Children under age 13 do not count.
There would be no display of goods, products, services or other advertising visible outside the rental.
No activities other than lodging would be permitted.
Mayor Joe Slaton, who had hoped to see the ordinance pass the council Monday evening, said he was surprised by the opposition.
“I thought we might change a couple of things but I didn’t expect this,” he said.
Any further developments on the issue will be announced on the town's web page at: www.TownofHayesville.com. He said the council heard the comments raised at the public hearing and will take them under consideration and make changes as appropriate.
He also noted that some of the objections raised were from people from Georgia. The council is doing its best to look out for the people who live here, he said.
In other action Monday the council heard a presentation on bike and pedestrian trails by Kristy Carter, senior project manager of the Traffic Planning and Design firm from Asheville. Carter's firm had been hired by Hayesville to help develop plans for the trails.
Carter's presentation, which the council accepted, identified key locations in the town that need to be connected and how to best build a bike and pedestrian friendly Hayesville.
"You're actually doing a lot already," Carter said. "A big part of this project is your partnership with DOT (the Department of Transportation). It would be hard for you to do all of this on your own."
After the council gave its approval to Carter's presentation, the mayor said the council will use it to chase grants.
The council has been working for quite some time to bring an EV (electric vehicle) charging station to Hayesville and approved a motion to sign a contract for two charging ports. The charging station will be located behind Town Hall and is expected to be operational in a few months, the mayor said.
The council approved Bess Moffat and Lynn Myers to positions on the Planning and Zoning Board.
Construction and cleanup are continuing on the Mayor's Park at the edge of town. Zoning Administrator Ron Wallace showed the council recent photos of the removal of huge stumps from the property and continuing construction of a bridge over Town Creek.