Ventnor Debates Short Term Rental Rules

Ventnor officials got an earful about short-term rentals on Thursday, Sept 22.

In order to reduce ‘party houses’, should there be a 2, 3 or 7 day minimum?

Currently, Ventnor has no minimum rental stay. Margate has a 7 day minimum.

LISTEN TO PUBLIC COMMENT:

Ventnor Rental Talk 9.22.2022

Noise, traffic, parking, trash. Too many people coming in and out. Non-compliant occupancy loads

Ventnor has over 400 registered, short-term rental properties. Since Dec 2018, Ventnor requires these property owners to purchase a mercantile license for $100 per year if they use online rental platforms like AirBnB.

JIM AGNESINO

Ventnor Code Enforcement

Ventnor Code Enforcement’s Jimmy Agnesino: Complaints are about coming home at 3 am, slamming car doors, sitting on porch having cigarettes and talking at a normal level. No yelling and screaming. But if you live next door, you hear people out there talking. They’re not breaking any laws.

It’s a residential neighborhood and they’re running a business, a motel. Some are renting without a mercantile license or city inspection.

Ventnor Code Enforcement, Jimmie Agnesino

We are little guys. I think it’s bad enough that we have to buy mercantile licenses. But we are not commercial operations, and so to add extra burdens on us, like requiring us a sound detector or paying for us a trash service, is just, I think, unrealistic and unfair.

Our rates for these mercantile licenses have been raised from $50.00 in 2014, to $350, and now: $500. I already feel like we’re being penalized.

I’ve rented apartments for 22 years in Ventnor. The only problem I had was a tenant in Ventnor. Cost me $27,000 and 2 1/2 years to get him out of my building. The laws are strong for long-term tenants versus what they are for landlords. I’ve started to recoup losses through having a short term rental in Ventnor.

Take some of our $500.00 fees and hire another code enforcement officer.

I would be careful about a three strike rule. Any neighbor can call on anybody and put in complaints really quick and make them lose their license.

Police chief: one night rental does contribute to quality of life issues. Ventnor Police Department does see a one night rental as a negative.

They’re not really using Ventnor other than the place to lay their head and create problems.

But you’re operating a business in a residential zone. That’s the problem that a lot of towns are having. Atlantic City has pretty much precluded them from areas outside the tourism district they don’t want to see them in residential areas.

Margate’s minimum is one week.

We only rent to families. We’ve met every person that rents, every family that rents. We have a two night minimum.

Most of our people stay multiple nights. Maybe five, never 7. So if you’re considering doing a seven night minimum rental, you’re just going to blow us out of the water and we won’t even we won’t even do it anymore.

Police can identify those homeowners, you should penalize those homeowners, not everyone.

We’re a residential town. We have no hotels or motels.

City planners were lured by higher ratables. In effect, it encouraged motels to be converted in extra-large mansions that are empty except for 15 weekends a year. This hurts local business.

One night rentals. You’re just asking for trouble. As far as the noise and issues, that’s #1.

We screen our guests thoroughly, we get their ID’s. How do you screen your guests? Make sure that people are actually doing it it. We say no more than six allowed. Sometimes people lie and the guests are bad too, and it just kind of sucks.

Influx of new businesses are because of the demand. The demand of the new businesses is because of the short-term rentals.

I think that something should be carved out for owner-occupied units. Even a 5 night stay would decimate the small places.

I am a year round, Ventnor resident and I work as a local Hospice nurse. I don’t bring up my profession for any sympathy or recognition. I bring it up because, as any health care worker will tell you, rest and relaxation are incredibly important due to the nature of our work. Short term rentals, of which I live above one and across the street from several others, are disruptive, attracts partiers. And people that do not appear to respect Ventnor and instead are only visiting for a quick weekend getaway to Atlantic City.

We screen our tenants rigorously. We don’t allow them to auto-book. Look at what properties are renting, See if those properties allow auto booking on those websites, which means there’s no screening process that goes on for the tenant.

You could force the property owners to be required to screen their tenants or their management companies and not allow them to auto book.

The police chief thinks we’d have less trouble if it was a two night minimum, stay rather than the one. We still haven’t seen any evidence of actual calls. Or arrests being made. I think the Council needs to take that into account.

I have tons of information on how it hurts a town when you start adding restrictions on short term rentals.

Former Ventnor Mayor, Tim Kreisher

Short term rentals in Ventnor are the lifeblood of local restaurants.

Ventnor Commissioner Landgraf: We’re not standing at the door taking tickets to know how many people are going in and out of the house. That’s going to have to be done by the operators. But if we see the violations continue, we can withhold these mercantile licenses.

Ventnor short-term rentals. They’re not going away.

Landgraf: Guys, I’m not banning them. It’s an opportunity. I think we all agree on that.

We tried the three night minimum about four years ago. Did not work. We went to a two night minimum and we found that the two night minimums sold out right away.

I would be conservative in whatever the solution is. I do think that even requiring 2 days is somewhat arbitrary.

Everything that happens in our building is extremely minimized.

Is this regard to short term rentals, ma’am? Do they allow that on Ventnor on the Bay?

They’re not supposed to, but they’re happening.

I’m sure you’ve heard of the Speakeasy on Cambridge Ave. If you live here, you know what I’m talking about. That group of people is so loud and obnoxious.

Empower your police. Give people tickets. Ticket the condo associations and management companies who aren’t doing their job.


My comments today are in my capacity as President of the St. Leonard’s Association as well as the Director of Coalition of Absecon Island Committees and I think that information is key to coming up with a just result in this situation and that this meeting is an important first step.

It’s good to hear from responsible short term renters, but we’re here tonight because not all short term renters are good apples. The challenge, I think, is to come up with an ordinance that addresses the bad apple. Rules without destroying the business of the good apples and without adding a huge additional burden onto the city.

But in coming up with the solution, we do have to keep in mind that short term rentals are uniquely located in residential areas and thus should have a duty and obligation to both the city. And the neighbors not to disrupt neighborhoods and add significant burdens onto the city shoulders.


Ventnor Code Enforcement

JIM AGNESINO

Jimmie Agnesino has been employed by the City of Ventnor for 27 years as the Construction Official and Building Sub-Code Official. He also serves as the Zoning Official and Department Head for the Code Department, which includes rental and sale properties as well as property maintenance. He also is the Land Use Administrator, which approves the use of properties throughout the City. Jimmie holds a license that allows him to serve as the Construction Official and is also licensed as a multiple dwelling official to conduct inspections that are required by the State within the City of Ventnor. Jimmie resides in Williamstown, is married and has two adult sons. 

17 thoughts on “Ventnor Debates Short Term Rental Rules”

  1. Short term rentals contribute nothing to the quality of life for all neighboring homes. It can severely hurt the quality of life for neighbors.

    This is a business that needs to be treated as a business. That business must enhance the neighborhood.

    The city and I include Margate, must decide that this business must have rules, fees and enforcement of the rules.

    That takes personnel. That takes money. That cost should be passed on in fees to the people who rent short term rentals.

    The next question is, does Ventnor and Margate want to be a transient commercial town? Or a residential community?

    If a person buys a home and needs a rental to afford that property then maybe they should not have purchased that residential property.

    Let’s go back to 1/2 or full season rentals only!

    1. There is zero chance of them going back to JUST half or full years only. Especially in Ventnor with limits on length of stay and others being a week, like Margate.

      That kind of a jump would devastate the rental industry and associated revenues coming via renters.

      Raise the limits? Sure. But not to just full or half reason only.

  2. Completely agree with @Bob. Some homeowners by these homes knowing they cannot afford them without an airbnb strategy. The rest of us have to pay for it. We need more families not transients.

    1. You’re assuming it’s all people who can’t afford what they have, as opposed to the many of us who strictly buy properties as revenue producers. Having weekly or perhaps 2 week minimum stays in Ventnor is far more realistic given the current situation. And like everything else, enforcement of whatever laws are in place is needed.

  3. You have to shut down that operators that are causing problems. I’m sure certain rentals do check and try to limit trouble makers. If it’s a business then treat it like one. Follow the rules or get out. I think it should be based on facts vs. hear se.

  4. I’m pretty sure most of Margate is 1 month minimum, besides that little zone near Lucy that allowed 1 week.

    Renting 1 month minimum has never been a problem. Don’t see why Ventnor wouldn’t do the same.

      1. My short terms did well this year (1-3 day stays) no issues whatsoever. Will continue to do so next season. Already getting booked up

        1. Would love to know what your neighbors think, as opposition seems so strong … and hopefully you won’t be allowed to do the super short-terms (legally) next year.

          1. my neighbors have no right or a say in what happens in properties! also there have been NO complaints NO problems so I will continue the short term rentals

          1. You are justifying your business as legitimate by stating you are in code.

            Code has nothing to do with you running a hotel / rooming house in a residential neighbor.

            You are concerned with your cash flow and not a good neighbor.

            Find a location , by code, and build a hotel.

            Your greed is ruining it for all the neighbors who want quiet enjoyment of their residential homes.

            Shame on you!

          2. Claire – it won’t be to code when the modify the rules, as you and others are effectively running a residential hotel as Bob W correctly points out.

            Your neighbors very well may have complaints, and they have a say if your running of a residential hotel affects them.

            When the rules change that is likely coming is enforced, you’ll be operating against the code and law.

          3. Claire
            It is our business.
            We own homes and your business in a residential neighborhood effects all of us.

            You are just looking at this matter through your eyes and the money you take in and most probably do not report on your 1040 tax return.

            Making money is clearly more important to you than the sanctity and quality of life of the neighborhood.

            Quite frankly , based on your responses I hope we, the residents if Ventnor,can shut you down.

            Owning a business is not as simple as you think.

            There are good times and bad times and your once nice neighbors may turn against you.

            You deserve it with that last response.

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