Controversial one-night rentals in Ventnor are still legal for now.
On April 13, Ventnor Commissioners delayed adoption of a revised ordinance that would toughen short-term rental rules.
The popularity of AirBnB and VRBO has spawned motel-like activity and ‘party houses’ in many Downbeach neighborhoods.
One resident said short term-rentals are turning their Ventnor neighborhood into a motel zone. Ventnor should consider Margate’s one-week minimum rental stay if they want more families, not animal house parties.
Neighbors feel violated. A naked woman was seen walking into a house. Claims she was lost.
Safety and quality of life issues for neighbors living near short-term rentals.
Why let 18-year-old rent home in Ventnor for wild weekend? Establish minimum rental age of 21. Maybe even 25 yrs of age would be better.
Surprisingly, Ventnor still allows one-night-only rentals. This can attract party house problems.
Longer minimum stays, ID checks, and other safety measures are needed.
The proposed Ventnor Short-Term rental ordinance that was tabled…
- Minimum rental stay of two nights.
- Increase annual license fee to $500.
- Require property owners to display placard at entrance showing occupancy load and emergency contact info.
Not thrilled with strangers coming and going. Who are they? Do they belong there?
Two-night stays in Ventnor creates party weekends.
Public Comment
Short-term rentals place unnecessary burden on the Ventnor Police Department.
Longer rental stays would keep out riff-raff and reduce alcohol fueled chaos.
PublicComment
Security cameras do little to protect neighbors.
A two-night rental minimum in Ventnor may not be enough to satisfy concerned neighbors and parents. Commissioners should consider longer stays. At least a week. Just like Margate. Especially during the summer months.
Ventnor needs at least a 5-day rental minimum, otherwise families will avoid Ventnor.
Mayor Landgraf and Commissioner Kriebel should consider mandating government-issued IDs for renters, and having a 21-25 yr old age limit for renter.
Ventnor City Solicitor Manos said adding age limit and requiring id requires rewriting ordinance and re-notifying public, and holding about public hearing.
The proposed ordinance was tabled. It will be updated and re-introduced for public discussion.
Short-term rental regulations need sharper teeth and greater enforcement. Lack of rental minimum stays is the root of problem. Just ask Brigantine where they have no minimum stay requirements. Neighbors furious at Brigantine Mayor Vince Sera for siding with absentee landlords.
Hope this can be accomplished before Memorial Day weekend which arrives in 38 days. With legal notice requirements it may not be posible. Shame it was not begun in October of 2022. Then it could have all be finalized by now. Oh well better late than never.
Ventnor should have a one week minimum just like Margate, plain and simple.
Are the citizens of Ventnor really against a one week minimum? I don’t think so.
And if that’s what the people want, what exactly is stopping our elected officials from making it so?
We should have a minimum 5 nights all year round 7 nights or more would be better. Should have a maximum number of people. A bedroom is not just a room with a bed. A three bedroom house is turned into a 5 bedroom house by sticking beds in non bedrooms. Should have their own off street parking. One air bnb may have 5-8 cars filling the street so residents have no parking. These properties have become parasites on our community. Let’s protect our community before it is too late.
Ventnor has an ordinance on the books making it illegal to park a vehicle on the street from a business.
I would point out that any vehicles parked on the street overnight that are the result of the business of an AirBnB should also be considered illegal parking.
Rental properties should be required to have off street parking for all renters vehicles.
If Ventnor has minimum stay for rentals any less than surrounding municipalities like Margate, it will ensure that all of the most non-desirable renters will come to Ventnor.
We must have, at the minimum, the same night requirements as Margate. But even longer would be more advantageous.
I heard the recent objector’s at the most recent meeting. I hear them loud and clear. 2 day stays do not resolve their concerns.
Commissioners have clearly stated that this 2 day stay is a start. Most residents want 7 day stays like other local communities, but maybe a compromise somewhere in the middle.
Why not try 5 days and see how we make out?
There are a few, very important items that should be added to the ordinance. Should someone do B & B or Air B & B and not be licensed and then are caught illegally renting their unit, then there needs to be a stiff fine and a one year violation penalty where they cannot rent their unit for 1 year.
In the event there are hypothetically more than 2 complaints that result in a violation of a noise issue or occupancy over the legal limit then there needs to be a serious financial penalty and again maybe a 6 month period where they cannot rent their unit.
Very simply, let the owners know the rules from day one. Occupancy needs to be based on BOCA National codes. BOCA is clear, maximum of 1 occupant for 70 square feet.
2 occupants for a bedroom room that is more than 100 square feet and less than 150. Over 150 square feet allows 3 occupants. No living room couch guests here. All neighbors should be entitled to the information pertaining to any Air B & B next to where they live or on their street.
Hopefully the owners will abide by the rules or you can a change them in the future. Please understand that Air B & B has become a huge business. Investors are buying properties for $200 or $300,000 just to rent them as Air B & B’s.
Richard Gober
richardgober@comcast.net
I have seen in other posts on topics of parking that some folks believe that any new business license should not be given unless there is designated parking for that business.
Let’s call this what it is: an attack on business. Business is not evil. It is necessary to have an economy outside of amazon and chain restaurants. Support liberty.
Airbnb operators own the homes that they are renting. It is ridiculous to think that they would want a one day party at their home/property.
Report violators of laws. If people are behaving inappropriately… call the police.
There are at least 200 Airbnb’s in town. Each one pays a $350 Mercantile license. That is $70,000 to support law enforcement efforts.
Which chain restaurants are in Margate and Ventnor other than a Dunkin Donuts? Never let reality get in the way of a rant… and on this very board we have had homeowners openly boasting about 1-2 day rentals and not being willing to register or follow whatever rules are added. Enforcement, with escalating penalties will be the key.
If a house is on the tax records as a three bedroom home it should only be able to be rented as a three bedroom not a five or six by sticking beds anywhere. And the number of people should be based on bedrooms not how many people can line the place.
Rental properties should also be required to have their own off street parking. It is ridiculous that a rental property can fill the streets with five or more cars making it impossible for residents to park.
Short term rental properties do not add any value to our economy or community.
Lets be clear: our community our residents and our economy are the ones paying for the profits of these rental properties
All excellent points. Sounds like a significant enforcement challenge. What you’re proposing required a lot if manpower and process. Needs to be done, but it won’t be easy, or cheap.
You will never get what you want relative to short term rentals. Rentals should have NEVER GONE LESS THAN THE SEASON. That’s the only real solution to bring this ridiculousness to its knees.
But you realize that all the decision makers are in the pockets of the legislators, right? Short term rentals are a cancer…and there is no cure.
Ventnor’s Landgraf and Kriebel kicking can down road til next year. Both are protecting friends who own Air BnB rentals. Landgraf couldn’t care less about families and quiet neighborhoods. He will support friends and financial supporters who own multiple properties in Ventnor, which by the way, is becoming one big illegal motel district.