Ordinance regulates rental of private properties to guests
By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
Union Grove property owners considering renting out their homes will have to obtain a permit from the village, following a decision this week.
After months of review and scrutiny, the Village Board on Aug. 8 officially minted the oft-discussed rooming house ordinance, which does officially give residents the ability to market their homes as vacation destinations, though there are a number of caveats.
Village Clerk-Treasurer Jill Kopp said she expects the ordinance to take effect later this month once all of the proper protocol surrounding legal postings is satisfied.
The two-page ordinance is designed to clear up any ambiguity about short-term home rentals and give the Racine County Sheriff’s Department more authority in enforcing the issue.
The document, village officials say, is designed to clearly spell and define who qualifies as a tourist or transient (a person traveling away from his or her permanent address) and what constitutes a rooming house in the village (everything but a hotel or motel).
In the future, Union Grove property owners interested in renting out their homes will have to undergo a series of steps beforehand, including obtaining a license. Also, license holders are not permitted to rent out their home more than 30 days per year.
Another provision: If the property owner is not living at his or her home at the time it is being rented out, he or she will be required to provide the village with updated contact information.
Other restrictions include a threshold on the maximum number of permitted guests, which can be as high as twice the number of bedrooms, plus one. Adequate parking accommodations, including at least one car per bedroom also must be incorporated into the plans.
Discussion of enacting a rooming house ordinance bubbled to the surface early this year when a resident in one of the village’s newer, upscale neighborhoods rented out his home. Eventually, neighbors complained of noise and increased activity.
While still relatively infrequent, renting homes is an emerging practice property owners are taking advantage of through such websites as VRBO and Airbnb. Some property owners have begun making their homes available to travelers as an additional source of income.
Building demolition eyed
In other business this week, the Village Board discussed plans to raze a building at 1035 Main St. The property most recently was used for Dakota Electric’s operations.
Representatives of Rally Properties LLC, the owner of the parcel, attended the board meeting and indicated they intend to raze the building, though a number of issues hang in the balance, including a review of asbestos within the structure.
James DeLuca, the village’s building inspector, conducted two reviews of the property and found a number of deficiencies, including what he considered a faulty foundation, failing roof and rotting siding, doors and windows.
Based on his professional opinion, DeLuca said he believed, “The cost of repairs is estimated to possibly exceed $62,000.”
Kopp said Rally Properties representatives have indicated they plan to convert the parcel to green space for the time being with long-range plans of marketing the site for future development.
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