“A.M. News Links: Jersey Shore vacation rentals on the rise and more” plus 2 more

A.M. News Links: Jersey Shore vacation rentals on the rise and more
Vacation rental ordinance stalls
Summer Bike Rentals Improve Your Life at Home and on Vacation

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A.M. News Links: Jersey Shore vacation rentals on the rise and more

Posted: 16 Jun 2010 06:28 AM PDT

Published: Wednesday, June 16, 2010, 9:22 AM Updated: Wednesday, June 16, 2010, 9:23 AM

* After slow start, shore vacation rentals feel the wave action of consumer optimism (Press of Atlantic City)

Renters of shore vacation homes who were slow to sign leases at the beginning of the year have been more eager to book in recent weeks, driving demand ahead of last summer for the peak months of July and August, area real estate agents said.

More NYC area news headlines:
* Shooting rampage leaves 2 dead on Long Island (CBS-Channel 2)

* N.J. state trooper injured in GSP shootout (Eyewitness News)

* Families of terror suspects serve as key investigative tool for assisting FBI (nj.com)

* The floating pool lady surfaces for summer (New York Times)

* Andrew Cuomo's mother Matilda debates lasagna with AG girlfriend and Food Network host Sandra Lee (Daily News)

* Nightmare of a fiery doom (New York Post)

* Delta close to new digs (Wall Street Journal)

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Vacation rental ordinance stalls

Posted: 16 Jun 2010 01:35 PM PDT

Vacation home rental owners vented their displeasure over proposed new county regulations last week, saying the latest version of a vacation rental ordinance is overkill that will put some people out of business.

As written, the ordinance "is like trying to kill a fly with a baseball bat," said Sea Ranch resident and vacation home property manager Barry Weiss at a Sonoma County Planning Commission hearing last week.

The proposed county ordinance won't affect approximately 350 vacation rentals at Sea Ranch and along the Sonoma Coast but it would require permits and impose restrictions on approximate 650 known vacation rentals in the county's unincorporated area.

Responding to complaints about noise, parking, garbage, trespassing, crime and other disruptive activities occurring on vacation rental properties, county supervisors appointed an ad hoc committee last year to work with property owners, vacation rental managers, lodging industry representatives and others to find common ground for permitting vacation rentals that are now basically unregulated by county zoning laws.

But the latest draft drew flack from vacation rental industry representatives who said it was much more stringent than earlier versions.

The new draft goes "above and beyond" what had been agreed upon in previous workshops, said Thera Buttaro of Bodega Bay & Beyond vacation rentals.

Russian River and Heladsburg area rental property owners and managers agreed.

"It was changed a lot from what was a workable plan." said Guerneville Realtor Herman Hernandez.

"We thought we had a pretty good compromise," said Healdsburg resident Marc Matson, of Healdsburg Vacation Homes. "All of a sudden it changed."

Limits on how many guests (two per bedroom) could stay in a house served by a septic system were a concern to Monte Rio vacation rental owners.

A requirement that pets could not be left unattended in vacation homes was also among the concerns that persuaded planning commissioners to send the ordinance back to the Permit and Resource Management Department staff for rework.

A Sonoma County Board of Supervisors public hearing scheduled for July 13 has been postponed. Instead the Planning Commission will take another look at the ordinance on Aug. 5.

"They just need to kind of refine it," said Hernandez.

In Healdsburg vacation rentals in certain agriculturally-zoned areas would not be allowed under the proposed ordinance because those uses are not consistent with the Sonoma County General Plan, said county planner Jane Riley in a staff report to the commission last week.

That prompted those vacation rental owners to seek legal help. Tina Wallis, a land use attorney with the Clement, Fitzpatrick & Kenworthy firm in Santa Rosa said she represents clients who own wine country vacation rentals on land zoned LIA (land intensive agriculture) where some existing vacation rentals may not be allowed.

In those cases, "There's a potential takings issue," Wallis told the commission.

Many vacation home rental advocates cited the potential economic impact if the new ordinance puts people out of the vacation rental business which now generates more than $2 million in annual county transient occupancy tax (TOT) revenues, about 25 percent of the total county TOT, which is a 9 percent tax added to the nightly rate guests pay at hotels, inns and vacation rental houses.

Vacation home rentals generate more than $20 million in annual revenue in Sonoma County, and vacation home renters spend an estimated $60 million annually on food, drink and shopping, said Ken Fischang, chief of the Sonoma County Tourism Bureau.

County Supervisors began looking at the burgeoning vacation home rental industry more than a year ago owing to increasing complaints about noise, traffic, parking, parties and other compatibility issues when houses in residential neighborhoods become commercial vacation rentals.

Most of the vacation homes are in the 5th Supervisorial District but the majority of complaints have come from the Sonoma Valley where wine country mansions have become venues for large outdoor gatherings.

Most of the serious complaints — less than two dozen — have been generated by large houses where wedding parties, reunions and corporate retreats take place, said Sonoma County planner Riley.

Under the new policy all vacation homeowners will be expected to get an over-the-counter zoning permit that spells out standards such as how many people are allowed to stay in a vacation house, limits on the number of guests, parking requirements and noise limits such as quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. and a requirement that the vacation home rental industry set up a complaint system with someone on call to respond

Most vacation rentals are managed by professional property management services whose rental agreements typically include provisions against large parties or events, said Riley.

But there are also a large number of vacation rentals by owners that are advertised on websites but do not pay transient occupancy tax, according to county officials.

The Sonoma County Lodging Association and county staff estimated there are approximately 200 county vacation rental properties that do not pay TOT, according to a report last year.

Property owners and managers who do pay the tax say the by-owner rentals that don t pay the TOT have an unfair business advantage that the new ordinance needs to address.

Last week's continuation means Sonoma County probably won't see a vacation rental ordinance in place for this summer season.

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Summer Bike Rentals Improve Your Life at Home and on Vacation

Posted: 16 Jun 2010 06:30 AM PDT

Improve your health, save the earth and have fun by renting a bike at home and while on vacation. These resources make it easy!

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) June 16, 2010 -- Cycling is widely credited with health benefits, environmental protection and a fun, efficient means of transportation. Summer is the perfect time to activate these benefits at home or away and rekindle the joy on two wheels by renting a bike.

Whether you're testing out a new bike to replace your well worn rig or simply rediscovering cycling, rentals offer a great opportunity to try before you buy. And if you rent before heading out for Summer vacation, you add an exciting way to explore your destination.

While basic functionality of a typical bike has remained the same since the late 1800's, subtle and not so subtle differences in design, materials and intended use have produced bike types that seemingly share little in common. Whether it's a mountain bike, road bike or beloved beach cruiser, the wide variety of types is only matched by the broad range in prices. Purchase prices can span from a few hundred dollars to many thousand. Fortunately rental prices are more easily managed and offer a full day of freedom to explore for $25 to $80 with an average rental rate of about $40 per day.

A key question before any bike ride is where to ride – especially if you're away from home. Thanks to a variety of mapping websites such as MapMyRide.com, TrailLink.com and Google maps, a great deal of route information is readily available online.

Bike rental reservation service RentaBikeNow.com has helped formalize the bike rental process by managing online bike rental reservations for almost 300 bike shops across the US and Canada. The website features thousands of available bikes at participating shops and accepts reservations with a small deposit. While shops provide the bikes and set prices, RentaBikeNow.com enables 24/7 flexibility to compare bike brands, styles, etc. and place reservations for the exact bike of your choice, and features a variety of useful mapping tools to find the closest shop and best places to ride.

"The typical rental customer is no longer typical," reports RentaBikeNow.com President George Gill. "With most airlines requiring a king's ransom to transport a bike, even hardened athletes are turning to rentals as an easy way to participate in more cycling events," he added. As testament to the broad appeal of cycling, participants can range from a kid - to Lance - to a senior citizen out for a leisurely ride.

So the family has rented bikes and you have a handy map to explore the area. Now all you need is a backup plan in case your ride gets derailed by a flat tire. Fear not, because online reservations for a full day or more through RentaBikeNow.com even include free bicycle roadside assistance, which provides transportation for bike and rider up to 30 miles back to their home, hotel or bike rental shop.

Summer is here and your next cycling adventure is only a few clicks away.

RentaBikeNow.com is a division of Go. Play. Everywhere., an Iowa LLC with primary offices in the Chicago area (Northfield, IL) and Louisville, KY.

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Vacation Rentals

Wednesday, June 16, 2010