Following a series of discussions at city council meetings, planning commission meetings and even a joint council-planning commission meeting, city councilors finally took action Oct. 28 to put an end to illegally operating vacation rentals in Grand Marais’s residential zones.
Council authorized City Administrator Mike Roth to send letters to the three known violators, who will be given 60 days to bring their properties into compliance with the zoning ordinance. The letter states: “You are hereby notified that you have been found to be in violation of the zoning ordinance Section 19.04, Subdivision 2. The specific violation is that you are operating a vacation rental property as I observed on (date). Cease and desist the use of this property as a vacation rental no later than (date), which is outside of the permitted uses of a property within the R-1 Permanent Residential zone. If you do not take the requested action by (date), we will begin formal enforcement action against you, which could result in criminal penalties. You will NOT receive an additional warning before we begin enforcement action.”
Roth said that 60 days is the standard timeframe for such action, and council concurred that the time granted was “reasonable” for vacation rental operators to unwind their reservations and get things in order. The letters will be sent by certified mail (signature required), and if the violations continue beyond the stipulated date, enforcement will be pursued through Cook County Attorney Molly Hicken, with the violators being charged with a misdemeanor and prosecuted accordingly.
Roth said that because council is being clear in its action, and is not changing any rules or regulations, Hicken is comfortable with the decision to send the letters, as long as the city provides her with evidence of the violations.
A “softer,” less stern letter was sent to violators in June. With council’s blessing, Roth said last week he will take “one last look” for other properties that may be in violation of the zoning ordinance, and then send the follow up letters. If other violations come to light in the future, those property owners will be similarly notified and given 60 days to comply.
Roth said he hoped this will be the end of the long-running debate, noting that those operating the vacation rentals have been waiting for a clear policy – and this should be it.
In the meantime, the planning commission will continue its efforts to revise and clarify some of the terminology and definitions in the 1971 ordinance, especially regarding the residential zones, now that council has said it is not interested in changing the ordinance to allow vacation rentals in those districts.
Some of the definitions and terms lacking definitions that will be under scrutiny include “lodging as home occupation,” “lodging as accessory use,” and “boarding houses and rental of rooms for three to eight persons on premises.” Interestingly, the term vacation rental by owners (or VRBOs) is not even used in the existing zoning.
Mayor Jay Arrowsmith DeCoux pointed out that the VRBO industry has grown over the years due to a lack of enforcement, but now that council has made its decision, the city must follow through. But, he said, council and the planning commission need to address the bigger issue, perhaps through an R-1 visioning process, “when we have the time and energy.”
The mayor said he still encourages anyone with questions to contact him. “We want to be as clear and accommodating as possible to those affected by this,” he said.
In other news:
. A delegation from the Cook County Tennis Association presented information and made a request for $20,000 as a match to the county’s contribution toward the expected $121,300 cost to reconstruct two tennis courts at the school campus. Councilors pointed out that the city’s 2016 budget has yet to be finalized, but the $20,000 requested for the tennis courts is about half of what has been set aside for “council priorities” for the entire year. While council lent its support to the project, no financial commitment was made; a decision will be made at the next budget meeting (as yet unscheduled).
. Councilor Anton Moody reported that as council’s liaison he attended the most recent meeting of the Arrowhead Animal Rescue board and offered the city’s support and assistance as the group works to relocate the animal shelter from the Rec Park. “They won’t be hung out to dry,” Moody said, referring to council’s plan to move the PUC’s facilities (and dog pound) from the Rec Park’s lakefront.
. Mayor DeCoux reported on a meeting he attended at the North House Folk School, at which expansion and 20th anniversary planning were discussed; plans to establish an aquatic invasive species decontamination station at the city’s boat launch; a meeting of downtown retailers at which festival guidelines and the process to approve/select vendors was on the agenda; and said he has received a number of letters (both for and against) a proposed rate re-structure at the campground.
. Councilor David Mills said he has had a number of conversations regarding council’s decision to pursue purchase of the Tomteboda property on the west end of town; attended the YMCA board meeting where the daycare center and inspections were topics; and attended the broadband committee meeting, where it was reported that about 1,700 hook-ups have been done and the construction phase of the project is now complete, although a number of hook-ups remain to be done.
. Council approved a street and sidewalk use permit request from Visit Cook County to hold the annual Christmas parade at 4 p.m. (new time) Nov. 27 on Broadway, Wisconsin Street and First Avenue. The festivities will also include a tree-lighting ceremony in Harbor Park.
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