A community meeting addressing short-term rental concerns on Tilghman Island was held at the firehouse on Sunday, June 5. By 2PM over 50 concerned citizens had filled most of the seats provided, and more filed in as this well-attended and very well-organized meeting commenced.
Community concerns were outlined by Jane Hawkey; and Karen Allen, a resident of Tilghman since 1994. elaborated upon each of them.
Traffic has become a concern where she lives on Rude Avenue. With considerably more traffic on this narrow road and as many as several hundred visitors expected annually, residents fear for the future of their neighborhood.
Waterfront property is more modestly-priced on Tilghman, and commercial operators are buying homes. If just seven additional homes were approved for short-term rental, the neighborhood would become 43% STRs. One of these short-term rentals has already burned.
Resident Elise Davis’ new puppy insisted on a “potty run” at 2AM, and she saw smoke and flames next door. The renters from Key West had called 911, but their cell phones connected to emergency assistance in Florida.
Talbot County’s code for STRs was updated in 2020, and the county has two code compliance officers; but concerns, particularly for infrastructure requirements and density in neighborhoods remain. 115 STRs have been approved in Talbot County. 27 are on Tilghman, and more applications are scheduled for consideration.
Citizens were advised that a short-term rental review board meeting will be held on June 9 at 1PM at the Talbot County Community Center. One of those applications is scheduled for consideration.
Tilghman Island resident Leslie Steen introduced Scott Kane, chair of the STR review board and candidate for Talbot County Council.
His involvement in these matters was predicated by STR disturbances in his own Easton neighborhood four years ago; and his advice now includes becoming familiar with STR code and phone numbers and letting our county know of citizens’ concerns.
He also pointed out the advantages of short-term rentals, and those include additional income, and more recently, housing for visiting nurses. Negative aspects included compliance issues, neighborhood concerns, and and the oversight required.
Particularly timely was his reminder that the review board would be addressing only concerns related to applications being considered at the June 9 meeting. General concerns and policy issues are first submitted to the county council.
Three groups then formed to focus upon issues of transparency, enforcement, and commercialization. County council Vice President Pete Lesher and county council candidates Keasha Haythe, Jim Bruce, and Phil Jackson contributed to these conversations, but focused more upon becoming informed of citizen’s concerns.
Following 15 minutes of discussion, concerns were shared: Website issues were mentioned by all three groups. Other issues included the possibility of having more zoom meetings, the possibility of requiring STR owner occupancy (as in Easton), clarifying compliance issues, making the consequences of violations clear; and perhaps most importantly for Tilghman, developing metrics for density.
Participants left the meeting with a detailed sheet of instructions for contacting compliance officers and sharing their concerns with the county. And most, wishing to be kept informed, left their contact information with the meeting’s organizers.
Robert C Jones says
For those who did not attend, how about publishing the document distributed at the meeting or posting it on line?
“Participants left the meeting with a detailed sheet of instructions for contacting compliance officers and sharing their concerns with the county.”
This, in accordance with the transparency concerns voiced at the meeting.
Thank you all who organized and attended this important meeting.
As Realtors continue to buy up homes for STRs as soon as they get their advance multiple listing notices, before potential residents can find them, the community saturation of Stars will continue and listing prices will inflate artificially. Realtors, their investor clients, and speculators will ultimately change everything we like about Tilghman. It is well underway. Time to put the brakes on.
Resident homeowner since 1999.
John Fischer says
A major improvement in the short term rental situation could be achieved by requiring the owner of the home to reside there at least six months a year.
County council candidates might be queried about their position on that initiative.
Steve Shimko says
Something similar was proposed, and shot down, in 2018 when the zoning regulations were being updated. Amendment 1 to Bill 1401 (the update to the zoning regs) said, in part “The property must be the applicant’s principal residence at the time of application and at all times while short-term rental activity occurs on the property.” This amendment was introduced by Council members Bartlett and Price, and was not adopted by a 2-3 vote with Pack, Williams, and Callahan voting against the amendment.
Charles Barranco says
Good idea!
Since no restrictions on the distance between STRs, place a 500 foot limit between them, just like Bed and Breakfasts. Otherwise, a street could have every house on it a STR.
The ugly result is; No Community, No Residents, No Volunteers, No Children.
Only Corporate Entities.
Steve Shimko says
That was also tried back in 2018 – Amendment 3 to Bill 1401. And it too failed to pass by the same 2-3 vote as Amendment 1.
RUSS says
One small correction, Scott Kane is prior chair of the STR review board, he is no longer on the review board.
Leslie Steen says
Rude Ave. is a tiny neighborhood of 7 homes at the end of Willy Roe Road in Tilghman. There used to be 8 until 1 burned down while occupied by short term renters who went to bed after having a fire pit on the deck. The house burned to the ground and almost took other homes under the canopy of pine trees.
This is a privately maintained one lane road with no turn around. Most of the homes have little room for parking. The infrastructure – road and septic systems – are typically used by about 1-2 occupants per house. Until this year there has been 1 long term owner occupied short term rental (STR). This year an investor purchased and licensed another STR. A 3rd property was purchased by an investor. It is under consideration for a license this Thursday. If licensed, 43% of the homes will be STRs.
This change of density to large numbers of transient visitors will totally change the community. Typically the STRs will rent to 6 to 8 persons (2 per bedroom) per house per week. These people will be strangers without a stake in the long term well-being of the community. The friendliness and support of neighbors will be gone. Can the roads and septic systems take the increased loads? These STRs do not have oversight of onsite managers that exist at hotels and B&Bs. We depend on the County’s compliance officers to address problems. The septic systems have only visual inspections. There are no health inspections, and no one knows it they are adequately insured, including the insurers.
Close knit neighborhoods are becoming commercial enterprises filled with strangers. Rental houses are becoming too expensive for long term renters. STRs are happening all of over the county creating large party houses and numerous pockets of multiple STRs that are defacto unsupervised hotels without onsite management. We need to re-evaluate how we decide to license STRs.
Rusty Strauss says
I am new to the area and was wondering if someone can briefly explain what a Short Term Rental is defined as? Is there a minimum or maximum stay? Are there any regulations regarding number of people, noise or trash requirements, etc? Are STRs regulated by the county or town?