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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0739.154 2016-2018From: Caryl Burns UIVIM -11A To: Council Testimony Cc: Burns Caryl Subject: Constituent Feedback on BILL 108 Date: Tuesday, June 05, 2018 1:12:39 PM COUNTY CLEFZ ( POU T . 4F HAWAII 1018 AW 15 A 9: 09 Aloha Council Members, I am an active constituent and would like to provide the following feedback and advocacy regarding BILL 108: 1) I think the bill is a good start and commend you for all of your work on its development. 2) FEES: The $500 fee for Non -Conforming Use Certificate is TOO HIGH. a),it will invite less compliance and registration b))a lower fee, perhaps $100 or $150 will encourage more participation and will result in MORE MONEY COLLECTED, and MORE Applications for the NCUC 3) FEES: Fees should be the SAME for properties that are required to Register only (e.g. condos in Resort Zones, etc.) as well as properties in neighborhoods that need to apply for Non -Conforming Use Certificates. ALL Vacation rentals that are not in the owners' primary residence are subject to "enforcement" measures. ALL of these rentals should pay the SAME FEE to provide funds for the "enforcement" measures. This is a FAIR and reasonable approach that applies to all properties: those currently "allowed" and those that will be "allowed" under Bill 108. It does not imply that owners of properties outside of the areas where vacation rentals are currently allowed have lesser status. 4) ON-GOING APPLICATIONS: On-going applications should be accepted. The bill should include a way for owners of properties who wish to have vacation rentals to make applications in the future. Tourism is growing. Peoples' incomes are stagnant or declining. The need for more vacation rentals exists and they will happen, with or without permits. It is better, and more fair, to allow for future applications for vacation rentals. 5) AG LANDS: It should be clear which areas of the county have lots that were created prior to the 1976 designation of Ag lands. There should be a mechanism for people in these areas to apply for Non -Conforming Use Certificates. People in Ag Land areas may be especially vulnerable economically. Many will create vacation rentals, with or without a permit. It's better and more fair to provide a mechanism for their application. 6) Quality of Life in neighborhoods: Enforcement of existing statutes should be adequate to handle noise complaints. If you want to address the number of homes that an outside investor can own and turn into vacation rentals, that could be added to this bill. I thank you for your consideration of my advocacy points. Good luck with developing a bill that is fair to all owners of vacation rentals. Caryl Burns 808-938-8165 cburns@sonic.net 's &0% 2;1.q � 0xini . No. Ref. To: _ L , From: Caryl Burns To: Council Testimony Subject: Bill 108 testimony: ADD FUTURE APPLICATIONS for Vacation Rentals for NEW Non -conforming properties and AG lands Date: Friday, June 15, 2018 3:06:43 AM Aloha Council members, Please ADD FUTURE APPLICATIONS for Vacation Rentals for NEW Non -conforming properties and AG lands to the current Bill 108. I am a long-time resident of Hawaii island. I have a vacation rental on which I pay both GET and TAT taxes monthly. My rental helps me afford to live in Hawaii and to have an ohana where I can both have rental income and still host visits from family and friends. I also contribute to the economy by referring guests to local businesses that they would definitely NOT find on their own. Mahalo nui loa for considering and implementing my request to ADD FUTURE APPLICATIONS for Vacation Rentals for NEW Non -conforming properties and AG lands. Caryl Burns Kona resident From: Caryl Burns To: Council Testimony Subject: Re: Bill 108: SAME FEES SHOULD APPLY TO RESORT ZONE/ COMMERCIAL RENTALS and NON -CONFORMING USE PROPERTIES Date: Friday, June 15, 2018 4:03:43 AM Aloha Council Members, Re: Bill 108: SAME FEES SHOULD APPLY TO RESORT ZONE/ COMMERCIAL RENTALS and NON- CONFORMING USE PROPERTIES. It is not fair that the high $500 / year fee for vacation rentals applies only to owners of Non -conforming Use Certificate properties, while owners of vacation rentals in Resort Zone, Commercial Zone, etc. pay a lower annual registration fee. Fees are used to fund registration and "enforcement" efforts for vacation rentals. Fees should be the same for all owners of properties of similar income levels. I am a long-time resident of Kona. I have a vacation rental on which I pay both GET and TAT taxes every month. Mahalo for considering and implementing my request: Re: Bill 108: SAME FEES SHOULD APPLY TO RESORT ZONE/ COMMERCIAL RENTALS and NON- CONFORMING USE PROPERTIES. Mahalo nui loa, Caryl Burns Kona From: Caryl Burns To: Council Testimony Subject: RE: Bill 108 Date: Thursday, June 14, 2018 4:17:32 PM Dear Committee on Planning Hawaii County, I am writing to request changes to BILL 108 to the HAWAII COUNTY PLANNING COMMITTEE. I have lived in Kona for over 10 years and have a vacation rental' on which I pay both GET and TAT taxes each month. The income I have from the vacation rental is critical for me since my job with the State of Hawaii ended when the federal effectively cancelled our program. Other hosts I know also greatly rely on the income from their vacation rentals. I urge you to grandfather in all existing vacation rentals and to allow applications for future rentals in "non -conforming" areas and AG lands. Doing so will allow the county to collect more taxes on rentals and will encourage owners to host legal rentals. I believe it is only a matter of time before the State must agree to return a more fair percentage of GET and TAT taxes to the county. I also urge you to REDUCE the annual fee for non -conforming use certificates from $500 to $100 or $150, or to a PERCENTAGE of the annual income realized by the home owner. I also urge you to have the SAME FEE STRUCTURE, or percentage of income, for the all vacation rentals: rentals that "conform" in resortand commercial areas as well as "non -conforming" outside of those areas. In order to be fair and equitable, everyone should pay whatever fee is decided upon so that the burden of "enforcement" and "processing of permits and non- conforming use certificates" is shared by all owners. Finally, I want to stress the importance of local hosts in supporting and growing tourism on the Big Island. I help my guests to connect with local businesses, pointing them to places and people they otherwise would not find. They have a must richer experience when interacting with local people than they do when this personal support is not available. -They are more likely to return and send their friends. Allowing and supporting local residents to have vacation rentals is a win-win for, everyone. Mahalo nui loa. Regards, Caryl Burns Kailua-kona, HI 96740 From: Caryl Burns To: Council Testimony Subject: Re: Bill 108: ENCOURAGE VACATION RENTALS. Helps local residents and tourists; increases local tax income for county Date: Friday, June 15, 2018 4:34:43 AM Aloha Council Members, Re: Bill 108: ENCOURAGE VACATION RENTALS. Helps local residents and tourists; increases local tax income for county. I am a long-time resident of Kona. I have a vacation rental which helps me pay my mortgage and still have a space where friends and family can visit. I cannot do a long-term rental because if I do my family cannot visit. Encouraging vacation rentals will help local residents with the high cost of living in Hawaii. Encouraging vacation rentals will help the ever-increasing number of tourists have affordable lodging as well as contact with local people who make their vacation experiences very personal. Encouraging vacation rentals will increase the income of the county government via excise taxes on all goods and services. I believe that ultimately it will also increase the amount of GET and TAT income of the county government, since the State of Hawaii will share a more equitable proportion of GET and TAT revenue with the counties. Encouraging vacation rentals is a win -win-win situation for the county. Mahalo for considering and implementing my suggestion to: Re: Bill 108: ENCOURAGE VACATION RENTALS. Helps local residents and tourists; increases local tax income for county. Mahalo nui loa, Caryl Burns Kona