By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
VENTNOR – The days of one night party rentals may be coming to an end if the Board of Commissioners April 15 approve an ordinance revision increasing the minimum short-term rental stay.
The ongoing change from a residential to a resort community is making it difficult for some residents to peacefully coexist with visitors who come and go on a daily basis using online booking agencies.
According to data compiled by Host Compliance LLC, Ventnor has approximately 400 properties listed on short-term rental platforms. The city adopted a short-term rental ordinance in 2018 that requires property owners to obtain a mercantile license if they rent out their properties for less than 30 days. The license fee was $100. The new fee to rent for less than 30 days will be $500, and properties will be inspected within 30 days of applying for the license.
The board introduced revisions to the ordinance at Thursday’s commission meeting. The revision restricts one-night stays, which have been problematic for surrounding residents who say the units have become party houses.
Other provisions of the ordinance include posting a placard in or around the front entrance to the units indicating the occupancy load and emergency contact information for police or code enforcement called to the unit in the event of problems.
City officials say that although the normal “coming and going” of visitors in the middle of the night isn’t breaking any laws, they are generating noise complaints from neighbors. Residents have also complained that the tenants come in droves to party for the night and take up parking spaces, create trash and do not contribute much to the local business community.
If the owner of the unit is not a local resident, they must designate someone to be available 24/7 to respond to emergencies. Tenants will be required to abide by all local ordinances regarding parking, noise and trash disposal.
“A two night minimum is something that helps Police Department. The incidents we have had were from single night (rentals),” Commissioner Tim Kriebel said.
Mayor Lance Landgraf said the changes are a good start toward more closely regulating short-term rentals, which have been become commonplace in resort communities. Nearby Margate and Longport permit short-term rentals for no less than one week.
The two-night rental policy is a compromise for those of differing opinions who believe longer stays would reduce problems in the community, and some operators who want to increase revenue.
Several public hearings were held over the last year, and as many as 60 people attended them in person and on Zoom. Kriebel said the new policy was developed with input from the Police and Code Enforcement departments, as well as the public hearings with residents.
“If this works, then we’re good. If it doesn’t…we could extend it a little further,” Landgraf said.
Commissioners said they hope the problems subside, but if they don’t, they will consider revising the ordinance again to include five-night stays from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
“We’ll take it in steps,” Kriebel said.
A public hearing on the ordinance will be held 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 15.
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