Two For Tuesday | July 9, 2024
1. Town of Matthews Seeking Controls on Short Term Rentals (STRs)
The Town of Matthews has initiated an effort to curb Short Term Rentals (STRs) through the introduction of a text amendment to its Unified Development Ordinance (UDO).
Text Amendment 2024-2 does the following:
- STRs would be required to be separated from each other by a minimum of 800 feet, measured from property lines.
- They would be required to have a zoning permit and the permit would need to be posted publicly.
- Renters would not be allowed to hold special events or gatherings.
- A local manager or operator would be required to be located in or adjacent to Mecklenburg County.
During recent Commissioner meetings, several local residents spoke in favor of imposing these restrictions but based on information provided by the Town, it is unclear how significant a concern this really is to the vast majority of the population. A review of minutes of recent meetings indicates there have been a total of ten calls to police related to STRs during the past three and a half years. Of those, five were initiated by the STR owners and the other five came from area homeowners. According to Town Staff, there are currently somewhere between 20 and 40 STR properties located within the Town of Matthews where the current population stands at over 30,000.
The public hearing on the text amendment began last night and has been extended to August 12th (STR conversation runs from 2:50:36 through 4:51:40). Look for more updates and opportunities for engagement on this topic in the very near future.
My take: I can appreciate the passion of those who have been adversely impacted by people behaving badly, but this strikes me as a huge overreach. Not only are certain provisions of the proposed amendment questionable as it relates to North Carolina Statute, but it seems to be a solution looking for a problem. A permit that must be publicly posted looks a whole lot like rental registration which is banned under state law (N.C. G.S. 160D-1207). Further, the 800-foot separation requirement creates an opportunity for those opposed to the use of STRs to obtain a permit with no intention of exercising its use for the purpose of restricting the property rights of others. I would propose the following. Let’s dispense with the notion of another knee-jerk reaction by local elected officials that will likely result in some sort of counteraction, whether it be in the courts or at the General Assembly. Instead, I would propose that a session be held between residents holding opposing views and allow them to come in and express those concerns through a two-way dialogue. Let’s take it down a notch and come up with a resolution that provides relief for some frustrated homeowners and allows others to freely exercise their property rights.
2. Patrick Granson – Director of Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement to Provide Briefing July 17th
Please join us from
9:00 am to 10:30 am on Wednesday, July 17th for an informational session about building code changes, ongoing technology transition efforts, and a status report about plan review and third-party inspections. For more information, please email
Rob.Nanfelt@ REBIC.com.
My take: This will be a very informative event and I’m strongly encouraging you to attend and bring a friend. Patrick is a straight shooter and works to be a problem solver not a problem creator. If you have questions or have encountered unexpected challenges during the permitting and inspection process, this event is for you.
Rob Nanfelt
Executive Director, REBIC
