Resident raises safety and congestion concerns about large short-term rentals in residential neighborhood
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Summary
A Flagstaff resident told the council that two large short-term rental properties operating as event venues in a residential neighborhood have caused noise, congestion and safety issues; he urged enforcement of existing ordinances and consideration of street improvements using the city’s undeveloped right-of-way.
At the council’s open-call public-comment period on June 17, resident Steve Breckner described repeated disturbances caused by two large short-term rental properties in his neighborhood that he said include multiple bedrooms, group-event advertising and at least one DJ-driven wedding earlier in the spring.
Breckner told the council the two connected properties contain about 20 bedrooms that advertise capacity for up to 65 overnight guests and that the properties are marketed for large events including weddings of up to 80 guests. He said those events have generated loud noise and traffic congestion and that neighbors have made reports and provided photos and videos to city staff. Breckner said several neighbors had not formally complained because they did not know how to proceed or feared drawing attention.
He asked the city to enforce existing short-term rental and nuisance ordinances and to consider amending ordinances to address safety and congestion related to large rentals in residential areas. Breckner also asked staff to examine an undeveloped city right-of-way adjacent to the properties, noting his view that building a road there could help traffic flow.
Breckner identified himself as an attorney and as chairman of the Cave Creek Planning Commission and offered his help on ordinance amendments and enforcement approaches. City staff present later in the meeting acknowledged they were working on enforcement of existing ordinances in response to resident complaints and will follow up on the matter.
