Residents urge enforcement of Iredell County short-term rental rules, saying ‘party houses’ harm Langtree Peninsula

Several residents of the Langtree Peninsula told the Iredell County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday that short-term rental properties advertised for large numbers of guests are disrupting neighborhood life and asked commissioners to defend and enforce local rules passed in October 2023.

At the county’s public comment period, Stephanie Frank of 698 Langtree said she and other neighbors are not opposed to “responsible short term rentals” but that some properties have been converted into “full scale event venues” with pools, fire pits, mini golf and sports courts. “One short term rental in our neighborhood advertises sleeping up to 30 guests,” Frank said. “This property was sold in 2022 as a four-bedroom property. This is not home sharing. This is a business operating in the middle of a residential neighborhood.”

Another speaker, Maureen Alango, said a large out-of-area owner and a local rental operator are marketing multiple structures on adjoining lots as short-term rentals for dozens of guests and that the conversion was done without permits or inspections. “This property has been a nuisance in our neighborhood, disruptive with large parties ... screaming till 3 a.m.,” Alango said, and described advertising that lists the site as having 11 bedrooms and multiple bathrooms.

Why this matters: residents said the conversions have produced repeated police calls, heavy street parking and damage to quality of life; one long-term homeowner said she sold her house after four decades because of repeated disruptions. Speakers asked the board to pursue enforcement, defend the county’s ordinance in court and keep the issue a priority.

Board response and limits: Commissioner Brett Stroud (first reference: Commissioner Brett Stroud) told residents the board has “done everything we legally can do” so far and that enforcement is limited while litigation proceeds. “We are not aware that there’s even a formal application” for other, separate development concerns raised at the meeting, Stroud added, and encouraged residents to attend future meetings and provide documentation of problematic advertising.

Commissioner Hill (first reference: Commissioner Hill) said staff is evaluating remedies that may be available under current zoning and permitting rules, such as addressing dumpsters or other code violations, but that no additional action could be taken until staff completes that review.

What residents asked for: Speakers urged commissioners to (1) resume enforcement of the October 2023 short-term rental regulations as soon as legally possible, (2) continue to defend the rules against legal challenges, (3) hold public discussions about stronger local or state options, and (4) advise residents on interim steps they can take.

Context and next steps: The board’s managers and clerk asked residents to submit evidence — for example, historic advertisements showing a change in bedroom counts — to the clerk so staff can review potential code or permitting violations. Commissioners repeatedly encouraged citizens to contact their state representatives as well as county staff to press for remedies.

Ending: The board took no immediate formal action at the meeting; commissioners said staff will look into complaints and that ongoing litigation limits enforcement options at present.