— from David Turnoy —

Dear County Council Members Hughes, Stephens, and Watson:

I am a resident and homeowner on Orcas Island writing to you today about the vacation rental issue. As I am sure you are aware, more vacation rentals are becoming available each year, especially here on Orcas Island. While this has brought economic benefits to some people, there are also problems that need to be addressed. I encourage you to place a moratorium on vacation rentals until this issue has been fully studied and recommendations can be implemented.

I have a vacation rental next door to me on the west, there is another vacation rental two doors down to the east, and my immediate neighbor to the east has told us that he is looking to rent out his main house as a vacation rental. He even plans to put in a hot tub that will be right across from our deck. We live in a residential neighborhood, but this will leave us as the only house out of four in our immediate area that is not a vacation rental. While we have met some nice visitors, this kind of shuffling of new people in and out prevents the possibility of creating a relationship with one’s neighbors, reducing the chance of creating community. 

Our proximity to vacation rentals has brought to light a number of problems. Earlier this year I had to walk next door to tell the people out on the deck late at night in our extremely quiet neighborhood that they were being too loud. They didn’t seem to realize that their fairly loud voices were quite audible to anyone in the neighborhood. By the same token, some groups pack up to catch the early ferry, and of course they make considerable noise with their talking outside early in the morning when we may still be asleep.

We also have to contend with vacationers walking across our property to go from the vacation rental next door to the one that their friends are staying in two doors down, and vice versa. Then there was the time that my wife heard noise behind our house, and she looked out only to see two little children “riding” our propane tank as if it was a horse. And there was the time the septic alarm went off because the vacationers had used too much water. These visitors all drive cars on our private roads, and because they don’t live here, they frequently drive faster than is safe.

Water is a limited resource on our island. Every time a new group of vacationers stays in a rental, sheets and towels need to be washed. Also, the number of people staying is often greater than a long-term rental; families often rent a house together, or a large group of people attending a wedding will all stay in the house. This uses more water than would otherwise be used.

I voted for all three of you county councilors the last time you ran for office. I am sure you do not want our island to become another tourist mecca where the quality of life is lost. Therefore, I encourage you to impose a moratorium so that this problem can be studied and dealt with before the problem becomes even more overwhelming with a greater number of vacation rentals. I thank you for taking the time to read this letter and to consider the points I have brought up.

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