HomeMy WebLinkAboutEmail from John Blenkush - Response to Dan Raner's Letter Concerning Short Term Rentals Menchaca, Clarissa
From: John Blenkush <jblen535@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 8, 2018 3:28 PM
To: Kirk, Maureen;Teeter, Doug;Connelly, Bill;Wahl, Larry; BOS District 4
Cc: Menchaca, Clarissa; Breedon, Dan
Subject: Response to Dan Raner letters/concerns regarding STRs, dated June 27, 2018 and Aug
5, 2018
8/8/18
Response to Dan Raner letters/concerns regarding STRs, dated June 27,2018 and Aug 5, 2018.
Butte County Board of Supervisors:
Once again it appears Mr. Raner is attempting to sway opinion by distorting facts and interjecting flawed reasoning
(IMO) into the process of adopting an STR ordinance.
• "ten parcels of about five acres each" Misrepresentation.
Our 5 acre parcel is bordered by 14, 13-(Raner), 10, and 5 acres.
• "All the other nine parcel owners objected" False.
As Raner owns 2 parcels,there are only 8 stakeholders. In our survey,one owner expressed interest in renting out her house;
a second didn't give an opinion;third said he didn't have a problem with our STR if water usage could be curtailed;and fourth
didn't begrudge our making money if"harmony"could be kept.
• "over 100 un-vetted motel customers a year living and partying next door" False.
As you may know, all STR guests are vetted and insured. This is more than I can say for the"strangers"that wander through
our neighborhood. Per Mr. Raner it took him 15 months to"discover, by chance"we were operating a STR,which is indicative
of the little or no impact our STR had on the neighborhood. One only has to read our guest reviews(included in Blenkush
letter to BOS--January 5, 2018)to embrace the opinion that these folks aren't coming here to"party". And isn't this why the
permit is conditioned on performance? To root out the non-compliers?
• "Commercial Activities have always been restricted to certain Zones"
But not the FR zone in which we live. (The FR zone also conditionally permits non-residential(emphasis mine)uses compatible with a
low-density rural setting, including public and quasi-public uses,mining,animal services, hunting and fishing clubs, nurseries,and commercial
stables. Animal grazing,crop cultivation, private stables,on-site agricultural product sales,and other similar agricultural activities are
permitted uses in the FR zone.)
• "The older section of AJ Stohr Road with about 20 parcels has a Home Owner's Agreement in all deeds that prohibits any
rentals." True.
But when we floated the idea, no one in our neighborhood expressed interest in becoming an HOA, due to personal freedoms
lost and the potential for neighbor interference.
• "there are"carve-outs" in the Sonoma County plan" True.
But the carve outs, understandably, are specific for"higher-density residential areas, agricultural preserves,
second dwellings, and non-habitable structures. Nor has their ordinance been adopted for the coastal zone,
however the owners in these communities must still register to pay the TOT.
By suggesting Butte county should restrict who can travel on gravel roads, Mr. Raner is implying:
1) Road stakeholders are negligent in maintaining fire clearance. (which we are not, but he wouldn't know as
he has never participated in the maintenance of our roads)
2) Commercial vehicles like garbage, delivery, service trucks, etc. should be restricted.
3) Campers, hunters,fishermen,ATV's, recreationists, loggers, maintenance and any number of other travelers
(commercial or otherwise)should be restricted from traveling on timber and gravel roads leading into parks,
recreational areas, other, because these are"Gravel Roads with dry weeds and little or no water access."
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And, if we were to follow Mr. Raner's reasoning while using the CARR fire as an example, motorists should be
banned from traveling on pavement—CARR fire was started on Highway 299 when a tire on a trailer failed and its
rim scraped the asphalt spraying sparks into the dry foliage.
As a Butte County wildland firefighter, I learned the most effective preemptive measure to prevent and diminish
wildfires is vegetation management. I can assure you our ENTIRE five acres is cleared of debris, underbrush,and lower
tree branches. In addition,we house 10,000+gallons of water to be used in case of a fire. Having worked on strike
teams up and down the state and having almost lost our house and our son in the Poe fire (Sept, 2001), I am acutely
aware of the critical importance of maintaining a viable road for emergency vehicles. We annually trim back foliage in
addition to our on-going road maintenance.
So we're left to wonder; If Raner is so highly concerned about fire danger,why hasn't he—in the 14 years he's owned his
property—ever cleared it of debris, underbrush,and low hanging limbs? Or joined his neighbors for road work parties
to trim back foliage and perform maintenance? Or provided a water source on his property for firefighting? Why hasn't
he taken the necessary steps to, not only ensure his survival, but to diminish the impact on his neighbors/community
when, not if, a fire occurs?
We thank you for your efforts in establishing an ordinance for STRs in Butte County. It's long overdue, and we know it
doesn't make your job any easier when misrepresentations and abject reasoning are interjected into the process.
Sincerely,
John J Blenkush
Cc: Dan Breedon, Clarissa Menchaca
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