Folly Beach city council discusses amendments to short term rental ordinance
Nov 12, 2024
FOLLY BEACH, S.C. (WCBD) - Folly Beach city council is set to discuss amendments to its short term rental ordinance Tuesday night.
After a short-term rental cap was put in place last year, council members wanted to clarify language within the ordinance. Officials said although there won't be any significant changes, one that stands out could be the discussion of the consequences by turning in business licenses late.
"As it stands now - failure to turn in a timely rental registration result in ramification of a license," DJ Rich, council member of Folly Beach, said. "There is a reason it's come up, that's a little too harsh. I also believe its a little too harsh, I think a strike is more applicable. If you're late turning in your business license for any other business that you have, you know you don't lose your business. You pay a penalty, which is adequate here but we will see how the discussion goes tonight."
Other items on the agenda included eligibility for inheritance-based Investor Short Term Rental (ISTR) licenses, the allowance of licensed homes to be relocated without losing eligibility for a rental license, and amending information required to apply for rental registration.
Although, some residents said since the cap was put in place, the amount of days they are able to rent in a year are slim.
"Now I'm limited to 72 days and I have no choice but to get an ISTR," Ellen Stoler, resident of Folly Beach, said. "ISTR, you know, is limited now. I am on the waiting list but I'm like seventieth on the waiting list because it goes by whose lived here the longest."
The regulations have hurt the business of residents that rent their homes while living in them full-time.
"I don't like being limited to 72 days, I live here, I'm with the people in my house - I never had a complaint," Stoler said. "I enjoy it a lot, it's great for an empty-nester, I've met people from all over the world."
Stoler said people she knows are experiencing the same difficulties of trying to get an ISTR. She explained she may now have to get a long-term rental license, which does not pay off in the same way.
"Well, I've been short-term renting for years," Stoler said. "I didn't like being limited to 72 and I didn't like not being able to switch to an ISTR. I think they should've had a grandfathered period where people could've switched and then if they wanted to change all the rules - then do it. There were a lot of people who made lifelong plans that included switching to an ISTR."