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ScribeBy: Deneshia Graham of The Post and
Courier Staff
Originally Published on: 12/12/02
Page: C1
Data collection will continue for short-term rentals
Kiawah Island's electorate has spoken and the Dec. 3 race dominated by the controversial short-term rental issue is in rear view.
The debate over whether to allow short-term rentals of single-family homes in highly residential areas divided candidates in their stances on the issue.
For the five-seat council, voters selected a majority of candidates favoring the practice. Bill Wert won the seat of mayor over Eugene Kreuzberger, who opposes the rentals. Newcomer Richard Bennett and incumbent Leo Fishman, also rental supporters, won Town Council seats.
Incumbent Donald McIver Jr. and newcomer Steve Orban, who favored an ultimate ban of the rental practice, also were elected.
Most candidates agree that with a minority of opponents on the council, the rental issue is dormant. Opponents hoped to revive it after the former Town Council voted 3-2 in April to allow the practice to continue with regulations, but no outright ban.
Wert says the short-term rental issue remains a priority for some islanders.
"What we have to do now is gather some true data on just what is the (growth) trend on single-family homes (with) short-term rentals," he said.
To the public, it may seem that the issue is being put on the backburner, Wert said, but the objective is to gather solid data for future reference.
Some would argue that the island's planning commission hadsufficient data earlier this year, when it recommended that Town Council phase out the practice. After a series of heated public debates, the commission's suggestion was to extend the rental minimum from seven to 28 days after an undetermined period, possibly eight to 10 years.
However, the data used was taken from one point in time - roughly an 18-month period - and not from the past 10 years, which would provide a better indication of the trend, Wert said.
Since data on short-term rentals wasn't being recorded over years past, some have argued that little to no data exists.
"There is data. The thing is you've got to find it," Wert said.
Possible sources of drawing data is the Architectural Review Board through the Kiawah Island Community Association, actual builders who know if the home under construction will be used for a permanent or seasonal residence, and business licenses in town records, as every rental agency or individual must obtain a license before renting a home.
"It's going to be a big effort, but I think it's something we need to do," he said.
Another priority issue deals with medical services on the island.
Of all property owners on Kiawah, only 20 percent are full-time residents. The other 80 percent live there part time.
It is becoming harder for a local physician to continue a Kiawah-based practice, one of the reasons being the seasonal population boom, peaking in the summer months. Wert said the town should look strongly at appropriate ways to assist the local practice, to keep those medical services on the island.
One possibility could be for the town to offer free rental space of some sort to the local physician, he said.
"An emergency isn't seasonal," Wert said.
Although an Emergency Medical Services station is on Betsy Kerrison Parkway, not far from Kiawah's main gate entrance, the next closest station is on Johns Island, which could be about a 45-minute drive, he said.
Another suggestion is to offer better first response training for firefighters at the two St. John's Fire District stations already on the island.
"The tax cap is critical to Kiawah," Wert said, mentioning yet another issue, the controversial 15 percent reassessment property tax cap approved by Charleston County effective 2003 for all residents and business owners.
The former Town Council voted last month to hire an attorney to prepare for intervention in a possible lawsuit the city of North Charleston has said it would file against the tax cap.
Islanders say they already pay a significant percentage of taxes for their meager population within the county, and they don't have the county services to warrant it. Currently, islanders pay about 13 percent in property taxes, about $31 million, but account for less than 1 percent of the population.
The cap would stabilize the amount of taxes those with increasing property values would pay, applicable to most on Kiawah. Those without a property value increase, applicable to many North Charleston area residents, would have to pay more in taxes under the 15 percent cap.
"We care considerably about paying our taxes, (but) you can kill the golden goose," Wert said about the current amount islanders pay. "We will support the county right until the bitter end on this."
Wert also mentioned improving Johns Island roads as a top issue.
In the mayoral race, Wert received 419 votes to Kreuzberger's 331. McIver had 494 votes, Fishman had 491 votes, Bennett had 439, and Orban had 352 votes. Incumbent David Warner received 335 votes, and newcomer Patrick Casey had 307 votes.
Elected officials will be sworn in at 11 a.m. Monday at Town Hall.
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