In response to Ms Julie Koster’s letter to the editor published Aug. 1, I am a little confused. In one paragraph Koster states, “Waging war on locally owned, small businesses is not how to enact positive change in our community.” And in the next paragraph she states, “Vacation rentals are not commercial property.”

Koster also goes on to say how many of these owners live out of town, which to me means they are not local. So how is a “small business” not commercial? They purchase a business license, they rent rooms just like a motel or hotel, they advertise just like a business would, and they make a profit just like a business would like to do. 

If some out of towner wants to buy a piece of property up here, but they cannot afford it unless they turn it into a commercial business, plopped right in the middle of my quiet neighborhood, something is fundamentally wrong.

A home recently sold in my neighborhood. The new owner informed us they did not want to short term it. However, it is getting short-term rented. I tried to call the complaint line and ask how I could find out if they even have a license. Since there is a moratorium on new licenses, it would seem unlikely. The employee said I would get a call back latter that day. It has now been close to three weeks with no response, and the new renters showed up last night and promptly had a party. It is not the first time I have not gotten a call back when lodging a complaint against these commercial businesses. 

Please think of the people that have to put up with these commercial businesses in residential neighborhoods when you try to stuff this distasteful commercial enterprise down our throats.