More good news from Michigan

If you stay for a night in
Grand Rapids you can sleep easy.


http://ij.org/grand-rapids-mich-is-char ... -on-airbnb

"Grand Rapids, Mich. is Charging Residents Over $2,000 to Rent on Airbnb

With over half a million listings in more than 33,000 cities around the world, Airbnb is one of the most popular short-term rental sites. But in Grand Rapids, Mich., the city is regulating these short-term rentals as “bed and breakfasts.” Residents who want to legally rent out their rooms and homes on Airbnb face over $2,000 in fees.
Read More: New York City Reverses Fines for Man Who Used Airbnb "Illegally"
In order to comply with the city’s restrictions, residents have to pay $291 for a “home-occupation” business license and an additional $1,750 for a special land use permit to re-zone their home."...

Great, another way to twist the existing laws around to generate some additional revenue in the rust belt from the few who still have some wealth! I know Grand Rapids fairly well and I can even rationalize wanting to spend some time in and around that city and the surrounding area. I wonder how well this idea will translate in other cities in the rust belt such as Cleveland, Detroit, and Buffalo. Why not grab every wealthy person left in the rust belt by the ankles and shake them upside down for every last cent they have?

People should have nipped this in the bud and not accepted zoning.

Many communities without it have far less conflict that those that do....ironically to avoid conflict.

Have you ever rode in a licensed taxi or stayed in a hotel that was only allowed to be placed in a certain zoning district? Did you build your house where the county/town said you could and ask all kinds of permissions? Then you supported this crap restriction.

People forgot when the economy was good for them that the economy was still bad for many and will be bad again for you in the future (or your family or friends or neighbors). Perhaps that was the time to pay attention to the local govts you let run amok.

Colorado, especially rural places like Park County, lead the race to reduce your local rights. Note they are constantly voting and changing the rules of the land, when little or no rules are needed except to give them something to do and tax for their building obsession. This has happened coast to coast. This is on top of the sham of local school financing and waste, also coast to coast.

Brought to you by complacent people.

Ahh OTN you speak of Park County. A long time ago I was a resident. Not any more but I have attended some of the recent Commissioners meetings. Hardly anyone present to object to all the changes in the Land Use Regs. The Commissioners are having a blast rearranging all of it w/o input. Granted most people are not available daytime but the Commish's do post their agenda and if you can't be there you can ask to have your letter (have to send ahead of time) to be read into the record. But it hardly seems to make any difference. This is a mostly Repulbican County so it will be a Republican who will get voted in, no offense to Repubs, and they will do whatever they want. Just look how the former Commish Tighe used the system to do whatever he wanted and favor the Sheriff's Dept. When asked to recuse himself because of conflict of interest he said he wouldn't because he could be objective. You choose Commissioners based on what they say they will do and then they do whatever they want. Hard to nip.

on that note wrote: People should have nipped this in the bud and not accepted zoning.

Many communities without it have far less conflict that those that do....ironically to avoid conflict.

Have you ever rode in a licensed taxi or stayed in a hotel that was only allowed to be placed in a certain zoning district? Did you build your house where the county/town said you could and ask all kinds of permissions? Then you supported this crap restriction.

People forgot when the economy was good for them that the economy was still bad for many and will be bad again for you in the future (or your family or friends or neighbors). Perhaps that was the time to pay attention to the local govts you let run amok.

Colorado, especially rural places like Park County, lead the race to reduce your local rights. Note they are constantly voting and changing the rules of the land, when little or no rules are needed except to give them something to do and tax for their building obsession. This has happened coast to coast. This is on top of the sham of local school financing and waste, also coast to coast.

Brought to you by complacent people.