Request for work session on vacation rentals Public Comment from Karlene khorAimee Brunckhorst
From: Karlene Khor <madamekarkosa@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, April 8, 2022 11:30 AM
To: Kalispell Meetings Public Comment
Subject: EXTERNAL Request for work session on vacation rentals
Dear Mayor and City Council Members:
When the city's studied the subject of vacation rentals in the city years ago; the focus was residential vacation rentals in
homes.
Many of us on Main Street and certainly those with commercial properties with existing vacation rentals did not
participate in public hearings etc because the legislation being created impacted homes in neighborhoods and had
nothing to do, we thought, with our commercial properties.
It was quite a surprise to me when I received a call from Kalispell staff telling me at their last reading the city decided to
include commercial buildings and I was to pay some fee to continue to operate.
Although, I pointed out to the staff member none of us were forewarned or we would have participated in public
hearings to provide information on in some cases duplication of fees etc but as he said," too late now."
I think commercial buildings with vacation rentals certainly those on Main Street are not like vacation rentals in homes
in neighborhoods. I withdrew my vacation rentals from all sites and these properties are now apartments rentals with
leases.
It certainly was unfair to legislate and impact my vacation rental and others business without allowing us the
opportunity to provide the city with information on the differences in commercial property vacation rentals
and residential ones and the fees and obligations which were duplicating costs to us.
I note there has been an effort to put this subject back on your plates at a work session; if so please include a call to
commercial property owners so they might be afforded the same opportunity residential owners received when you last
took a look at the subject and passed legislation affecting us.
Thank you,
Karlene Khor
Manager
La Lark Llc
222 South Main
Kalispell Montana