Hipcamp?

[eightfingers2.0]

It's too bad the vacation rentals didn't form an "association" large enough to provide meaningful "campaign contributions".

Sort of a VRBOPAC. Good idea.

[Seeb-2]

It's too bad the vacation rentals didn't form an "association" large enough to provide meaningful "campaign contributions".

Sort of a VRBOPAC. Good idea.

Think someone would do that, new mayor all you have to do is get 5 votes in the council to change the law. The excuse for it was low income rentals - does anyone know if even one was if created by this boondoggle

[Midnight Rambler]

Relatedly, anyone know how they treat applications for B&Bs as opposed to STVRs? Like if you have an unused ohana unit in your residence you want to rent out to visitors. Do they just say no and tell you to GFYS, or is there a chance of it being approved? I looked at a couple of years worth of planning board meetings and was surprised not to find a single one.

[TomK]

"I’ve seen this mentioned several times before. What about all the telecommuting because of covid19?
Is that illegal?"

I've yet to see an answer. It's an interesting question.

[dobanion]

My read on B&Bs is that no permit is needed. It does not fall under the definition of "short term vacation rental" as they spelled it out, therefore the entire ordinance does not apply.

But, as others have said, they can choose to enforce however they like, regardless of the way the ordinance is written.

For myself, think it's wiser to invest my money elsewhere.

[Obie]

I bought a condo in Hilo at the Mauna Loa Shores because we needed a place to live after the eruption and I reasoned that I could always use it as a vacation rental after the volcano settled down.
The Mauna Loa Shores is 80% vacation rentals.
Guess what, I can't have a vacation rental because the deadline had passed for applying.
It will certainly never be a low income rental so it defeats their purpose.

[kalakoa]

A proper B&B is an STVR which also has a commercial kitchen = two sets of permits.

Dig through the County website and find the transcripts+exhibits from the Planning Commission. These speak volumes.

[Carey]

My read on B&Bs is that no permit is needed. It does not fall under the definition of "short term vacation rental" as they spelled it out, therefore the entire ordinance does not apply.

Not quite the way Hawaii County works , as there is a permit needed ($500 initial, annual review)
Section 25-4-7 of the Hawaii County Code outlines requirements for all Bed and Breakfast establishments on the Big Island.
In effect since only 1996, the rules allow their existence in almost any residential area. In a nutshell:

• Up to 5 guest rooms are allowable on lots of 15,000 square feet or greater.
  
  
• Room count may be adjusted for smaller lots.
  
  
• Up to 10 guests can be housed at any time.
  
  
• Guests may stay 30 days or less.
  
  
• The specific county permit required is based on the underlying zoning, required public hearing prior to permitting.
  
  
• Off-street parking must be provided.
  
  
• Owners are expected to live in the Bed and Breakfast dwelling.
  
  
• Only breakfast may be served.
  
  
• A Bed and Breakfast permit “runs with the land” meaning that once it is in place, it passes to subsequent owners.
  
  
• 145 permit applications from 1987-2013, 16 denials in that time, some had conditions applied due to neighbor concerns
  
  
•  Illegal operations: if a complaint is received, the department follows up with site visits, Internet and media checks for advertising and photos, as well as gathering any other pertinent information to verify if an operation is illegal (hence you must KNOW all of your neighbors, even if you have lots of acres - many on PW may remember one of our old-timers on a 20 acre farm that had constant issues with fellow 20 acre neighbor who went to the county on anything the PW member did anywhere on the Pahoa farm....
  https://www.hawaiicounty.gov/home/showdocument?id=56

[terracore]

A proper B&B is an STVR which also has a commercial kitchen = two sets of permits.

Dig through the County website and find the transcripts+exhibits from the Planning Commission. These speak volumes.

Commercial kitchens require country water to get approved, so that rules out most of Puna.