The Wellington Village Council approved the final reading of bed-and-breakfast amendments late last month designed to make bed-and-breakfast locations more financially viable in the community, but also place tighter restrictions on them, including an affidavit of ownership by the operator.
At the council’s Sept. 27 meeting, Growth Management Director Bob Basehart said that there are two different amendments to the code for bed-and-breakfast locations, explaining that there are separate requirements for the village as a whole and for the Equestrian Overlay Zoning District (EOZD).
“Most of the changes will apply both inside and outside of the EOZD,” Basehart said. “It’s an opportunity, we believe, to bring some consistency to the requirements so that they are the same both in and out of the EOZD. Today, as the code sits, they are very different.”
Under the old code, bed-and-breakfast locations were allowed with only a special-use permit outside the EOZD and with specific development standards within the EOZD. “Under the revised regulations, we’re going to define all the changes, the purpose, intent of the owner/operator and require an ownership affidavit,” Basehart said. “The affidavit was a change that you asked for at the first reading.”
Another change requires Development Review Committee approval rather than a special-use permit, he said.
“The DRC is still a staff-level approval, but it’s made up of members from various departments, so you get a more thorough review, rather than an individual review under a special-use permit,” he said.
The amendments also introduce a minimum lot size for businesses.
“Currently there is no minimum lot size for bed-and-breakfast locations outside of the EOZD,” he said. “They could go on virtually any residential lot in the village.”
Under the old code, a minimum lot size of 3 acres was required inside the EOZD.
“We’re reducing the acreage in the EOZD to a 2-acre requirement, but we’re also imposing it outside the EOZD, so every proposed bed-and-breakfast facility will have to be on at least 2 acres,” he said.
The amendments also impose limitations on the number of bedrooms. A maximum of five bedrooms will be allowed on lots of 2 to 5 acres, and a maximum of eight bedrooms on lots of 5 acres or more.
The changes also allow alterations to the outside to make facilities compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. There is also a separation requirement of 1,320 feet between bed-and-breakfast establishments, as well as specific provisions for allowable 2-foot-by-2-foot signage, with up-lighting only, no internal or neon lighting allowed.
Bed-and-breakfast locations must also be hooked up to public water and sewer where available, or receive village engineer and health department approval if on a well and septic system. Rentals will be limited to 30 consecutive days.
“There were no limitations on rentals,” Basehart said. “Some people were concerned that these facilities might start to rent rooms for seasonal use, so we put a 30-day limit on the stay.”
Parking space requirements were also introduced of one parking space per guest room, in addition to the basic two spaces per single-family home and one additional space per family bedroom.
Bed-and-breakfast locations must also be located within 1,320 feet of an arterial or connector road.
Councilman Michael Drahos made a motion to approve the ordinance, which carried 5-0.
Business before family homes! Watch for more commercialization creeping into single family home areas.
Too bad for Paddock Park 1 and those who live on or near collector roads (Paddock Dr and Wellington Trace).
That’s the direction this newly seated council is moving toward.
Businesses can do no wrong! Let them operate anywhere.
And poor Oakmont Estates, Whitehorse and maybe even Wellington Isles and Castellina areas in Wellington. First, they had to fight off a horse park on Kpark land, then a massive commercialization development and now…..a manure facility err, pardon me, an “agricultural TRANSSHIPMENT facility in Commerce Park East!
Take a gander at the DRC archived meeting video of October 13, 2016 when the manure plan was discussed. It was even more interesting to see the planner trying to stop or re-direct an engineer from inquiring what a ‘transshipment facility’ was. It was protection for the applicant, an attempt to stop the truth from being revealed. There is a lack of transparency going on with this new Council and their directives to staff. It’s even showing up in agendas, especially the Special Magistrate agenda. That’s changed. (hmmm, does that issue from the Mayor?)
Yep, someone wants to have manure from the equestrian area dumped into the business commerce park.
Yep, further from the equestrian farms and closer to people who have nothing to do with the horses. Just people just trying to live a normal lifestyle.
Some people are more important than others.