from the Catalina Islander - December 15, 2000

by Marie Whittington

A highly contentious issue, transient rentals, brought some 20 or so concerned property owners to the home of Susan and Bill Scheding on Claressa Tuesday evening to air their grievances with the Avalon Planning Commission.

Most of the attendees were denied a conditional use permit by the Commission, which meant that they would be unable to legally rent their Avalon home on a transient basis, less than 30 days per rental. The Schedings were among them, and object to the ruling, which they see as an infringement on their property rights as part of the taxpaying Avalon community.

A frequent view expressed from the group was the adverse financial effect this will have on local businesses, who depend on summer visitors, to a large extent, for income.

It is more likely to be families who visit Avalon during summer, they say, and few could afford to stay in hotels for a week or two.

The present high price of buying a home in Avalon puts it beyond the average person's ability to pay the monthly mortgage unless there is the possibility of renting on a transient basis for a portion of the year, to bring the needed extra income, was a comment made by resident Jim Reid.

Even if a person is fortunate enough to purchase a house here, he added, there is never any money for bringing rundown properties up to acceptable condition.

Kathleen Saldana, a Planning Commission board member who was present, reminded the audience of zoning laws which prohibit transient rentals in some areas of Avalon.

Merrilee Reid voiced her objection to Saldana regarding the blanket decisions of the Planning board, saying she felt that each case should be considered individually on its own merits.

Susan Scheding, who hosted the meeting with her husband, Bill, believes the term "transient rental" is pejorative in tone, and is inappropriate because it produces the idea of an undesirable renter.

She sees this issue as one of property owner rights, but also property owner responsibilities.

In organizing this group, Scheding emphasized it is not intended to be adversarial in nature with the city, suggesting the possibility of offering assistance to the city on some long term problems.

It was a mixed group attending, some were full time residents, some were part time residents, who make their permanent homes overtown.