DESTINY – The paid sharing of their backyard pensions by some owners of Destin has caught the attention of Councilor Prebble Ramswell.
“Did you know that people now rent their gardens and swimming pools by the hour? Ramswell wrote in the latest edition of his quarterly newsletter, “The Ramswell Review,” which highlights various issues in the city.
“I have asked the city to investigate this commercial use in residential areas,” Ramswell added in the newsletter she recently emailed to various subscribers.
Ramswell could not be immediately reached Thursday for comment.
Details of several garden and / or pool rentals in the Destin tourist hotspot and elsewhere are available on Airbnb-type websites such as Swimply.com.
For example, this site has a listing for a saltwater swimming pool for rent at a property that its owner / host calls the “Destin Country Club. “
Take a dip:Emerald Coast Fitness Foundation Acquires Crestview Pool
The exact location of the property is provided after booking, according to the site, which also states that the host has been offering the pool for rent since April.
For a weekday rate of $ 38.25 per hour or a weekend rate of $ 45 per hour, up to 10 “guests” can rent the pool under the “Destin Country Club” listing.
“It’s more than just a pool, the whole yard is ready to go,” said the pool owner / host, listed as “Ryan K.” on the listing.
He adds that in addition to the pool, the backyard has a putting green, a propane barbecue, a daybed by the pool, a lounge area for conversation with parasol and games. such as a corn hole.
Ryan K., who could not be reached immediately for comment, also notes that his yard has “fences and / or shrubs that make it difficult for neighbors to see,” and he advises guests to “just be respectful and to clean up after you please. . “His list indicates that a toilet is available.
Destin spokeswoman Catherine Card said the city’s code of ordinances currently does not specifically prohibit the rental of swimming pools, but prohibits commercial activity in residential areas.
“Code compliance has no active cases, as we have not received any complaints” from the general public regarding the rental of backyard pools, Card said in an email to the Daily News.
In case you missed it:“Occupancy is out of control”: Destin targets short-term rental problem
She said Ramswell at the Sept. 7 city council meeting asked City Manager Lance Johnson to bring back a proposed ordinance on how to better address the issue of residents renting out their garden and swimming pool to other people. on time.
City staff are evaluating the matter and will report to council at a later date, Card said.
The Swimply website also includes listings of swimming pools for rent in Fort Walton Beach, Mary Esther, and Navarre.
“Awesome deck and pool oasis,” is how one host describes their amenities at Fort Walton Beach.
The weekday rate for a maximum of five people using its terrace and above ground pool half buried in the ground is $ 27 per hour. The weekend rate is $ 30 per hour.
This host also notes that their “slice of paradise” backyard has fences and / or shrubs that make it difficult for neighbors to view.
In the “additional rules” section of the site, the host wrote: “No pee in the pool, if it’s an emergency and you need to use the restroom you can enter the residence. “
Following:Mary Esther Seeks A Way To Overcome Short-Term Rental Problems
According to the ‘Swimply Neighbors Community Page’, the Los Angeles-based online marketplace Swimply “aims to improve communities at the local level, enabling homeowners to earn extra income by sharing their swimming pools with neighboring families looking for a home. private, safe and happy place. ways to spend time together.
The site adds that every host on Swimply must comply with their “Good Neighbor Policy” before becoming a host. Instructions are provided to neighbors who wish to report a host that violates the policy.
According to Associated press, Swimply started in 2018 with just four swimming pools in New Jersey.
In a July interview with the Asbury Park Press, Sonny Mayugba, vice president of growth for Swimply, said the company grew about 4,000% from 2019 to 2020.
It added thousands of private swimming pools across the country to its hourly market, especially after the federal government Centers for Disaster Control and Prevention said there was no evidence COVID-19 could be spread during recreational swimming, press reported.
The average hourly cost for a pool rental is $ 45. A Swimply host gets 85% of the revenue while the company gets 15%.
In many places, Swimply’s business model has been challenged by local governments and neighborhood residents who say, among other things, that these types of commercial rental businesses are a risk and a nuisance in residential areas.
Wisconsin regulators briefly discussed the need to keep backyard pool rentals to the same safety and health standards as public pools, as well as requiring pool owners to obtain a permit for their location. That proposal was dropped after Swimply threatened to file a federal complaint.
Comments are closed.