Owner-Occupied STR Proprietor

My wife and I have been operating an Owner-Occupied STR in Mystic for 4 years. During this time we have hosted over 100 guests, and now have many returning as satisfied customers. Also, we have never had any noise or property damage from any of our quests or complaints from our neighbors. My wife and I are strongly in favor of Owner-Occupied STR's, as the units are receiving the constant supervision that they require and our guests contribute greatly to the overall financial well-being of the village of Mystic. However, the rapid expansion of STR's in our community has caused some problems and these issues needed to be addressed. First is the issue of noise. Unfortunately, the Town of Groton does not currently have a Noise Ordinance, so the police do not have many options when responding to a compliant. It would be a good start here to implement a Noise Ordinance in town, similar to what some other surrounding communities have done. We also believe that STR's should be monitored and controlled by appropriate town agencies to insure the safety of our customers. STR's should also be limited to the number of guests and cars allowed on the property based upon some agreed upon criteria such as the number of bedrooms in the unit. On-site parking should be strongly encouraged.

For Non-Owner Occupied STR's, we feel that these businesses are artificially inflating real estate values in our town, making it difficult for traditional family buyers to purchase these properties. Over time, these long-term inflated property values will also negatively impact tax rates for all Groton residents. Supervision at Non-Owner Occupied STR's is also suspect, leading to many of the problems that we are discussing today. We have personally seen situations where the owners of these properties are completely indifferent to the concerns of the surrounding neighborhood. In one recent situation, a long-distant owner became involved in a heated argument with a long-term neighbor. The owner did not even realize who the neighbor was, even though they live just a few houses a part from each other for many years!

STR's have brought significant economic benefit to the village of Mystic, along with some real problems. We suggest that all parties work together to resolve the issues as best as possible without causing hardship to our downtown merchants and attractions. We can do this if we all work together in a rigorous and transparent manner.

Thank you.