This Week: Shipwrecked Hearing; Sevastopol Discusses Vacation Rental Rules

Shipwrecked Brew Pub sits at the corner of Highway 42 and County G. Photo by Myles Dannhausen Jr.

The Village of Egg Harbor will hear public feedback about the latest expansion proposal from Shipwrecked Brew Pub Tuesday. The owners of the restaurant and bar submitted new plans last month that would add 92 outdoor seats to the operation and reduce on-site parking to just 7 spaces. That hearing begins a noon. Get details for attending virtually here>>

Sevastopol Considers Short-term-rental Ordinance

The Sevastopol Plan Commission will take public comments on a new short-term-rental (STR) ordinance May 11 during a public hearing at the town hall. The proposed ordinance would limit operators to changing over units just once every seven days, a change that has fired up operators of STRs beyond the borders of the town who fear it could set a precedent for other communities.

Also known as “tourist rooming houses,” STRs are any residential dwellings offered for rent for a fee and for fewer than 29 consecutive days.

Reporter and editor Debra Fitzgerald outlined the issue in a comprehensive story for this week’s Peninsula Pulse:

STRs are required to be licensed, and their owners pay income and room taxes that are put back into the community. They’re owned by property owners who are legally allowed to rent those properties. They contribute to family incomes as well as the tourism industry while supporting other local business operators such as landscapers, cleaners, electricians, plumbers and contractors.

Some accuse STRs of destroying the quiet culture of local neighborhoods through a revolving cast of transient neighbors who change every few days, of taking affordable housing and long-term rentals off the market, and of threatening the environment by allowing the number of people in the home to surpass the septic system’s demands. Some STR owners also skirt the law that requires them to obtain a license to operate from the state’s Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, as well as a permit from the Door County Tourism Zone Commission (DCTZC).

Sevastopol’s ordinance seeks to correct these issues by addressing septic systems, noise and pets, for example. It establishes minimum standards for human occupancy and adequate levels of maintenance, and it determines the responsibilities of owners, agents and property managers.

Read more here and get information on attending or speaking at the hearing here>>

Attendance is limited to 25 people and those interested in speaking are encouraged to contact the town clerk at 920.746.1230 prior to the meeting.

Alpine Sold

In case you missed it, the big news from last week was confirmation of the sale of the historic Alpine Resort and Golf Course. After more than a century in the Bertschinger family, the resort was sold to new owners who are said to be focused on continuing to operate the lodge and golf course. That’s welcome news for residents and business owners who feared a sale would mean the end of the village’s first tourism-focused business. Read more here>>