Story originally printed in the Winona Daily News or online at www.winonadailynews.com
Published - Thursday, August 25, 2005
Task force looks to limit rentals
The city of Winona's parking advisory task force took the first step Tuesday toward ensuring that no more homes around Winona State University can be converted into rentals.
The committee is recommending the city pass an ordinance limiting each city block to 30 percent rental property. Rental properties already licensed would be grandfathered.
Because the area surrounding the WSU main campus already exceeds the 30 percent threshold, no additional rental licenses could be granted in those neighborhoods.
Citywide, about 34 percent of properties are rental, said city planner Mark Moeller.
The recommendation is the most recent made by the group, formed after the city placed a temporary moratorium on the issuance of rental licenses in December.
The task force is also recommending the city reduce the amount of unrelated residents allowed to live in a unit from five to three. It rejected a motion Tuesday to base the occupancy limit on the size of a property or number of bedrooms.
The group also wants the city to change the required amount of off-street parking spots for a dwelling unit from 1.5 to two.
The final issue the group must address is the creation of off-street parking. It wants property owners to be able to use gravel when adding parking spots behind residences. At its next meeting, Sept. 1, the committee will decide what kind of buffer — such as green space or a fence — should be required if a property owner adds spaces.
Composed of local residents, landlords, college students, university administrators and city officials, the task force is charged with addressing rental-related issues, such as the availability of off-street parking and the amount of rentals.
Tuesday's measure passed four to three, with two WSU students and resident Ray Felton in opposition.
Student Laura Berens asked if the committee wasn't just pushing the problems associated with student dwellers further into the city.
"I feel 30 percent is really low," she said. "I'm not for this."
However, city council member Deb Salyards, who chairs the task force, said she wants to ensure a continued mix of students, elderly and young families in the core of the city. Committee members said they fear that all the housing around the university will be consumed by rental companies and turn the area into a "ghetto" of unkempt properties.
WSU student body president Ryan Flynn said he isn't comfortable with the city determining the make-up of neighborhoods, and would rather the city focus on getting landlords to keep their houses up.
"I see the rental units now and they don't look real nice," he said.
Winona Housing Association representative Kevin Brady argued that landlords could invest more in their properties if the market was tighter and they could charge more.
There have been unprecedented vacancies around WSU since the institution built the East Lake Apartments, Moeller said.
But Flynn argued that the soft market is causing property owners to improve their places to entice renters.
Berens said she is also concerned about limiting the amount of off-campus rentals because it's more expensive to live on-campus.
The task force proposals will be forwarded for approval to the city planning commission, which meets Sept. 5. Public hearings must be held before the city council can approve the commission's recommendations.
The goal is for new ordinances to be in place before the moratorium ends Dec. 20.
Reporter Shannon Fiecke can be reached at (507) 453-3519 or shannon.fiecke@winonadailynews.com.
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