Short-term rental debate draws dozens of residents to Pooler town hall meeting

FIRST THE FIRST TIME EVER - THE CITY OF POOLER ... IS LOOKING TO ADD REGULATIONS ... FOR SHORT-TERM WJCL 22 NEWS TIA- MAGGIO WAS AT POOLER'S TOWN HALL MEETING ... ABOUT THE TOPIC. SHE TELLS US WHAT THE PUBLIC ... AND MAYOR HAD TO SAY.// TIA LL: EARLIER - CLOSE TO A HUNDRED PEOPLE CRAMMED INTO THESE CHAIRS AT POOLER'S CITY HALL TO TELL COUNCIL THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT SHORT-TERM RENTALS. PACK: CLIP: NATE0420 17;07;04 "UNLIKE LONG TERM RENTALS, THERE'S NO CRIMINAL BACKGROUND PERFORMED ON THESE OCCUPANTS." 17;07;09 PEOPLE ARE SPLIT ON HOW THEY WANT THE CITY TO HANDLE STR'S IN POOLER. CLIP: NATE0421 17;11;17 "LOUD MUSIC LATE AT NIGHT, IN AND OUT, IN AND OUT, DOWN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND CALLED TO SAY I'VE COUNTED 14 CARS, BEEN IN THE CULTURE SET PARKED AT BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET." 17;11;27 CLIP:NATE0428 17;34;21 "WE ALL HEAR STORIES ABOUT PARTIES AND WHO KNOWS WHAT. BUT THE WORST CASE SCENARIO, THINGS ALWAYS MAKE THE NEWS. WHAT THEY DON'T TALK ABOUT ON THE NEWS IS HOW MANY WONDERFUL FAMILIES VISIT THESE HOMES AND ARE PERFECT NEIGHBORS." 17;34;34 MORE THAN 30 PEOPLE EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERNS TO CITY COUNCIL TUESDAY NIGHT. MAYOR KAREN WILLIAMS SAYS SHE'S PLEASED WITH HOW THE MEETING WENT. CLIP: NATE0451 18;54;26 "WE WERE TAKING IN WHAT THEIR FEELINGS WERE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WILL USE WHEN WE HAVE A WORKSHOP WITH COUNCIL AND STAFF TO FINALIZE THE SGV OUR ORDINANCE." 18;54;38 WILLIAMS SAYS STR'S ARE BECOMING A BIG TOPIC QUICK BECAUSE OF NEW BUSINESS - LIKE THE HYUNDAI PLANT. CLIP: NATE0451 18;59;14 "A LOT OF BUSINESS PEOPLE THAT WANT TO COME HERE, THE GULF STREAM, PEOPLE THAT COME IN THE HYUNDAI PLANT, THE EXECUTIVES, THE WORKERS." 18;59;21 AT MONDAY'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING, THE COUNCIL PRESENTED A DRAFT ORDINANCE FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS. IT ALSO APPROVED A SIX- MONTH SUSPENSION OF ANY NEW STR BUSINESS APPLICATIONS. CLIP: NATE0451 18;56;11 "WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN LAWSUITS LIKE LIKE SOME OTHER CITIES ARE IN RIGHT NOW. SO WE WANT TO DO IT RIGHT. AND THAT'S WHY WE DID THE MORATORIUM SO THAT WE COULD TAKE THE TIME TO DO IT RIGHT." 18;56;22 TIA LL TAG: MAYOR WILLIAMS SAYS THE NEXT STEPS ARE TAKING ALL THE FEEDBACK FROM TUESDAY'S TOWN HALL MEETING AND REVIEW IT WITH THE CITY'S LEGAL TEAM. REPORTING IN POOLER - TIA MAGGIO - WJCL 22 NEWS. WJCL 22 NEWS - TIA MAGGIO - THANK YOU. WILLIAMS ALSO SAID SHE DOESN'T THINK ... TH