Topics for this post:
- Town Hall on February 19th
- South of Harbor Shoreline Study
- Short-term Rentals (Airbnb)
Town Hall on February 19th
The first town hall meeting (the city calls them “listening sessions”) will be on February 19th from 6:00 to 7:30 PM at Lester Library. The city isn’t promoting them at all, so consider this your heads-up.
The format will be completely driven by what residents want to talk about, and they’ll be a few city council members there to listen and learn what is important to you. These sessions won’t be televised to make it easier for people to speak freely. Whether you have concerns, ideas, or just want to hear what’s being discussed, this is your chance.
Remember, the city council has said that if residents don’t show up, there’s no guarantee these will continue. If you’ve been frustrated and feeling that the city doesn’t listen to its residents, then It’s crucial that you make an effort to be there.
South of Harbor Shoreline Study
At last Monday’s city council work session, the council discussed a grant-funded study to come up with a long-term plan to address issues with the south shoreline. Though much of the payment requires the city to pay out and be reimbursed, this study is fully grant funded.
The goal of the study is to develop plans for:
- Helping the area handle changing lake levels better
- Improving public access and use of the shoreline, especially from the harbor to the Lighthouse Inn.
- Planting native vegetation along the shoreline to enhance the environment
- Adding “green infrastructure” to manage stormwater runoff along Memorial Drive
No new information came to light during the work session other than what I already wrote about last week.
Short Term Rentals (Airbnbs)
Who Stood Where
Just as I said they would, and despite me reminding them that 97 people said they want more Airbnb restrictions, not less, Mr. Buckley continually made it a point to tell the council that only seven people emailed them about Airbnbs.
The city council was unprepared as usually, still not knowing what other places are doing, with members wrongly assuming the fire department inspects STRs and being unaware that other cities already require bedroom counts in applications.
- Bonnie Shimulunascontinually fought for residents and pointed out the ridiculousness of letting neighborhoods be gutted for profit.
- Adam Wachowskistood up against bad STR owner behavior, pushing for limits on light, noise, and other police complaints.
- Doug Brandt, Bill LeClair, and Mark Bittner fought hardest for real estate investors, pretending they care about “property rights” while ignoring how these purchases destroy housing for actual families from Two Rivers. That said, Mr. Bittner pushed the that neighbors should have a say in approving Airbnb licenses near them.
- Darla LeClairand Greg Buckleycontinued to fight for tourists over residents.
- Shannon Derby rarely spoke, and Tim Petri was so quiet I couldn’t hear him when he did.
Occupancy Limits
As expected, the council wildly loosened the limits on how many tourists can pack into an Airbnb.
The intent of the family language in our ordinances was ignored, and instead of clarifying it, they’re just getting rid of it. That language was always meant to limit STRs to a single family with maybe a long-term guest (like a mother-in-law). It’s not complicated, but our lawyer and city manager are being intentionally confusing.
So what did they replace it with? Two people per bedroom, plus four extra.
- The 3-bedroom house next door to you? That’s 10 people on vacation, being loud and hanging out outside all summer, while you have to get up for work in the morning and your kid needs to sleep before school.
- The house next door to me? 18 renters at a time.
And yes, they think this is reasonable.
Police Calls & Enforcement
Mr. Wachowski pushed for a real standard for revoking STR licenses after repeated citations.
- The city’s own lawyer forgot what’s in the ordinance, thinking he made up “conviction” as a requirement for license revocation. It was already in there.
- That means even when an STR has repeated noise complaints, unruly parties, or disruptive guests, nothing happens unless there’s a conviction in court, a standard no other city requires. Every other city is 2-3 police calls for service because those cities prioritize their residents’ happiness, not tourists and investors.
At least Adam argued for a fair system, but the resistance from the city manager and STR defenders was clear: They want enforcement to be as weak as possible to protect the property owner, not the families that want to live a peaceful life next door.
Other Takeaways
- Mark Bittner suggested neighborhoods should have more say in STR approvals, similar to a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) process.
- Darla LeClairimmediately shot it down, saying only elected officials should make that decision, as if residents don’t deserve a voice.
- The city attorney confirmed it would be legal to require neighbor input, but that didn’t stop Darla from shutting it down.
This is exactly why true conservatism means protecting families, not just letting a handful of investors get rich. The free market is a powerful force, but it only works when it benefits the people who live, work, and raise their kids here – not just those looking to squeeze every dollar out of a neighborhood before moving on to the next investment.
A community isn’t just a collection of properties to be bought and sold. It’s the families who build their lives here, the kids who grow up in stable homes, and the neighbors who look out for each other. When government refuses to step in to protect that, it’s not capitalism. It’s just selling out.
It’s time to tell the council how you feel.
Because the Airbnb owners and realtors are doing it right now.
https://www.two-rivers.org/citycouncil/webform/contact-council
Meeting Agenda Packet
You can read the full packet that council members get here:
https://mccmeetings.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/tworivrswi-pubu/MEET-Packet-2faf5ee520564aecb33f3385850e57bb.pdf
We, the residents of Two Rivers call on our city leaders to take action to protect the character, affordability, and local businesses of our community. Short-term rentals and vacation homes have grown in number, raising property values and making it harder for families to afford homes. This shift impacts our city’s long-term stability, weakening the close-knit spirit that defines Two Rivers. We have already lost many of the places that made our town special - major employers, stores, restaurants, the pool and the high school - and now the community itself is at risk of becoming just a destination rather than a home. We urge the city council to: Let’s preserve Two Rivers as a community where families can thrive, neighbors know one another, schools and businesses are filled with long-term residents.
