Ponderosa Estates to Ban Vacation Rentals?

The Chiwawa River Pines neighborhood‘s discussion about prohibiting vacation rentals has been a hot topic on this blog and a heated discussion at the association meeting has recently turned into a lawsuit.
It seems that the Ponderosa Estates neighborhood aka the Ponderosa Community Club is considering doing the same.

Bill Griffin, current President of the Ponderosa Community Club writes in the September issue of the Needler, Ponderosa’s online newsletter:

I submit that short-term rentals are not good for the Ponderosa because they destroy the members-only character of our community by introducing an element that has little or no understanding of our needs, that have no vested interest in maintaining the properties they are using or in preserving the peace of the neighborhood. They move in for a brief time, enjoy themselves and move on to the next place. Their neighbors do not know who, how many, or for what purpose these transient users will occupy the residence next door.

The message from the Vice President of the Ponderosa Community Club, Ann Ashford reads more like a public notice:

Hello Members!
This note is meant to invite you to a very special member’s meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to talk about rental houses and their involvement in the Ponderosa Community Club. We would like to talk about the negative and the positive experiences that you have had with renters, landlords, and rental properties.
We would like to discuss how they benefit our community and change our community. Please think about the experiences you have had personally, and come ready to discuss and share your concerns and praises. We would really like to hear from full time residents, part time residents, rental landlords and any members of the Club who have opinions.
This is meant to be an open time to discuss everything that is happening with rentals, without the time constraints of a board meeting. The Board has a lot of decisions to make regarding the rules of the Ponderosa Community Club and we need your help to understand where we should focus our time, and which issues are not as big of a concern to the members. Please remember that each member has a right to do whatever they choose with their own property. We, as a Board, cannot change that. We just need your input to steer us towards the real issues at hand.
Thank you so much, and we look forward to speaking with all of you at the meeting.
October 10th 1 pm at the Ponderosa Community Clubhouse

I don’t know if members of the general public are welcome at the meeting, but I certainly suggest that anyone who owns property in Ponderosa attend this meeting. I certainly know that home buyers considering purchasing in the Ponderosa neighborhood are anxiously awaiting the outcome and I know that folks who currently own vacation rentals should go and make sure they are part of the discussion.

UPDATE OCTOBER 2010

Apparently, Ponderosa Estates has decided to continue to allow vacation rentals. One of our dear readers, Mark, brought it to my attention that this decision was recently published online in the October Minutes of the Ponderosa Community Club Board Meeting .
Motion made that members have the right to rent their private property without association interference as he/she chooses either to rent or not to rent as long as within Washington State requirements and Chelan County restrictions – Jeanne/Daryn, all approved, motion carries.