Posted: Feb 15, 2012 5:06 PM
Updated: Feb 16, 2012 3:01 PM
TUCSON - The long brewing mini-dorm controversy between Midtown neighbors and developers is coming to an end, after council members vote to ban landlords from renting out homes to five or more unrelated people.
The ordinance does not apply to landlords already renting out homes to large groups before the ordinance passed, as long as the residents aren't cited for noise complaints. Landlords will have to provide documentation that proves residents started renting the home before the ordinance passed. "We want to protect the historic buildings, we want to maintain the character of the neighborhood and we want to maintain the low density that we're supposed to have," says Bob Schlanger of the Jefferson Park Neighborhood Association.
Richard Studwell is a developer who has one six bedroom home. He says he has thought about building more, but thinks this ordinance is necessary to resolve this long standing battle between residents and builders. "I think the bigger picture is we build trust with all the neighborhood associations who are going to interact with future development in Tucson," Studwell says. "I think that's a more important than whether or not someone builds larger houses."
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