In the murky waters of Lake Geneva, where time seems to crawl at the pace of a sloth on tranquilizers, the government’s wheels grind ever so slowly, particularly when it comes to matters entwined with the tourism juggernaut. The city council, in a feeble attempt to reign in the wild beast of short-term rentals (STRs), took its first stuttering stride by greenlighting an ad hoc committee to mull over the conundrum for the next half a year. It’s a tired old dance, this appointing of committees, a political gambit designed to quell the masses while accomplishing precisely diddly-squat.
But let’s not hold our breath for miracles, my friends. This committee, decked out with STR owners and the titans of the tourism industry, seems more like a charade than a solution. Leading the charge is Joel Holland, a man with ties to a neighborhood that’s none too pleased with the STR invasion, their streets transformed into veritable obstacle courses for unsuspecting children and pedestrians, lacking as they are in the basic amenity of sidewalks.
And who populates this illustrious committee, you ask? Well, aside from Chairman Holland, we’ve got Joan Yunker, doubling as both 1st District Alder and Plan Commissioner, along with a trio of concerned residents: Emily Hummel, Carroll Pearson, and Neal Kolb. Rounding out the lineup are three STR owners/managers: Tom Keefe, Luke Pfeifer, and Jason Smolarek.
Word on the street, courtesy of Joel himself, is that Lake Geneva boasts 73 licensed STRs, with an additional 30 lurking in the shadows, unlicensed and unchecked.
This isn’t the first rodeo, mind you. Back in December of 2023, a similar ad hoc committee proposal bit the dust, but this time around, it managed to squeak through the bureaucratic quagmire. Alderperson Frame might have had reservations about the committee’s cozy relationship with STR owners, but with the Building Inspector conspicuously absent from the roster, the motion sailed through without a single dissenting voice.
Who gave it the nod, you wonder? Well, let’s tip our hats to Council President Mary Jo Fesenmaier, Council Vice President Cindy Yager, and a lineup of Alderpersons including Tim Dunn, Peg Esposito, Linda Frame, Ken Howell, Shari Straube, and the aforementioned Joan Yunker.
And let’s not forget the root of this whole mess – the Republicans and their champion Scott Walker, who saw fit to toss Act 59 into the state budget back in September of 2017, sparking the STR inferno that now rages through Lake Geneva’s quaint neighborhoods.
Changes from Wisconsin Act 59 from September 2017
66.1014 Limits on residential dwelling rental prohibited.
(1) In this section:
(a) “Political subdivision” means any city, village, town, or county.
(b) “Residential dwelling” means any building, structure, or part of the building or structure, that is used or intended to be used as a home, residence, or sleeping place by one person or by 2 or more persons maintaining a common household, to the exclusion of all others.
(2)
(a) Subject to par. (d), a political subdivision may not enact or enforce an ordinance that prohibits the rental of a residential dwelling for 7 consecutive days or longer.
(b) If a political subdivision has in effect on September 23, 2017, an ordinance that is inconsistent with par. (a) or (d), the ordinance does not apply and may not be enforced.
(c) Nothing in this subsection limits the authority of a political subdivision to enact an ordinance regulating the rental of a residential dwelling in a manner that is not inconsistent with the provisions of pars. (a) and (d).
(d)
1. If a residential dwelling is rented for periods of more than 6 but fewer than 30 consecutive days, a political subdivision may limit the total number of days within any consecutive 365-day period that the dwelling may be rented to no fewer than 180 days. The political subdivision may not specify the period of time during which the residential dwelling may be rented, but the political subdivision may require that the maximum number of allowable rental days within a 365-day period must run consecutively. A person who rents the person’s residential dwelling shall notify the clerk of the political subdivision in writing when the first rental within a 365-day period begins.
2. Any person who maintains, manages, or operates a short-term rental, as defined in s. 66.0615 (1) (dk), for more than 10 nights each year, shall do all of the following:
a. Obtain from the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection a license as a tourist rooming house, as defined in s. 97.01 (15k).
b. Obtain from a political subdivision a license for conducting such activities, if a political subdivision enacts an ordinance requiring such a person to obtain a license.History: 2017 a. 59; 2021 a. 55, 240; s. 35.17 correction in (2) (a).
SHORT-TERM RENTALS LAW
Incorporates changes from Wisconsin Act 59 from September 2017
History: 2017 a. 59; 2021 a. 55, 240; s. 35.17 correction in (2) (a).
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