Americans have the right to earn, own, use, enjoy and profit from private property. We can have cats and dogs, too.

If our pets become troublesome, Wilmington has an ordinance and a control officer to fix any transgressions on our neighbors.

If our neighbor hosts a half-dozen fraternity kids to noisily and intrusively party out all night after skiing all day all presidents week, well then we need to keep the short-term rental next door from doing that ever again. So Wilmington needs an ordinance and a control officer to fix any transgressions on our neighborhood.

The proper ordinance will have the power to prevent such transgressions from recurring, by revoking from repeat transgressors the permit to operate the short term rental for a significant time. The proper ordinance will balance the rights of the individual with the security and prosperity of our community.

Our community is split yet again between the folks who want to earn their living doing everything “but” operating a short term rental, and those who do. I remember well similar days when the split was over the water plant. Funny how that plant has helped the town to grow so much so fast.

Some 70 years ago, another split resulted in the school property line bisecting the town. What is relevant about that, is that half of our community endures excessive school taxes.

Imagine moving that line to the town borderline, and enacting a restrictive str policy including a grandfather clause. Then enforcing the properly revised str ordinance throughout our community.

Imagine enacting within our land use map specific area restrictions that preserve neighborhood social awareness without any str properties, excepting those grandfathered.

If you see within your field of vision projects that can make what you can see better, and you actually “do” some projects every day to make what you can see better, then a few decades down the road I can assure you that you will find yourself — and your neighbors — living in a pretty nice place.

Take a peek outside your eyes and windows.

What can you see?

Best wishes for a healthy and pleasant winter into springtime!

Karl von Entress

Wilmington