Jenny Rutherford

Important Update on Tybee’s Proposed STVR Ordinance and Some Genuinely Good News…

First, I want to take a moment to give credit where it is due. The current City Council has worked hard on this, and I do not take that lightly. Dividing the island into zones and opening licensing up to property owners who never had access before is a real and meaningful step forward. It reflects the promises many of them made during their campaigns to support homeowners, local businesses, and the Tybee economy, and I am genuinely grateful for that effort. I also recognize that they are navigating enormous outside pressure from groups who do not want anything to change at all, and I respect that they have held the line and moved this forward anyway.

And let’s talk about something that does not get said enough: Tybee has more full time residents than ever. We have been fighting hard to keep our school open and thriving on this island, and that fight has been worth it because our community is growing, not shrinking. Restoring private property rights does not change that. It does not mean we are losing residents or turning Tybee into a tourist town. What it means is that families get to keep their options open.

Life happens. A job relocation, a health crisis, a divorce, the loss of a loved one. These are real things that real Tybee families face, and right now some of them are being forced to sell a home they would have kept if they simply had the flexibility to rent it out during a hard season of life. That is not right. Restoring these rights means a family can hold onto their piece of Tybee even when life throws something unexpected at them.

It also makes homeownership more attainable for the families who want to put down roots here in the first place. Being able to rent out a room, a unit, or your whole home while you travel or while you are between chapters is what makes ownership sustainable for so many people. Homeowners having flexibility is not a threat to this community. 😅

I also want to clear something up, because there is a lot of fear-based messaging out there. Restoring private property rights to every homeowner does not mean Tybee suddenly becomes overrun with vacation rentals. Did you drive around on Memorial Day on Tybee? There were so many open parking spots! It simply means that every home has flexibility. In reality, many homeowners were struggling to rent even 60 days a year, which is part of why the minimum rental requirement is being reconsidered. It was complicated to track and not reflective of how people actually use their properties.

Tybee is at a turning point, and I think it is a beautiful one. This island has always been a place where people fall in love, put down roots, raise families, move to retire to live out their beach dreams and come back year after year. That does not have to change. What can change is the narrative. Tybee can be a place that welcomes everyone, full time residents, second home owners, and vacationers alike, without pitting neighbors against each other. That is the Tybee I believe in.

Personally to me, a compromise that still leaves some homeowners out is not a finish line. I would encourage everyone to support what the Council has proposed as a strong starting point, cheer them on for getting us this far, and urge them to keep going until every homeowner has equal standing under the law. Every homeowner deserves equal protection, and having that right does not mean your neighbor’s home automatically becomes a vacation rental. It just means they have the same freedom you do. We are so close. Let’s get there together. 🌊🐢

Good morning, Tybee community! 🌊 I need to take a moment to talk about something that affects ALL of us here on the island: property owners, buyers, sellers, and visitors alike. There is an STR (Short-Term Rental) Planning Commission workshop this Thursday, June 4 at 5:00 PM, and your voice matters right now.

The proposed ordinance is still moving through the public review process, and here’s the timeline you need to know: after Thursday’s workshop, the Planning Commission meets again June 23rd. If it advances, City Council public hearings are currently scheduled for Thursdays: July 9th and August 13th, meaning we could be looking at a final decision as late as mid-August. That’s months more of uncertainty for buyers, sellers, and property owners who have already been waiting far too long… all while we are in the hottest time for buyers to visit!

I also want to take a moment to give credit where it is due. The current City Council has worked hard on this, and I do not take that lightly. Dividing the island into zones and opening licensing up to property owners who never had access before is a real step forward, and it reflects the promises many of them made during their campaigns to support homeowners, local businesses, and the Tybee economy. I am genuinely grateful for that effort. I also recognize that they are navigating enormous outside pressure from groups who do not want anything to change at all, and I respect that they have held the line and moved this conversation forward anyway. But I want to gently remind our council members that they have the power and the authority to restore private property rights for every homeowner on this island, not just some of them. A compromise that still leaves people out is not a finish line. I would encourage everyone to support what they have proposed as a starting point, cheer them on for getting us this far, and urge them to keep going until every homeowner has equal standing. We are close. Let’s get there together.

Frankly, the delays from the Planning Commission have been unnecessary, and this issue deserves to be resolved. We would love to see the City Council call a Special Meeting to put this to rest sooner rather than later. If you agree, say so in your emails. Elected officials need to hear that this community is ready for a decision. They are discussing the nuts and bolts of what are exactly proposed in this ordinance right now. 

Here’s what I’m asking you to do: email the Planning Commission AND City Council *before* Thursday.

Why? Because the current fee proposal is excessive. 😅 For larger homes accommodating up to 10+ guests, we’re talking $2,000 per year in licensing fees. With gas pushing $5 a gallon and vacationers already booking last-minute because of inflation, this feels less like regulation and more like the city fundraising on the backs of property owners who are already navigating a slow season. That’s tone-deaf, and it further separates the haves from the have-nots in a community that should be welcoming everyone. This cost is also passed along to people coming on vacation, which makes it more inaccessible for those who look forward to their once a year trip to the island.

And here’s something many people don’t realize: the city is already facing a lawsuit over the legality of charging STR registration fees in the first place. Significantly increasing those fees while that case is still pending and awaiting a court decision is not a good look, 👀 and it raises serious questions about the city’s judgment and priorities right now. 💵

Here’s what a fair ordinance should look like:

✅ Grandfather in existing STR license holders in perpetuity, just like the City of Savannah has done. If you’ve played by the rules through these last 10 years of ever changing “rules”, your license should be protected for future homeowners & family. If you don’t re-register, it goes to a waiting list. That’s fair.

✅ Restore private property rights to ALL homeowners equally. It should not matter how long you have owned on the island, who you know, or where your property is located. Every homeowner deserves equal protection under the law. If the concern is noise, parking, or neighborhood impact, then enforce those rules uniformly across the island for every property, owner-occupied or not. Having the right to rent does not mean every home becomes a vacation rental. In fact, stripping those rights does not stop rentals. It just pushes them underground.

✅ Reasonable, realistic registration fees that reflect *actual* administrative costs, not a revenue grab dressed up as regulation. Under state law, the cost to register a golf cart is $15 and a local municipality can only charge that once every 5 years. That’s why renewals on Tybee are FREE because they have already collected your info. As a reminder, our current state law actually *prohibits the local government from requiring registration of residential rental property*. This ordinance specifically targets, residential rental property in residential zones. 

✅ Protect buyer flexibility. Even buyers who don’t plan to operate a vacation rental want the option. Restricting that shrinks the buyer pool, stalls sales, and hurts everyone’s property values.

✅ Stop the narrative that Tybee has “too many” vacation rentals. Some commissioners are even arguing many vacation homes sit empty. If they’re sitting empty right now, that’s called a slow season during inflation, not an argument for stripping property rights.

Tybee needs to welcome vacationers AND property owners AND buyers. Uncertainty around this ordinance has already caused buyers to pause. Sellers are affected. The entire market feels the ripple.

If you own property here, are thinking of buying, or simply love this community, please send an email. I’m happy to share City Council and Planning Commission contact information. Just drop a comment below or send me a DM.

Let’s make sure Tybee stays a place where everyone feels welcome. 🐢

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