Short term rental law passed, but will it be final?

At last, Seneca has a law to regulate home rentals on a short-term basis. The vote on final reading last night was 6 to 2. Not all are happy, however, and some who left City Hall last night wondered whether property owners who find the law prohibitive will mount legal challenges. Key to this ordinance is a provision allowing full-time Seneca residents to rent their properties on a short-term basis and keeping a lower tax assessment, as explained to 101.7/WGOG NEWS by Scott Moulder, city administrator. The leader of the South Carolina Association of Realtors, Nick Kremydas, cautioned the city council that a number of other communities have embarked on short-term rental laws only to find them challenged in court. Kremydas urged the Seneca elected leaders “to slow this down.” But Flora Riley, president of the Normandy Shores Property Owners, told the council that they have taken sufficient time to work their way through the issue and it’s time to resolve. Later in the meeting Riley’s husband, Ernest Riley, made a defiant retort to the state realtors CEO. Only councilmen Moore and Pohl voted in the minority. Mayor Alexander was absent from the meeting.