Posted on 03/13/2009 12:30:15 PM PDT by AndrewWalden
When the case first began less than three years ago, the School of Tantra Web site said, "Enjoy seven days of exotic erotic fun in paradise!" Lovell said. "So we said, 'Aha, this is still a violation of short-term rentals, once we say that they advertised to provide accommodations there." ... Now, they only offer the occasional classes, which often have sexual themes, or "therapy" sessions in rented community rooms or maybe while taking a hike ....
(Excerpt) Read more at hawaiifreepress.com ...
I don’t have time to read all of this article. Is there a happy ending?
IBTP!
Whack-O Nut Jobs ... all of them!
World Peace Association?....
Perhaps “World Piece of A#@ Association” makes more sense.
I can't even keep it straight to make a comment...
“According to the civil complaint against the Lessins, which was filed March 5 in 2nd Circuit Court, Planning Department inspectors went to the property Aug. 8, 2006, after receiving a complaint from a guest. They said they found four structures on the property with multiple rooms and kitchens as well as people staying there.
Over the next two months, the inspectors issued three violations for operating a vacation rental without the proper permits and having single-family homes with more than one kitchen. The Lessins appealed the decision to the county Board of Variances and Appeals. They lost their appeal on May 22, 2007. They did not appeal to state court.
But, according to court documents, they never paid fines levied by the county, which would have been roughly $50,000 at the time of the board of appeals decision.
Negotiations for a settlement also never got anywhere, Lovell said. So the clock on the fines continues to run to this day. She said she doubts the county will back down much from the $800,000 figure since she does not believe the Lessins have made a good-faith effort to resolve the case.
And, if indeed they no longer operate short-term rentals, at this point it’s the Lessins’ responsibility to pay their fines and invite the inspectors out to clear up the matter for good, Lovell said.
When The Maui News inspected the Lessins’ Web site Thursday, there was still a link for “accommodations.” But it could not be accessed without a name and password.
Currently, vacation rentals are only allowed in select hotel/resort districts and not in residential or agricultural zones without county conditional use permits. In an agricultural zone, the applicants also need a special use permit from the state.
Obtaining a permit is a laborious, expensive and time-consuming process that short-term rental owners for years have tried to change and streamline. They continue to say it is an unfair process and the Maui Vacation Rental Association has tried unsuccessfully to halt Mayor Charmaine Tavares’ crackdown on illegal vacation rentals.
However, last year - after months of Planning Committee meetings - the County Council passed a new ordinance that expanded the definition of bed-and-breakfast businesses and allowed them in agricultural and rural areas. The Planning Committee, which was given a new chairman, Sol Kaho’ohalahala, in January has yet to take up the more controversial vacation rental legislation, but has pledged to do so.”
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Setting aside the New Age silliness, it looks like this couple is being persecuted by the island’s limitless bureaucracy for running a vacation bed-and-breakfast operating on their property. Without having gone through some unbelievably expensive and prolonged permitting process. Being that they are apparently in a residential or agricultural zone.
Let’s hear it for the persecution of entrepreneurship in the Brave New Obamaland.
And on what night do they all see the physiciatrist?...
Well... doesn’t that beat all...
Most psych majors I ever met got into it for one reason, they wanted to know “what the heck happened to me!”.
Read in the paper about a woman who shot her married lover's wife. She went to the same school I was at. I asked around the table “Anyone want to guess her major?”. Everyone laughed and said “Psych!”. They were right.
Michael Savage said it. They’re all in it for the sex.
The interesting thing is the locals seemed to have no problem with a sex resort. The local mayor, however, is on a jihad against people doing "short term rentals" of their residential property, imposing draconian fines to stop any such operation. It's a zoning dispute.
So they are trying to stamp out the bed and breakfast trade that undercuts the pricing of resort hotels.
Bingo!
Who can honestly say that they don't do this???!?
Who can honestly say that they don’t do this???!?
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Don’t do what?
It.
For the record, I’m not the “Bill” referred to in the story.
Oh.
And I am not the 'sionnsar," "anti-sionnsar", or anyone else I think referenced in the story.
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