The heart of a community, it can be argued, is not in its Main Street, but in its neighborhoods. The growth of a town can threaten neighborhoods as populations increase and boundaries expand. This is especially true of resort cities like Moab, where a good percentage of people who lay their heads on pillows each night are visitors stopping by to enjoy our sights and events.

    We share our roads with visitors, we select our groceries among them, and we pump gas right alongside their vehicles...But we shouldn't have to share our neighborhoods, the last areas in our community that preserve our sense of place and family.

    Moab-area residents in recent weeks have asked elected officials to make decisions to protect their neighborhoods. In the old-town section of the city, residents successfully argued against creating a commercial zone. And in Spanish Valley, residents have called for restrictions on nightly rentals in new developments.

    The Grand County Planning Commission's proposed amendments to the land use code will go a long way, if adopted, in preserving the integrity of neighborhoods in unincorporated county areas. These same restrictions already exist within the city limits, but the construction of new condominiums and second homes in Spanish Valley has placed additional impacts on what has been an agrarian valley dotted with clusters of homes.

    While we support the growth, we don't support the dilution of all areas with housing that operates as tourist lodging. Tempting as it might be for a property owner to rent his home or guest house every weekend when events come to town, that type of commerce should only occur where it's appropriate.

    The county planning commission's recommendations are now before the Grand County Council for approval. The proposed code changes would require developers to meet certain criteria, including sufficient parking and protection of public water sources. To qualify for overnight rentals, the owner of each new dwelling would have to acquire a business license, and the unit(s) would have to be managed by a locally licensed agent.

    By adopting these amendments, the county will also help maintain a business climate that is fair to existing lodging businesses. The owners and developers of these properties have had to comply with restrictive codes, they've taken out business licenses, and they've had to establish their companies in accordance with zoning regulations. These ventures pay high commercial property taxes, and the visitors who stay there are levied a transient room tax that is a huge source of funding for the community. It's not likely that mom and pop are charging their temporary guests the same taxes, and some may not even be reporting the income from their rentals.

    Here in Moab we benefit from living near some of the most beautiful scenery on earth. We can enjoy wonderful restaurants, and a year-round event schedule that draws visitors from far and wide. But when the kids get off the school bus, they deserve to walk to their homes in a quiet neighborhood. When our Main Street is roaring with enthusiastic drivers here for Jeep Safari or the car show, our residents should be able to escape to the sanctuary of their neighborhoods and not have the house next door be a temporary home to vacationing visitors, who sometimes crowd the curbs with their plethora of toys from boats to RVs and ATVs.

    There is a place for our visitors. In fact, there are lots of places for them. But the place is not in our neighborhoods. The county council should adopt the recommendations put forward by the county planning commission, which has worked hard to revise codes that will  keep our neighborhoods, and thus our community, intact.