Edenton, North Carolina – an open and friendly town built on travelers and tourists leaning towards more restrictive policies against short-term rentals.
Chowan County, known as the “cradle of the colony” today relies on tourism and travelers to generate over $24 million dollars worth of impact in 2019, with dedicated agencies working to present Edenton and Chowan County such as VisitEdenton.com, Destination Downtown, Edenton Chowan Partnership, and other aligned organizations and groups.
The Edenton town council wants and needs to hear from you concerning support of Airbnb and Vrbo rentals in Edenton without overly restrictive policies or acting as a proxy to existing HOAs and areas which already have restrictive covenants such as for the Cotton Mill Village or the Historic District.
If you support attracting tourism and local business, reach out and provide your input and email your council member and lend your support for sensible and fair policies related to Airbnb and Vrbo hosts. This is one of the rare occasions where North Carolina is facing a situation where the law must react to modern times, unlike on other issues where legislators appear stuck in a more discriminatory past.
Note that rental taxes for short-term rentals are paid to the town, in Airbnb’s case these are automatically deducted and sent to the town from the host.
The next town council meeting
The next town council meeting is at 6:00 p.m. April 26, 2021. The meeting will be held in the Council Chambers, 504 S. Broad Street, however, due to COVID-19 and social distancing, seating will be severely restricted. Remote video and audio access to the meeting is provided using Zoom software. Please reach out to Anne-Marie Knighton the Edenton Town manager to register to speak in person for-or-against short-term rental policies being drafted.
They will require submission of comments by 5 pm if you plan to attend via Zoom, on the day of the meeting. It’s best for speakers to be in person. The Edenton Gazette plans to attend in person and it would be a pleasure to interview you on your input and experience. Keep in mind, those who contribute to the process will shape the final policies, so it should be in every Airbnb and Vrbo host’s interest to register to speak for 3 minutes representing your points of view and more important the need for Edenton to remain market-oriented and supportive of new innovated business opportunities for homeowners without bureaucratic or misaligned government restrictions.
The efforts of Airbnb and Vrbo hosts
As we have highlighted organizations that work tirelessly to increase visitors and tourism, another group of people also work tirelessly to bring tourists to Edenton and even attract a few new residents along the way. These are the families and homeowners who offer them homes and furnishings, they are the Airbnb and Vrbo homeowners of Edenton, many of which are considered SuperHosts with very high visitor ratings!
As a result, there are many couples who fall in love with the town and surrounding area, purchase a home or business, renovate it and contribute to the paradise we get to call home. It is the local Airbnb and Vrbo community’s desire to create the best experience for our guests as well as for our town and community.
Many visitors become repeat visitors, such as the wonderful couple who rented our Airbnb on Broad Street and other rentals around town over the years. Homeowners put a lot of work into creating great experiences for their guests and promote Edenton as a destination one must visit. Many of the visitors choose to stay in an Airbnb as they desire that ambiance and want to be part of a historic, charming city, wanting to feel part of Edenton when they wake up in a historic place and can walk the streets or waterfront in the morning or evening. They do not want the experience of a Bed and Breakfast, of which Edenton has some of the finest. Nor do they want to stay by Oceans Highway in the Hamptons Inn or other accommodations, many of which have great reviews from business travelers.
Considering the first Airbnb here was on Yeopim road at the Historic Bloomfarm, where the homeowner acquired at their own expense and moved a historic building to their farm, modernized it, and offered it on Airbnb to many years of hosting wonderful visitors to Edenton and the area.
Small amount of homes in edenton particapte in short term rentals.
If looking for a space to stay in Edenton over a weekend during April or May, there are 15 places still available. With a population of 4,676 and 2,084 households, this amounts to 0.72% of available homes in Edenton are available as a short-term rental – clearly, an amount that is disproportionate to the amount of effort and time being put into drafting new short-term rental restrictions and administrative processes that will increase operating costs to the existing Airbnb and Vrbo hosts and put additional strain on available accommodations in the area. Keeping in mind that Edenton already has ordinances concerning noise or events which are enforced and have processes in place to manage them.
What do guests say when they stay at an Edenton Airbnb? Here are a few examples:
Can’t say enough about this wonderful, cute loft! My husband and I came for a quick weekend getaway for his birthday. We were very impressed with the loft’s location! Walk out the front door and you are right in the middle of all the best shops and eateries. The place also has a beautiful view of the Cupola House out the big front windows. And although the back bedroom window is opaque for privacy, the sun makes little rainbows through it on your pillow to wake you up in the morning! These hosts have thought of everything and provided many amenities, including coffee (both keurig and drip), tea, and water bottles. And, can I just say…every home needs a giant, overstuffed bean bag chair! We loved theirs and used it to watch movies on the giant TV. Book this place. Book it now! In fact, we just booked our return trip!
Sarah – Airbnb March 2021 Guest to Edenton
This place was so charming and relaxing. Perfect for a couple. Everything was clean and very well stocked. We saved money by getting some groceries and eating in. Sitting on the porch from time to time, watching the squirrels across the street chase and play with each other, was a nice break. You can walk to “downtown” and the waterfront easily.
Dale – Airbnb September 2020 Guest to Edenton
Southern Hospitality is alive and well in Edenton, NC. You will experience the thoughtfulness and generosity of your hosts. It’s a step back in time with all the conveniences of modern living. We are already planning when we can return!
Steve – Airbnb April 2021 Guest to Edenton
Edenton has a vast history of travelers and visitors to the area.
“Now some history as this is the true testament why we need to remain accomodating to travelers and visitors to our town. The county was formed in 1668 by English settlers and was originally called Shaftesbury Precinct of Albemarle County. It was renamed Chowan Precinct around 1681 for the Chowan River, itself named for the Chowanoac Indians who inhabited the region. The county seat, Edenton, was known as the Town on Queen Anne’s Creek until it was incorporated as Edenton in 1722; the city is named for Charles Eden, a North Carolina royal governor. Edenton served as the capital of the colony of North Carolina from 1722 to 1743. It was also the location of the famous Edenton Tea Party (25 Oct. 1774) at which a group of Edenton women pledged unity against oppressive British rule as part of the foment leading up to the American Revolution. Other communities in Chowan County include Tyner, Ryland, Valhalla, and Hancock.”
“Chowan County, where pride of place is a distinguishing trait, has been called an “architectural treasure house.” With Historic Edenton State Historic Site as its center, the county is home to a number of structures that were built more than 200 years ago. These historic places include St. Paul’s Church (ca. 1736), the Chowan County Courthouse (1767), the James Iredell House (ca. 1773), the Cupola House (ca. 1758), the Barker House (1782), the Williams-Flurry House (ca. 1779), and Bennett’s Inn (ca. 1765). Harriet Jacobs, a fugitive slave, lived her early life in Edenton and depicted that life in her memoir, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (1861). Chowan County also hosts many annual events and festivals, such as the Tea Party Celebration, the Peanut Festival, and the Edenton Christmas Candlelight Tour.
Notable physical features of Chowan County’s geography include Edenton Bay, Bear Swamp, Dillard Mill Pond, Bluff Point, and Cherry Point. Among the county’s agricultural products are oats, tobacco, wheat, sweet potatoes and Irish potatoes, cotton, sorghum, chickens, and beef cattle. Its manufactured products include elastics, fishmeal, motor yachts, and carded cotton. ” –ncpedia
