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Zoning Bulletin March 25, 2014 ( Volume 8 I Issue 6 <br />governments from making new rules to ban, restrict or simply address is- <br />sues involving vacation rentals." Supporters of the bills say cities need to <br />be given "the flexibility to come up with solutions that work for their <br />community." Other supporters say: "The issue is about buildings that are <br />being constructed in residential neighborhoods with a dozen bedrooms <br />and 10 baths with the intention of using them as mini -hotels." Meanwhile, <br />opponents of the bills contend they would risk jobs and threaten the prop- <br />erty rights of owners. HB 307 has been approved and advanced by the <br />Business and Professional Regulation Subcommittee. Two additional <br />hearings before other committees have yet to be scheduled. SB 356 was <br />advanced by the Community Affairs and Regulated Industries <br />committees. <br />Source: CBS Miami; http://miami.cbslocal.cor <br />IDAHO <br />Under pending legislation in the State House of Representatives, <br />House Bill 480, city design review rules would all become voluntary. In <br />other words, if passed into law, under the legislation, "developers in <br />Idaho couldn't be told to make structural changes in proposed buildings <br />for aesthetic reasons." Under the bill, cities could still impose design <br />requirements in designated historic districts, and for signage, lighting, <br />landscaping and screening, regulate surface finishes, and require <br />conditional -use permits for some developments. Opponents of the bill <br />reportedly argue that "city design rules protect values that local com- <br />munities decide are important." The bill has been approved by the House <br />Local Government Committee and has been set to the full House for <br />debate. <br />Source: The Spokesman -Review; www.spokesman.com <br />MARYLAND <br />Reportedly, "Republican state legislators have filed bills aimed at help- <br />ing landowners who could potentially suffer property value losses caused <br />by state restrictions on major residential developments served by septic <br />systems." The bills —House Bill 576 and Senate Bill 176 seek to assist <br />landowners whose properties have dropped in value due to the Sustain- <br />able Growth and Agricultural Preservation Act of 2012, which aims to <br />restrict residential subdivisions served by septic systems. Under that <br />2012 law, which aims to reduce nutrient pollution from septic systems, <br />local growth plan maps should provide for four tiers, with the fourth tier <br />restricted from building major residential subdivisions served by septic <br />systems. Those jurisdictions without growth maps are restricted from ap- <br />proving any large residential subdivisions that are hooked up to septic <br />systems. "House Bill 576 requires the state to pay landowners whose <br />property values have been reduced due to septic system restrictions," <br />with payments based on an average of estimates made by three appraisers. <br />2014 Thomson Reuters 11 <br />