Help governing extended stay hotel/motels

[Al Schultz]

We had a request for an extended stay hotel/motel. The proposed facility was not an upscale project and we fear the ramifications of "extended stay." We have placed a moratorium on hotels/motels until we can consider our position. We are concerned about the long term use, fearing that the facility will not attract the type of clients we desire and may even decline leaving us with a low quality (perhaps low cost) rooming or boarding house in an upscale commercial area.

I am wondering how other municipalities are regulating this hybrid type of hotel/motel.

[luckless pedestrian]

You might want to think about putting in requirements for design review, so the facade won't be "anytown-Marriott" out of a can.

You can't really control who stays there (though wouldn't that be fun in a sadistic way) - but you can think about where you want them to go - they should be located near your job centers - hospitals, universities, R & D, and office parks since many of those commercial operations make use of the extended stay product. so at least, the clientele will more than likely be a person temporarily employed by one of those listed operations.

If you allow them in corridors or too close to residential neighborhoods or near goods and services, then you risk the clientele you seem to be alluding to...they aren't a leader in land use like a college or a new office building, I would say, for economic growth, they are typically located because of the demand for the extended stay service that's already there

Good luck - I deal with hotels alot in my job (but it's for resort/tourism products now, before it was for the list noted above) so I know how you feel!

[Repo Man]

I would consider regulating any extended-stay hotels as a conditional use or under a PUD agreement, that way you can place additional restrictions including architectural design standards to ensure you get a quality product. This would also give you a means to revoke a conditional use permit or PUD should any problems arise.

I don't think that extended stay hotels really attract a bad element unless they are old low-rent ones. The newer ones are usually far too expensive to attract the "clients" you are worrid about. I think that they are geared towards 3 groups of people: 1) people in town for longer term work assignments 2) people who are moving to town and need a place to stay for a few months while they seek permanant housing or those displaced from their homes on a temporary basis. and 3) people with relatives in the area that may want to stay for a longer period of time. My grandparents would rent extended stay hotels when they would come to visit their grandchildren.

[Al Schultz]

Dear luckless pedestrian,

Thank you for your passing along your experience and insights.

You might want to think about putting in requirements for design review, so the facade won't be "anytown-Marriott" out of a can.

You can't really control who stays there (though wouldn't that be fun in a sadistic way) - but you can think about where you want them to go - they should be located near your job centers - hospitals, universities, R & D, and office parks since many of those commercial operations make use of the extended stay product. so at least, the clientele will more than likely be a person temporarily employed by one of those listed operations.

If you allow them in corridors or too close to residential neighborhoods or near goods and services, then you risk the clientele you seem to be alluding to...they aren't a leader in land use like a college or a new office building, I would say, for economic growth, they are typically located because of the demand for the extended stay service that's already there

Good luck - I deal with hotels alot in my job (but it's for resort/tourism products now, before it was for the list noted above) so I know how you feel!

Dear Repo Man,

Thank you for responding; your insights are helpful. You speak of revoking CUP's and PUD's. I am wondering about your ability to revoke a permit? Once they have established, don't they have vested rights protected by the state that prohibit you from revoking? Isn't the state working on legislation to diminish the municipality's authority over issuing and revoking CUP's?

I would consider regulating any extended-stay hotels as a conditional use or under a PUD agreement, that way you can place additional restrictions including architectural design standards to ensure you get a quality product. This would also give you a means to revoke a conditional use permit or PUD should any problems arise.

I don't think that extended stay hotels really attract a bad element unless they are old low-rent ones. The newer ones are usually far too expensive to attract the "clients" you are worrid about. I think that they are geared towards 3 groups of people: 1) people in town for longer term work assignments 2) people who are moving to town and need a place to stay for a few months while they seek permanant housing or those displaced from their homes on a temporary basis. and 3) people with relatives in the area that may want to stay for a longer period of time. My grandparents would rent extended stay hotels when they would come to visit their grandchildren.

[Repo Man]

In most cases you can revoke a conditional use permit by using the same process that was used to grant it. In a City this would require appearing before the Plan Commission, who would review the violations and make a recommendation to the Common Council, who has the final say.

[mallen]

In the late 90's my area was innundated with new extended stay hotels. Additionally, some of our older hotels converted to extended stay. They simply add refrigerators and market to a different clientele. We recently completed a study of our hotel-related crime and our extended stay units accounted for about 90% of our police calls. We plan to address this in the near future, but are still developing an efective strategy. I am not saying all extended stay hotels are bad. But it seems that all bad hotels are extended stay. (We have some quality extended stay facilities that cater to business travelers and persons relocating.)

In the meantime, we created several performance requirements for all new hotels. I'm not sure how effective they really are. Granted, some are stupid. But some do tend to impede construction of the lower-tier extended stay facility. I don't know if it is the market here or the regulations. In any event, here you go...

"Hotels and Motels, provided:
a. Each hotel/motel shall be accessed through a main or central lobby with a lobby at least 1,000 square feet.
b. Each guest room shall be accessed through an interior hallway and shall not have access to the exterior of the building (except through the central lobby).
c. Each hotel/motel site shall be a minimum of two acres.
d. Each hotel/motel must provide staff or management on duty twenty-four (24) hours a day.
e. Each guest room shall have a minimum of three hundred (300) square feet.
f. Each hotel/motel building shall have a minimum roof pitch of four (4) in twelve (12).
g. Each hotel/motel shall provide an enclosed heated and air conditioned laundry space with a minimum of three washers and three dryers exclusively available for guest use.
h. Outside storage of commercial equipment is prohibited.
i. Each hotel/motel shall provide a fitness or recreational center with a minimum of 400 square feet which is available to guests.
j. Each hotel/motel must provide a single, enclosed meeting or conference space on the premises of 1,000 square feet or greater or a business center.
k. No business license shall be issue for any business operating from any guest room in the facility."

[Al Schultz]

The right decision for our community will be guided by all the responses that you helpful planners are giving us. Thank you very much for lending your experience and insight.

In the late 90's my area was innundated with new extended stay hotels. Additionally, some of our older hotels converted to extended stay. They simply add refrigerators and market to a different clientele. We recently completed a study of our hotel-related crime and our extended stay units accounted for about 90% of our police calls. We plan to address this in the near future, but are still developing an efective strategy. I am not saying all extended stay hotels are bad. But it seems that all bad hotels are extended stay. (We have some quality extended stay facilities that cater to business travelers and persons relocating.)

In the meantime, we created several performance requirements for all new hotels. I'm not sure how effective they really are. Granted, some are stupid. But some do tend to impede construction of the lower-tier extended stay facility. I don't know if it is the market here or the regulations. In any event, here you go...

"Hotels and Motels, provided:
a. Each hotel/motel shall be accessed through a main or central lobby with a lobby at least 1,000 square feet.
b. Each guest room shall be accessed through an interior hallway and shall not have access to the exterior of the building (except through the central lobby).
c. Each hotel/motel site shall be a minimum of two acres.
d. Each hotel/motel must provide staff or management on duty twenty-four (24) hours a day.
e. Each guest room shall have a minimum of three hundred (300) square feet.
f. Each hotel/motel building shall have a minimum roof pitch of four (4) in twelve (12).
g. Each hotel/motel shall provide an enclosed heated and air conditioned laundry space with a minimum of three washers and three dryers exclusively available for guest use.
h. Outside storage of commercial equipment is prohibited.
i. Each hotel/motel shall provide a fitness or recreational center with a minimum of 400 square feet which is available to guests.
j. Each hotel/motel must provide a single, enclosed meeting or conference space on the premises of 1,000 square feet or greater or a business center.
k. No business license shall be issue for any business operating from any guest room in the facility."

[IlliniPlanner]

"Hotels and Motels, provided:
a. Each hotel/motel shall be accessed through a main or central lobby with a lobby at least 1,000 square feet.
b. Each guest room shall be accessed through an interior hallway and shall not have access to the exterior of the building (except through the central lobby).
c. Each hotel/motel site shall be a minimum of two acres.
d. Each hotel/motel must provide staff or management on duty twenty-four (24) hours a day.
e. Each guest room shall have a minimum of three hundred (300) square feet.
f. Each hotel/motel building shall have a minimum roof pitch of four (4) in twelve (12).
g. Each hotel/motel shall provide an enclosed heated and air conditioned laundry space with a minimum of three washers and three dryers exclusively available for guest use.
h. Outside storage of commercial equipment is prohibited.
i. Each hotel/motel shall provide a fitness or recreational center with a minimum of 400 square feet which is available to guests.
j. Each hotel/motel must provide a single, enclosed meeting or conference space on the premises of 1,000 square feet or greater or a business center.
k. No business license shall be issue for any business operating from any guest room in the facility."

Interesting to note that you group Hotels/Motels in one group. I always thought a distinguishing feature between the two is that a motel is a facility where each room is accessed from outside, while the hotel has rooms that are accessed from an interior hallway. Hotel may also have other support facilities like banquet rooms, restaurants, concierge, etc.

[mallen]

Interesting to note that you group Hotels/Motels in one group. I always thought a distinguishing feature between the two is that a motel is a facility where each room is accessed from outside, while the hotel has rooms that are accessed from an interior hallway. Hotel may also have other support facilities like banquet rooms, restaurants, concierge, etc.

You are right about the exterior/interior access distinction. Our regulations did not define it that way, so out of an abunance of caution we decided to simply address both types the same way.