Some residents and the mayor of popular Delaware beach town Rehoboth Beach want pools that are part of rental homes in their town closed to renters.
Rehoboth Mayor Sam Cooper has put a proposal before the town's council that would ban homeowners who rent out homes from letting their tenants use the pools installed on their property.
"It's relentless noise," said resident Donna Mabry. Her home backs up to a seven bedroom rental house that sleeps 18 people and has a pool.
"People are in the pool three and four times a day — screaming and shrieking," she said. "This is unreasonable noise, noise that really breaks your back, noise that almost everybody would find offensive and obtrusive."
The proposed ban has homeowner John Bloxom livid. He rents out a large house featuring an in-ground pool and said he's never had a complaint.
"I think it's outrageous," he told NBC10 Delaware Bureau reporter Tim Furlong. "It's a horrific invasion of private property rights and it is tremendously unfair to the tenant community."
If the plan went through, landlords like Bloxom would have to find a way to cordon off their pools. They'd also make less money since properties with pools can charge a premium. A weeklong rental at some houses during the summer season can range between $10,000 and $12,000.
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Bloxom says residents for the ban want to turn the resort into a retirement community, while supporters, like Mabry, feel allowing it to continue will drive away permanent residents.
Cooper did not return a call for comment on the plan. The town's council is expected to vote on the measure next week.
