Help with HOA neighborhoods.

[Annette76]

This is a question for those who have STR in a development with a HOA. What rules and parameters exist in your covenants and by laws that help and are enforceable? My neighborhood is in a vacation area, however we are a retirement community. Our community allows for STR, but due to a few absentee owners they are spoiling the atmosphere for the full-time residents as well as putting at jeopardy the likelihood of continuing the ability to rent. One issue we have is that we are on community wells and when they pack a 3 bed/w bath house with over a dozen guests it puts a strain on the wells. Another issue is the narrow, windy roads and renters having to park cars on the road as there is not enough room in the driveways. We would love to keep the option for allowing STR but without making the lives of the residents a constant nightmare. I would love to hear what has worked in your neighborhood to keep the peace.

[Kelly149]

Good news/bad news is that an HOA can do whatever they manage to vote into existence. 
In your case sounds like a max headcount & restricting/disallowing street parking would solve your problems. Noise restrictions usually a good idea too. 

but rules are only as good as their enforcement so depends on how far the hoa wants to take it. Sometimes it’s just easier to ban the whole operation. 
@Annette76 

[Sarah977]

@Annette76  Quite apart from your own HOA rules, packing a dozen people into a 3 bedroom house may be against local occupancy and fire laws, so you may want to investigate that.

[Annette76]

The local government has declined to get involved. The septic system being certified for a set number of people is listed with the county but they won’t reinforce anything.  
So my Airbnb is small, it is really a couples retreat and is right next to our cabin, so I have no trouble monitoring it. It is not conducive to large groups or parties so I don’t have problems. The issue is the 2-3 rentals in the neighborhood that have absentee owners and are managed by rental companies. The neighborhood board member in charge of rental issues and I have taken it upon ourselves to call the management companies when there are violations, mostly because she and I don’t want the neighborhood to vote to restrict all rentals as she has a similar setup to me, a detached garage with loft apartment that she monitors very closely as well.  We were trying to come up with a way to have a system to fine the owners when they are out of compliance.