Nick and Donna Agnew

Jamie Wolters From: Sent: To: Subject:

Ryan Cummins Wednesday, February 25, 2026 9:43 AM Jamie Wolters FW: Urgent: Request for Immediate Reconsideration of STR Permit Status

Council correspondence. From: nick agnew <nickagnew@live.com> Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2026 4:33 PM To: Holly Anderson <Holly@saugatuckcity.com>; Scott Dean <sdean@saugatuckcity.com>; Lauren Stanton <lstanton@saugatuckcity.com>; Gregory Muncey <Gregory@saugatuckcity.com>; Russ Gardner <Russ@saugatuckcity.com>; Chris Peterson <cpeterson@saugatuckcity.com> Cc: Grayson Moore <gmoore@saugatuckcity.com>; Ryan Cummins <rcummins@saugatuckcity.com> Subject: Re: Urgent: Request for Immediate Reconsideration of STR Permit Status Some people who received this message don't often get email from nickagnew@live.com. Learn why this is important

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Dear Mayor Anderson and Members of Council, We are writing to follow up on our email below, dated, Friday, February13th, 2026 regarding reconsideration of our short-term rental permit. Given the upcoming reservations affected and the immediate financial and community impact, we respectfully request confirmation that our request is under review and an estimated timeline for response.

We would also appreciate clarification as to whether this matter will be placed on an upcoming Council agenda, or if additional information is needed from us at this time. We remain ready to comply immediately with any requirements and are eager to resolve this matter constructively. Thank you for your attention. We look forward to your prompt reply. Sincerely, Nick and Donna Agnew

From: nick agnew <nickagnew@live.com> Sent: Friday, February 13, 2026 5:55 PM To: holly@saugatuckcity.com <holly@saugatuckcity.com>; sdean@saugatuckcity.com <sdean@saugatuckcity.com>; lstanton@saugatuckcity.com <lstanton@saugatuckcity.com>; gregory@saugatuckcity.com <gregory@saugatuckcity.com>; russ@saugatuckcity.com <russ@saugatuckcity.com>; cpeterson@saugatuckcity.com <cpeterson@saugatuckcity.com> Cc: Grayson Moore <gmoore@saugatuckcity.com>; rcummins@saugatuckcity.com <rcummins@saugatuckcity.com> Subject: Urgent: Request for Immediate Reconsideration of STR Permit Status

Dear Mayor Anderson and Members of the Saugatuck City Council, We respectfully submit this letter to formally request reconsideration and reinstatement of our short-term rental permit based on lack of notice, reasonable reliance on longstanding City practice, and serious concerns regarding equal and consistent application of the revised ordinance. For over twenty years, we have been responsible property owners in Saugatuck, and for the past decade we have operated our homes as licensed short-term rentals without violation. To our knowledge, we have never been cited for noncompliance. We have consist ently acted in good faith, followed established procedures, and worked collaboratively with City officials to ensure compliance. Historically, our permit operated under a three-year renewal framework in which we were affirmatively notified when action was required. We reasonably relied on that consistent municipal practice. Most recently, in 2024, our property was inspected and approved following review with Captain/Chief Fire Inspector Chris Bernhardy. At that time, we were working with Luke Thompson and had no indication that the renewal process or notification procedure would materially change. We were never notified that Mr. Thompson had departed, that his responsibilities had transitioned to Grayson Moore. We received no mailed notice, no direct email, and no formal communication advising that affirmative action was required to maintain our permit.

The first notice of any issue came indirectly through a text message sent to a member of our cleaning team— listed only as an emergency contact—stating that our property was “not in compliance.” We immediately contacted City Manager Ryan Cummins and Mr. Moore. Only then did we learn that our permit had expired and that we were deemed ineligible under the revised rules. We understand that 11 other short-term rental operators, including local property management companies, also missed the new deadline and were in violation of the revised rules. We further understand that concessions were granted to nine of those operators who were within 30 days of the deadline. However, two of us—ourselves included—are being treated differently solely because we were allegedly beyond that 30-day period. We respectfully question the basis for this distinction. If notice was not properly received, and if similarly situated operators were granted relief despite missing the same deadline, we fail to understand why relief cannot be extended uniformly to all 11. The refusal to make comparable concessions to the remaining two applicants appears arbitrary, inconsistent, and constitutes disparate treatment. The ordinance should be applied in a uniform and even-handed manner. Selective enforcement or rigid application without consideration of notice and reliance raises significant fairness and due process concerns. 2

The consequences to us are substantial and immediate. We currently have 36 confirmed reservations that we are now forced to consider canceling. This will subject us to financial penalties and likely result in the loss of our Premier Host status. More significantly, it will disrupt dozens of families’ planned vacations—many of whom are repeat guests. Each of those guests intended to patronize Saugatuck’s restaurants, shops, and local businesses, which we actively and consistently promote. The economic ripple effect extends beyond our household and directly impacts the broader community. We have also made repeated efforts to engage constructively in this process. We have attended meetings both in person and via Zoom. During a recent council meeting, Mayor Holly Anderson indicated that City staff would follow up with us. No one did. Only af ter repeated calls from both of us to Mr. Moore and Mr. Cummins were we able to obtain further clarification. From our perspective, our efforts to participate meaningfully in the process have not been met with consistent communication. Our operating history demonstrates responsible stewardship: • We carefully screen guests and decline any suspect renters. • We prohibit events, weddings, graduation parties, and large gatherings. • We communicate strict expectations regarding respect for neighbors and the community. • We maintain and update our properties to align with neighborhood character. We acted in reliance on longstanding City practice. We maintained full compliance for a decade. We were approved as recently as 2024. We were not afforded direct notice of material procedural changes. And despite other operators receiving accommodations for missing the same deadline, we are being denied similar consideration. Under principles of reasonable reliance, fundamental fairness, equal protection, and consistent application of municipal regulations, we respectfully request that the Council exercise its discretion to: 1. Reinstate our short-term rental permit; 2. Extend to us the same accommodation afforded to the other operators who missed the deadline; or 3. Provide a reasonable administrative remedy that prevents disproportionate and irreparable harm. We make this request in good faith and with the sincere desire to resolve this matter collaboratively and without further escalation. However, given the significant financial, reputational, and community impacts at stake, we must also ensure that our rights are preserved. We respectfully request a formal written response outlining the legal and factual basis for the distinction being made between our application and those of the other operators who were granted relief. We remain fully prepared to comply immediately with any current requirements and to continue operating in a manner that reflects positively on the City of Saugatuck and its residents. We respectfully ask for prompt reconsideration and a timely response. Nick and Donna Agnew 580 Mason Street 3

Saugatuck MI 312-718-3600

February 25, 2025 Dear Members of City Council, I am writing to respectfully request reconsideration of the recent denial of our short-term rental license and our exclusion from the Council’s amnesty provisions. To summarize the circumstances surrounding our application: our filing was inadvertently misclassified, and as a result we had no indication that it had been submitted incorrectly or that any action was required on our part. We did not receive communication from the City until more than a month after the applicable deadline had passed, leaving us with no meaningful opportunity to correct the issue or bring the filing into compliance within the prescribed timeframe. Compounding this situation, the homeowner was in the midst of a divorce at the time correspondence was being issued. Due to that process, important notices were not received or reviewed, further contributing to our lack of awareness that any problem existed with the application status. These were not circumstances of neglect or willful noncompliance, but rather an unfortunate convergence of administrative and personal challenges. Additionally, we attended and followed Council discussions regarding the ordinance changes and the related amnesty provisions. At a recent meeting, it was clearly conveyed that all nine properties impacted during the transition period would be afforded amnesty consideration. Based on that understanding, we were surprised and disappointed to learn that amnesty was ultimately granted to only five properties, with ours among those excluded. We respectfully ask the Council to consider the following:    

Our noncompliance resulted from administrative misfiling and delayed notification, not intentional disregard of requirements. We were deprived of a timely opportunity to remedy the issue. Personal circumstances affecting receipt of correspondence were significant and unavoidable. Public statements indicated broader relief than what was ultimately applied, and we relied on those representations in good faith.

We remain committed to operating responsibly and in accordance with all local regulations. We therefore respectfully request that the Council review our case, clarify the criteria applied in determining amnesty eligibility, and consider granting reconsideration or equitable relief consistent with the intent of the amnesty provisions. Thank you for your time, consideration, and service to our community. We would welcome the opportunity to provide any additional documentation or to appear before Council if helpful. Sincerely; Kevin Tringali: Bella Vita Vacation Rentals Rakesh Madhava: 534 St. Joseph