Asheville-area Airbnb owners sued for allegedly dumping renter 'raw sewage' in woods

ASHEVILLE - The "Secret Garden of Eden" trio of Airbnbs in Weaverville have over 407 reviews, near five-star ratings and mainly use composting toilets —an alternate form of waste disposal.

Yet, despite the glowing reviews, after the visit is over, the Airbnb owners, Sara Burrows and Brad Jordan, dump all of the renters' human waste into the woods on their property.

The seemingly unsanitary practice has led to environmental concerns, multiple notices of violation and a Feb. 20 Buncombe County lawsuit against the property owners for a lack of proper permits for the Airbnbs and improper wastewater management.

Burrows confirmed to the Citizen Times that they have been dumping renters' human waste from the composting toilets on their 20-acre property.

She said that she would take a 5-gallon bucket with renter waste and dump it in the woods nearby and then "cover it with leaves."

"I invite inspectors: Go try to find where I dump my poop," Burrows told the Citizen Times, noting that most of it is "already composted."

Burrows said that they separated solids and liquids from the tank, and dumped each separately, where the waste was treated with "enzymes" and "covered with woodchips."

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defines a composting toilet as a "a well-ventilated container that provides the optimum environment for unsaturated, but moist, human excrement for biological and physical decomposition under sanitary, controlled aerobic conditions."

A 2015 memorandum of agreement between the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and state plumbing and health specialists notes that composting toilets can be installed when approved by a local health department.

The MOA also states that the owners of the compost toilet systems shall comply with "septage management requirements of the N.C. Division of Waste Management for the removal and disposal of the solid and liquid waste generated by the composting toilets."

A Facebook post from Burrows included in the county suit reads:

"Yes, we dump the raw sewage in the woods ... just like the bears and people of the Amazon rainforest do. The trees thank us every time for fertilizing them."

Environmental complaint kicked off investigation

The suit states the Buncombe County's Environmental Health Department received a complaint in November that the hosts were "dumping human waste on the property," kicking off an investigation.

Using aerial photographs, the county confirmed the additional dwelling units were on the property and issued notices of violation for erecting structures without a zoning permit.

The county executed an administrative search warrant Dec. 6, where an inspection revealed none of the units used as STRs had been permitted and that electrical work to the units did "not comply with the 2017 NC Electrical Code."

Since November, emails and documents in the lawsuit show that multiple notices of violation were issued by the county against property owners, alongside outreach efforts in the months since to bring them into compliance.

After receiving instructions on how to fall into compliance Dec. 18, Jordan responded to county staff that he "rejected" the offer and that further communication with the county "will be considered harassment" and threatened to sue the county.

When asked by the Citizen Times, Burrows remained adamant that she didn't need to ask permission to make modifications to her property, despite laws requiring permits for such activities.

"We don't ask permission from the government with what to do with our private property. We don't have time for that. We don't have time to jump through their 20 permitting hoops," Burrows said.

Rentals have been active for years

The whole property, dubbed "The Secret Garden of Eden," featured a shed converted into an additional dwelling unit alongside a recently built tiny home and a recreational vehicle they named the "Glamper."

As of the lawsuit filing date, the three locations collectively had 407 reviews with each receiving nearly five-star ratings. Reviews indicate rental activity began in 2022.

Two listings are still currently posted on Airbnb with the Glamper having a daily rate of $88 a night. Burrows told the Citizen Times the Glamper is currently for sale.

The county found that Burrows and Jordan never gained a certificate of occupancy for any of the Airbnbs, did not receive approval to connect the buildings to the electrical grid and failed to connect the structures to an approved wastewater sewage disposal system.

No permits for construction on the property were filed for the completion of the buildings.

Some of the county attachments include Facebook posts from Burrows. One them reads: "There are no regulations about this, and if there were I wouldn't give a s---."

"A regulation is not a law, and this is a private property," Burrows continued in the post.

The notices of violation have racked up over $6,500 in fines, as Buncombe County continually issues $100 a day fines for non-compliance. The county is seeking injunctive relief and payment of the fines in the lawsuit.

"At the end of the day, this is a code enforcement action where we’re looking to the court for assistance with individuals who are refusing to comply with basic health and safety standards set forth by the state of North Carolina," county spokesperson Lillian Govus wrote to the Citizen Times March 1.

The suit comes as the county discusses regulations on short-term vacation rentals, commonly referred to as Airbnbs. Some proposed regulations highlight health and safety concerns regarding the use of Airbnbs.

Owners repeatedly stated intent to sue the county

When the Citizen Times contacted the Airbnb hosts Feb. 29, Burrows said "she didn't know anything about a lawsuit," and stated that she had "privately" sued the county. When the Citizen Times expressed interest in the lawsuit, Burrows noted: "You're not going to find it, (the county) is hiding it."

However, Burrows did note that sheriff's deputies have visited recently and have handed her papers she called "fake summons."

When the Citizen Times asked whether the Buncombe County Sheriff's Office might be trying to serve her with the complaint, Burrows said the sheriff's office should serve her with "real papers."

Burrows defined "real papers" as "delivered through certified mail."

In a Feb. 29 Facebook reel video posted by Burrows, Sheriff's Deputy Nathan Honeycutt is seen entering his patrol vehicle after stating: "Ma'am, I'm just delivering the paperwork. I have no idea what's going on here."

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Will Hofmann is the Growth and Development Reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Got a tip? Email him at WHofmann@citizentimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville-area Airbnb owners sued after dumping human waste in yard