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Council defers decision on short-term rental at 139 Sykes Court after neighbor concerns
Summary
Council deferred action on a special use permit application to allow more than 104 nights per year at 139 Sykes Court after neighbors raised parking and safety concerns and asked the manager to research short-term rental impacts.
Town Council deferred action on a request to approve a special use permit that would allow a single-family dwelling at 139 Sykes Court to operate as a short-term rental for more than the 104 nights per year allowed by right.
Neighbors who spoke at the public hearing said the street is narrow, parking is limited and the neighborhood already experiences congestion during festivals and market events. Council members asked the town manager to research how other municipalities — especially historic towns — regulate short-term rentals and report back before council takes final action.
Margaret Carroll, a Sykes Court resident, told the council she opposed the application and cited recurring congestion near the park and festivals: "The parking down there towards the entrance of the park...gets jammed with cars," she said, and asked whether the property would be vetted or regulated as an online short-term rental platform listing.
Applicant Anna Boyer, who identified herself as the owner, said she bought the house about six months earlier and sometimes uses it to host clients or short-term guests. "You can easily fit three cars in that driveway," she told the council, and said she had operated a similar short-term rental without incidents for four years.
Council members and staff clarified the current zoning framework: stays longer than 30 days do not count toward the 104-night by-right allowance, and the council may impose conditions if it approves a special use permit. Town staff and the town attorney reminded the council that state law limits how the town can regulate existing short-term rental activity and that new rules typically cannot be applied retroactively to pending applications.
Vice Mayor Harris and other council members recommended postponing final action so staff could provide research on the impacts and regulatory approaches used in comparable communities. Council voted to defer the application to a committee meeting and the next council meeting to allow that information to be gathered and presented.
