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Council hears update on short-term rental registry; staff explains why driveway plowing ads would require zoning changes
Summary
City staff reported about 21–22 short-term rentals on the registry and explained that driveway-end plowing markers that advertise a business sit on city right-of-way and are not permitted under current sign rules without a variance or a code change.
City staff told the council the short-term rental registry currently shows roughly 21–22 active registrations; the registry is updated monthly by staff who check online listings.
Councilors asked whether the city has encountered significant enforcement problems or complaints tied to short-term rentals; staff said they had not seen a large number of complaints recently and that some hosts register intermittently year to year.
Separately, a constituent asked whether the city would allow small advertising signs or markers placed at the end of driveways to advertise driveway-plowing services. Joe, a city staff member who handles zoning and sign issues, explained the city's sign code: signs are regulated and only certain categories are exempt (for example, short-term construction signs and political signs within size/location limits).
Joe said the markers as described were being placed on city right-of-way in some cases; even if moved off city property they would not fit existing sign exemptions because they did not advertise an active construction project. He described two options given to the constituent: apply for a variance for each property (variances are property-specific) or pursue an amendment to the exempt-sign section of the code so similar advertising would be allowed if the council and planning board adopt such a change.
Joe and other staff indicated a broader zoning rewrite is underway and that any request to change the sign code would likely be reviewed by the planning board before coming to council. The constituent agreed to share photos of the markers with staff so councilors could see the request in context. No zoning change was approved during the meeting.
