ZBA denies two short‑term rental requests, citing ordinance and hardship standards

At its April 20 meeting the Laconia Zoning Board of Adjustment denied two requests to operate short‑term rentals, signaling strict adherence to recent local rules restricting STR conversions in residential areas.

48 Colonial Road: Owners of a Colonial Road property sought a variance to operate a short‑term rental and told the board they would manage the unit from an owner‑occupied home next door. The applicant said the rental would be family‑oriented and managed locally; the applicant also said the ordinance change occurred after they began the process and argued that timing created hardship. Neighbors and a homeowners‑association representative told the board the association had voted against allowing STRs and said the neighborhood contains a high proportion of long‑term residents; the board concluded the application failed the ordinance test and the legal hardship standard and voted to deny (vote recorded as four in favor of denial, one abstention).

34 Moral Street: Owners of a two‑family property sought permission to use one unit for short‑term lodging while owner‑occupying the other unit. Neighbors said the houses are very close and warned an STR would change the character and reduce privacy. Board members noted that the STR rules were drafted to preserve long‑term housing and to avoid hotel‑style conversion of multi‑unit stock; after deliberation the board denied the variance (four in favor of denial, one abstention).

What happens next: Denials mean applicants may pursue long‑term leasing or other compliant uses, or consider whether an administrative rehearing or judicial appeal is appropriate. The decisions underscore the board’s intent to enforce the recent local STR ordinance and to apply the hardship test narrowly.