Jericho planners move to treat room rentals as single-household dwellings, not a separate land use

Jericho Town Planner Chris Shaheen told the Planning Commission on June 16 that the town’s current zoning defines rooming and boarding houses as a separate land use but that the definition is broad enough to capture a homeowner renting a room through HomeShare Vermont or to a college student.

"It is just very broad and it could include a homeowner renting a room within their home for compensation," Shaheen said, noting staff could not identify a history of complaints or enforcement actions tied to room rentals in Jericho.

Why it matters: the decision affects how the town treats informal room rentals and whether owners who rent single rooms would face special permitting or restrictions. Commissioners must decide whether the definition and table of uses continue to treat rooming and boarding houses as a distinct category or whether to classify such arrangements as single-household dwellings.

Commissioners expressed broad agreement that separate regulation is unnecessary. "I find the whole idea discriminatory to keep it, so I would get rid of it," said Commissioner Heidi Klein. Chair Susan Bresee summarized the consensus: "I think everyone agrees that it doesn’t need to be regulated as a separate land use."

Some commissioners pressed practical caveats. Commissioner Erik Glitman asked whether allowing multiple unrelated occupants could overload septic systems in areas without municipal sewer, saying, "is there a case for us to say that we care about that?" Shaheen acknowledged the concern and the differing physical constraints that could make very high occupancies impractical in some locations.

Staff suggested a middle path: retain a clarified definition in the regulations but explicitly treat typical room rentals as part of a single-household dwelling rather than a separate use. Commissioners discussed whether a numeric threshold is needed; Shaheen said the current text does not specify a number and he would consult with zoning staff on whether to recommend a numeric threshold.

Public comment touched on feasibility of higher densities more generally at a later point in the meeting (see related PUD coverage). No vote or formal regulatory change was taken at the June 16 meeting; the Planning Commission directed staff toward drafting text amendments that would clarify the definition and treat ordinary room rentals as single-household dwelling activity.

What’s next: staff will draft proposed text amendments reflecting the commission’s direction and bring options back for review, with an anticipated public hearing on broader Enable Housing amendments later in the summer or early fall.