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Milford residents split over short‑term rental rules as aldermen hear hours of public comment
Summary
Dozens of residents addressed the Board of Aldermen on April 6, 2026, offering sharply divided views on short‑term rental regulation: hosts warned that broad restrictions would harm homeowners and local tourism, while neighbors urged strict registration, enforcement and local responsible‑party requirements.
Dozens of Milford residents pressed the Board of Aldermen on April 6 over proposed local rules for short‑term rentals, with speakers outlining competing priorities for neighborhood stability, public safety and household finances.
Supporters of relaxed rules and targeted enforcement said short‑term rentals (STRs) are an economic lifeline. "Short‑term rentals also fill real human needs that hotels often can't," said Bob Ley, a Milford short‑term rental host, asking the board to coordinate any local ordinance with pending state House Bill 5536 and to distinguish owner‑occupied hosts from absentee commercial operators. Several owners described screening practices and said rentals support local businesses.
Opponents painted STRs as a source of noise, parking and safety problems and urged strict local controls. "Require a 24/7 local responsible party ... set and enforce occupancy, parking, noise limits with rules posted inside the rentals," said Pascal Satella, representing the Silver Beach Association. Other residents asked the board for minimum‑stay limits, occupancy limits tied to bedrooms, and an escalating fine structure and suspension process for repeat offenders.
Several speakers urged the board to focus enforcement on bad actors rather than imposing rules that would penalize responsible hosts. "Find the offenders. Restrict repeat offenders. Hold the bad actors accountable, not the responsible owners," said Terra Balotti Gerard, an owner in Walnut Beach who said more than 90% of hosts own a single property.
Tara Kolicowski, who requested police records under state freedom‑of‑information law, said her FOIA request found four noise complaints for summer 2025, "two of them on East Broadway, both by the same individual," which she offered to submit to the board. Supporters of the status quo argued that existing local noise and parking ordinances can address many problems without a costly new permitting bureaucracy.
No ordinance was voted on at the meeting. The board heard the testimony as it continues drafting local regulations; public speakers asked aldermen to weigh competing goals—protecting residential character and public safety while preserving an income source used by many homeowners.
What’s next: The Board of Aldermen is continuing work on a proposed ordinance and received repeated public requests to align any local rules with the pending state legislation (House Bill 5536).
