Sandgate Selectboard begins drafting short-term rental ordinance, weighs enforcement and registration

At its June 15 meeting the Sandgate Selectboard directed members to begin drafting a short-term rental (STR) ordinance and identified enforcement and registration as the central hurdles to effective implementation. Selectboard member Linda Schmidt said the Sunderland ordinance provides a strong template, and she volunteered to produce an initial draft for the board to edit.

Sheila Kearns urged the board to start by defining the ordinance's purpose, noting different towns adopt STR rules for different goals. Kearns highlighted administrative options the board should consider, including placing enforcement responsibility with the zoning administrator, appointing a Selectboard-designated STR officer, or assigning duties to the health officer; she emphasized that administering the ordinance would likely require additional resources.

Rob Viglas and other members said the town must address situations where multiple units on a single property could amount to commercial use. Viglas noted that permitting eight STRs on one parcel would raise different zoning and enforcement questions in Sandgate than in larger tourist towns. Bill Mitchell cautioned that enforcement could be difficult in Sandgate because the town does not experience the same level of tourism as larger communities.

The board discussed registration as a practical step to enable administration and enforcement. Jessica Pendleton asked whether existing rules about occupancy limits would apply to vehicles or RVs; Kearns replied that small RV stays under 30 days would not trigger the town's long-term occupancy rule, but longer stays can become an unpermitted use.

The Selectboard took no vote on the ordinance at the meeting. Schmidt said she would circulate a draft ordinance to the other members to solicit edits and to begin formalizing the town's approach to STR registration and enforcement.