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Residents press Selectboard to reconsider flat STR registration fee and ask for sliding scale
Summary
Public commenters told the Montgomery Selectboard the proposed per‑dwelling registration fee could be prohibitive for homeowners who rent occasionally and urged a sliding scale or postponing fee setting until registry data are collected.
Several residents asked the Selectboard to rethink the proposed flat per‑dwelling registration fee in Montgomery’s draft Short‑Term Rental ordinance, urging either a sliding scale by unit size or a pause to set fees until the registry shows how many units will enroll.
“Question regarding the registration fee being too prohibitive to dwelling owners as a per‑dwelling fee and what about a sliding scale based on size?” said Sarita during public comment, citing the example of owners who rent only a handful of days per year. Judith added a practical example, saying she rents roughly 15 days annually and that a high flat fee would be burdensome. Pat, representing the drafters, said the fee schedule was modeled on several other towns and had already been reduced from an earlier, higher amount.
Board members and commenters discussed alternatives: Randi suggested the town establish the registry first and then determine a fee that reflects the actual count of rentals; Laurie asked whether residential and non‑residential rates could differ. Kim noted the town was advised that distinguishing owners by residential status or corporate ownership could raise legal or ethical issues, framing the ordinance as intended to create an even playing field rather than to single out investment corporations.
The board did not adopt a final fee schedule at the meeting and requested clearer enforcement‑time estimates to tie fees to projected enforcement costs before moving to adoption.
