Daily Regulatory Notes 01/13/2025
Cities address STRs. Ithaca, NY enhances regulations; Traverse City, MI proposes revisions; Rindge, NH revises rules; Cortland, NY approves occupancy tax; Shelburne, MA drafts bylaw; Lexington, KY reviews STR applications. READ MORE.
Every day, we bring you a detailed overview of recent news and updates about primary decisions, community feedback, or legislative changes relevant to the short-term rental industry. 📰
Ithaca, NY
Ithaca plans to regulate properties exclusively used for short-term rentals, with rules taking effect in June 2025. Mayor Robert Cantelmo emphasized the negative impact of such properties on the long-term rental market and homeownership.
Property owners will have until June to either convert these properties into long-term rentals or sell them.
Traverse City, MI
Traverse City planning commissioners have prioritized key 2025 initiatives, including revising short-term rental regulations. Proposed updates involve combining rental categories, stricter licensing, escalating fees for violations, and potentially setting caps on rentals in various districts.
Discussions begin January 22, with a draft ordinance expected in February. These changes aim to manage illegal rentals, address housing concerns, and balance tourism with residential needs.
```Rindge, NH
The Rindge Planning Board has revised its short-term rental rules, adding a maximum occupancy of three people per bedroom and requiring rentals to undergo site plan approval and conditional use permits.
The rules address noise, property suitability, and compliance with local and state laws. Affected properties will need safety inspections and parking assessments. The amendment will appear on the March 11 ballot for approval.
Cortland, NY
During its recent meeting, the Common Council approved a new 1% occupancy tax on hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, and short-term vacation rentals, effective March 31.
Read the full ordinance here.
The tax is designed to generate additional city revenue for tourism promotion. While the city can impose a tax rate of up to 3%, it opted for the lower rate. The law, which replaces a similar tax repealed last September, was approved by the State Senate, Assembly, and the Governor prior to the council vote.
Shelburne, MA
Shelburne’s Planning Board is drafting its first-ever bylaw to regulate short-term rentals, drawing inspiration from neighboring Buckland's model. The proposed rules aim to limit non-owner-occupied rentals to preserve housing for full-time residents while allowing some property owners to operate rentals.
```Existing non-owner-occupied rentals would be grandfathered in, with future special permits restricted. Public feedback sessions are scheduled before the final version is presented at the Annual Town Meeting.
```Lexington, KY
Lexington’s Board of Adjustment will review 16 applications for unhosted short-term rentals on January 13 under new rules limiting rental density. These regulations prohibit rentals within 600 feet of another or when more than 2% of homes in a 1,000-foot radius are rentals.
```While some residents support the measures to preserve housing and community character, operators argue rentals boost tourism and the local economy.
Check out the full ordinance here.