🎯 STRisker: Bulletin - Nantucket, MA
Town Meeting Shoots Down Every Short-Term Rental Proposal
A Deep Dive into Your Area’s STR Updates — Helping You Navigate the Ever-Changing Rental Landscape.
Town Meeting Shoots Down Every Short-Term Rental Proposal
The future of short-term rentals on Nantucket remains murky following a decisive Town Meeting on Monday, where voters turned down all four warrant articles related to STR regulations. Despite hundreds turning out at the Mary P. Walker Auditorium, none of the proposals gained the necessary support to move forward.
Article 66, a citizen petition led by Caroline Baltzer, sought to explicitly legalize STRs in the town’s zoning code. While it did garner majority support—468 in favor to 321 against—it failed to meet the required two-thirds threshold of 526 votes. This marks the sixth time Nantucket voters have rejected a zoning amendment attempting to codify STRs. Though support increased slightly from last year’s vote, legal clarity remains elusive.
With STRs still not expressly allowed under current zoning rules, their status hangs in legal limbo. A court ruling is expected in an ongoing lawsuit brought by Cathy Ward, a case that could determine the future of STRs island-wide. Town counsel John Giorgio warned voters before the Article 66 vote that allowing the court to decide carries significant risks. Giorgio cautioned, emphasizing the urgency of a local solution.
“You’re leaving it in the hands of a judge in Boston to make this decision for you,” -Giorgio.
Articles 67 and 68, which proposed alternate frameworks for legalizing STRs as accessory uses—meaning owners must occupy the property more days than it’s rented—were also defeated by simple majority votes.
Meanwhile, Article 69 introduced by resident Matthew Peel, sought a more data-driven approach. It proposed a three-year study period during which the town would gather and publish STR data while imposing temporary restrictions: a 70-day annual cap per rental and a total limit of 1,350 STRs across the island. This measure was soundly defeated by a vote of 82 to 490.
As the community remains divided and regulatory clarity remains out of reach, the responsibility for resolving the STR question may now shift to the courts.
Unless a future Town Meeting can find consensus, Nantucket’s path forward on short-term rentals will remain uncertain.
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