🎯 STRisker: Bulletin - West Stockbridge, MA
West Stockbridge Opens Doors to Short-Term Rentals — With Ground Rules Attached
Voters Approve West Stockbridge’s First-Ever STR Rules, Aiming for Balance Over Boom
West Stockbridge voters just made a landmark decision — unanimously approving short-term rentals during their October 20 town meeting. It’s the first time the town has formally legalized STRs, and officials are emphasizing that the new framework is all about balance: supporting local homeowners without letting the rental market overwhelm the community.
The bylaw defines short-term rentals as stays of 31 days or fewer and requires property owners to register at town hall and pay an annual fee. Rentals are capped at 80 cumulative days per year unless the owner applies for a zoning permit, which allows up to 120 days total. Anything beyond that is off the table.
Planning Board Chair Dana Bixby said the regulations were built around protecting neighborhood character and preventing large-scale investor takeovers. “We wanted to support residents who depend on the extra income,” she explained, “but not invite corporations to run these homes more like hotels.” STRs also can’t be used for commercial events such as weddings.
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Not everyone was fully on board with every detail. Longtime part-time resident Renee McCormick questioned a rule allowing family members of former town residents to qualify as STR operators, saying it “seems not very egalitarian.” Bixby countered that the exception covers homes that have stayed within one family for at least 30 years, keeping those properties tied to town heritage.
The measure passed with overwhelming support — part of a package of zoning updates that also expanded accessory dwelling unit (ADU) rights and reorganized the zoning board’s structure. STR owners now have four months to register before enforcement begins, under the watch of a new zoning inspector position.
In essence, West Stockbridge’s debut STR law plants a flag for local control and thoughtful regulation. It’s a system that welcomes visitors but keeps the power in the hands of residents.
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