ROCKLAND, Maine — Fifteen months after the city began debate on whether to regulate short-term vacation rentals, the City Council voted Monday night to require property owners to register their activity by Nov. 1.
The package of regulations, however, is watered down from the original proposal, which included stringent requirements such as meeting code standards.
The move to enact regulations came after some residents and bed-and-breakfast owners raised concerns about the increase in short-term rentals fueled by websites such as Airbnb.
Code Officer John Root said people involved in short-term rentals will need to register with him and obtain a permit. The cost of the permit has yet to be determined. The code officer can issue permits for single-family homes and duplexes, but larger apartment complexes or rentals in a mixed-use building would require planning board approval.
One of the only requirements is that the homeowner have proof of insurance and that the city be notified if the insurance lapses.
Councilor Valli Geiger relented on her previous position and supported a measure that allows homes and duplexes that are not owner-occupied to be rented for as short as one night at a time. Geiger said once the ordinance takes effect and the city gathers data on how many homes are being rented, she might come back before the council to propose a cap on the number of residences that have been converted to short-term rentals if neighborhoods are harmed.
Cheryl Michaelsen, owner of the Berry Manor Inn in Rockland, voiced concern that the increasing number of homes being converted to short-term rentals would hurt the community. She said the south end of Rockland soon could cease to be a year-round community.
There are 91 residences now being used for short-term rentals and, without a cap, there could be 250 residences being rented out for short-term vacations, Michaelsen said.
The bed-and-breakfast owner said she does not oppose homeowners renting out rooms if they live there, but when homes are rented out by someone who does not live there, it has become a business.
After the vote, Michaelsen said that while the ordinance was a good start, the regulations still lack equity. She questioned why a bed-and-breakfast must adhere to regulations such as living on the premises, paying personal property taxes to Rockland and paying a commercial sewer rate while others have none of those requirements.
The council has been working on a package of regulations since March 2015. The proposals faced opposition from advocates of property owners who rent out rooms or entire houses in the city.