Brewer city councilors on Tuesday approved adding new language to the land use code to allow and regulate short-term rentals, such as Airbnbs, in the city.
The rules require short-term rental operators to obtain a license that must be renewed annually on or before Jan. 1. The license must be displayed in the short-term rental and the operator is responsible for keeping a record of who stays in the units and for how long.
Linda Johns, Brewer’s city planner, said the city is one of many communities addressing local short-term rental regulations in tandem with updating state-mandated changes to local housing regulations.
Brewer’s new short-term rental rules come a week after neighboring Bangor opened an online portal for short-term rental operators to apply for a license.
Bangor’s licensing requirement is part of the city’s new rules to regulate and limit the number of Airbnbs in the city so they don’t take away a significant amount of permanent housing for those who need it.
Brewer’s new rules require anyone who currently offers a short-term rental to obtain a license and provide the city with a description of the unit and how long it has been rented for.
To acquire a license, Brewer short-term rental owners must provide proof of residency, ownership and prove that all taxes on the property have been paid. They must also pay an application and license fee.
A city code enforcement officer will inspect each short-term rental to ensure it complies with city laws before a license is issued.
A short-term rental license may be suspended or revoked if the rental receives three or more complaints or the property violates the city’s land use code. The city will not issue a license to someone who operates a short-term rental without a license.
Johns said she doesn’t know how many short-term rentals are currently operating in Brewer.