Although many still await the 'definition of the STR problem', it was the consensus of the STR Work Group that unregulated vacation rentals and codification of the legality of them as they currently operate, was a non-starter. As a group, we strove for a middle ground that would accomplish the most good for the community while doing the least harm to property owners, business owners and town finances. That has always been the goal of Nantucket Together and I believe we have worked with our fellow STRWG members to put forward a set of integrated bylaws that:
We all benefited from the advice of Town Counsel and a Zoning Consultant as we learned how to best utilize the specific strengths and characteristics of zoning and general bylaws, joining them in a package that was intended to work in tandem.
For a variety of reasons, that did not happen and the will of the voters left the status quo in place with a set of basic regulations and the legality of STRs left to a Land Court judge. In March 2024 that Judge ruled that STRs are not a legal primary use of a home, remanding the defintion of accessory use to the Zoning Board of Appeals who has yet to do so. The town has decided not to appeal the ruling so the decision will be made at Annual Town Meeting. And the lawsuits continue.
Let's not forget that the registry and fines/loss of license for nuisance violations for irresponsible STR operators is already law but the ability of the town to collect and then analyze Nantucket specific STR operational data has been hampered by the failure to launch the registry with at least a one year delay. The new registry portal is live, but we will not know how may Nantucket STR operators there are and who owns them until a full year of operational data has been collected. And as of now, the registry does not collect the operational data required by the current law.
So we wait and hope for the upgrade and success of the portal with intelligent collection and analysis of operational data.
And in the meantime, we turn our attention to the citizens and Town warrants for STR regulation and codification to be voted on at the 2024 Annual Town Meeting. We support a YES vote on Articles 59 and 60 to ban corporations but render STRs as a legal use as long as they are in full compliance with the general STR Bylaws, now and in the future,. We do not support any application of 'accessory use' zoning because there are too many STR models on Nantucket that don't clearly fall into any simple definition of 'accessory' and the use of any home is a fluid situation. A steady stream of neighbors challenging how one uses their home coming before the ZBA is not a desirable or enforceable solution.
Nantucket Together is in full support of the STR General Bylaw sponsored by Attorney Steven Cohen as Article 59 (zoning) and the revised town sponsored Article 60 (general bylaw modification to current STR bylaw in Chapter 123 of the town code). Also in the warrant are citizen sponsored Articles 61 and 62. Both of the sponsors of those articles (Steve Cohen and Michael Kopko) worked with the town on consolidating their proposals into Article 60 with the town recommending for voters to 'take no action' on 61 and 62.
Nantucket Together continues to support the traditional model of family operated STRs as currently (and with the the passage of the STR Articles 59 and 60 in May) regulated by the town.
We also support:
And most importantly, we look to eliminate the neighbor-vs.-neighbor acrimony related to vacation rentals and the commercialization of Nantucket neighborhoods.
YES
• Many of our supporters are previous islanders who moved off for a job, a marriage, or to care for a loved one. But they still return every summer and many hoped to retire on island. Any discriminatory practice against part-time residents presents a threat to their ability to maintain their home.
• If you give or bequeath your home of land to your children and they ever need to move away for a period or time or look to build a home and rent it to pay for it, we do not want to restrict their ability to earn income to support the home.
• If you intend to retire to warmer climes in the winter as part of your retirement plan and rent your Nantucket home when you are away we want to protect your future right to rent.
• If you own a second property on the island or have a cottage on the same property as your permanent residence, your right to rent should not be taken away or restricted.
SHARE:
Print the fact sheet and share it with your service providers and neighbors who might be concerned as well.
CONTACT:
Contact your local neighborhood and civic associations to spread the word and elevate your concerns about how STR restrictions could hurt homeowners and the Nantucket economy.
VOTE: YES
The STR Articles P & Q Protect Nantucket Traditions
Nantucket can do better.
That is why we need YOUR vote.
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