Get All the facts

Although many still await the 'definition of the STR problem', it was the consensus of the STR Work Group and the voters 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:

• prevent the expansion of commercially operated vacation rentals
• protect the rights of existing vacation rental owners and their families 
• render moot the bases for current litigation against vacation rentals
• create dis-incentives for future STR-only vacation rental models
• slow or halt the trend toward shorter rentals during the peak season
• preserve the tourist-based economy and STR revenue generation for the town

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 will result in them all passing or all failing together.  There are some separately voted options explained in the final report to the town (See our REPORTS page) but the general and zoning bylaws must both path by their required majorities (2/3 for zoning and simple majority for general bylaws) for any of them to go into effect.

Let's not forget that the registry and fines/loss of license for nuisance violations for irresponsible STR operators is already law but the town is not helping the cause by still failing to get the registry up and running by November 2022.....then June 2023.

But the holy grail is the codification of the century old practice of traditional vacation rentals and the means to achieve that requires passage of the linked bylaws.  Nantucket Together will be supporting public outreach on each and every one of the bylaw package components so voters will understand and be better informed in their choices in the fall.