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Marsha is correct that the Rockport short-term rental ordinance as written is a disaster. There are short-term rental regulations in place all over the world now. Most cities and towns popular with them, have good regulations in place. I was in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, recently where they have very little safety incidents from short-term rentals because they have smart rules in place. So does Austin, Texas, so does Asheville, North Carolina. And on and on. Rockport’s is not written to make rentals safer as it is now and goes too far off track to prohibit them, which should never happen. I did an economic impact study on short-term rentals for the Chamber back in 2014. My research showed that short-term rentals brought more money to the Midcoast economy than hotels or inns did. ....
Property rights in Rockport should be protected against overreaching regulations Marika Kuzma Green, Tim Montague, Alison Peabody Southwell, Vic and Marsha Steinglass, Clare Tully, Haunani Wallace, Ralph “Doc” Wallace Sun, 12/13/2020 - 8:45pm During the uncertainty of a challenging pandemic, members of the Rockport Select Board have launched an unjustified attack on residents’ property rights that will adversely impact our local tourism economy. They plan to severely restrict the opportunity for Rockport homeowners to offer their homes for rental during the summer months. Although the term “STR” is new, this practice dates back well over a century in Rockport. As Rockport homeowners who rely on summer rental income to help make ends meet, we feel compelled to share some relevant facts and ask this question: Why are our Town officials seeking to regulate an economic opportunity that helps us and our many local businesses and nonprofit organizat ....