As Tisbury continues to grapple with the licensing and revenue implications of short-term rentals, an updated copy of the town’s proposed rental regulations has been posted online. A public hearing on the draft rules, opened during Tuesday’s select board meeting, makes Tisbury the first Island town to begin codifying the short-term rental process.
Covering rentals of less than 30 consecutive days, the draft regulations do not include suggested fees for registering short-term rental properties and inspecting them for building, health and fire safety. At the hearing Tuesday, town counsel David Doneski said the short-term rental task force has proposed fees of $225 for registering a property, $150 per annual inspection and $75 for a followup inspection if one is required.
“But there was no vote on that by the [task force],” Mr. Doneski said. “Ultimately, the establishment of the fees is the province of the select board.”
Former fire chief John Schilling chaired the task force, which he originally proposed in 2017 to regulate and inspect high-turnover rental properties in Tisbury. A Massachusetts law, finalized in 2019, established a state tax for rentals of less than 31 days and requires local options to be approved by municipal legislation, which for Dukes County municipalities is the annual town meeting.
Task force member Christine Redfield said the group, which in addition to Chief Schilling included homeowners, lodging house operators and real estate agents, worked to adapt the proposed town rules to the state’s rules.
“We thought a lot about it,” she said. “A lot of the things that might seem harsh are Massachusetts state law, and we’re just getting in compliance with it.”
Flouting the town regulations would be subject to a $300 fine, according to the draft.
The public hearing will continue Jan. 26 at 5:30 p.m.
In another hearing Tuesday, shellfish farmer Noah Mayrand returned to the board with a new location for what is expected to be the town’s first aquaculture license.
After his initial proposed one-acre grant in Lake Tashmoo proved unworkable when divers from the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries found eel grass in part of the site earlier this year, Mr. Mayrand chose a new spot in the Lagoon Pond.
Town shellfish constable Danielle Ewart dove the proposed grant and found no eel grass or shellfish, Mr. Mayrand said.
“There’s no viable natural resources there to disturb,” he said of the location in the southeastern arm of the lagoon. The public hearing on his application continues Jan. 12 at 6 p.m.
Also Tuesday, selectmen set the annual town meeting date for Saturday, May 1, following a discussion with officials including Mr. Doneski and town moderator Deborah Medders.
“Whether we hold it indoors or outdoors is a decision we certainly can wait on,” Ms. Medders said.
The single largest spending request on the warrant will be for the Tisbury School, Mr. Grande said. The most recent estimates for the project came in at more than $53 million.
In an update on the state reconstruction project on Beach Road, Mr. Grande said the contractor has completed a series of test digs to examine potential conflicts between existing and proposed infrastructure beneath the surface.
As a result of the testing, it is likely that the state will install a new water main at no cost to the town, he said. More information is expected in January, he said.
Also Tuesday, a crop of annual license renewals for restaurants and other businesses included two special requests from Vineyard Haven eateries.
Selectmen voted to allow Beach Road restaurant to add outdoor seating when it reopens next year, and granted the Black Dog Tavern permission to close Jan. 4 without relinquishing its year-round liquor license. Manager Chris LaPointe said he had contacted the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission about the proposed closure.
“The ABCC let me know that they have no problem,” said Mr. LaPointe. “We would reopen April 1.”
Meanwhile, he said, the company is planning to extend its winter hours at the Black Dog Bakery Café on State Road to a 7 p.m. closing time and to expand its dinner takeout menu.
Selectmen appointed Steven Araujo, a truck driver for John Keene Excavation, to the Steamship Authority’s noise and traffic working group. The board also appointed Larry Gomez, Nancy Gilfoy, Michael Loberg and Ben Robinson to the town’s newly-formed water resources committee.
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