North Adams Committee Hosting Short-Term Rental Information Session

Print Story | Email Story
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council's Community Development Committee will be holding a public presentation and discussion on short-term rentals on Wednesday, March 4, at 6 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. 
 
The session will review the work happening in the Community Development Office and the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission pertaining to short-term rentals such as those advertised through web portals such as AirBnB. 
 
This meeting is intended to provide North Adams residents and stakeholders with relevant information and research pertaining to local-level regulations of short-term rentals of residential properties. Additionally, this meeting will be an opportunity for the committee and public in attendance to provide input that will help shape any short-term rental regulations yet to be developed by the city of North Adams. 
 
"This is an excellent opportunity for public stakeholders to hear what work and research has already been done by the Community Development Office, and to help inform any policy to be developed around short-term rentals going forward," said Committee Chairman Benjamin Lamb.
 
The Community Development Committee has been looking into regulations for short-term rentals for some time. The committee is a subcommittee of the North Adams City Council comprised of Councilors Lamb, Jason LaForest and Jessica Sweeney. 
 

Tags: community development,   public hearing,   short-term rentals,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Macksey Updates on Eagle Street Demo and Myriad City Projects

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

The back of Moderne Studio in late January. The mayor said the city had begun planning for its removal if the owner could not address the problems. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Moderne Studio building is coming down brick by brick on Eagle Street on the city's dime. 
 
Concerns over the failing structure's proximity to its neighbor — just a few feet — means the demolition underway is taking far longer than usual. It's also been delayed somewhat because of recent high winds and weather. 
 
The city had been making plans for the demolition a month ago because of the deterioration of the building, Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the City Council on Tuesday. The project was accelerated after the back of the 150-year-old structure collapsed on March 5
 
Initial estimates for demolition had been $190,000 to $210,000 and included asbestos removal. Those concerns have since been set aside after testing and the mayor believes that the demolition will be lower because it is not a hazardous site.
 
"We also had a lot of contractors who came to look at it for us to not want to touch it because of the proximity to the next building," she said. "Unfortunately time ran out on that property and we did have the building failure. 
 
"And it's an unfortunate situation. I think most of us who have lived here our whole lives and had our pictures taken there and remember being in the window so, you know, we were really hoping the building could be safe."
 
Macksey said the city had tried working with the owner, who could not find a contractor to demolish the building, "so we found one for him."
 
View Full Story

More North Adams Stories