NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Planning Board approved 10 special permits for short-term rentals during a brief meeting on Monday night. 

 

The City Council last year had set fees and permitting regulations for short-term rentals in the city after more than four years of debate. 

 

Special permits are required for rentals in buildings in which the owners do not live, according to the ordinance. Inspection fees for non-owner are $350, and the annual fee is also $350.

 

The Planning Board has already approved several special permits but Monday night had the highest number so far. No other matters were on the agenda. 

 

Approved were: 

 

Harding Avenue Realty LLC for 120 Harding Ave.; Matthew Swindell for 13 Holbrook St.; Berkshire One LLC for 71 North Holden St.; Craig Ferris for 35 Olds St.; Paul Chebiniak for 182 East Main St.; Cheri Rozycki for 375 Houghton St.; Carol LeBlanc for 17 North Church St.; Thomas Linden for 303 East Main St.; Emily Hobson for 49 Brooklyn St., and Mian Wang and Anthony Szeto for 29 Central Ave. 

 

Planners Rye Howard and Robert Burdick noted the requirement that non-owner occupied STRs have a local manager listed and asked where that was on the application form. 

 

Building Inspector William Meranti said the application the planners had was for the special permit. 

 

"The applicant for the short-term rental comes into the Office of Community Development and my office," he said. "It would not have made it to this portion of the meeting without [a local manager listed]."

 

"You've seen it and you're satisfied?" asked Burdick, with Meranti responding, "it would not have made its way here."

 

Richard Lord, who was with his sister, Patricia, said they were two of the three owners of 120 Harding Ave., which had been their parents' home of many years. He assured the planners that they had a local manager who was listed on their STR application. 

 

The planners asked no questions of the permit applicants and summarily approved all 10 permits. 

 

Planners Kyle Hanlon and Paul Senecal had been tasked with nominations and advised that the current slate of officers be kept. Chair Brian Miksic, who was absent, and Vice Chair Jesse Lee Egan Poirier were re-elected to office.