Dalton Starts Talks on STRs
DALTON, Mass. — Short-term rentals have sparked extensive debate across Berkshire County, and now Dalton is joining the conversation.
During the Planning Board meeting on Wednesday, the topic of short-term rentals was briefly raised and will be discussed in more depth at its July meeting.
The state Department of Revenue flags short-term rentals as owner-occupied or occupied for 14 days or less. By law all units must register, but units occupied by guests for fewer than 15 days a year do not need to collect tax.
Some towns, like Williamstown, have defined a rental of a whole or a portion of a dwelling unit, in exchange for payment, as residential accommodations for not more than 30 consecutive days.
Dalton does not have a bylaw for short-term rentals. Definitions on similar rentals within the bylaws are:
Motel, which is defined as a hotel primarily for transients traveling by automobile, with a parking space on the lot for each lodging unit with access to each such unit directly from the outside
Lodging, bed-and-breakfast, boarding, or tourist house, which are defined as a residence with rooms rented or used by paying guests, transiently or permanently, where not more than six bedrooms are used for shelter and sleeping accommodations for guests, and guest meals may be provided.
Although Building Inspector Brian Duval has not received any complaints, the town's lack of a short-term rental bylaw needs to be addressed to prevent "major problems" other towns are experiencing, including Lanesborough and Lenox.
If Duval receives a complaint, he is required to immediately send a cease and desist, shutting them down, Vice Chair Robert Collins said.
"We felt that this is something that should be brought to the board's attention, and that we should probably start to put something together bylaws for short term rentals," he said.
There are a lot of things the board needs to consider when developing a short-term rental bylaw including registration procedure, where they are permitted, and whether to allow renting of accessory dwelling units, Duval said.
Some towns have restricted owner-occupied rentals to specific zoning areas, and placed limits on some zones to just 90 to 180 days.
This is not the first time Duval has been part of discussions on short-term rentals. He also serves as the building inspector for multiple towns, such Lanesborough and Adams.
One of the biggest issues with short-term rentals is the building code requirements for that type of use, specifically the sprinkler system regulations.
This is something he conceived at the Adams Planning Board meeting on Monday, where he explained having a short-term rental can trigger the need for a higher-level sprinkler system, 13R or Commercial System.
Lanesborough addressed this issue by requiring short-term rental operators to apply for a certificate of inspection, which will be presented to the town and DOR. Then they are permitted to operate.
Registration is done annually, and if there are any violations, Duval can issue a ticket.
Lanesborough is also allowing people to apply for a temporary certificate with a caveat that all other safety regulations are being followed, and they have one year to file for the variance or install the state-required sprinkler system, he explained at the Adams meeting.
Tags: Planning Board, short-term rentals,
