Short-term rental committee delivers recommendations; Stonington Selectmen direct next steps on registration and fees

A committee appointed to study short‑term rentals presented recommendations to the Selectmen and urged the town to adopt registration and fee mechanisms.

Linda Nelson and committee members summarized a review of local practices elsewhere and presented a PowerPoint that distinguished owner‑occupied short‑term rentals from those used exclusively for transient lodging. The committee recommended a registration system, potential nominal fees, and ordinance language to protect first‑floor retail in the Shoreland Zone.

Selectmen discussed concerns about unintended consequences for year‑round renters and small landlords. Board members generally favored a registration-and-fee approach rather than blanket prohibitions, and they instructed staff and the Planning Board to prepare draft ordinance language and public hearings later in the fall. The minutes show ongoing coordination with SEDC and planning bodies to shape any regulation in time for voters or a public hearing process.

No ordinance vote was recorded in the minutes provided; the Selectmen asked for drafts and stakeholder outreach to inform any future formal actions.