Stonington Selectmen move forward on short-term rental registration and set housing reserve from tax-acquired sales

Selectmen reviewed recommendations from a short-term rental committee and took steps on local housing policy and tax-acquired property sales.

At meetings in August and November, the short-term rental committee presented a PowerPoint and recommended options for balancing year-round housing needs with short-term rentals. Committee members and Selectmen discussed whether to pursue an ordinance, fee schedule or registration system; the board generally favored starting with registration and nominal fees while continuing ordinance drafting and public hearings.

On tax-acquired property policy and housing funding, the board discussed creating a housing reserve funded by proceeds from tax-acquired sales and settled on setting aside $100,000 for that purpose. The board also opened and awarded bids on tax-acquired parcels: Cottage Street was awarded to the Thorpes for $151,270 and the Pink Street parcel to abutter Jeff Boyce for $113,550.

Selectmen said the short-term rental committee’s work would continue through hearings and ordinance drafting and that the housing reserve would be used for planning or project scoping to support affordable or workforce housing initiatives.