Council to take up short-term rental ordinance amendments

LACONIA — The City Council is expected to take the first step Monday when it takes up proposed amendments to the recently enacted ordinance regulating short-term rentals.

The council in December passed an ordinance banning short-term rentals, except in Weirs Beach, unless the owner lives on the premises for at least 150 days a year. At that Dec. 9 meeting the council agreed to have city attorneys review a possible amendment to allow people to appeal the ban to the Zoning Board of Adjustment.

As proposed, premises which are not in the commercial-resort zone and do not meet the owner-occupancy requirement for of short-term rentals could receive a special exception from the Zoning Board if the owners show that the house has been rented out on a short-term basis prior to December 2014, or if the applicant can show that granting the special exception for the property would entail “a general community benefit that rises above the financial gains of the applicant,” in addition to the standard special exception conditions.

Short-term rentals booked through home-sharing sites account for millions of dollars spent for traveler lodging in New Hampshire alone. Airbnb, the largest home-rental platform, said last year it accounted for 57,400 guest arrivals statewide. All told, those travelers paid $11.8 million for their accommodations. Belknap County alone accounted for almost half of those guest arrivals — 27,700.

Ordinance supporters say the regulations help protect the interests of residents whose homes are close to short-term rental properties, and also safeguards against a serious depletion of affordable housing.

But critics said they are overly restrictive, and said property owners should have the flexibility to use their property for short-term rentals if they wish.

Neil Pankhurst, co-founder of the Winnipesaukee Playhouse, pointed out that the five-bedroom home he owns in Laconia’s South End is used by actors and crew members during the summer theater season and then is rented out on a short-term basis the rest of the year. But the house is not owner-occupied, so this present use could not be continued, which, Pankhurst said, would harm his business.

Another change to the ordinance would set the cost of a short-term rental permit at $250. A permit would be valid for two years.

City Manager Scott Myers said the fee would cover the costs to the city for administering the permit system, including the time for those city employees who will be conducting the fire and life-safety inspections of the various premises.

The amendments are scheduled for a first reading at Monday’s council meeting. If the council passes the amendments on the initial reading, they will be scheduled for a public hearing during the council meeting scheduled for Feb. 10. The council needs to vote to approve the amendments twice before they can become part of the ordinance.