LUDLOW, Vt. – A motion to create a short-term rental (STR) registry in Ludlow failed in a split 2-2 vote at the Wednesday, Jan. 24, special joint meeting of the Ludlow Selectboard and Village Trustees.
In total, four members representing the Ludlow Selectboard, and two representing the Village Trustees, were present at the meeting, which constituted a quorum of both boards, allowing for votes to legally be taken.
Town manager Brendan McNamara emphasized that the forthcoming vote was intended to be the definitive say on the STR registry issue, after a drawn-out process spanning nearly a half-decade; either the board would vote to tell the planning commission to draft an ordinance, or “you [the board] vote ‘no,’ we all go home, and we don’t talk about this.”
The floor was opened to members of the public to give their input to the boards prior to the vote. Several present voiced their opposition to the enactment of an STR registry, citing issues from privacy and property rights, to the perceived unfairness and increased burden on STR owners created by a possible registration fee and greater regulation. Some attendees, even among those who were not outright opposed, questioned what the intended purpose of the registry was. “I have attended several of these meetings,” said Steve Messina, partner and COO at Mary W. Davis Realtor, “and I’m still at a loss for what the objective of the rental registry is.”
Selectboard member, trustee, and Acting Chair Justin Hyjek explained that the primary purpose of the registry, in his view, was safety and education. “We are one of the last mountain towns not to have a registry or ordinance,” Hyjek said, despite having one of the highest numbers of STRs per capita. Hyjek felt that a registry would ensure that STR owners were aware and informed of information such as fire safety regulations, maximum occupancy rules, and what constitutes a “bedroom,” and would also “regulate a new market,” creating a needed revenue stream for Ludlow.
Speaking to the board, Planning Commission Chair Terry Carter reminded them that a survey had been taken in the spring of 2023, asking Ludlow residents and homeowners whether there should be an STR registry. According to Carter, 60% of the 297 respondents to the survey supported the creation of an STR registry. Of those who supported an STR registry, 80% wanted the town to charge a registration fee.
A motion was put forth by Hyjek that would have given the planning commission the task of drafting an STR registry ordinance. However, the board remained split on the issue, with Hyjek and board member George Tucker voting in favor of the motion, and board members Robert Brandt and Scott Baitz voting against. The 2-2 tie vote resulted in the failure of the motion under Robert’s Rules of Order. Hyjek and Brandt also represented the trustees, meaning that vote resulted in a 1-1 tie. Despite some ensuing controversy concerning whether there should be a revote at the next meeting, with all board members present, it was determined that the legal quorum for a vote had been met, and the vote was therefore officially a “nay” vote.
The Ludlow Selectboard’s regularly scheduled meetings occur on the first Monday of every month, at 6 p.m., in the Heald Auditorium at Ludlow Town Hall.