PLYMOUTH, Vt. – Board chair Jay Kullman announced at the July 17 selectboard meeting that they would be scheduling a special meeting regarding the appeal on the updated STR ordinance.
At the previous selectboard meeting, on June 19, former STR administrator Steve Radonis presented the Plymouth Selectboard with a petition disapproving the short-term rental (STR) ordinance amendments made at the May 15 meeting.
Radonis’s petition suggested that a “Knox Box shall remain a mandatory requirement,” and insurance requirements should include a “specific rental endorsement [such as a] commercial or landlord insurance, specific to short-term rental, providing 365 days per year coverage. Economy sharing is not valid coverage.” Radonis’ petition also proposed that insurance coverage by rental representatives such as Vacasa, Air B&B, and VRBO are not acceptable.
The board has interpreted Radonis’ petition as a repeal, meaning the previously voted STR ordinance dated July 6, 2021 is currently in effect. “We adopted updates already,” Kullman stated, which were intended to streamline the application process. Radonis’ petition is “to repeal the updates.”
The checklist on the ordinance from 2021 includes, applicants must make an appointment with state fire marshall for a Certificate of Occupancy, order and install a Knox Box, and have a final inspection with the STR administrator. The 2021 ordinance also states that applications must include proof of homeowners’ liability and casualty insurance that must contain an STR endorsement, and a list of other safety and procedural requirements. Concluding with, “any person who commences or continues to operate a short-term rental property without the required permit shall be deemed guilty of an infraction and may be fined up to $100 per day.”
The town has 60 days from the date of the appeal, and scheduled a special meeting for Tuesday, Aug. 15, at 7 p.m., for discussion and to vote by Australian ballot to approve or disapprove the May 15 amendments to the STR ordinance. With limited time, the town is unable to send out absentee ballots, so the vote will be determined by whoever attends the meeting. The board also announced that if you aren’t a resident, you will likely need permission to speak, and you will not be allowed to vote.
The board then moved to sign documents for the Vermont Bond Bank for the $800,000 general allocation bond issue to acknowledge the voters of the town approved it.
Town clerk Angela Kissell updated the board on land records being posted and updated online. They have documents from 2016 and forward now accessible. Anyone can request and obtain those deeds and documents for $2.50 per page from the website.
Treasurer and collector of delinquent taxes Elaine Pauley announced that delinquent taxes are down to $45,412. There are only 27 parcels remaining unpaid, with three of those being town owned, after the February tax sale. It was noted that the town began the year with around 140 parcels. The board was pleased with the progress.
Pauley noted she had warned there might be another tax sale in the fall, and it “would be good to clean [these] up before the new tax bills arrive.” With the tax bills going out in the next few weeks, the town will be including a new direct debit form, and encouraging residents to pay taxes that way. Also included with the tax bill will be an informational sheet with the town tax rate, as well as the education tax rate, making sure it’s clear that the increase in taxes is due to the jump in education tax.
There was public comment on road closures and trying to find a way to keep people updated on when each road will be opened. Kullman reminded everyone that they cannot repair the roads completely until FEMA assesses all of the damages and approves the repairs.
Kissell announced she is starting an email blast when the selectboard has finalized the agenda for the upcoming meeting. We want to “get more people involved in what’s going on,” she said. Anyone who wants to be added to that email list should reach out to Kissell.
The next selectboard meeting will be Monday, Aug. 7, at 6 p.m.