B&B Ordinance Hearing Planned for March10

By Sue Ellen Woodcock

The Town Council will hold a public hearing on Thursday, March 10 on changes to the town ordinance as it pertains to bed and breakfast establishments and transient housing.

The change in the ordinance comes from the trend of people renting out bedrooms in their homes through programs like Air B&B and similar home-sharing opportunities.

The Planning Board and the Town Council’s Rules and Ordinance Committee have both gone over the revisions.

It is proposed that a special permit is now needed for bed and breakfast and transient housing establishments. The Board of Appeals will grant permits, which are good for two years..

The new ordinance allows for the use of a microwave in the room, there must be lockable doors in the bathroom. The bathroom must be dedicated for the guest. Guests cannot stay more than 14 days and the property owner must be on site when services are being provided.

The regulations propose that bed and breakfast establishments may rent up to four rooms and transient establishments can have two rooms.

A guest register is required at each establishment for people to be able to look over, including police and fire departments.

The public hearing on the revisions to the ordinance will be Thursday, March 10 at 7 p.m. in the Harvey Hearing Room at town hall.