Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 10/19/2022
SOUTHWICK — The Planning Board’s Short-Term Rental Subcommittee voted 7-1 on Oct. 11 to recommend a draft bylaw that would permit and regulate Airbnb-style rentals in Southwick.
The subcommittee had worked for months to develop the five-page bylaw, which can now be considered in a public hearing by the Planning Board. Should it be approved by the Planning Board, the bylaw would then be put on a town meeting warrant where it would need to be passed with a two-thirds majority by town voters.
Subcommittee members Douglas Moglin, Richard Utzinger, Russell Anderson, Rhett Bannish, Randy Brown, Alex White, and Jackie Sinay voted in favor of the bylaw, while Pat Odiorne was the lone vote against it.
Odiorne said that she voted against the bylaw in part because she would prefer to see the current prohibition on short-term rentals in Southwick enforced, rather than repealed. The prohibition in Southwick is currently not enforced, and at least five Airbnb rentals operate in the town, one of which is Odiorne’s neighbor, which she has said is the main reason for her disapproval of the rentals.
When the subcommittee last met in September, a vote was called to move an earlier draft of the bylaw forward, but it failed in a 3-3 split.
As it is written now, the bylaw draft includes requirements for the property owner to register the short-term rental with the town Building Department, which would include notification of abutting properties. The owners of rental properties would also be required to provide their contact and address information to local emergency response agencies and the Building Department.
It also sets specific standards that must be met by short-term rental properties, like trash removal, adequate parking, a minimum rental period of 24 hours, and compliance with fire codes.
It also defines what types of buildings are ineligible, like income restricted housing and family apartments.
A complaint process is established in the bylaw which sets up a method for neighbors to register complaints about a short-term rental property, the follow up investigation, and enforcement of any violations.
The committee had already chosen to leave out an owner occupancy requirement from the bylaw because it would be a challenge to enforce logistically, and because the property owner would reasonably need to be able to come and go from the property over the course of any given day.
Any part of the bylaw could be subject to change by the Planning Board during the public hearing process.