BREAKING NEWS: Bar Harbor planning board rejects proposed limits on vacation rentals
SOMESVILLE, Sept. 2, 2021 - The Planning Board dealt a critical blow to a bid to limit vacation rentals in a 2-2 tie Wednesday night which will now require a supermajority of voters to override in November.
Member Ruth Eveland did not attend. She did not return QSJ’s email.
The motion by member Elissa Chesler, and supported by member Millard Dority, failed when chair Tom St. Germain and member Joseph Cough opposed. You may watch the discussion and vote starting at Minute 57 in this video.
The proposal would disallow any transfer of vacation rental registrations until the percentage of VRs falls below 9 percent of the housing stock. It is now approaching 20 percent. Proponents of the limit point to VRs as a major cause of lack of year-round housing.
The board spent most of the time Wednesday debating the legality of the vote.