<div dir="auto"><div>Following up, Styller definitely sets a framework, but one footnote the SJC stuck in there still leaves some local interpretation. The footnote states that Styller did not establish that STR was a typically accessory use of single family homes in Lynnfield. <div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">In Dennis, where 10% of all homes (2019 figures) have a STR license from the Board of Health (20% of all seasonal homes) one could easily argue that the use is typically accessory. Vested rights would be clearly an issue for similarly situated towns.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Strongly recommend getting as much information as you can before jumping in. If another Board licenses rentals, you will need to consider their overlapping jurisdiction on an issue zoning has been mute on. I had a private lawyer inquire on behalf of a neighborhood group, ultimately he felt it would be a tough battle to challenge a BOH license as a Zoning violation. </div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Daniel Fortier, AICP </div><div dir="auto">Retired Town Planner </div><br><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Wed, Aug 16, 2023, 10:37 AM Pam Kueber via MassPlanners <<a href="mailto:massplanners@masscptc.org">massplanners@masscptc.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large">What Jeff said. Plus: Not sure what your current zoning says about STRs, but this case from the Supreme Judicial Court in 2021 was an important milestone in the STR issue in Mass. :</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large">article: <a href="https://www.natlawreview.com/article/breaking-mass-sjc-rules-compatibility-short-term-rentals-single-family-zoning" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">https://www.natlawreview.com/article/breaking-mass-sjc-rules-compatibility-short-term-rentals-single-family-zoning</a><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large">case: <a href="https://www.massdirtlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Styller-v.-Zoning-Board-of-Appeals-of-Lynnfield.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">https://www.massdirtlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Styller-v.-Zoning-Board-of-Appeals-of-Lynnfield.pdf</a></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large">Pam Kueber<br>Lenox Planning Board</div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Wed, Aug 16, 2023 at 10:18 AM Jeff Lacy via MassPlanners <<a href="mailto:massplanners@masscptc.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">massplanners@masscptc.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="auto">Chris:<div>Assuming bylaw is zoning. The question to ask is: are the existing short-term rentals “lawful?” If so, and the bylaw inhibits them in some way, they would then become lawfully non conforming, may continue, but are subject to Chapter 40A, Section 6 if any expansions, reconstructions, alterations, etc. But, if not now lawful, they must come into full compliance with the new bylaw.</div><div>Jeff Lacy </div><div>Rural Planning Associates </div><div>(413) 230-9693<br><br><div dir="ltr">Sent from my iPhone</div><div dir="ltr"><br><blockquote type="cite">On Aug 16, 2023, at 10:04 AM, Chris Skelly via MassPlanners <<a href="mailto:massplanners@masscptc.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">massplanners@masscptc.org</a>> wrote:<br><br></blockquote></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt"><font face="arial, sans-serif">At a planning board meeting, the topic of short-term rentals
was discussed. The following question
was raised: If a new bylaw is passed that
limits short term rentals by size and zoning district, will the currently
operating short-term rentals be non-conforming uses? In other words, can they remain a short-term
rental use so long as they do not abandon the use and are properly inspected
and permitted for health and safety? The
question was being sent to town counsel but curious what the insight is here. </font><font face="verdana, sans-serif"> </font></p></div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-size:10pt"><strong><font face="verdana, sans-serif"><br></font></strong></span></div><div><span style="font-size:10pt"><strong><font face="verdana, sans-serif">Chris Skelly</font></strong></span></div>
<div><span style="font-size:10pt"><strong>Skelly Preservation Services</strong></span></div>
<div><span style="font-size:10pt">Community Planning and Preservation</span></div>
<div><a href="http://www.skellypreservationservices.com" style="font-size:10pt" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">www.skellypreservationservices.com</a><br></div>
<div><span style="font-size:10pt"><a href="mailto:ccskelly12@gmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">ccskelly12@gmail.com</a></span></div></div></div></div>
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