Killington raises short-term rental permit fees

By Curt Peterson

At its regular meeting, Aug. 8, the Killington Select Board proposed to increase the fees for the required annual registration of short-term rentals for the next program term — Nov. 1, 2022 through Oct. 31, 2023.

The registration fee for each category will increase over this year’s fee by $250, Select Board member Jim Haff said. One- and two-bedroom rentals will cost $400 to register, three-bedroom rentals $450, and four-bedrooms or more $500. Currently, the costs are $150, $200 and $250, respectively.

A rental is considered short-term if the unit is rented for less than 30 days at a time, but more than 14 days in a year.

There will be a hearing, Haff said, and reminded his fellow selectmen the new fees are about half the amounts recommended by the company servicing the program.

The fees are being raised, he said, because there is a lot more enforcement, regulation and administration demanded of the town than anticipated.

Dave McComb, owner of Killington Vacation Rentals, Inc., and manager of many short-term rentals in the area, asked if any excess funds remaining in the program at the end of the upcoming term might be invested in an affordable housing study.

Haff said any surplus would be part of the general fund, that traditionally surpluses are used to lower future taxes, but that McComb’s idea could be discussed.

In addition to raising the registration fees, Haff said the town is planning to turn the program regulation into an “ordinance,” which would come directly under the authority of the Select Board. Currently the program is administered through zoning by the Planning Commission.

The town’s attorney recommended that change Haff said.