On August 23, 2023

Woodstock puts pause on short-term rentals 

 

By Katy Savage

Woodstock is temporarily suspending short-term rental and bed and breakfast permits while the Planning Commission reviews enforcement and compliance issues. 

The Woodstock Select Board voted unanimously Aug. 15 to suspend short term rental and bed and breakfast applications for six months, starting Oct. 1 and ending March 31.

Steven Bauer, the director of planning and zoning, proposed a review process. 

“A lot of things are going well,” he said at the meeting. “A lot of things aren’t going perfect.”

The town started regulating short-term rentals five years ago, requiring homeowners to register their rental and go through three enforcement agencies while paying a series of fees. The Woodstock fire department, the state fire marshal and the town planning board reviews the permit applications. The process then requires short-term rental owners to acquire a conditional use permit for $375 plus pay a commercial conversion fee of $550 and a recording fee of $15. There’s another $200 fee due to the fire department if the property is in the town or $275 fee if the property is in the Village.

“Right now it’s burdensome to say the least to go through the process,” Bauer said in a phone interview. “It’s time for a review. Does it have to be this difficult?”  

The regulations further prohibit Village homeowners from renting their properties more than six times a year, except during foliage season, when they can rent their properties as much as they want as long as they are the primary residence.

In the town, homeowners can rent their property no more than 10 times a year with the same exception during foliage season. 

Bauer said it takes a property owner an average of 80 days to go through the permit process. And, there is little enforcement for those out of compliance. 

“The enforcement highly relies on complaints being filed,” he said.

There are currently 68 short-term rental properties registered with the town and Village, yet there are around 98 active listings on rental websites. 

“There’s definitely some people who are  non-compliant,” Bauer said. “It makes for an unfair advantage for people that are skirting or ignoring the regulations.”

Some residents at the meeting on Aug. 15 questioned the economic impact of the moratorium.

Derek Dumas, a short term rental owner, said some homeowners would be unwilling to wait six months and may list their property without going through the appropriate approval process.

“You’re shutting the door in their face — do they become one of the people that don’t follow the rules?” Dumas said.

Brett Ralph, a resident of Maple Street in Woodstock, said he manages over 100 vacation rental properties in the Upper Valley — most of which are in Quechee. He said the moratorium will impact his business and his employees.  

“What kind of impact will that have on the town?” he said. 

Jennifer Falvey, a Woodstock resident and real estate agent, said the waiting period would decrease home values.

“Short term rentals have an impact on the real estate value of all our homes,” she said.  

The board made it clear the moratorium only impacts Woodstock town properties. It will not impact people who are currently renting short-term rentals or bed and breakfasts.

Do you want to submit feedback to the editor?

Send Us An Email!

Related Posts

H.91 would overhaul Vermont’s response to homelessness, dissolving statewide motel program

April 23, 2025
By Carly Berlin/VTDigger This story, by Report for America corps member Carly Berlin, is published via a partnership between VTDigger and Vermont Public. A bill that would fundamentally overhaul Vermont’s response to homelessness is making its way through the Statehouse. H.91 provides a potential off-ramp to the state’s mass use of motel rooms as a…

How Killington became The Beast: Part 7

April 23, 2025
By Karen D. Lorentz Editors’ Note: This is part of a series on the factors that enabled Killington to become The Beast of the East. Quotations are from author interviews in the 1980s for the book “Killington, A Story of Mountains and Men.” Despite the two-year delay to Killington’s debut—caused by the access road not…

Bailey’s Place spreads a welcome mat for the LGBTQ+ community in downtown Rutland

April 23, 2025
By James Kent RUTLAND— There’s a new space in downtown Rutland bursting with warmth, heart, and pride—and it’s called Bailey’s Place. Founded by 21-year-old Faith McClure, Bailey’s Place is the first LGBTQ+ bar and restaurant in the area in over two decades. It officially opened its doors on April 12, and within days had already…

Five file petitions for two seats on the Killington Select Board

April 23, 2025
A special election will be held May 28 By Polly Mikula UPDATE: Andrew Gieda has withdrawn his candidacy for the one-year Selectboard seat,  Killington Town Clerk Peggy Neisner told the Mountain Times, Wednesday, April 23.  KILLINGTON — Monday, April 21, was the deadline for candidates to submit petitions to be on the ballot to join the…