Vermont H 242: An act relating to making energy efficiency charges, energy assistance program fees, and electric discount program fees voluntary

Bill Text

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VT LEG #378761 v.1
H.242 1
Introduced by Representatives Satcowitz of Randolph, Sheldon of 2
Middlebury, and Logan of Burlington 3
Referred to Committee on 4
Date: 5
Subject: housing; health; food and lodging establishments; short-term rentals 6
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to impose 7
operation restrictions on short-term rentals, including host-occupancy and 8
numerical restrictions; to authorize municipalities to exempt from application 9
to short-term rentals located within the municipality any of the short-term 10
rental operation restrictions; and to create a statewide registration of short-term 11
rentals. 12
An act relating to regulating short-term rentals 13
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 14
Sec. 1. 18 V.S.A. § 4301 is amended to read: 15
§ 4301. DEFINITIONS 16
(a) As used in this chapter: 17
* * * 18
(14) “Short-term rental” means a furnished house, condominium, or 19
other dwelling room or self-contained dwelling unit rented to the transient, 20

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traveling, or vacationing public for a period of fewer than 30 consecutive days 1
and for more than 14 days per calendar year. 2
(15) “Long-term resident” means, for a short-term rental, a person 3
whose primary residence is located on the same premises as the short-term 4
rental. 5
* * * 6
Sec. 2. 18 V.S.A. §§ 4469–4470a are added to read: 7
§ 4469. OPERATION RESTRICTIONS 8
Except as provided in section 4470 of this title, no person shall offer for rent 9
a short-term rental unless the following conditions are met: 10
(1) Host-occupancy restriction. A long-term resident shall reside on the 11
same premises as the short-term rental. 12
(2) Numerical restriction. A person may offer for rent not more than 13
one short-term rental per parcel. 14
§ 4470. EXEMPTION FROM OPERATION RESTRICTIONS 15
(a)(1) A municipality that has enacted regulations of short-term rentals 16
under 24 V.S.A. § 2291 may exempt from application to short-term rentals 17
located within the municipality the operation restrictions provided under 18
section 4469 of this title by majority vote of those present and voting by 19
Australian ballot at an annual or special meeting warned for that purpose. 20

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(2) A vote to exempt from application to short-term rentals located 1
within the municipality the operation restrictions provided under section 4469 2
of this title shall remain in effect until rescinded by majority vote of those 3
present and voting by Australian ballot at a subsequent annual or special 4
meeting warned for that purpose. 5
(b) Upon petition of not less than five percent of the legal voters of any 6
municipality, filed with the town clerk in conformance with 17 V.S.A. § 2642, 7
the warning of the annual or special meeting shall contain an article providing 8
for a vote upon the following questions: 9
Shall this municipality exempt from application to short-term rentals in 10
this municipality the host-occupancy restriction provided under 18 V.S.A. 11
§ 4469(1)? 12
Shall this municipality exempt from application to short-term rentals in 13
this municipality the numerical restriction provided under 18 V.S.A. 14
§ 4469(2)? 15
The vote under the article shall be by ballot in the following form: 16
Shall this municipality exempt from application to short-term rentals in 17
this municipality the host-occupancy restriction provided under 18 V.S.A. 18
§ 4469(1)? 19
Yes ___ No ___ 20

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Shall this municipality exempt from application to short-term rentals in 1
this municipality the numerical restriction provided under 18 V.S.A. 2
§ 4469(2)? 3
Yes ___ No ___ 4
(c) During a vote authorized by this section, the municipality shall make 5
available to the voters of the municipality present and voting a copy of the 6
language of section 4469 of this title. 7
§ 4470a. REGISTRATION OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS 8
(a) Not later than September 1 each year, a short-term rental owner or 9
operator shall register each short-term rental with the Department of Housing 10
and Community Development on a form provided by the Department of 11
Housing and Community Development. The form shall include the following 12
information: 13
(1) the name, address, phone number, and email address of the owner or 14
owners of the short-term rental; 15
(2) the identity of any corporation or partnership associated with the 16
short-term rental, including the name, address, phone number, and email 17
address of any principals of the corporation or partners of the partnership; 18
(3) the name, address, phone number, and email address of any long-19
term resident; 20
(4) the address of the short-term rental; 21

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(5) the number of dwelling units at that address; 1
(6) the