Please let us know your thoughts - Note: it APPLIES TO ALL RENTALS ON SHELTER ISLAND - not just SHORT TERM. There will be an enforcement component, and a spyware component, both of which, you will pay for with your town taxes. Link to the Draft Law: http://www.shelterislandtown.us/public_ftp/133ShortTermrentallaw.pdf Draft Law is below: 1 DRAFT LAW AS OF December 7 , 2016 1 SECTION 1. Legislative Intent. 2 Dwelling units on Shelter Island have long been used for vacation rental purposes as an 3 alternative to traditional accommodations. Changes in the tourism industry have greatly 4 expanded the m arket of privately - owned residences that are rented for vacation, leisure, and 5 recreational purposes and may have adverse impacts that are best addressed through appropriate 6 legislation . A home used for short term rentals can be a business similar to a hot el in that the 7 users are transients, the operation is profit driven, and significant services such as cleaning and 8 yard care are provided by the host and not the renter, but differ from hotels in that the host is not 9 on - site to monitor renter activity and the short term rental has less safety and regulatory 10 oversight than does the hotel business . The conversion of long term rentals to short term rentals 11 reduces the availability of affordable rental housing that maintains the diversity of Shelter Island 12 resi dents , and increases the overall cost of living in the town . Regulation of vacation rentals will 13 preserve and protect the Island’s neighborhoods, provide standards and procedures for vacation 14 rentals, allow owners and residents continued quiet enjoyment of their residential properties, as 15 well as educate prospective renters on the Town’s regulations and expected behavior. 16 SECTION 2. Vacation Rental Legislation 17 133 - 1. Add the following Definitions : 18 ADVERTISING. Any and all advertising or any other form of c ommunication for marketing that 19 is used to encourage, persuade, or manipulate viewers, readers, or listeners into contracting for 20 goods and/or services as may be viewed through various media, including but not limited to 21 newspapers, magazines, flyers, hand bills, television commercials, radio signage, direct mail, 22 websites, emails, or text messages by owner and/or owner’s agent or representative. 23 24 CONVENTIONAL BEDROOM. A room designed principally as a sleeping area. Rooms having 25 other purposes, such as dens, living rooms and hallways are not to be interpreted as a 26 conventional bedroom. 27 28 GOOD NEIGHBOR BROCHURE. A document prepared by the Town that summarizes the 29 general rules of conduct, consideration, and respect, including but not limited to provisions of th e 30 Town Code of the Town of Shelter Island applicable to renters. 31 32 LOCAL CONTACT PERSON. An individual designated by the owner or owner’s agent or 33 representative who resides on Shelter Island and is available 24 hours per day, seven (7) days per 34 week for th e purpose of responding by telephone or in - person to complaints regarding the 35 condition or conduct of occupants of the residential rental and who is authorized by the owner to 36 take remedial action. 37 38 OWNER. The legal owner of any property. 39 40 OWNER OCCUPIED. Premises where owner is simultaneously domiciled on the same premises 41 with tenant or tenants during a rental term. 42 43 2 RENTAL LICENSE. An annual license issued by the Town to the owner to allow the use or 1 occupancy of a vacation rental, pursuant to this Chapt er. 2 3 RENTAL NOTIFICATION. Notification of a confirmed rental made by the owner of a vacation 4 rental to the Town. 5 6 RENTAL REGISTRY. A registry maintained by the owner of a vacation rental showing the 7 dates of rental and tenant names and contact information . 8 9 RENTAL TERM . The period of time a tenant rents or leases a portion or all of a premise. 10 11 TENANT. A person to whom an owner or owner’s agents and/or representatives grant temporary 12 use of land or a part of a building, usually in exchange for rent. 13 14 VACAT ION RENTAL. A dwelling unit which is used as a temporary residence by persons other 15 than the owner or owner’s immediate family and for which money or other consideration or 16 compensation is paid by the tenant to the owner or owner’s agent and/or representat ive, directly 17 or indirectly, for the use and enjoyment of all or a portion of the dwelling unit. Vacation rentals 18 include, but are not limited to one - family dwellings, two - family dwellings, apartments, and any 19 other buildings or structures, whether attache d or detached to a primary structure. 20 For the purposes of this Chapter , Vacation Rentals shall not include: 21 a. Any premises or portion of premise s rented to a tenant as a fixed and permanent 22 home. 23 b. Any premises , or portion of premises , that is owner occupied . 24 c. Any premises used exclusively for non - residential commercial or non - profit purposes . 25 d. Any legally operating commercial hotel/motel or bed - and - breakfast establishment. 26 27 133 - 14.1 Vacation Rental Regulation. 28 A. License requirements. Vacation rentals shall be permitted subject to issuance of a rental 29 license , renewable annually and subject to the following requirements: 30 1) Submittal of a completed, fully - executed Vacation Rental License Application or 31 Vacation Rental License Annual Renewal Application, with appli cabl e license fee(s) as 32 established by resolution of the Town Board. 33 2) The vacation rental shall have a valid and current certificate of occupancy or certificate of 34 compliance. 35 3) The total number of conventional bedrooms in a premises shall not exceed the numb er 36 indicated on a certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance and the filed building plans 37 for all structures on the premises. 38 4) Occupancy of a vacation rental shall not exceed two (2) persons per conventional 39 bedroom. 40 5) The owner of a vacation renta l shall maintain a rental registry for examination by the 41 Town, if requested. Rental registry records shall be preserved a minimum of three (3) years. 42