Erie commission recommends allowing short-term rentals in most districts

The Erie Planning Commission voted 4-1 on Oct. 7 to recommend draft rules allowing short-term rentals in most residential, commercial and mixed-use districts, according to the meeting recording. The recommendation does not change current town rules. Town Council’s public hearing was scheduled for Oct. 13.

The proposal would cover stays of fewer than 30 consecutive days in a home, room or accessory dwelling unit, subject to district-specific rules and a town permit. Town staff said they had identified at least 60 short-term rentals operating in Erie, with the greatest concentration in Old Town, where the use is not currently permitted.

The draft would limit applicants to one rental and allow no more than one rental per property. In the Old Town Residential district, rentals would have to be at least 250 feet apart by walking distance, unless an owner received an exception through special review. Operators would need to identify one parking space per bedroom and have an owner or representative able to respond in person within an hour. The town’s staff report and draft ordinance describe the proposed rules.

Town staff told commissioners that enforcing the existing ban had been difficult and time-consuming, and that the town previously lacked staff to pursue it. Staff described the proposal as a framework for voluntary compliance. Under the draft, a third conviction within 12 months would revoke a permit; a second revocation within five years would trigger a two-year permit ban.