01/28/2019 BOARD OF SELECTMEN Agenda Packet

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Notwithstanding any ordinance or by-law adopted by a city or town, an operator of a short-terra rental is required to post inside the short-term rental unit information regarding the location of any fire extinguishers, gas shut off valves, fire exits and fire alarms in the unit and building. A city or town may', further, establish a public registry of all short-term rental accommodations located within that city or town offered for rent by operators who are registered in accordance with section 67 of Chapter 62C. A city or town may determine what relevant information shall be listed, including where the accommodation is located. (SECTION 9). Massachusetts General Laws chapter 175, § 4F has been added to provide new definitions for "hosting platform", "operator" and "short-term rental" and to require that short-term rental operators carry liability insurance of not less than $100,000 unless the rental is offered through a hosting platform that maintains equal or greater coverage, and that operators notify their insurance carriers of their intent to offer insured premises as the location(s) of short-term rentals. 3) Suggested Actions: 1. Unless the Town has,already accepted G.L. c. 64G,§3A at the rate it wishes to adopt, in which case the short term rental excise authorized by the Act will deem to have been accepted, accept the local excise tax provisions'of the new law at an Annual or Special Town Meeting by inserting the following article in the warrant: Article : To see if the Town will vote to accept Section 3A of c. 337 of.the Acts of 2018 (Section 3A of G. L. c. 64G) authorizing the imposition of a local excise tax upon the transfer of occupancy of a room in a bed and breakfast establishment, hotel, lodging house, short-term rental or motel at a rate. of 6% of the total amount of rent for each such occupancy, or take any other action relative thereto. (N8: The rate imposed can be anything equal to or less than b°a). Submitted by the Board of Selectmen Explanation: This article authorizes the imposition of a local excise tax of not more than 6% on a transfer of occupancy of various types of short-term rentals now authorized by c. 337 of the Acts of 2018, effective on July Z, 2019, 2. Accept the local community impact fee provisions of the Act in separate articles at an Annual or Special Town Meeting by inserting the following articles in the warrant: Article. : To see if the Town will vote to accept Section 3A of C. 337 of the Acts of 2018 (Section 3D of Gen. L. c. 64G) authorizing the imposition of a local community impact fee upon the transfer of occupancy of a professionally managed short term rental unit at a rate of 3% of the total amount of rent for each such occupancy, or take any other action relative thereto. (N8: The rate imposed can be anything equal to or less than 3%). Submitted by the Board of Selectmen 6