05/18/2020 BOARD OF SELECTMEN Agenda Packet

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. Tokun of % r `► BOARD OF HEALTH 16 GREAT NECK ROAD NORTH (508)539 i4ij�C+ • boh@mashpeema.gov ema.� ]�' 1i k�� Mdi Prevent, Promote, Protect, MEMORANDUM DATE: May 14, 2020 TO: Rodney C. Collins, Town Manager FROM: Ten.E. Harrington, R.S., C.H..! ., Health Ageynt, E: Short-Tenn Rental Registration Fee I escr #� M The initial reason for proposing a rental property bylaw was to bring the on-line vacation rental properties into similar compliance with motels that already receive g ermittin from the Board of permitting Health.. The bylaw sets the Board of Health H as the registering, inspecting, and certificate- issuing authority for short-term rentals. Per the bylaw, the Selectmen are the authority for setting the registration fee. Bach ,rroun.d At their meeting on May 4, 2020, the Selectmen made a request to inspect only one-third of the units within a multi-unit rental property each year. Seanist timeshare condominium was used as an example, where there are a total of 90 units and.all 90 units would be charged the registration/inspection fee, but only 30 or one-third) of the units could be inspected each year. The Town Manager questioned whether the Town can charge a fee for ,all of the units if only one-third are being inspectea. Town Counsel was consulted and prepared the following opinion: To meet the requirements of the legal basis of a fee, a two-tiered approach was discussed. one fee for the 'registration/issuance of a rental certificate and one fee for the inspection. The registration and issuance of the certificate is one process, as the registration will be completed by filling out an application within our online permitting software. The rental certificate is issued within that same online software. The fee is based upon review of the application by the BOH Administrative Assistant and the Code Compliance Inspector, and is set at$25.00 per rental property. The online application can be set-up to allow several units on one property to be issued a single certificate. The timeshares get particularly messy if we try to issue a certificate to individual unit/week unit/week owners. There is typically one management company handling all the units for the entire property. The inspection fee will be separate and based upon the Code Compliance Inspector performing research and on-sine inspections. That fee calculates to be about$75.00 per dwelling unit. The actual costs for inspection are a bit complicated, as the bylaw does allow for other inspectors to visit the property with the BOH. This may not happen for all inspections but it certainly raises the cost. I did not include the extra inspectors, as it is;not the norm for the inspection process.