Quote:
Originally Posted by TiltonBB
If the current Laconia laws prohibit short term rentals in areas zoned residential then one would assume that only "residential" uses are permitted in those areas.
1. If you store your boat on a trailer on your property I would assume that it is permissible in a residential zone. What about when a couple of people leave their boats on trailers at your house for the off season and pay you a few dollars. I would assume that makes it a commercial use of the property. Is that a violation and will the city enforce it?
2. If you have extra dock space at your house and you rent a slip or two to people you found on Craigslist will DES call that a marina? Does DES have any zoning laws? My understanding is the Laconia regulations, and all of the town regulations around the lake, only apply to the shoreline and anything on the water is up to the state.
3. If it is not permissible for private parties to rent out boat slips at the homes that they own in residential areas how does that impact the weekly renters who bring boats to the property that they rented and use the docks at that property?
So many questions. I wish I was smarter!
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I think the key word here is "season". Whether you put a boat in your yard or at your dock for the season, that can easily be translated to 6 months or more, not short term, not subject to Room and Meals tax.
If you rent your house and dock by the week in the summer, or for winter skiers, you have to live in a zone where that is permitted. Residential rental is still residential, not commercial. Laconia, and most towns, has a variety of zones. For example, you can have a one person hairdresser shop, CPA office, etc. in some places, not i n others. Sometimes subject to a public hearing and permission of the Planning Board or ZBA. As I understand this thread, most of Laconia shorefront is resort/residential and you can do short term rentals. The fly in the ointment came with some short term rentals in non-permitted zones that had been ignored for some years were discovered and complaints were brought to the city.
Due diligence when buying a house used to be "Is it a good school?" and Where's the bus stop?" Now, you have to learn what your neighbors are up to, what rules the HOA has, can I have a garage sale, can I cut my grass before 9:00 am? Best one is, can a Bike Week vendor rent my front yard?