By Marney Simon | Sentinel Staff
Discussions on how to regulate short term rentals within the village boundary of Shorewood are on hold.
On Sept. 25, the village board tabled a discussion on the issue, which was first brought before the board earlier in the month.
At issue is a proposed ordinance to amend the zoning code with respect to short term rentals. The proposal would first define a “short-term rental” as a single-family dwelling, or a residential dwelling unit in a multi-unit structure that is rented for a fee for less than 30 consecutive days and would then prohibit such a rental.
The Planning and Zoning Commission did not recommend the ordinance for approval. Members said the problem the amendment seeks to solve is limited and infrequent.
The issue was first brought to the board via the Citizens Advisory Committee, where residents said at least one home in town was being utilized as a “party house,” allowing weekend rentals that brought in bands and party buses on weekends, and ultimately engaging in behavior that disturbed the peace.
However, some trustees argued that current ordinances on public nuisances could already be utilized to deal with the issue of noise produced by short term rentals.
Trustee Anthony Luciano asked for the issue to be tabled while the effort to refine the ordinance moves forward.
“I want to ask that we table this and give it a chance for further review,” Luciano said. “We haven’t done anything with it and didn’t have the chance to do anything with it up to this date. So, I’d like to table this and have further review and bring it back at a later date.”
The board did not discuss how long they expect the issue to be on hold before it comes up for a vote.