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Boston's Morning Newsletter
After latest vote, Nantucket's debate over short-term rentals gets longer
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The Bruins may have gotten blown out last night, but Boston’s other professional hockey team, PWHL Boston, is already in its league semifinals. Their best-of-five series against Montreal begins tonight.
But first the news:
Airbnb ACK-rimony: Nantucket still can’t decide what to do about short-term rentals. For the fourth time since 2021, voters on the island rejected proposed rules for Nantucket’s short-term rental market. According to the Nantucket Current, the bylaw — which needed a two-thirds majority to pass — was defeated by a 713-782 vote, extending the debate for months, if not years.
- Catch up: People on Nantucket have rented out their homes to vacationers for decades. But more recently, as the island’s population has increased and online platforms like Airbnb have attracted more renters, some have pushed (unsuccessfully) for restrictions on who can rent out their home and for how many days a year. Then this March, a land court judge ruled short-term rentals are technically illegal as a primary use under Nantucket’s zoning laws, tossing the market into legal limbo.
- What happened this week? The failed proposal, known as Article 59, would have fully legalized short-term rentals in Nantucket’s residential areas, basically canceling out the judge’s ruling. Proponents argued short-term rentals are critical to support the local tourism economy and residents who rely on the rental income. However, it was opposed by the group that pushed for restrictions, saying frequently rented homes exacerbate Nantucket’s housing shortage. “There’s been a lot of pain inflicted on Nantucket and year-round residents,” Peter McCausland, the founder of the group Ack Now, told WBUR, citing everything from housing costs to traffic to sewer backups.
- State of confusion: Short-term rentals are still allowed as an “accessory use.” However, Kathy Baird, the leader of Nantucket Together, which supported Article 59, says there’s no clear definition of what that means. “People have no idea whether they’re doing something legal or not,” Baird told WBUR.
- Now what? The debate will be tossed back to Nantucket’s Zoning Board of Appeals to take another stab at the rules in June. A special town meeting is also slated for Sept. 17.
- PSA: Nantucket vacationers don’t need to fret about their plans in the coming month. According to The Boston Globe, the town does not expect to enforce any changes this summer.
Back to the drawing board: Add Marblehead to the list of towns that have rejected new zoning rules to make it easier to build multi-family housing in town, as required by the MBTA Communities Act. The proposal was rejected with a 410-377 vote Tuesday night.
- What’s next: Marblehead has until the end of the year to comply with the law — or risk losing out on state grants, like Milton. Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer told WBUR’s Fausto Menard they’ll try to draft a new proposal and plan a special town meeting. “We have lots of seniors that talk about wanting to stay in Marblehead, but not necessarily stay in the big homes that they’re in, so we need to create options for them,” Kezer said. “And there’s a lot of young folks that are priced out of the market.”
Another theater to save: Cape Cinema (and its extremely cool ceiling mural) has closed its doors — and it’s unclear when they might reopen. Fausto reports the 311-seat art house in Dennis, which first opened in 1930, has been experiencing financial strain after declining attendance and building upkeep. With the exception of two live events this week, all programming is on pause.
- What’s next: Eric Hart, the president of the nonprofit board that manages the cinema, says their goal is to raise $100,000 to keep it running through the summer season. A public forum will be held next Saturday, May 18, at 1 p.m. at the theater.
Ahoy! You don’t have to wait until the Sumner closes for free ferries. Boston Harbor Now is expanding its annual Free Ferry Day for trips to the Boston Harbor Islands to a full weekend on May 18-19. Click here for more details on the schedule and how to get tickets.
P.S.— College commencements are taking place across Massachusetts this weekend, and WBUR’s education team is looking to speak with the parents of graduating students. We’re interested in hearing your perspective on the recent protests roiling area campuses and the potential impact any tensions may have on commencement. If you’re willing to be interviewed, please contact senior education reporter Carrie Jung at jungc@bu.edu.
