Meetings Ahead
Most meetings in Provincetown are in-person, typically with an online-attendance option for both committee members and residents. Click on the meeting you want to attend on the calendar at provincetown-ma.gov for a link to an agenda and details.
Thursday, Dec. 22
- Planning Board, 6 p.m., Town Hall
Tuesday, Dec. 27
- Airport Commission, 2 p.m., Provincetown Airport
Conversation Starter
New Fee for Short-Term Rentals
At its meeting on Dec. 15, the board of health unanimously adopted a proposal to separate short-term rental certificates from seasonal and year-round rental housing certificates and charge the former a much higher fee — $750 per year. The fees for certificates for seasonal and year-round housing will remain unchanged.
Previously, all rental properties in town were supposed to get a $300 rental certificate that is valid for three years. Many rental property owners have not done so, however. According to data the town received from a prospective compliance vendor, there are 1,283 active short-term rentals in Provincetown, while only 660 properties have short-term rental certificates.
The extra money raised by the fee can pay for increased enforcement and support the town’s other housing efforts, Town Manager Alex Morse said at a housing workshop in October.
“It’s upwards of $750,000 per year, when you do the math,” Morse said then of the proposed fee increase. “I think we’re leaving hundreds of thousands of dollars on the table that could be pumped into our housing efforts.”
The fee also has to be approved by the select board, Assistant Town Manager Dan Rivello said at this week’s housing workshop. It will likely be on the agenda for the Jan. 9 select board meeting, Riviello said. —Paul Benson
