Open letter regarding short-term rentals

Dear Dorchester County Business Owner,

I wanted to make you aware of an ongoing appeal and litigation that may outlaw short-term rental of properties in most Dorchester County zoning districts. I ask that you participate in the process to make your voice heard in support of reasonable short-term rental uses in the county to allow the hundreds of property owners that offer their properties for short-term rental the ability to continue to do so.

My wife and I own the property at 608 Hills Point Road in Cambridge. We purchased the home to use as a second home and intended to defray our ownership expenses by utilizing the property as a short-term rental (STR). The Department of Planning and Zoning, through its attorney, sent a cease-and-desist letter stating that our use of the property “may only be described as a hotel” and threatening civil and injunctive action if we did not cancel the reservations at our home and remove the property from VRBO.

The county then filed a lawsuit against us claiming that the Dorchester County Code prohibits short-term rentals in the RC [Resource Conservation] zoning district (most of the properties near the water in the county) and that use of our property as a short-term rental violates the Dorchester County Code. We have appealed the county’s action to the Dorchester County Board of Appeals and have filed an answer in the Circuit Court.

This letter is meant to notify you of the ongoing appeal and litigation and to inform you that if the county wins, it will have forced a decision that short-term rental of property is not permitted in the county. That means that the county will have determined that rental of homes is a “hotel” use, is not permitted, and therefore must stop.

Our county cannot host events like Ironman and bring visitors to Dorchester using hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts alone. Short-term rental of homes brings in a unique type of visitor looking to enjoy all of what Dorchester County and its municipalities has to offer.

As tourism is a large part of our county’s income and likely a major part of your livelihood, I urge you to contact county staff and the County Council to inquire about the ongoing litigation and steps being taken by the Department of Planning and Zoning to outlaw short-term rentals. The Council was to consider STR legislation at the meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 4, and we encourage you to call the County Council members listed below so your voice is heard.

Additionally, my wife and I tentatively are scheduled to appear before the Board of Appeals on Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. (501 Court Lane, Cambridge) to appeal the county’s determination that short-term rentals are a “hotel” use that is not permitted in the RC zoning district. All members of the public will have an opportunity to speak on behalf of short-term uses in the county and I urge you to do so.

If you do not make your voice heard, the county may take away the ability to rent property everywhere in the county except for two business and industrial districts. Feel free to contact me at the email address below with any questions or for more information. All court filings and maps are at www.triquetra.ventures if you want more facts.

Jay L. Newcomb (First Council District) – jnewcomb@docogonet.com

William V. Nichols (Second Council District) – wnichols@docogonet.com

Ricky Travers (Third Council District) – rtravers@docogonet.com

George L. Pfeffer, Jr. (Fourth Council District) – lpfeffer@docogonet.com

Libby Handley Nagel (Fifth Election District) – lnagel@docogonet.com

Donna Lane (County Manager) – dlane@docogonet.com

Susan Webb (County Planner) – swebb@docogonet.com

Alex Cross

Cambridge