Five weeks after voters at Town Meeting rejected a warrant article that would officially legalize and regulate Short Term Rentals (STRs) in Westport, the practice remains illegal here, and officials are trying to plan their next move.

The town’s planning board has published an online survey on the town’s website asking participants what they think of STRs. According to the introductory paragraph:

"Although short-term rentals have had a long historic presence in Westport's tourist economy, the town's zoning bylaw does not permit the use. In 1995, Westport adopted a 4 percent room tax which is collected by the Department of Revenue on uses like hotels and short-term rentals. Considering this and that there are also many short-term rentals currently operating in Westport, the zoning is a regulatory anomaly the Planning Board set out to fix in the fall of 2023. At the 2024 Annual Town Meeting, the Planning Board proposed a short-term rental bylaw amendment, but it did not pass. Therefore, short-term rentals (rentals 31 days or less) are not permitted in Westport. This includes vacation homes, AirBNBs, VRBOs, beach houses, cabins, etc. that are rented for 31 days or less. All short-term rentals in operation do so at the operator's risk and may be subject to zoning enforcement."

The roughly five-minute survey was published late last week and will be live for about three more weeks. Westport Town Planner Michael Burris said results will be used to help shape the town's next step, which could include revamped zoning amendments that would be presumably be voted on at a future Town Meeting.

If you have questions about the survey, contact Burris at burrism@westport-ma.gov.