Washington, Mass., Zoning Bylaw § 6.8 (2023) § § 6.8

Proposed Zoning Bylaw
Approved at Town Meeting: May 10, 2023
Approved by Attorney General: September 5, 2023

Claims of invalidity by reason of any defect in the procedure of adoption or amendment may
only be made within ninety days of such posting, which is December 21, 2023. Copies of this
bylaw may be examined and obtained from the Town Clerk and are available on the town
website: https://www.washington-ma.gov/planning-board/pages/zoning-bylaws.

6.8. SHORT-TERM RENTAL OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES
6.8.1. Purpose Short-Term Rentals (STRs) as defined in this section are allowed for residential
properties in accordance with the regulations below. These regulations exist to promote and
support the town as an attractive travel destination, and seek to:
       A. Provide a range of accommodations for town visitors and guests.
       B. Preserve and protect the single-family residential character of the town.
       C. Provide residents with an opportunity for supplemental income from their
          properties to better afford to reside in Town, maintain their properties, and
          contribute to the community.
6.8.2. Definition: Short-Term Rental: an owner-occupied or non-owner occupied property
including, but not limited to, an apartment, house, cottage, condominium or a furnished
accommodation that is not a hotel, motel, lodging house or bed and breakfast establishment,
where:
       A. at least 1 room or unit is rented to an occupant or sub-occupant;
       B. all accommodations are reserved in advance; and,.
       C. an occupant maintains tenancy for 31 or less calendar days.
6.8.3 Applicability:
       A. Owner occupied dwelling units or property
               1. Up to two bedrooms in an owner occupied dwelling unit may be rented year-
                  round byright provided that the dwelling unit is owner occupied at the time
                  of the rental.
               2. A separate attached or detached dwelling unit located on a property with an
                  owner occupied dwelling unit at the time of the rental may be rented year-
                  round by-right.
       B. Non-owner occupied property
               1. An entire dwelling unit may be rented up to 150 days per calendar year by
                  right.
               2. An entire dwelling unit may be rented for an additional 50 days (up to 200
                  days in total) per calendar year by Special Permit.
6.8.4. Requirements:
   A. During the Short-Term Rental use
          1. All overnight parking must be within the property’s driveway or garage.
          2. Events that include tents or amplified music or which would customarily
             require a license or permit are not allowed.
B. Signs advertising the Short-Term Rental are not allowed.
C. Operators of Short-Term Rentals must register annually with the Town and the
Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR).
D. A certificate of registration must be clearly posted on the exterior of the Short-Term
Rental unit at all times.
E. Short-term rental properties will be subject to the Massachusetts state room occupancy
excise tax as per Massachusetts General Law c. 64G, §3.
F. A Short-Term Rental is not allowed on any property with outstanding violations of the
Building Code, Fire Code, Board of Health, or Town General Bylaws