As Rockport homeowners for over 35 years, we urge our fellowresidents to Vote NO on Articles 2 and 3.

We raised our kids here, volunteered on many town committees, and owned an HVAC and plumbing business. I’m retired now but I spent many years working in Rockport homes while they were being renovated or newly built, and I collaborated closely with town officials on inspections. Rockport’s existing inspection regulations are already robust and homeowners are very conscientious about health and life safety.

Whether you live in your home fulltime or rent it some of the time, we are already highly motivated to keep our families safe. For this reason, I am not at all surprised that the Planning Board could not produce any documentation of accidents in support of proposed Article 3, which would impose excessive, costly and intrusive regulations on any Rockport homeowner who seeks to rent their home. 

Since retiring, we travel out west to ski and visit our two kids and baby grandson. It would be a nice option to be able to rent our home over that period. I object to Article 3 because I don’t think homeowners should be required to register with the town and pay registration fees in addition to our high property taxes.

And as a retired plumber, I think it is inaccurate for the town to claim that private single family homes like mine are equivalent to hotels or motels or that homeowners’ summer rentals are somehow “commercial”.

While I favor more workforce housing being built, I also am concerned by the potential impact that some of the proposed Article 2 housing density changes could have on the scale and character of our homes and neighborhoods.

For example, Article 2’s proposed amendments to Sec. 816  would eliminate the height requirements that now exist in the various zoning districts, and allow it to be increased up to one additional story.

How would you feel if your neighbor put an extra story on their house and blocked your view or your light or your privacy in yours? Protect your property rights. Vote NO on Articles 2 and 3. 

George and Eliza Haselton live in Rockport