Letter to the editor: Paul G. Charbonneau
Touchy Subject
Wed, 06/02/2021 - 8:15pm
Property rights are a touchy subject, made even touchier when confronted with proposed municipal ordinances regulating those rights.
If memory serves me right, Rockport’s early zoning proposals met a lot of resistance in the name of “property rights” as did suggestions for a historic preservation ordinance, which never got off the ground.
By and large we trust our neighbors to do right by us all when they exercise their property rights which they generally do quite well in this town. Yet many will recall and cite examples when they felt those rights were thought to be exercised irresponsibly.
Currently lawn signs are asking voters to support Property Rights and vote NO on an article meant to survey Rockporters about Short Term Rentals. From where I sit I see fellow Rockporters making Short Term Rentals available responsibly and in accordance with common sense, trying hard to make ends meet so as to continue living among this town’s diverse populations.
It is obvious based on the lack of data that STRs are not a problem in need of a heavy handed solution. Let’s support one another and work things out with one another if and when there is a real problem to address.
Kindly vote No on 4.
Paul Charbonneau has been a Rockport resident for the past 46 years.
