CAMDEN — The Town of Camden wants hard data — not industry estimates — of how many property owners are using their homes as short term rentals; therefore, a proposed ordinance is to appear on the June Town  Meeting warrant asking voters to approve the requisite registration of un-hosted short term rental properties.

“The point is to count them,” said board member Alison McKellar, in the wake of comments from residents skeptical of the need for the proposed language. 

The proposed ordinance came before the Select Board at its April 6 regularly schedule meeting, along with two other proposed ordinances to get placed on the June Town Meeting warrant (outdoor storage of boats and tradesman shops to be allowed in Coastal Residential and amending the town’s zoning map so that the town-owned wastewater plant lot is not split between two zones).

McKellar noted that the topic of short-term rental housing, its proliferation in Camden and the broader Midcoast, has been before the town on many occasions.

“It is something that has been talked about since I got on the Select Board [2017],” she said, adding that in the past, the board was not willing to move forward, “as to whether it’s a problem or [defining] the degree of the problem.”

Camden resident Alex Cohen had asked at the meeting what the genesis of the ordinance language was.

“The focus is on taking minor steps toward regulation of short rentals,” said Chair Bob Falciani, as well as trying to understand the inventory. 

McKellar said at April 6 meeting, “This is not the first step to regulate.”

She said, “We have been able to agree that we don’t have very good data.”

The town hopes to glean information, such as where the un-hosted short term rentals are located, and whether they are investment properties, or residents using homes as income boosters.

The proposed amendment would be attached to the town’s police ordinance, amending it with, “1 G- Un-Hosted Short Term Rental Registration Ordinance.”