Short-term rentals:

Stanstead Township needs time to think

At their first municipal council meeting following the referenda on short term rental properties held at the end of the month of July, the Municipality of Stanstead Township opted to defer any direct action on the results until September. This decision, according to Mayor Francine Caron-markwell, comes as an effort on the part of the municipality to come up with the best solution possible for all involved.

“We’re taking time to study exactly how we’re going to proceed to apply the bylaw,” the mayor said, explaining that, “we had two councilors missing Monday night, so we could not even discuss anything before the meeting. We want to meet and discuss.”

Although the majority of residents in all four zones subject to the July votes rejected the proposed amendments to municipal rules, Caronmarkwell said that the council still wants to make sure that any decision about how to move forward is done properly and with all parties’ needs being considered.

“For people who have reservations in these areas, if they find out only a week before that they can’t rent anymore, that’s kind of hard too,” the mayor said, estimating that the decision would likely move ahead at the council’s next meeting on September 11.

Edith Meyers, one of the local residents who originally complained about the disruptions caused by the short term rentals in the area, expressed confusion about the delay.

“(The council) said they hadn’t had time to consider (the results) because it only happened last week,” Meyers said. “I don’t know what they need to consider, but okay.”