Bellport limits home rentals during summer vacation season

Bellport homeowners will be allowed to rent out their properties five times between the Memorial Day and Labor Day holidays, putting an end to a three-year debate over how short-term rentals in the village would be enforced.

“It’s a good starting point,” Mayor Ray Fell said. “I promised the community we’d re-evaluate in October to see where problems occur. We’ll just have to look at it and see how it serves the village for the first summer.”

The village board approved the rental plan in a 3-1-1 vote Feb. 26. Trustee Steve Mackin voted against the provision, while Village Deputy Mayor Joseph Gagliano abstained. Neither returned calls seeking comment about their vote.

Village residents who want to rent out their homes must register their residences with the village. Registration costs are $250 per home and cover a two-year period, officials said.

The law limits homeowners to renting out their property five times between the Friday before Memorial Day and the Sunday after Labor Day, which is prime vacation season, village officials said. Bellport, a South Shore community in Brookhven Town, is a popular summer destination.

Village officials did not put a time limit on the length of the rentals. Other Long Island municipalities have set restrictions on the duration of a vacation rental, but Bellport’s law focuses on the number of times a home can be rented out. The law prohibits homeowners from remaining on their property during the time it’s rented out, thus restricting room rentals.

Bellport officials had proposed a law in which homeowners wouldn’t be able to rent their homes for less than 16 days between May 1 and Sept. 30. Some residents preferred limiting the rentals to eight to 14 days. After no decision was reached, Bellport officials settled on the newly adopted law by focusing on the number of times a home could be rented.

Fell said six community meetings were held between July 2017 and February regarding the rental law.

The village first focused on regulating bed-and-breakfast operations, then turned their focus to short-term rentals before reaching an agreement on limiting the number of times a home can be rented.

The new short-term rental law “puts an end to the long ride,” Fell said. “But I think it was worth it.”

Guest renters must purchase a village identification card to use village ameneties such as the beach and golf course while they are staying in Bellport. If not, the homeowner would have to sign their guest in at the golf course and personally check them in at the ferry to ride to the beach.

The identification fees rate haven’t been set for 2018, but last year it was $250.