CONWAY — As selectmen gear up to crack down on non-owner-occupied short-term rentals, property owners are organizing, and the president of the White Mountain Board of Realtors is questioning selectmen’s legal authority to restrict the practice.
Several ordinances seeking to allow all such rentals failed at the town polls on April 13. Currently, there are about 500 short-term rental properties in town.
kAm{2DE %F6D52J[ D6=64E>6? >6E :? ?@?\AF3=:4 D6DD:@? H:E9 2EE@C?6J !6E6C |2=:2 @7 w2DE:?8D |2=:2 @7 uCJ63FC8[ |2:?6] %96 ?6IE 52J[ r@?H2J %@H? |2?286C %@> w@=>6D D2:5 E96 3@2C5 925 2FE9@C:K65 9:> E@ :DDF6 2 DE2E6>6?E E92E D2:5i “%96 D6=64E>6? 28C665 E@ 368:? E96 6?7@C46>6?E AC@46DD H9:49 :? r@?H2J 368:?D H:E9 2 ?@E:46 E@ E96 AC@A6CEJ @H?6CD C682C5:?8 E96 G:@=2E:@?D]”k^Am
kAm$6=64E>6?[ H9@ 92G6 56D:8?2E65 w@=>6D E@ 36 E96 E@H?’D DA@<6D>2? @? E96 :DDF6[ 2C6 D6E E@ >66E 282:? H:E9 |2=:2 E@52J :? ?@?\AF3=:4 D6DD:@? 2E E96 6?5 @7 E96:C C68F=2C D6=64E>6?’D >66E:?8[ H9:49 :D DE2CED 2E c A]>] 2E %@H? w2== :? r@?H2J ':==286] $6=64E>6? E2<6 AF3=:4 :?AFE 2E E96 6?5 @7 E96:C >66E:?8D[ H9:49 2C6 2=D@ @? +@@> 2?5 =:G6 DEC62>65 E@ u2463@@<]k^Am
kAm$:?46 E96 G@E6[ D64@?5\9@>6 @H?6CD 2?5 @E96C =@42= DE2<69@=56CD @? 3@E9 D:56D @7 E96 :DDF6 92G6 366? >66E:?8 @? 2 u2463@@< A286 42==65 '242E:@? 2?5 $64@?5 w@>6 ~H?6CD[ r@?H2J[ }w] ~?6 @7 E96 A286 25>:?:DEC2E@CD :D y@D9 qCFDE:?[ @H?6C^3C@<6C 2E !:?<92> #62= tDE2E6]k^Am
kAm“%96C6 2C6 23@FE `[___ A6@A=6 H9@ 2C6 6?82865 C:89E ?@H :? H92E’D 92AA6?:?8[” D2:5 qCFDE:?] “%96 ?F>36CD 92G6 567:?:E6=J 8C@H? 5C2>2E:42==J D:?46 E92E %F6D52J G@E6]”k^Am
kAm%96 8C@FA 96=5 2? @?=:?6 >66E:?8 @G6C E96 H66<6?5[ 2?5 qCFDE:? ?@E65i “x =67E E92E >66E:?8 766=:?8 H2D E92E D64@?5 9@>6@H?6CD ECF=J =@G6 E96 G2==6J 2?5 H2?E E@ 36 A2CE @7 E96 D@=FE:@?[ ?@E E96 AC@3=6> 2?5 E96 =2DE E9:?8 E96J H2?E :D J62CD @7 =:E:82E:@?]”k^Am
kAmw6 D2:5 D:?46 E96J >2<6 FA 2E =62DE c_ A6C46?E @7 E96 E@H?’D 9@>6@H?6CD9:A[ “E96J H@F=5 2E E96 G6CJ =62DE =:<6 E@ 36 962C5]k^Am
kAm“%96J’C6 ?@E =@@<:?8 E@ DE@C> E@H? 92== H:E9 A:E497@C<D[” qCFDE:? 4@?E:?F65] “xE’D 24EF2==J E96 @AA@D:E6]” w6 D2:5 E96J H2?E E@ 56>@?DEC2E6 E@ E96 E@H? E92E E96J 2C6 4@>>:EE65 E@ 36:?8 8@@5 ?6:893@CD] “%96:C 9@A6 :D E92E E96 EH@ D:56D 42? 4@>6 E@86E96C E@ 7:?5 4@>AC@>:D6]”k^Am
kAmqCFDE:? >6?E:@?65 @?6 D@=FE:@? 36:?8 2 D6CG:46 42==65 }@:D6pH2C6[ H9:49 H@F=5 2=6CE @FE\@7\E@H? @H?6CD E96 >:?FE6 E96:C 8F6DED 2C6 >2<:?8 E@@ >F49 ?@:D6]k^Am
kAm“%9@D6 FD:?8 E96 D@7EH2C6 D2J E92E :E 92D 8:G6? E96> C62= A6246 @7 >:?5 <?@H:?8 E96:C AC@A6CEJ :D?’E 36:?8 FD65 2D 2 A2CEJ 9@FD6 2?5 E92E E96J 2C6 36:?8 8@@5 ?6:893@CD[” D2:5 qCFDE:?]k^Am
kAmqCFDE:? 2=D@ D2:5 96 H@F=5 A6CD@?2==J 36 7:?6 H:E9 42AA:?8 E96 ?F>36C @7 D9@CE E6C> C6?E2= =:46?D6D 8C2?E65 3J E96 E@H?] w6 36=:6G6D >2?J A6@A=6 G@E65 5@H? E96 C68F=2E:@?D 3642FD6 E96J 76=E E96C6 H2D ?@ >6492?:D> E@ 4@?EC@= DAC625]k^Am
kAm“x H:== 4@?E:?F6 E@ DFAA@CE =:46?D65[ C68F=2E65 2?5 4@?EC@==65 D9@CE\E6C> C6?E2=D[” D2:5 qCFDE:?] “qFE x 2> ?@E E2<:?8 E96 =625 H:E9 E96 D64@?5\9@>6 8C@FA] %96J 56>@?DEC2E65 @G6C E96 H66<6?5 E92E E96J 2C6 >@C6 E92? 42A23=6 @7 5@:?8 E92E E96>D6=G6D]”k^Am
kAmqC:DE@=[ #]x] H@>2? p?2=66 p] q6CC6EE@[ H9@ H:E9 96C 3@J7C:6?5 92D @H?65 2 D9@CE\E6C> C6?E2= :? }@CE9 r@?H2J D:?46 =2DE }@G6>36C[ HC@E6 E@ v@G] r9C:D $F?F?F[ DE2E6 $6?] y63 qC25=6J 2?5 w@=>6D 23@FE E96 G@E6 2?5 D92C65 :E H:E9 E96 $F?] $96 D2:5 D96 2?5 96C 3@J7C:6?5 92G6 DA6?E E9@FD2?5D @7 5@==2CD :>AC@G:?8 E96 AC@A6CEJ]k^Am
kAm$96 D2:5 D96 925 C6?E65 E96 9@>6 7C@> E96 AC6G:@FD @H?6C 7@C `d J62CD[ E92E 96C 49:=5C6? =62C?65 E@ D<: 2E rC2?>@C6 2?5 E92E E96J 92G6 DA6?E >2?J 9@=:52JD :? E@H?]k^Am
kAm“s6?J:?8 FD E96 23:=:EJ E@ C6?E :E @FE 5@6D >2<6 :E G6CJ 5:77:4F=E E@ 277@C5 2?5 >2:?E2:? E96 AC@A6CEJ[” D2:5 q6CC6EE@] “xE 2=D@ E2<6D 2H2J 7C@> E96 2C62 E96 C6G6?F6 E92E @FC C6?E6CD AC@G:56]k^Am
kAm“$:?46 y2?F2CJ H6 92G6 C6?E65 :E @FE `f E:>6D] %96D6 72>:=:6D H6?E EF3:?8[ D<::?8[ 2E6 2E =@42= C6DE2FC2?ED 2?5 D9@AA65 2E 2== E96 E@H? D9@AD 2?5 =@42= @FE=6ED] %9:D 2=D@ AC@G:565 Sb[cd_ :? H286D E@ 2 =@42= 72>:=J H9@ 4=62? 2?5 >2:?E2:? E96 E@H?9@FD6 7@C FD]”k^Am
kAmq6CC6E@ D2:5 D96 D4C66?D AC@DA64E:G6 C6?E6CD 2?5 E92E 96C ?6:893@C 92D 96C A9@?6 ?F>36C :? 42D6 E96C6 :D 2 AC@3=6> 2?5 2 C6?E6C ?665D E@ 36 C6>@G65]k^Am
kAm$96 D2:5 D96 9@A6D E96 E@H? 42? C6\6G2=F2E6 H92E E96 G@E6 >62?D D@ :E 5@6D?’E 6?5 FA AF?:D9:?8 2== D9@CE\E6C> C6?E6CD]k^Am
kAmw@=>6D D2:5 E92E 2E %F6D52J’D >66E:?8[ AF3=:4 4@>>6?E H:== 36 =:>:E65 E@ `d >:?FE6D[ E@E2=]k^Am
kAm“(6 92G6 2 4=@D65 D6DD:@? D4965F=65 E92E 6G6?:?8 2?5 :7 H6 H6C6 E@ ?@E =:>:E @C2= 4@>>6?E[ :E’D A@DD:3=6 H6 H@F=5 36 E96C6 7@C 9@FCD[ 2?5 D9@CE\E6C> C6?E2=D 2C6 ?@E @? E96 286?52 7@C E96 AF3=:4 >66E:?8[” D2:5 w@=>6D :? 2? 6>2:= |@?52J[ 255:?8 A6@A=6 >2J “DF3>:E E96:C 4@>>6?ED :? HC:E:?8 E@ E96 D6=64E>6? E9C@F89 >J @77:46]k^Am
kAm!6@A=6 42? >2:= E96:C 4@>>6?ED E@ q@2C5 @7 $6=64E>6?[ %@H? @7 r@?H2J[ !]~] q@I aeg_[ r@?H2J }w _bg`b[ 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm!2F= |2J6C[ AC6D:56?E @7 E96 (9:E6 |@F?E2:? q@2C5 @7 #62=E@CD[ D2:5 9:D 8C@FA 92D 366? BF6DE:@?:?8 7@C >@?E9D H96E96C E96 E@H? 92D E96 2FE9@C:EJ E@ 32? D9@CE\E6C> C6?E2=D]k^Am
kAm{2DE ~4E@36C[ E96 3@2C5 @7 #62=E@CD 4@>>:DD:@?65 2 C6A@CE 7C@> |2C< !F776C[ 2 C62= 6DE2E6 6IA6CE 2E !C6E: u=2C:EJ {2H u:C>[ E@ C6G:6H r@?H2J’D AC@A@D65 2CE:4=6D]k^Am
kAm“xE BF6DE:@?65 E96 E@H?’D C:89E E@ 32? @C C68F=2E6 E96> F?56C 4FCC6?E }]w] =2H] }6H w2>AD9:C6 =2H 7@C $%#D 2C6 7@F?5 :? }w #$p cgip 2?5 fgip[” D2:5 |2J6C] “(96C6 E96J 2C6 567:?65 2D 2 D:?8=6\72>:=J 9@FD6 @C 5H6==:?8 E92E :D @776C65 7@C 2 766 2?5 7@C =6DD E92? b_ 4@?D64FE:G6 52JD[ E9@D6 D9@CE\E6C> C6?E2=D 2C6 C6D:56?E:2= FD6D 2?5 C6BF:C65 E@ A2J C@@>D 2?5 >62=D E2I] }@H96C6 5@6D }]w] =2H DE2E6 E92E 2 E@H? 42? 32? @C C68F=2E6 E96>]”k^Am
kAm|2J6C 9@A6D E96 :DDF6 H@?’E 92G6 E@ 36 D6EE=65 :? E96 4@FCED]k^Am
kAm“(6 D9@F=5 36 7@4FD65 @? 277@C523=6 9@FD:?8[ 255C6DD:?8 E96 5:D@C56C=J G242E:@? C6?E2=D H:E9 E96 ?@:D6 @C5:?2?46 2?5 6I:DE:?8 =2HD[ 2?5 AC@E64E:?8 @FC :>286 2D 2 E@FC:DE 56DE:?2E:@?[ ?@E 7:89E:?8 @FC ?6:893@CD :? 4@FCE[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm|2J6C[ H9@ :D ?@E 2 E@H? C6D:56?E[ D2:5 96 >2J H2E49 E@52J’D >66E:?8 @?=:?6] “%96 (9:E6 |@F?E2:? q@2C5 92D ?@E D6?E 2?JE9:?8 @FE E@ E96 >6>36CD9:A C682C5:?8 E96 >66E:?8[” D2:5 |2J6C] “qFE E9:?< 2 =@E @7 r@?H2J C6D:56?ED 2C6 H2<:?8 FA E@ H92E 92D 92AA6?65 :? E96 E@H?] uC@> >J :?E6C24E:@?D[ >@C6 A6@A=6 H6C6 G@E:?8 7@C 277@C523=6 9@FD:?8 E92? G@E:?8 E@ 32? $%#D]”k^Am

(1) comment
This is a shame and illegal. A state with a mantra of “Live free or die” is not owning up to its own principle values. The individuals apposed to STR do not own Conway, and certainly don’t own my home to tell me what I can do with it. Their jealously runs deep and should be disregarded. The one-off excuses they use against STR are too broad and discriminatory\racist. A blatant disregards to civil rights. Shame.
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.