NEWRY — Newry residents voted 40-15 against a Vacation Rental Registration Ordinance that would have allowed town officials to better monitor the town’s many rentals.

With about 400 year-round residents, Newry swells to thousands during ski season at Sunday River. Summer also brings visitors, with rentals filling up for Grafton Notch hikers.

At the May 13 town meeting at Bear River Grange, Code Enforcement Officer Joelle Corey said she would have liked to hear residents’ concerns earlier during the three public hearings held over the winter. Fifty-six people attended the first hearing, and after public input many changes were made to the original draft. The final ordinance presented to voters at town meeting did not cap rentals but aimed to protect health and safety through basic standards like occupancy limits.

Resident Marjorie Osgood said she opposed the ordinance for many reasons, including government controls on her land. She objected to immediate implementation, saying septic systems would likely require upgrades. She questioned whether enforcement would be complaint-based and worried the town would need to hire staff to manage applications.

Another resident argued the struggling economy made this a bad time to limit income from property rentals. Another said the town was setting itself up for a potential lawsuit.

Planning Board Chair Ted Baker supported the ordinance, emphasizing the need to protect groundwater.

“We have many, many rentals that are overtaxing their waste water disposal systems by putting too many people into the house,” he said. “Systems weren’t designed for that … it’s going to start affecting well waters …”

Steve Wight asked what had prompted the ordinance. Corey explained that emergency workers often respond to late-night calls caused by alarms. Renters frequently don’t know the access code or how to reach landlords.

“What we see when we get there sometimes shocks us,” she said. “Bunk beds blocking the egress windows, smoke detectors removed …” She said many three-bedroom homes are listed for 16 guests, overwhelming septic systems.

Noise and trash are also problems, she said.

One resident pointed to larger development issues: “You go up on Merrill Hill, they’re blowing the hell out of that mountain. It looks like motels are being built. They are seven to 12 million dollar homes. … I don’t see how this ordinance is going to do anything until you control the building up there.”

Transfer Station

A unanimous vote approved $50,000 for scales at the Tri-Town Transfer Station. Town Administrator Powers said the amount was a placeholder and the actual cost was expected to be lower. When asked why scales were needed, she said, “We have all these contractors that are supposed to get roll-offs and that don’t. They take trailer load after trailer load into the dump. We are paying for it. They don’t pay a dime …”

“They’re taking advantage of us,” added a resident.

Voters also approved adoption of the Tri-Town interlocal agreement.

Other business

Residents approved $50,000 to fund a future property reevaluation. Powers noted reevaluations are supposed to occur every 10 years; the last was in 2020.

Article 25 passed, raising $70,000 for a hazard mitigation design at Sunday River. In response to Bruce Pierce’s question, Corey explained the target area begins at his property and extends toward The Letter S. “Mother Nature moved some very large Volkswagen Beetle-sized rocks (in the 2023 storm). All of that needs to be reassessed,” she said.

The meeting had opened with a tribute to Select Board Chair Gary Wight for attending his final town meeting. Wearing a “Just a kid from Newry” shirt, he was recognized with a short speech by Powers. Cake and cupcakes were shared.

All 46 articles were resolved by 7:17 p.m., when the 6 p.m. meeting adjourned.