Carrie Jones

Oct 28, 2025

The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Window Panes Home and Garden.

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BAR HARBOR—Rules for short-term rentals may soon be tweaked in the only Mount Desert Island town that regulates them.

Bar Harbor has a cap on short-term vacation rentals that are not the primary residence of the owner. The town categorizes these as VR-2s.

VR-1s are short-term rentals that occur in someone’s primary residence. They can also be a secondary dwelling unit on the same property as someone’s primary residence. Each primary residence can have two VR-1 permits.

Now, the town’s rules governing how to prove residency for those other types of rentals (VR-1) might be changed. An earlier attempt at this went back to the drawing board and has been further refined by town staff.

“The biggest change here is the idea of straightening the primary residence requirements of VR-1,” Bar Harbor Planning Director Michele Gagnon said.

The first change is that people have to provide three documents out of a list of seven or people can undergo an alternative process. This is to show that the home they want to rent is their own home, their primary residence.

The second change would be guidelines for trusts or entities. The third change would be guidelines for family estate planning or residency.

“Is it perfect? Probably not. Is it really good? Absolutely,” Gagnon said.

Ease of reading, breaking up of paragraphs, and making it easier to digest was also an intention of the change, Gagnon said. This included changing paragraphs into bullet points.

The new proposed version is over 11 pages. The previous version was six.

Gagnon also said that the first step in the violation process is now the town trying to give the owner an email or phone call if there is a violation before entering the official process, which commences with a written notice of violation. That first step requires correction within seven days.

Worries about the proposed changes have included the expansion and punitive violations section of the ordinance, vague terminology, a lack of direct notification to property owners about the changes, and the language that many believe shift the primary residence verification process to all individuals who could potentially claim the property, such as children or parents as the primary property owner who use the property as their legal address, but do not own the property.

During public comment, Charles Sidman said, “I don’t think it’s ready for primetime yet.”

He was concerned that the draft conflates residency and ownership.

“You could not even step foot in the state of Maine and still have those documents,” he said of some of the requirements to prove primary residency.

When it comes to ownership, he was concerned that it was complicated, particularly for co-owners when only one might be the actual resident.

He was also concerned about inspections.

“In what other aspects of a citizen interacting with the government is the government allowed to be suspicious and do an on the spot inspection or an inspection at ‘reasonable immediacy.’ How do you define that?” Sidman said. ”That’s moving toward an ICE type of relationship in our town and I don’t think we want to do that. That’s a real problem.“

He also was concerned that the ordinance was now too onerous and confusing and might put that activity underground where people have roommates without contractural relationships.

It is a worthwhile project, he said but reiterated that he didn’t believe it was ready for primetime.

Anna Durand, who owns a local bed and breakfast, asked if onsite inspections was addressing neighbor complaints.

Town Manager James Smith said, “State law already governs the actions of code enforcement officer. State law already and allows a code enforcement officer to enter upon a premise under reasonable hours and conduct what is essentially known as a window inspection upon a property.”

He added that code enforcement officers receive complaints and act upon them daily.

“There’s nothing different in this than all the functions that a code enforcement officer does daily,” Smith said.

It was moved to public hearing.

Councilor Earl Brechlin has a VR-1 and recused himself. Councilor Steven Boucher said that he manages two VR-1 properties and probably should step away. The council unanimously agreed.

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PUBLIC COMMENT

Charles Sidman asked more consideration be given of School Street’s blocking during the Jesup Memorial Library construction.

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MANAGER EVALUATION

The council left executive session, came back, and approved the town manager’s contract to participate in MainePERS.

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TOWN MANAGER’S REPORT

The town has received over $350,000 in FEMA reimbursements, which offsets the town’s costs from the January 2024 storms. The town will also begin winterizing the town.

Paving on Crooked Road and Norwood Drive is expected to begin next week and be completed by the end of November. The town encourages people to seek alternative routes.

The patch work from Cromwell Harbor Road to Main Street will continue and underground utility work will occur next year. Pothole repairs are also expected for small sections of Norway Drive and Highbrook Road.

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FINANCIAL REPORT

Finance Director Sarah Gilbert showed the financial report for the first 25% of the year. The recorded tax commitment is a little lower than normal at this time of year. The town does honor postmark dates even if the payment is received later. Building permits are also coming in less than expected.

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COUNCIL GOALS

The council accepted its goals.

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LAND USE AMENDMENTS PUBLIC HEARINGS

There was no public comment or councilor comment on proposed changes to the two-family definition, capacity letters amendment, site plan and subdivision plan review amendment, or the shoreland zoning amendment.

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SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR HIRED

The town has hired a sustainable economic development coordinator. The coordinator is part of the town’s planning department, which includes Gagnon, Housing and Community Planner Cali Martinez, and Staff Planner Hailey Bondy.

“Emily Sprecher joined the town on September 23 as the sustainable economic development coordinator. She holds a B.S. in civil engineering from the University of Maine at Orono and previously worked as a civil designer with SMRT Architects & Engineers in Bangor,” Gagnon said. “In her role with the town, Ms. Sprecher will staff the sustainable tourism management task force and lead the implementation of the resulting strategy. She will also provide staff support to the design review board and the appeals board, and contribute to several strategic initiatives, including land use ordinance amendments.”

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LINKS TO LEARN MORE

To read the council packet

To watch the meeting.

PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL REGISTRATION

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