By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

NAPLES — Sometimes doing nothing is the best move. That’s especially true when the problem is already being addressed.

The Naples Board of Selectmen decided to do nothing about short-term rentals operating in town. That’s because the State of Maine is working on legislation to address short-term rentals.

In January, Naples Town Manager John Hawley stated that there were 28 short-term rentals in town. The current Business License Ordinance doesn’t define short-term rentals as a business, he said. Therefore, those owners aren’t required to get business licenses, he said.

Hawley asked the selectmen how would they would like to proceed.

On Monday, the board’s answer was official. The board voted, 5-0, to “for the time being” not include short-term rental as businesses.

When Hawley asked about whether or not to categorize short-term rental as a business by proposing an amendment to the Business License Ordinance, the selectmen favored the wait-and-see approach .

“There’s something coming up in the state,” Selectman Kevin Rogers said.

“Let the state do it first,” Bill Adams said.

Chairman Jim Grattelo said that the State of Maine has been getting pressure from communities to address short-term rentals, which have grown increasingly popular.

Town Manager John Hawley expressed concern that the town had the man power to take on short-term rentals right away. Adding short-term rentals to the list of businesses would require the town to make sure those spaces are up to code. For public safety reasons, inspections would be required.

“Once the state decides, there will be other requirements. Right now . . .  I don’t have the staff to follow through with short-term rentals. I am not saying it doesn’t need to be done,” Hawley said. “Once we decide to do this, we will be ‘all in’ and take on those responsibilities. We can wait until the state comes down with its plan.”

Selectman Adams agreed that requiring short-term rentals to be businesses would make extra work for the code enforcement office.

“Let’s wait to see what coming down the pike,” Adams said.