There is currently no plan to prohibit short-term rentals throughout Thetford. The Pocket Neighborhood proposal—a product of our collaboration with the Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC)—currently specifies that such Pocket Neighborhood homes are not eligible for a short-term rental option, as they are designed to be an affordable alternative for first-time home buyers (who wish to build equity), individuals who wish to 'downsize' from their current domicile, eco-conscious individuals, retirees, single parents and small families, suburban professionals and people craving community. The physical layout of a PN is intended to foster a 'small community/neighborhood' feel while providing a viable path to homeownership for many who might otherwise be priced out of the housing market, making them an important part of the solution to our current affordability crisis.

The PN topic is the subject of ongoing discussion within the Planning Commission, and it is possible that a compromise allowance for short-term rentals within a Pocket Neighborhood could be allowed. Speaking only for myself, I feel that 'residential continuity' is intrinsic to the development of a community—in contrast to the consistent turnover and absence of long-term investment characterized by short-term rental activity.

More information may be found here:

https://www.pocket-neighborhoods.net/index.html

https://brickandmortar.substack.com/p/pocket-neighborhoods-a-case-study

Thanks for your time and consideration,

David C. Forbes Chair, Thetford Planning Commission

Note: The definition of a “formulaic chain business” included in the Sidenote article was updated this past June. It now reads:

Formulaic (Chain) Business definition 060823 revision-4-1.pdf

In response to:

In Thetford, planning commission considers proposal to allow "pocket neighborhoods", ban chain businesses. They're part of a series of proposed changes to zoning bylaws, writes Nick Clark in Sidenote, that also include making it easier to get permits for so-called "accessory dwelling units" and prohibiting short-term rentals. Clark focuses especially on the pocket neighborhoods, a "novel type of housing development" that would be allowed on any paved road in town and include three to seven one- or two-bedroom houses around a central court. A public hearing's expected next month.