Section 4364-C - Municipal role in statewide housing production goalsThis section governs the responsibilities and roles of municipalities in achieving the statewide and regional housing production goals set by the Department of Economic and Community Development in Title 5, section 13056, subsection 9. [2021, c. 672, §7(NEW).]
1.Fair housing and nondiscrimination. A municipality shall ensure that ordinances and regulations are designed to affirmatively further the purposes of the federal Fair Housing Act, 42 United States Code, Chapter 45, as amended, and the Maine Human Rights Act to achieve the statewide or regional housing production goal. [2021, c. 672, §7(NEW).]
2.Municipalities may regulate short-term rentals. A municipality may establish and enforce regulations regarding short-term rental units in order to achieve the statewide or regional housing production goal. For the purposes of this subsection, "short-term rental unit" means living quarters offered for rental through a transient rental platform as defined by Title 36, section 1752, subsection 20-C. [2021, c. 672, §7(NEW).]
3.Residential units in commercial zones. As necessary to achieve the statewide and regional housing production goals, a municipality may adopt ordinances to allow the establishment of residential units in high-density areas within buildings located in an area zoned for commercial use, including but not limited to vacant or partially vacant retail property. An ordinance establishing a limit on the number of residential units within a building in a location zoned for commercial use, whether previously adopted or adopted pursuant to this subsection, may be proportional to the space available for residential units. This subsection is not intended to reduce or change health or safety requirements applicable to residential units located in a municipality.Amended by 2024, c. 536,§ 1, eff. 8/9/2024.Amended by 2024, c. 490,§ 1, eff. 8/9/2024.Added by 2022, c. 672,§ 7, eff. 8/8/2022.