Emilia Teasdale reports for the Columbia Paper that the folks speaking out May 23 at the fourth public hearing in Chatham on the proposed new zoning law, still have many different views on a portion of the law regulating short-term rentals. Currently, short-term rentals are illegal in the Chatham. More than 20 people spoke at the public hearing, with a variety of concerns such as the proposed 160-day residency requirement to rent out your own home. “How the heck are you going to know what people are doing in their houses?” said resident Nancy Stock. Sally Simmons worried that the law discriminates against second home owners. Van Calhoun wanted to limit short-term rentals as, “Housing is a real problem here,” he said. Abi Mesick worried about the definitions in the zoning law; Ken Blass was upset about the lighting and sound requirements; and Vance Pitkin thought the penalties were too harsh. Mesick and Pitkin have been endorsed by town Republicans for the Town Board elections in November, so clearly the issue will linger into the fall. Read more about this story in the Columbia Paper.