Mortgage - Home Loan, Commercial Loan

By Laura Dolce
ldolce@seacoastonline.com
September 13, 2007 6:00 AM

KENNEBUNK — The ad looks simple enough: “KENNEBUNK: Rooms for rent in great open concept home walking distance to Dock Square, K’port and close to beaches. Rent is $150 per week per person. All amenities included. Contact …;”

It appeared on the craigslist web site on both Aug. 29 and 30. The address was listed as “33 Canterbury Circle at Route 35.”

Here’s where things get complicated, though. The property at 33 Canterbury Circle is zoned for a single family home and single family home zoning doesn’t allow for the renting of rooms.

A call to the number listed in the ad was answered by a woman named “Skye,” who identified herself as a “friend of the family” who owns the house. That owner, John Barry, got the house as part of a divorce settlement, Skye said. He no longer lives in the house, but leases it to a woman and her son, who share it with three other roommates. Two rooms are currently listed for rent in the house, she said. She said they planned to continue renting the rooms out.

A source who asked to remain anonymous said neighbors are concerned about the house since it seems numerous people live there and multiple cars are parked there early in the day and late at night.

“People are obviously renting rooms there,” the person said. “This needs to be looked into.”

Canterbury Circle is a horseshoe-shaped street just off Route 35 and not far from Lower Village. For the most part, the homes there are surrounded by well-kept lawns and pretty landscaping. The house at 33 Canterbury is a large, extended raised ranch. Town records have it listed as a five-bedroom home, and its property borders on Route 35.

Canterbury Circle itself is a fairly quiet street, yet convenient to many of the area’s attractions. That’s something those advertising the home have pointed out as well. “Perfect for UNE, Heartwood School of Art students or Landing Boat School students,” one ad reads.

When asked how rooms could be rented out in a single family home, Skye insisted that she had checked with the town of Kennebunk code enforcement office and was told that four paying roommates were allowed in single-family homes.

Not so, says Kennebunk Code Enforcement Officer Paul Demers.

“If you have four paying roommates you have to be registered as a B&B,” he says. “The zoning allows for the renting of rooms, but in order to do that you have to have permits.”

Demers says that is not the case with the property at 33 Canterbury Circle. He says after receiving complaints about the property, his office is investigating.

“We’re looking into it,” he says.

A woman who identified herself as Karvis Mir called the York County Coast Star last week and said she was the leasee of the house. She threatened the paper with legal action if a story was run or questions were asked about the property.

“I’m involved in this,” she said. “I will have you indicted.”

Barry could not be reached for comment; calls to Mir for additional comment went unanswered.