MADISON — As the town explores crafting an ordinance to regulate short-term rentals, some officials are expressing reservations about imposing regulations, positioning themselves against a group of residents that favor dealing with STRs through bans and enforcement.

Selectmen Scott Murphy and Al Goldberg both expressed skepticism about restricting STRs during a recent board meeting.

They instead favored an ordinance that would require STR owners to register rentals but not necessarily create the enforcement mechanism some residents have requested.

"I'm still not convinced we've identified the problem that we're trying to solve here," Murphy said at the meeting, according to footage posted online. "I would hate for us to sort of put the cart before the horse and jump to extreme regulation, you know, and an ordinance that maybe is ultimately too restrictive."

Though STRs already have been a subject of public complaints, Murphy suggested the town should start by collecting data on STRs, which he said would help better understand any issues connected to them.

He also worried regulation could "put significant demands on our town staff."

Often found on platforms like VRBO and Airbnb, STRs generally are defined as units rented out for periods of fewer than 30 days. They have proven a bone of contention in the beachside community of Madison, a popular summer vacation destination.

Some residents say STRs erode their sense of community, change the character of their neighborhoods and cause issues such as traffic and noise. They argue Madison's current zoning regulations already prohibit STRs in residential districts, though the town has taken a different position.

Others say problematic STRs are the exception rather than the rule, arguing that STRs are an important way for permanent residents to supplement their income.

There has been some common ground, however: residents on both sides of the debate have shared concerns about corporate investors buying up properties and turning them into STRs.

At the Jan. 10 meeting, Goldberg — who otherwise supported fewer restrictions — said he was open to considering a regulation to limit corporate STR ownership.

The discussions come in the wake of community petitions opposing STRs. While Goldberg and Murphy expressed skepticism about regulating STRs, Selectman Bruce Wilson, who is part of a working group drafting the ordinance, told colleagues he favored imposing some limitations based on residents' concerns.

"I think we have enough data to move forward with some form of regulation," he said.

Though the board has yet to present a draft ordinance, First Selectwoman Peggy Lyons suggested a compromise: the town could start with an ordinance requiring STR registration.

But the ordinance also could include a clause prompting the board to revisit the issue in a year or two, either renewing the ordinance or adding regulations.

"We really need to be monitoring and ensuring that we're learning from the registration information that we have, to get ahead of any problems," Lyons said at the meeting.

Because she and her husband own a housing unit they sometimes rent out on a short-term basis, she said, she would be recusing herself from further board discussions.

Officials plan to come up with a draft ordinance to present to the public, a process Lyons said would first involve seeking feedback from boards and commissions.

"We got to get a lot of feedback so people understand what's going to be required from their board or commission or the departments, and then ultimately that would coalesce into a draft ordinance," she said.

That ordinance would go through two public hearings before the board votes on it, Lyons said. She did not think the town would finish the process in time for any regulations to take effect by summer, she said.