Newport recently banned short-term rentals in its residential zones and required owners to get special-use permits, and the town pointed to that precedent, but Taft-Carter wrote that Newport levied zoning changes and that Narragansett passed a regular ordinance.

If nothing else, it’s a discouraging blow to the town,” said attorney Stephen Lapatin, who represents a group property owners called the Narragansett 2100.

The decision pauses any enforcement of the town's ordinance that would limit the number of short-term rental permits among other things.

Property owners suing the town of Narragansett over a proposal to regulate short-term rentals got a win on Wednesday.