Council adopted Zoning and Complimentary Bylaws on July 13, 2021;
Business Licensing Applications are now being accepted; Eligibility depends on zone, past permitted work, the parcel and existing use (Secondary Suite or B&B);
Short Term Accommodation Options
- Single detached dwelling that is primary residence;
- Secondary Suite requires approval from property owner;
- Can operate in a carriage house;
Zoning Bylaw Summary of Changes
- Bed and Breakfasts remain the same;
- Removed Major/Minor definitions;
- Short Term Accommodates allowed in Secondary Suites and Carriage Homes;
Enforcement
- Third Party Contractor to monitor listings (i.e. AirBnb, VRBO, etc) and assist with compliance letters and notifications;
- Business Licensing and Bylaw Enforcement staff to enforce; Tickets may be issued ($250 - $1000);
Operation of Short Term Accommodations
- May be permitted with the following conditions: Principal Residence, Maximum 4 bedrooms, on site parking requirements are met;
- May be operated if the dwelling is legal and permitted, a business license is obtained, compliance is met with Bylaws and Regulations, an alternate local contact is made, and can only be away from the property for a maximum of 30 days per year;
- Cannot be operated if the property is not your principal residence, not zoned for Short Term Accommodations (such as some Stratas) and cannot accommodate on site parking;
Information is publicly available on the City's website including the Short Term Accommodations Operators Guidebook;
Application Overview
- One time application fee ($250), every subsequent year is a business licence fee ($500);
- Parking site plan, fire safety plan, self evaluation safety audit, good nieghbour agreement, owner or strata application form required with application;
Questions on the presentation:
- What is a Good Neighbour Agreement? It outlines and acknowledges the Good Neighbour Bylaw;
- Was there an uptake in applications and licenses for Short Term Accommodations? There are approximately 400 active listings, 6 applications have been received and anticipating an increase of applications for the next tourism season;
- Why use a Third Party Contractor for compliance? The Third Party Contractor pulls listings from Short Term Accommodation sites and works with the City to identify those properties. The City does not have staff or technology to pull the listings. Bylaw will go to identified homes.