ACW Council votes to licence short-term rentals
BY SCOTT STEPHENSON
Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh (ACW) is beginning the process to develop a licensing program for short-term rentals (STRs) in the township.
At a meeting last month, council discussed data collected from a survey on STRs conducted by township staff, revealing significant community concerns. As a result, staff received direction to investigate the possibility of setting up a regulatory process.
In a follow-up report presented on July 16, Clerk Florence Witherspoon provided council with two options for consideration: establish a licensing program for STRs or maintain the current status quo.
In the report, Witherspoon emphasizes the need for a comprehensive approach, suggesting that any regulations should apply township-wide, despite the majority of STRs being situated in the lakeshore area.
Witherspoon states in the report that bylaw enforcement and related STR expenses are currently funded by the tax base. A consensus amongst council members established a preference for these costs to be shifted to STR owners to ensure that those benefiting from STR operations bear the financial burden.
Witherspoon’s report concludes with a recommendation to implement a licensing program as the most effective solution for managing STRs. The proposed program would involve education, rule postings, annual inspections and a demerit point system for non-compliance, and a committee of council would be created to draft a licensing bylaw and gather community input.
During the open forum component of the July 16 meeting, ACW lakeshore resident Joe Bernier addressed the controversial topic. Bernier says there are eight STRs operating on his road but he believes only one of them belongs to a person who resides in the community. He said his family has encountered large, rowdy gatherings of 20-30 short-term renters on a single property and has experienced difficulties confronting unfamiliar, temporary occupants while attempting to resolve disputes.
Bernier said, “We’re not sure how to approach [STR occupants]; There’s been several complaints put in; foul language. And you go and say, ‘Hey, can you cut it down?’ and they say, ‘Oh, sorry we didn’t do it.’ And you turn around and they say, ‘Eff you, old man,’ as I walk away. So, very frustrating and we’re to the point where we almost wanted to sell and move because of the stress that it’s caused in our lives.”
Bernier suggested applying a tax to the platforms that offer STRs to recoup some of the costs associated with dealing with the persistent issue.
Councillor Anita Snobelen came out in support of the idea of regulating STRs in ACW. She said continuing with the status quo would mean that bylaw enforcement and policing costs would continue to rise without providing the township any means to recover the expenses.
Snobelen said septic systems in the area are being challenged by excessive use from larger groups, which puts local waterways at risk. She also said, anecdotally, that there are some STR operators who are not adhering to ACW’s building codes, thereby jeopardizing community safety.
Councillor Jennifer Miltenburg said that it's important to consider both sides of the issue. She said she operates an STR on behalf of a registered charity that is promoted on AirBNB and that not all STR operators are bad actors. Miltenburg supports the idea of regulation, but she would like to see representatives who operate STRs included in the committee that determines the rules.
Councillor Evan Hickey explained the evolution of his thought process regarding STRs. “At the start of all this short-term talk, I was not in favour of it. I didn’t think that we needed more rules and red tape for the owners and the property owners, but hearing the people talk around this council table, people at open forum; I think it’s a good thing going forward and I will support [developing a regulatory process].”
A motion to create a terms of reference for a new committee to develop a licensing framework for STRs carried, with Councillor Curtis Blake as the lone dissenting voice.