Eight Recommended Amendments
I don’t think there is a resident of the Northern Bruce Peninsula (NBP) that would choose to have an AirBnB beside them, unless they are an AirBnB owner. The alarming part for most home owners is that we are all one property sale away from having an STA (Short Term Accommodation) as a neighbour.
NBP is undertaking its annual review of our STA Bylaw. Below are eight amendments to better control STA operations and give the Municipality a bigger stick to deal with offenders:
1. Eliminate “C” Licenses: A “C” licence is essentially an authority to run a motel. It can operate 365 days a year with up to 12 renters. No residential home owner wants such a facility beside them.
2. Ban Waterfront STAs in Residential Zones: At most AirBnBs renters are out during the day tripping around the holiday destination area. On the Bruce Peninsula it’s different, many STAs are on the waterfront and the property is the destination. The renters come to stay on the property all day and enjoy all the lakefront has to offer. With new renters all the time staying on the waterfront, it is an endless task, usually falling on the neighbours, to educate rotating renters about noise levels, fires, fireworks, garbage management, and trespassing on adjoining properties.
3. No Visitors: Renters can have an unlimited number of guests as long as they don’t sleep overnight. Without a zero-visitor policy, the Bylaw Enforcement Officer can only be sure how many occupants are at an STA if they do a bed check at 2:00 am in the morning.
4. Maximum No. of Occupants to Be Displayed on Map: On the NBP website the maximum number of occupants for each licenced STA should be displayed on the STA map.
5. Neighbours To Be Notified of An STA Licence Application: With applications for building variances neighbours are notified and allowed to sign-off or offer opposition. It should be the same process for STA applications.
6. Add A Valid Complaint/Demerit Point Schedule: In NBP’s STA Bylaw a licence is revoked if there are three Valid Complaints, but nowhere is a Valid Complaint defined. Muskoka Lakes, Blue Mountains, Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton have all undertaken a system of Demerit Points in their STA Bylaws to track infractions and include a schedule showing the number of Demerit Points each offense will garner.
7. Valid Complaints/Demerit Points to Expire After Two Years: Valid Complaints are kept on the books for only one year. It is not long enough. The Ontario MTO keeps driver Demerit Points on your record for two years. In Muskoka Lakes, Demerit Points expire after three years. Blue Mountains and Kawartha Lakes both have a two-year expiry on Demerit Points.
8. Increase the STA Bylaw Fines: NBP needs a bigger stick to deal with property owners that flagrantly disregard the STA Bylaw. Base fines need to be higher and escalate for repeat offenders.
Ian Kelland
