By Times Staff
Should Thompson-Nicola Regional District step up enforcement in respect to vacation and short term rentals?
That was a topic of discussion during aTNRD board of directors meeting held Aug. 17 in Kamloops.
“We gave the staff the authority to come up with a zone and a policy specific to vacation and short term rentals for us to review,” reported Carol Schaffer, the TNRD director for Area A (Wells Gray Country) after the meeting.
“The development services have experienced an increase in concern from various communities and residents regarding the use of cabins and cottages as AirBNB and other short term rentals. Other municipalities and regional districts are dealing with the same thing,” she added.
According to director of development services Regina Sadilkova, a preliminary internet search found dozens of websites with short term rental offerings across the TNRD, including Lac la Jeune, Savona, plus Heffley, Paul and Pinantan lakes.
This is despite the fact that short term rentals (defined as anything less than 30 days) are not permitted in any zone except for commercial use, i.e. traveller accommodation such as in a resort or motel.
The directors were told that development services has experienced an increase in concerns from various communities and residents regarding the use of cabins and cottages as AirBNB and other forms of short term rentals.
Bed and breakfast operations are allowed and do not generate complaints, Sadilkova reported.
The principal difference between a short term rental and a bed and breakfast appears to be that the owner is present in the latter.
Complaints include noise from off-road vehicles, loud parties, the discharge of firearms and a general disrespect for the community.
There is a continuum of cases, the director of development services said. There are less flagrant cases where the rentals are on geographically isolated properties, they occur only occasionally and the dwelling still looks like a ‘house.’
There also are cases where the recreational single family property seems to be turning into a full resort with detached cabins, campgrounds, commercial-type signs and websites.
Some of the waterfront properties rent for as high as $400 per night, and a few have a five-day minimum stay. Weekend rates can climb to $650 per night.
“Local governments everywhere are dealing with an increase in this activity and many are developing process and policy to guide enforcement staff in how to address it,” the director of development services wrote.
Sadilkova said there are positive impacts from allowing and encouraging short term rentals such as: 1) increased tourism opportunities, 2) economic activity; and 3) financial benefits to those who offer these services plus some spin-offs for area business.
Negative impacts include: 1) losses to and competition with commercial accommodation businesses that pay their full way; 2) potential drain on existing services and amenities in low density residential areas; 3) increase neighborhood disturbances alongside an erosion of local sense of community; 4) higher degree of risk – i.e. complaints about weekend renters’ ATVs trashing rangeland or disregarding locally appreciated environmentally sensitive areas; and 5) inequitable taxation, because the property tax system favors residential classes over commercial.
