After roughly an hour-and-a-half of public discussion on short-term vacation rentals earlier this week, one thing is certain: the District of Metchosin must do something to regulate the industry.
But what those regulations look like and how they will be enforced are still being considered.
During a workshop Tuesday, mayor and councillors voted to have staff draft policies to regulate the booming industry and report back to the planning committee in the coming months.
B次元官网网址淩egulation has a cost to it. If weB次元官网网址檙e going to regulate, we have to face how we regulate without incurring a whole lot of costs that we can ill afford,B次元官网网址� Mayor John Ranns said.
B次元官网网址淲e try to operate the municipality on as tight a budget as we possibly can, and that includes not having excessive regulations or excessive enforcement.B次元官网网址�
The decision comes after the committee heard mixed reactions from dozens of residents who voiced their opinion on the issue of short-term vacation rentals, such as Airbnbs and Vacation Rentals by Owners (VRBO).
RELATED: Metchosin hosting workshop on ways to regulate Airbnbs
According to a staff report released in November, there were 17 properties in Metchosin listed on vacation rental websites in August and 16 in November. Many of those properties are clustered around Sandgate and William Head roads B次元官网网址� an area council hopes to take aim at specifically.
Jeanne Enright, who has lived on Sandgate for close to four decades, said the increase in the number of short-term vacation rentals in the area are turning the area into a ghost town.
B次元官网网址淭he neighbourhood has changed. ThereB次元官网网址檚 been a lot of empty houses. ItB次元官网网址檚 disturbing to me in some respects to see the neighbourhood so empty,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲e do need regulation. We donB次元官网网址檛 want our neighbourhood to be a ghost town. We want to see families there, we want to see people that we know there. ItB次元官网网址檚 a big concern to me, because weB次元官网网址檙e proud of our neighbourhood. We canB次元官网网址檛 have that many Airbnbs all together.B次元官网网址�
Another resident who also lives on Sandgate said there are many days when she canB次元官网网址檛 go outside due to the high level of noise from vacationing families.
RELATED: Metchosin takes aim at short-term vacation rentals
However, many spoke in favour of short-term vacation rentals as well.
Blake MacKenzie, manager of EMR Vacation Rentals in Langford, said they offer alternatives to hotels and bed and breakfasts.
He added people who use the properties are multifaceted, some come for vacation, others for academic stays at Royal Roads University, are in transitional housing situations, or are snowbirds.
B次元官网网址淭he people who stay in these properties, they do participate. They provide patronage to local businesses, they go to farmersB次元官网网址� markets and buy produce. A lot of these people want to experience local,B次元官网网址� said MacKenzie, noting he isnB次元官网网址檛 against regulations, but cautioned that overly harsh ones would only drive the industry underground.
B次元官网网址淭he STR industry has had a positive affect on communities overall.B次元官网网址�
Other residents who operate short-term vacation rentals said there are a number of reasons why they chose to run one.
Liza Dawson-Whisker lives in Sooke but recently purchased property in Metchosin on Sandgate Road, as a future retirement home. But the price of renting out the house wouldnB次元官网网址檛 cover the cost of the mortgage, which is why she opted to operate a short-term rental.
B次元官网网址淲ith such a small number of short-term rentals in Metchosin, it doesnB次元官网网址檛 have the same pressing needs as Victoria, with the housing shortage,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 just think that too much regulation and money shouldnB次元官网网址檛 be spent on something that B次元官网网址� isnB次元官网网址檛 a problem.B次元官网网址�
Currently, the District does not have a policy regarding short-term vacation rentals, but it does have the ability to regulate them through zoning, by allowing or prohibiting land uses in different zones, requiring them to have business licences or through nuisance bylaws.
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