The effects of vacation rentals in Revelstoke’s neighbourhood communities became clear at the city council meeting on May 10, when a number of residents opposed properties applying to legalize their accommodations with the vacation rental zoning amendment bylaw.
A public hearing was heard for 1904 Hay Road and 2297 Airport Way. Each had considerable discussion as a handful of residents made their case against allowing the vacation rental applications.
Residents complained of dealing with groups larger than the property allowed, fireworks being set at night, all-day partying and streets blocked by extra vehicles.
“First, neighbourhoods are for neighbours, not vacation rentals,” Nadine Smith said in response to the Airport Way application. “We have the right to quiet enjoyment of our property.”
“What you’ve done, you’ve made it so neighbours can’t look at each other in the eye,” Brian Tobin said. “It’s altered what we had.”
Issues were also raised on Revelstoke’s process of bylaw enforcement, where currently neighbours feel forced to ‘snitch’ on illegal vacation rental disturbing the peace.
Coun. Trevor English and chair of the security committee said they have increased the hours of Revelstoke bylaw enforcement officers in the budget this year.
“I believe that we are doing our very best to mitigate concerns in the neighbourhood,” he said. “I do believe it is a bigger problem than we can solve at this table.”
At the meeting, city development services manager Dean Strachan explained the complaint process. When bylaw officers receive a complaint they notify the owner that a complaint has been received and give them two options: Either provide a letter stating they are no longer operating a vacation rental or they submit an application to legalize.
If there is a life safety issue to the complaint, such as too many people occupying the accommodation, bylaw officers could take more immediate steps.
When a vacation rental is legalized, part of the process is that owner must get a business license.
Coun. Duke sat out during the two public hearings due to his conflict of interest as CEO of the Revelstoke Property Services.
Co-owner Eve Northmore took the stand at one point in the public hearings to respond to some of the concerns of residents. She said that not all vacation rental owners were disrespectful.
She argued that with her organization, vacation rentals were regulated locally and that outside circumstances sometimes required owners to live out of Revelstoke.
“I can say quite candidly, that the renters coming and renting are significantly better than the 3,000 [winter] residents that come here for a longer time than three days,” she said.
“I think it’s up to the city to continue enforcing the bylaw, I think that’s a good thing … and we shouldn’t punish the ones that are doing it right.”
Mayor McKee noted that despite a number of vacation rentals operating in Revelstoke, city hall last year received very few complaints, indicating that the majority were being good neighbours. He said he believed vacation rentals could be part of a quiet neighbourhood.
“I actually enjoy meeting people from all over the world that want to come and spend time in Revelstoke and enjoy what we have every day,” he said. “I think there are good opportunities for vacation rentals and every now and then, when one gets turned down it sends the message that ‘I better do a good job if I’m going to be in the vacation rental business.'”
The third reading for both 1904 Hay Road and 2297 Airport Way vacation rental rezoning applications were defeated.
Coun. Nixon said they were coming in from the back and had gotten caught.
“I really believe in legalising them,” Nixon said during the vote for the Hay Road property. “I believe we have more teeth when they’re legal. But when they’re told by Mr Strachan to put in an application and you still hear that they’re advertising bunks [over-filling], it doesn’t show they have good faith in being regulated. It shows me that they’re snubbing regulation and feeling entitled. I’m going to vote against the motion.”
A report from the city’s development services department on vacation rentals and their impact in Revelstoke is coming to council at their next meeting on May 24.
Currently neighbours can use the SeeClickFix app to report problems or contact local bylaw enforcement on 250-837-2911.
Previous: Vacation rentals
Mackenzie Village development to monitor vacation rentals
Council also grappled with the issue of vacation rentals at the proposed Mackenzie Village housing development on Nichol Road.
At the public hearing for the development in early March, council asked city staff to explore limiting the percentage of vacation rentals at the development.
But with the development being phased and built to market demand, the final outcome of what housing will be built is yet to be seen.
City staff have negotiated with the developer that on the phases that are built adjacent to existing residential properties, no more than 5 per cent will be allowed to be vacation rentals. The rest could theoretically be 100 per cent.
But managing these rentals is expected to be easier as the property will have multiple layers of control with each block having its own strata as well as the overall building management. Vacation rentals at the site would not be required to go through the existing bylaw process.
City councillors were still concerned with the potential 100 per cent allowed and directed city staff to discuss a potential cap with the developer.
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