A program to curb noise and disturbances at rental properties in South Bruce Peninsula is achieving its goals according to Town staff.
A report to council Tuesday, presented by Chief Administrative Officer Bill Jones looked back on the Short-Term Rental Accommodation Program’s first summer in the community which includes Sauble Beach and Wiarton.
Jones’ report says, “Calls and e-mails to Council regarding issues with neighbouring cottage rentals have all but ceased.”
He adds, “The documented rental properties with multiple complaints in past years have become mute in year one of the program. The Town has received correspondence from STRA neighbouring properties thanking the Town for implementing the program, as it has made a substantial difference in their neighbourhoods.”
A few communities in Grey Bruce have implemented short-term accommodation rental programs, including Northern Bruce Peninsula, the Town of the Blue Mountains and Grey Highlands.
The staff report says, as the short-term rental market grew, so did complaints about noise, nuisance, fireworks, waste management, parking, rental capacities and septic systems.
South Bruce Peninsula council decided to implement a rental licencing program and hired a company called Harmari which provides short-term licensing compliance and monitoring services.
Harmari runs a 24/7 complaint phone line that takes down the information from the complainant, then contacts the owner of the cottage or rental, who is expected to rectify the situation immediately. If they can’t get a hold of the owner of the rental establishment, they then contact town bylaw enforcement.
The fine for renting an unlicensed STA is $500. There are numerous other fines including fines for failing to respond to a complaint in the allotted time and fines if you obstruct or interfere with a bylaw officer.
Town staff say the monitoring and compliance software purchased by the Town suggests there are about 600 short-term rentals operating in the municipality. Staff explain, that number comes from searching more than 80 different rental platforms.
They acknowledge some properties are rented out though word of mouth, which can be challenging for them to find, and they are working to address noncompliance issues. Staff say they have registered about 350 rentals in the first year of the program.
They also note, calls placed to the compliance hotline were addressed by the licensee and did not require a response from a bylaw enforcement officer.
The Town does have a Licensing and Compliance Officer who has been assiting property owners with the program registration.
Moving forward, council approved a staff recommendation Tuesday to reduce the licence renewal fee from $500 to $350.
The initial, first time registration fee will stay at $800, then it will be $350 a year for renewals.