Correcting the record on Air BnBs and short term rental properties in Pelham
The Town of Pelham would like to thank the many residents who attended the Council Meeting on August 13, 2018, in interest of their concerns regarding Air BnB and short term vacation rental properties within the Town of Pelham.
Barbara Wiens, director of community planning and development for the Town of Pelham, addressed the many inaccuracies and false statements that were printed in an August 8, 2018, opinion column in a local newspaper.
The principle argument of the op-ed was that the Town of Pelham “intends to permit this use in every home within the town—every home, on every street, in every neighbourhood”. This statement is false.
As Wiens noted in her statement, she, nor any other staff, ever suggested that these establishments should be allowed throughout town. What residents were informed of during their meetings with staff, was that the zoning bylaw would need to be amended to define the uses and subsequent locations of where these uses should or should not be located.
Equally inaccurate was the accusation that the identified a “new revenue stream for Town coffers - an opportunity to charge licensing fees to these properties, as well as to increase their property taxes, effectively discarding the concept of residential neighbourhoods as collateral damage”. In fact, it was a resident who first spoke of licencing fees, and the Town informed them that licencing fees have to be reasonable to cover only the administration of such a program and cannot be used to generate revenue for the Town.
The opinion column also suggested that the Town disregarded the 85 facts discovered in the Town-facilitated information session; they are attached to the director’s report as Appendix A.
A result of this opinion column was the widespread belief, and subsequent panic, that the Town was passing a bylaw on August 13 that would allow the false statements made by the author to become reality. However, the report presented to Council was for information only. Town staff would then engage in fulsome, broad based discussions with the community regarding where bed and breakfast establishments and vacation rentals would or would not be permitted; and if they are to be permitted under what conditions. Following that, there would be a further report with a recommendation for Council to consider.
As suggested during the Council meeting, the staff report to Council, the appendix to the report, the director’s statement, and the provincial guide for home sharing in Ontario municipalities, are all attached below. You can view the entire Council meeting, beginning with the director’s statement on our YouTube channel.