Centre Wellington is back to square one when it comes to its draft short-term rental licensing bylaw.
In a lengthy discussion about the draft short-term rental (STR) licensing bylaw at a council meeting Monday afternoon, Centre Wellington councillors shared several concerns about the draft bylaw’s points, including parking, owner-occupation and enforcement, as well as how to protect long-term rental spaces in the community.
While staff initially recommended that the draft bylaw be endorsed or rejected at the meeting, council deferred it in favour of conducting a committee of the whole workshop, where council can look at different options and decide together what they want the draft bylaw to look like rather than repeatedly go back and forth with staff over long periods.
Due to the township staff’s current workload, the draft bylaw is anticipated to come back to council in Q3, which is between July and September.
Capping the number of STRs at 175 was discussed, although staff are concerned that this could create a “licensing frenzy” if implemented. O’Kane said staff know of approximately 155 STRs in Centre Wellington and suspect there are more.
Coun. Barb Lustgarten-Evoy said a cap is “absolutely” needed, suggesting something higher than 175. She later shared concerns about the bylaw’s “lack of clarity” around parking and the limited options regarding enforcement.
Coun. Kim Jefferson suggested requiring STR owners to renew their licenses annually instead of every three years to help keep a handle on the bad apples.
Two STR owners delegated during the meeting to share their concerns about the draft bylaw, asking for a simpler registration process and for the township to make it “less restrictive,” especially for responsible owners.
“We chose this path because it felt safe and accessible. These proposed bylaws now make it unstable and unwelcoming,” said STR owner Mark Reilly. “Our STR is essential to us. It helps us support our home and contribute to the community.”