The licensing of short-term rentals remains off the table in Seguin following a March 13 special meeting of council.
While council turned down staff’s recommendation to license short-term rentals, work continues to update what are considered quality-of-life bylaws, such as rules governing noise and burning, and keep an eye on how other townships are tackling the issue.
Seguin has been grappling with short-term rentals for six years, in a process that has included two surveys of the community and a 2021 ultimatum reminding property owners rentals aren’t allowed under the township’s 2006 zoning bylaw.
Seguin’s lawyer no longer believes the township’s current ban would be upheld in court, said Mayor Ann MacDiarmid.
“Our solicitor had advised that if we have passed a zoning bylaw amendment to prohibit them anywhere in Seguin and everywhere, there would still be legal nonconforming rights for any of the existing ones …. anywhere around 250 short-term rentals, and those are just the ones we can find,” said director of planning Taylor Elgie.