Sechelt is going to look into a software package to track short-term rentals in the community – either on its own or through a partnership with Sunshine Coast Tourism.
The motion to ask Sunshine Coast Tourism to collaborate on the software suite came after a letter from the Sechelt and District Chamber of Commerce sparked a short debate on short-term rental (STR) regulations during the Sept. 16 council meeting.
In its letter dated Sept. 9, the chamber said it wanted to “express our opposition to the District of Sechelt’s proposed bylaw changes regarding short-term rental (STR) businesses” and that “such changes only serve to damage a very important and historic part of the area’s economy.”
The letter goes on to say the chamber fully appreciates “those residents who have been negatively impacted by some short-term rental properties” but believes complaints can be effectively dealt with by “more active bylaw enforcement.”
The chamber said it supports requirements for business licences and “local responsive management.”
So far, district staff have not brought forward any proposed bylaw changes for council’s consideration, but short-term rentals are being looked at as part of a major overhaul of the district’s main zoning bylaw.
In response to a question from Coun. Matt Mclean about the district’s strategy, director of planning and development Andrew Allen said the zoning bylaw review could also be supplemented by business bylaw changes or a “separate, yet to be developed, short-term rental bylaw.”
Allen estimated the current number of licensed short-term rentals in the district is around 73.
“I think the community right now is looking for clarity on short-term rentals,” McLean said. “From the onset, I think our goal was to have a unified or at least something that resembled what they’re doing in the SCRD and Gibsons in Sechelt. My question is, when will we be able to provide that clarity?”
Coun. Alton Toth noted that the number of short-term rentals with business licences given by Allen is “less than a quick search of Airbnb turns up” and asked whether the district has the capability to track the unlicensed short-term rentals, and get the operators to take out licences, “so that we can at least know who they are, where they are, and can look at regulations as a whole package.”
Mayor Darnelda Siegers said she’s been having conversations with the district’s CAO and director of finance about a software package that would allow the district to track short-term rental sites.
“I’ve [also] been in conversation with Sunshine Coast Tourism, and they’re also potentially looking at that software. Given we are a funder of them, they may be able to, if they go forward with that, provide that kind of data to us as well,” Siegers said.
McLean said the main concern he’s hearing from residents is the need for better enforcement and said the software could help.
“One way to start with that is identifying the people who are operating without a business licence,” McLean said. “We may not have weekend bylaw enforcement, we may not have a perfect short-term rental bylaw, but if we do get that software we could start identifying these people, get that communication out and that may start us on a path of fewer rentals with noise complaints and some of the other issues that we see.”
