At the most recent Champlain Township council meeting on August 24, Senior Planner Jennifer Laforest summarized suggestions for regulating short-term rental accommodations, saying that the move was in response to correspondence received by the township.
There are currently no definitions governing short-term rentals; the township’s rules currently define tourist lodging, hotels, motels and bed and breakfast locations.
The report stated that many municipalities have amended their zoning by-laws to include a new use definition of ‘short-term accommodation’. Short-term accommodation is defined as a dwelling unit used for a rental period of less than 28 days. The dwelling unit provided for the short-term accommodation is the principal residence of the short-term rental operator.
The report also cites that the Township of East Hawkesbury recently introduced a by-law to license short-term rentals, requiring operators to obtain a licence from the township. While the East Hawkesbury by-law does not contain the principal residence requirement, the township planner said that without the requirement for live-in operators of short-term rentals, there could be legal and land use conflicts for the municipality in the future.
Champlain Township administration has issued enforcement orders for airbnb’s based on complaints received, according to the report.
There was no discussion on this topic. A resolution to include additional regulations for short-term rentals in the upcoming housekeeping amendments to the zoning by-law, as well as asking administration to prepare a licencing by-law for short-term accommodations and present a draft to council was approved by council.
