Appetite for control of rentals grows among NOTL residents
Subcommittee reviewed town’s short-term rental bylaw back in July and gave 33 recommendations for changes
David Levesque is manager of Gatekeeper’s Retreat Bed & Breakfast in the Old Town of Niagara-onthe-Lake and during the pandemic he saw business slow significantly for vacation rentals like his, but with stasis came an opportunity for much-needed change.
The town began bringing the hammer down on unlicensed and rule-breaking short-term rentals that have disturbed some neighbourhoods with loud parties and other activities — and according to some people, things are better now.
“The pandemic did help (in) … allowing the town a bit of reset time,” Levesque said. “We’re in much greater shape than we were before.”
Council members who’ve served the community since 2018 agree — they’ve been emphasizing this point during their fall election campaigns.
In December 2020, the town updated its short-term rental bylaw for the first time since 2013, and last July began a compliance program called Granicus, with a 24/7 support line for resident complaints.
“We used to have over 100 (shortterm rentals) that we were chasing,” said Coun. Wendy Cheropita during an all-candidates’ debate on Sept. 28. “Now, we’re down to just a couple.”
Oct. 24 will see voters select a lord mayor and municipal council to lead them into the future for another four years.
The future, both short-term rental operators and residents say, should see the town keep its control over the situation with stronger, more appropriate bylaws and enforcement.
Last year, the town’s short-term rental subcommittee reviewed the bylaw and gave 33 recommendations for changes in July, said Coun. Gary Burroughs.
“It’s time we did something about it,” Burroughs said during the debate.
The updated bylaw, he said, wouldn’t distinguish between bed and breakfasts, cottage rentals, villas and country inns. Two categories will be hosted and un-hosted rentals (where the host lives on the property versus when they don’t).
Garrison Village resident John Buchanan was part of the subcommittee. The town took the owner of an un-hosted Airbnb in the village to court after Buchanan and his neighbours presented evidence of
visitors throwing loud, latenight parties, sometimes until the next morning.
Buchanan said the next council should focus on making sure bylaw officers enforce rules about late-night activity.
“The town has adequate bylaws to keep them operating in a manner that’s consistent with the standards of the community and the neighbourhood,” he said.
The proliferation of un-hosted short-term rentals is also a concern beyond a handful of parties. Jane Andres, who’s operated Applewood Hollow Bed & Breakfast for nearly 23 years, said she wants to see the town limit — but not eliminate — the amount of un-hosted shortterm rentals.
“If we want neighbourhoods to thrive, you have to have neighbours,” she said. “When places are empty, there’s no thriving, there’s no connection.”
Ardeth Staz, president of The Village Community Association, for Garrison Village, sees it the same way.
“We would not be able to involve people in community,” she said. “I think it does hollow out the community if every second house is a short-term rental.”
Putting the bylaw into action will be on the next term of council’s agenda.
“It’s going to address a lot of the issues that have been taking place that have been really annoying to people,” Cheropita said.
Buchanan said he’s hopeful the town’s next council will be able to continue handling the situation.
“We’re way better than we were three years ago,” he said.