Columbia Valley Pioneer staff
The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) has made only two amendments to its short-term rental (STR) permitting policy.
After a public delegation and a number of recommended changes by staff on September 5, the board opted to leave the policy largely unchanged.
The two changes it made include increasing permit fees to $1,500 from $1,000 (for staff-decided applications), and an increase to $3,000 from $2,000 for applications decided by the board. These increases, effective January 1, 2025, were approved to cover the cost of processing the applications.
In the STR permitting policy, the maximum occupancy limit is being kept at 10 people per parcel. Under the change, staff can approve two permits: the first permit — eight person occupancy for the main house; and the second permit — two person occupancy for a small suite.
The resolutions also included support for future OCP zoning changes to identify specific areas for STRs.
The board decided not to make changes to the following: number of off-street parking spaces required, amending the maximum number of guests, and the requirement for property owners to provide an affidavit confirming charges restricting land use on their property.
The September 5 delegation included Colleen Roberts and Mara King from the Windermere Community Association who presented their concerns surrounding STRs and the impact they are having on neighbourhoods. Roberts told the Pioneer that Fairmont, Windermere and the Fernie Snow Valley community associations have been working for more than a year on the challenges with the RDEK’s policy and its temporary use permitting system for STRs.
First off, according to Roberts, these policy changes are being made with no public consultation.
“How can the public provide input when by the time they see the staff report, the deadline to make written comments and/or speak at the board meetings has passed?”
Roberts told directors that the community associations generally support short-term rentals and understand the economic boost they bring to the valley, but she stressed there must be a “balanced approach.”
She raised the issue of parking, noting the RDEK had proposed to reduce parking requirements instead of reducing the maximum number of guests. But in the end, the board opted to leave on-site parking as is — one additional off-street guest parking space for an occupancy of 1-4, two spaces for 5-8, and three spaces for 8-10 guests.
Roberts said it is critical to ensure that STR operations (parking) don’t spill onto the street and create safety issues. Regional planner Justin Cook said they don’t want people bringing an excessive number of vehicles to the district.
Staff noted that if numerous complaints are received, bylaw officers will investigate which could result in the permit being removed in the future.
Staff recommended the maximum guest count be reduced to eight from 10, except a maximum of 14 in areas exempt by the province, such as resort locations (Panorama and Fairmont).
Roberts recommended a maximum of 10, saying there must be a balance between tourism and quality of life, adding there is a potential of disrupting neighbourhoods when you have too many STRs and guests.
After the meeting, Roberts told the Pioneer they will continue to work with the RDEK to “find a balance that accommodates visitors while preserving the quality of life for residents in their communities.”
She pointed out there are still some outstanding concerns, including a lack of effective enforcement of the STR policy, and the need to address the number of STRs permitted in a neighbourhood.
“Having a proliferation of STRs in residential areas affects its character and livability,” Roberts said.
