Last winter, Kimberley City Council decided it was time to look into a policy around short-term vacation rentals in Kimberley.
In April, a public engagement process and survey was taken, and staff have now presented Council with a bylaw, setting fees for licensing short term rental accommodation in the city.
Planner Justin Cook told Council that uptake on the survey was 369 responses, which he considered a very good number. Responses were divided between owner operators (83) and residents (286).
The majority of STR owners host guests in a single home they own either as their primary residence (31.8%) or in a single home that they own but in which they do not live (45.4%). Approximately one in five (18.2%) of STR owners own between two and ten STR properties.
It was also found that 80 percent of operators were in the upper Kimberley/resort area, and 10 per cent downtown.
Most residents did support the operation of short term rentals in Kimberley, but also supported fines for nuisance or non-compliance.
While writing the bylaw, staff looked at what other communities, especially resort communities, were doing around STRs, and what they charged for license fees. Fergie charges $100 plus a $150 inspection fee yearly; Nelson $200 to $1604, based on room count and type. Radium has a flat $100 fee.
Kimberley’s bylaw will require a $300 annual license fee, and a number of other responsible person requirements.
The hope is to adopt the bylaw some time this early fall, and use the last few months of the year for community education, and early license sign up. Enforcement will begin in 2022.
READ: Survey launched to assess short-term rental situation in Kimberley
READ: City looking to track short term rentals in Kimberley
carolyn.grant@kimberleybulletin.com
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