Hear what the 2018 Pelham candidates say about Short Term Rentals and B&Bs!
On October 1st , 2018 our CPR group posed 3 questions related to Short Term Rentals and Bed & Breakfast Establishments to Pelhams Candidates. Join the "Concerned Pelham Residents" group on Facebook or email CPRcares2018@gmail.com and request a copy of your ward councillors, Regional and Mayoral candidates responses!
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Dear Candidates
Our group CPR (Concerned Pelham Residents) was created in order to inform Pelham residents about an important issue facing our community; the presence of B&B’s and Short Term Rentals within the town of Pelham.
With this in mind, we feel it is important for the voting public to hear from you regarding this issue. We have enclosed three questions with accompanying statements and applicable links for your information. We respectfully request an answer to each one and would like to receive these answers by October 5, 2018. These will be considered a public statement by you and will be distributed exactly as answered via social media and other venues.
Sincerely,
CPR Committee
Joan C
Martha G
Esther H
Pat K
Sue and Bud L
Elaine W
Corey and Jennifer Z
QUESTION #1 Do you believe short term rental properties and Bed and Breakfast Establishments should be permitted to operate within Residential subdivisions in Pelham?
QUESTION #2 How will you ensure all properties obtain a license and what recommended actions would you take for those who don’t comply?
QUESTION #3 Please outline your vision of Short Term Rental Properties, as well as Bed and Breakfast Establishments throughout Pelham’s various communities. Also, please ensure you identify the specific zones listed within the Town of Pelham zoning bylaw 1136 and the Town of Pelham’s Official Plan and secondary plans where you feel these establishments should or should not be allowed to operate.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND LINKS PERTAINING TO:
QUESTION #2 Recently, the Town of Fort Erie identified the cost to administer the licensing of Short Term Rental Properties and Bed and Breakfast Establishments to be $300,000 with a license revenue of only $17,000.
https://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/…/8910448-crystal-beac…/
As well, the vast majority of Short -Term Rental Properties do not obtain licensing as required by various municipalities throughout Canada.
https://www.cbc.ca/…/thousands-of-vancouver-airbnblistings
https://www.castanet.net/…/Penticton/229297/city-hunting-ai
https://www.cbc.ca/…/quebec-airbnb-law-not-effective-2017-1
QUESTION #3 Recently, residents in several parts of Fonthill have experienced and expressed significant safety concerns related to short term rental properties and Bed and Breakfast Establishments from fire safety, the transient nature of guest with potential criminal intentions, strangers walking into wrong homes, marijuana tourism and rowdy parties. Many of these concerns, as well as even more concerning behavior have been identified and documented in news articles throughout Southern Ontario.
https://obj.ca/…/uncertainty-looms-over-canadas-cannabis-to
https://globalnews.ca/…/ontario-family-shocked-to-discover…/
https://toronto.citynews.ca/…/man-killed-in-shooting-at-ai…/
https://www.niagarathisweek.com/…/8296331-editorial-modern…/
https://www.google.ca/…/airbnb-rentals-bei…/article38066008/
https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/…/police-investigating-after-hid
https://www.cp24.com/…/police-release-images-of-suspects-af
The Ontario Ministry of Finance has also prepared a guide (now archived as it was prepared as a vision under the previous Liberal government) for Municipalities and outlines the perceived benefits and negative impacts experienced by communities throughout Ontario related to Short Term Rental
Properties. As well, cities have prohibited these establishments within Residential and Low-Density areas such as the case in Niagara Falls and also Blue Mountain where they are prohibited in R1, R2, R3 and
Low-Density areas.
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-45083954
https://files.ontario.ca/home-sharing-guide-for-ontario-mun
https://www.pelham.ca/en/how-might-I/Zoning-Bylaw.aspx
https://www.pelham.ca/…/se…/Official-Plan-and-Schedules.aspx