The Township of Georgian Bluffs will begin taking applications for its new licensing program for short-term rentals (STR) on October 15, 2024.
The program was approved at the recent committee of the whole meeting, following a a 4-3 recorded vote of council.
Mayor Sue Carleton voted against the idea, citing the $65,000 cost.
"For the simple reason that spending basically a half a percent of our budget to regulate what's basically two per cent of two per cent of the problem," she explained. "Because it's two per cent of the properties in the township, and out of that two per cent are a problem."
Councillor Ryan Thompson and Deputy Mayor Grant Pringle also voted against the plan. Pringle said they could use current bylaw enforcement to tackle any problems.
"I personally would like to see us do a better job of bylaw," said Pringle. "If our bylaws are used toward that person with a complaint on him 20 times, then we have to have better set fines, We have to have a better by law to put an end to all that."
Operators of primary residences and seasonal residences, which run between May to October, pay $500 annually. Operators of STRs for secondary residences would pay $750, and operators for an accessory structure would pay $200 per additional unit.
Incoming short-term rental operator Sabrina Saunders favours the licensing plan and wants to see operators who are not in compliance with the program face a heavy fine.
"I am aware of business owners in some of the more popular areas like Blue Mountains and Meaford, who actually consider the fine that the municipality will give them for non compliance as part of their business practice," she added.
However, short-term rental operator Heather Barfoot called the program too expensive, and pointed out it will cost $65,000 annually to regulate less than 154 properties that operate as short-term rentals.
"154 represents basically 2.6 per cent of the properties in the township," she said. "If we allow this $65,000 a year cost to regulate those 2.6 and license those 2.6 per cent of properties, you're spending $422 to make sure that I'm doing my job."
But Balmy Beach resident Andrew Drury wanted to see the program go ahead.
"If you're a homeowner, and next door to your property is a place every Saturday night that has a party, you're not happy," he said. "You bought in a residential zone. You did not buy in a commercial zone. You did not buy it next to an Inn or hotel. If somebody wanted to convert it, they go through a process. So I think you need to proceed."