The Town of Kingsville now has a framework for short-term rental (STR) properties.
Councillors on Monday night voted in favour of a bylaw regulating and licencing STRs.
The bylaw is the next step of a process that began in December 2023, when Kingsville's new Strategic Plan was approved. It contained a timeline for regulating short-term rentals and made the increase of available housing in the Town a priority.
Kingsville's Clerk and Acting Manager of Municipal Governance, Angela Toole, said that applications for new STR licences are currently not being accepted but will be in the new year.
"Further information will be shared on the application process when it is available," said Toole in an email to WindsorNewsToday.ca. "In the meantime, those that own or operate a short-term rental in Kingsville and wish to be notified when applications are available are encouraged to review the information on the Town’s website and fill out the form to request STR licensing program updates."
To address challenges raised by the public input, the Town has issued specific solutions.
For noise or nuisance behaviour, the Town plans to supplement its current bylaw enforcement team outside of regular working hours by establishing a 24-hour telephone hotline for complaints.
To deal with parking, the bylaw will require a minimum number of parking spaces based on the STR's maximum occupancy.
The bylaw will require a background check on all STR owners as a condition for getting a licence, along with proof of insurance. Annual fire inspections are also a requirement and included in a modified fee structure approved by councillors on Monday. That goes as follows.
$400 for an STR licence of up to four people, with a $150 fire inspection fee
$750 for up to six occupants, with a $200 fire inspection fee
$1,400 for up to eight occupants, with a $250 fire inspection fee
$1,750 for a maximum of ten occupants, with a $300 fire inspection fee
$250 for a commercial STR, with a $500 fire inspection fee
$250 for an owner-occupied STR, when the owner resides there full-time
The bylaw defines an STR as any structure used as a dwelling for 28 consecutive days or less in exchange for payment. Hotels, motels, inns, and bed-and-breakfasts fall under this category, but not STRs where no payment is taken.