Short term rental regulations finalized for Kelowna

Kelowna will not allow carriage homes and secondary suites to be used as short term rentals.

That was the decision city council reached after much deliberation during Tuesday night’s public hearing at City Hall.

The decision came after a long bureaucratic process that included two public hearings.

In March, council passed Kelowna’s first set of legal regulations for short term rentals.

However, those regulations did not permit carriage homes and short term rentals to be rented through services such as AirBnB.

Following a large push back from residents at the initial public hearing, council decided to send an amendment that would permit carriage homes and secondary suites to another public hearing.

On Tuesday night, that second hearing saw council vote down the amendment four votes to three.

Mayor Colin Basran led to voice against approving the amendment, saying it was in opposition of council’s healthy housing plan and would ultimately increase rent and hurt vacancy for renters.

Councillor Charlie Hodge was the strongest voice for approving the amendment.

"In both public hearings, with over 80 speakers, the vast majority of people supported allowing carriage homes and suites into the short term rental pool," commented Hodge.

"The greatest threat that faces the supply of long term rentals in this town is B.C.'s Residential Tenancy Act."

In the end, mayor Basran along with councillors Mohini Singh, Luke Stack and Gail Given won in their vote to turn down the amendment.

Councillors Hodge, Brad Sieben and Loyal Wooldridge voted for the amendment.

According to a staff report, 63% of respondents to a local survey supported using secondary suites & carriage houses for short-term rentals.

That same report highlighted approving the text amendment would make 2,247 legal suites & carriage houses in Kelowna available for short term rentals.

Kelowna residents hoping to operate a short term rental can apply for a business license up until July 1.