Bluewater Council has tentatively finalized a short-term rental bylaw, according to Mayor Paul Klopp.
According to the municipality's website, the purpose is to regulate short-term rentals and create a policy that balances the economic benefits of short-term rentals with the needs of the neighbourhoods where they exist.
Klopp hopes the bylaw will be officially approved at Bluewater Council's next meeting.
“To register, it'll be $750 for the license fee," he said. "For the first year, you need to show some sort of proof that you've rented your place out prior to May 1, I believe.”
Klopp said they tried to keep it as simple as possible to make sure everyone understood the bylaw. The most common issues the bylaw will address are parking and noise.
“That is one of the reasons we had to upgrade the parking bylaw," he said. "We also had to change our noise bylaw to be a little easier to apply the rule and for out staff to, if we have to, charge people.”
Klopp's hope is that the new short-term rental bylaw will be in effect by July 5. He expects it will be posted on the Bluewater website if the bylaw is approved.
