Let’s Talk about Short-Term Rentals

Please note, at the Council meeting held Tuesday, October 19, 2021, City Council adopted “Zoning Bylaw Amendment Bylaw 2021, No. 5129”, which incorporates new Short-Term Rental regulations. To find out more information on the regulations, please visit the City’s website at www.chilliwack.com or contact the Planning & Strategic Initiatives Department at 604.793.2906 or planning@chilliwack.com.

Please note, Council, at its regular meeting of October 5 2021, has given first and second reading to “Zoning Bylaw Amendment Bylaw 2021, No. 5129”, which proposes to incorporate new Short-Term Rental regulations, and called the Public Hearing to be held on Tuesday, October 19 2021 at 6:00 p.m.

This amendment bylaw proposes to permit Short-Term Rentals as an ancillary use on the “same lot as someone's principal residence” (where a long-term residential use is occurring). Please click the following link to find out more information on the proposed amendment bylaw.

All interested persons will have an opportunity to participate. As a result of public health considerations, it is strong recommended that the public take advantage of the opportunity to participate in the Public Hearing process remotely via Zoom, although in person participation at the HUB International Theater is permitted at this time. Please review the Notice and brief instructions below in regards to the participation options for the Public Hearing:

• Submit feedback in writing (due by 4:00 p.m. Monday, October 18 2021); or,
• Participate live through audio/video conferencing (www.chilliwack.com/ph); or,
• Participate in person at the HUB International Theatre Facility (9201 Corbould Street).

The Public Hearing will be broadcast live on the City of Chilliwack website (www.chilliwack.com/live) for viewing by the public.

In the meantime, if you have any questions about the proposed amendment bylaw or the Public Hearing process, you are welcome to visit https://www.engagechilliwack.com/short-term-rentals and/or contact the Planning & Strategic Initiatives Department at 604.793.2906 or planning@chilliwack.com.

We looked at what other cities have done, and have listed four regulatory options below, including our proposed change: “Option 4: Same Parcel Short-Term Rental". For background information, please review the staff report and presentation on short-term rentals.

Option 1 - Maintain Status Quo:

• Short-term rentals will not be allowed, except for licensed Bed & Breakfasts.

Option 2 - Commercial Operation:

• Short-term rentals taking place in a unit that is not someone’s principal dwelling unit (i.e., a vacation property, a secondary residence, etc., that is not the designated principal dwelling unit of the owner). No one permanently lives on the property.

Option 3 - Home Sharing:

• Short-term rentals taking place in someone’s principal dwelling unit (i.e., renting out a spare room in a home and/or renting out an entire home while on vacation). A principal dwelling unit, in this instance, is where an individual lives, makes their home and receives mail.

Option 4 - Same Parcel (recommended approach):

• Short-term rentals taking place on the “same lot” as someone’s principal dwelling unit, either in the form of renting out a spare room(s) in the principal dwelling unit or renting out another unit on the same property (i.e., secondary suite, coach house, garden suite). In this scenario, the property owner or principal resident permanently lives on the property where the short-term rental is occurring.

What are the proposed new changes to short-term rentals?

Based on the above policy review, the City of Chilliwack is proposing to expand short-term rental regulations to permit short-term rentals on the “same lot” as someone’s principal dwelling unit (“Option 4 - Same Parcel Short-Term Rental”). In this scenario, the property owner or principle resident permanently lives on the property where the short-term rental is occurring.

What could this potentially look like in Chilliwack? The property owner/principal resident could:

1. Share their primary residence by renting out a room or multiple rooms in their home (i.e., Bed & Breakfast or lodging/boarding situation - with or without breakfast); or,
2. Operate a short-term rental from a coach house, garden suite, or secondary suite, while living within the principal residence on the property (or vice versa).

Why require the property owner or principal resident to live on the property where the short-term rental is occurring?

Option 4 attempts to support local tourism while protecting housing stock by requiring the property owner or principal resident to live on the same property as the short-term rental. If the property owner or principal resident does not reside on the same property as the short-term rental, then a short-term rental is not permitted, and long-term housing stock is not lost.

Also, by requiring the property owner or principal resident to reside on the same property as the short-term rental, this ensures continual monitoring by the operator/host and, in turn, should help prevent “party houses”.

In addition, as off-street parking requirements and design guidelines are already in place for Accessory Dwelling Units (i.e. secondary suites, coach houses, garden suites). This will help minimize neighbourhood disruption and privacy concerns.