MAY COUNCIL REPORT
May 11 and 18, 2022
Special Committee of the Whole Meeting: May 11, 2022: 7:00 p.m. – 10:53 p.m.
Committee of the Whole Meeting: May 18, 2022: 10:00 a.m. – 12:09 p.m.
Regular Meeting of Council: May 18, 2022: 9:00 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.
Attendance: Mayor George Cornell, Deputy Mayor Steffen Walma, Councillors John Bryant,
Cindy Hastings and Gibb Wishart all present on May 11, 2022; Deputy Mayor Walma absent
on May 18, 2022.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
– Special Virtual Meeting of Council – Review of proposed New Zoning By-law,
Tuesday, June 14, 2022, 4:00 p.m.
– Mayor’s Charity Golf Tournament – Friday, June 17, 2022, Orr Lake Golf Club
– Community BBQ: Celebrating ‘Tiny’ Heroes – Saturday, July 23, 2022, Perkinsfield
Park
– Candidate Nomination Period – Monday, May 2, 2022 to Friday, August 19, 2022 at
2:00 p.m. by in-person appointment with the Clerk’s Department
– Public Budget 2023 Survey to be distributed to a number of residents for the period
of Thursday June 9, 2022 to Friday, September 2, 2022, results to be reported
September 21, 2022
– Visit www.voterlookup.ca to ensure you are on the Voters’ List for the 2022
Municipal Election on Monday, October 24, 2022
– Subscribe to CivicWeb to receive direct notification of e-genda publications
– Tiny Connect – Sign up now at www.tinyconnect.ca
– Township’s COViD-19 webpage at www.tiny.ca/coronavirus for municipal service
impacts and updates
SHORT TERM RENTAL ACCOMMODATION (STRA) TASK FORCE: Chaired by CAO Robert
Lamb, a STRA Task Force was struck on August 11, 2021. It met six times between
September 28, 2021 and February 22, 2022. Its discussions produced consensus on many issues, among them that
– longer rentals (one week or more) have not historically presented the same
enforcement issues as weekend rentals
– some STRA operators rent responsibly
– STRA guests can positively impact the local North Simcoe economy
– a STRA should be defined as 28 days or less
– STRAs should be allowed in all residential zones, not just the shoreline
– a combination of Zoning and Official Plan Amendments, an annual licensing program
and a renter’s code of conduct was recommended
– one set of rules should be applied equally to everyone
– safety issues need to be addressed in the licensing program and requisite inspections
defined
– a method must be established to calculate maximum occupancy limit in the rental
unit and minimum number of parking spots on site
– a demerit point system should be established for license suspensions or terminations
The Task Force also reviewed and tweaked a proposed by-law that was prepared by staff
and planning consultants and considered the maximum number of days that a house could be rented out and the minimum rental period. It also reviewed and tweaked a revised
second draft. No consensus was reached on a number of topics including the maximum
number of licenses that could be issued each year, the maximum number of days a house
could be rented each year, and the minimum number of nights of each rental. Council
disbanded the Task Force on March 21, 2022.
DRAFT STRA LICENSING BY-LAW 22-017:
– Begins with definitions
– To be administered and enforced by a Licensing Officer
– Operator of STRA must hold a current license
– The maximum number of licenses issued each year shall be ???
– License sets the permitted number of rental bedrooms and of renters
– License forbids rentals for fewer than 6 consecutive days and rentals for more than
92 or ??? combined days per calendar year
– Establishes a Renter’s Code of Conduct
– Establishes an Owner/Licensee Code of Conduct
– Limits occupancy to 2 per bedroom
– Licensing Requirements – supply proof of incorporation, a detailed site diagram and
floor plan, proof of insurance and of current inspections, name and contact
information for owner/agent who can be reached in 30 minutes and can be present
at the site in 60 minutes, a fee
– Site Requirements – a hard surface area for parking, a copy of current license, a site
diagram, floor plans, copy of Renter’s Code and other relevant township by-laws,
safety precautions, a guest register
– Inspection by township to ensure compliance with this by-law, Ontario Building
Code, and other regulations
– Reasons for refusal or renewal of license, rules for appeal
– If contravention of by-law is discovered, then an order may be issued that the
contravention must be corrected
– Entry and inspection conditions
– Demerit point system explained and an example of the requisite form supplied
– By-law to come into effect on the date of passing of this by-law
RENTER’S CODE OF CONDUCT
– Treat the premises as a home
– Respect your neighbours
– Leave it as you find it
– Obey rules regarding number of renters
– No noise (loud music, outdoor excessive noise, no late evening early morning
disturbances, no yelling, shouting)
– Obey rules re parking, garbage and recycling, septic capacity, fire and safety
OWNER/LICENSEE CODE OF CONDUCT
– Follow the STRA Licensing By-law and other applicable regulations
– Post copies of renter’s code of conduct and license inside premises where renters
can see them
– Rent only the parts of the premises identified for rental on the floor plan
– Be responsible for contraventions of any rules
– Be aware that inspections may occur
– Renew license in a timely fashion
– Inform township of any changes to a premises promptly
– Follow all safety regulations
DEMERIT POINT SYSTEM
The demerit point system is laid out in a four column table, the first defining the infraction,
the second the rule that has been broken, the third the type of infraction and the last the
number of demerit points incurred.
A license may be suspended for six months or less if the demerit point total is 7 or
more. A point count of 15 or more results in revocation of a license.
LICENSING PROGRAM FOR STRAs
On May 18, staff was instructed to prepare a report on the implementation of this STRA
licensing program for Council’s first meeting in June. It was told to enter into an agreement
with Granicus (provider of a software program) to administer STRAs (cost $39,824.72 per
year). Staff was also told to revise By-law 22-017 by setting the maximum number of
licenses issued per year at 300 and setting the occupancy capacity at 10 people per STRA or
less depending on the capacity of the sewage system.