Vacation rentals will now be easier

By Pirjo Raits
Sooke News Mirror
Sep 13 2006

Stringent regulations in the draft zoning bylaw regarding vacation rental units for those wanting to use their homes as tourist accommodations were deleted at council Sept. 11. The rules would have meant that homeowners would have had to be approved by a Tourism BC approved management company, be licensed under the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General; the management company would have to have an office in Sooke or the Capital Regional District Electoral Area; and manager must be available at all times; contact numbers must be available, and telephones must nbe available for incoming calls.

Coun. Rick Kasper made a motion to strike these onerous requirements out of the bylaw. He said these were business practices which did not belong in a zoning bylaw.

Coun. Sheila Beech encouraged council to recommend the regulations, but in the end council voted to eliminate those requirements.

The conditions under 5.31 Vacation Accommodation Use now says only: "A small suite may be used as a vacation accommodation unit."