Short-term rentals for Pitt Lake, Indian Arm reviewed
Metro Vancouver is reconsidering its stance against short-term rentals in two remote areas of the regional district.
Metro is in the midst of developing an official community plan for Electoral Area A, which includes landuse designations and policies that set out the long-term vision for its communities. The unincorporated electoral area covers more than 800 square kilometres of Metro, and includes communities from Howe Sound to Surrey.
The University of B.C. and its endowment lands are part of Electoral Area A, but will not be covered by the plan.
A draft of the proposed plan released last fall sought to ban shortterm vacation rentals in the northern part of Indian Arm and on the west side of Pitt Lake due to concerns about public safety (fire risk in particular) and maintaining the rural character of the two areas. This was decided after consulting with property owners.
There are about 120 water-access-only lots with about 80 cabins and houses on the part of Indian Arm included in Area A, and 39 permanent residents.
The area on the west side of Pitt Lake has 75 water-access cabins and about 35 permanent residents. There are fewer than 10 Airbnb listings in Electoral Area A.
After the draft received first reading in September, Metro went back to property owners and leaseholders for more feedback.
Metro received a total of 17 comments, 12 of which were supportive of allowing short-term rentals in their communities. Staff considered those comments when drafting proposed amended policies.
The latest iteration of the plan — which will be discussed at a committee meeting Wednesday and is expected to be given second reading at a Metro board meeting later this month — supports short-term rentals “where permitted through zoning regulations that will be developed in consultation” with the two communities.
According to a staff report, “The proposed language would enable the Electoral Area A Zoning Bylaw to allow short-term rentals, while acknowledging that further discussions are necessary with residents in these communities to develop zoning rules.”