Looking to set up an Airbnb in the Thompson- Nicola Regional District?
You now need a permit.
At its Dec. 14 meeting, board members voted to require property owners to obtain temporary-use permits if they wish to engage in short-term rentals, such as those offered via the popular website Airbnb.com.
“We’ve had some problems in some areas of the TNRD with these short-term rentals and most properties are not zoned for short-term rentals,” board chair John Ranta told KTW, pointing to neighbourhood complaints about noisy renters as the most common issue.
While planners first looked at putting in a special short-term rental zoning class, the regional district settled on temporary-use permits, which are good for three years, with the potential to renew for another three years.
“It requires consultation with the neighbours and notification of neighbours and that sort of thing,” Ranta said.
The requirement won’t apply to municipalities such as Kamloops and Sun Peaks, which set their own regulations on shortterm rentals. Ranta said enforcement of the new rules will be complaint- based.