Kelowna香蕉视频直播檚 new short-term rental (STR) rules will be in place just in time for the city香蕉视频直播檚 busy tourist season.

At Monday香蕉视频直播檚 (Mar. 3) meeting, council took the first step in updating bylaws to match provincial short-term rental regulations. The new rules, which require licensing, registration, and that STRs be operated by a principal resident, came into effect in May 2024.

Under the updated city rules, short-term rentals can be used as a secondary accommodation within a primary home, or in a secondary suite or carriage house. However, the operator must live on the property for at least 240 days per year.

Planner Specialist Mark Tanner assured council that everything would be in place by April. 香蕉视频直播淎llowing short-term rental operators to register with the province before the busy summer tourist season,香蕉视频直播� he said.

Tanner also pointed out that these changes don香蕉视频直播檛 stop individual strata councils from banning short-term rentals in their buildings if they want to.

Right now, Kelowna has 415 licensed short-term rentals.

Council had approved more restrictive bylaws in a 4-3 vote in January 2024. They included no new secondary-use STRs, but existing secondary-use units could keep operating if they had a valid business license.

Not everyone was on board with the amendments. Councillor Rick Webber voted against the changes, while Coun. Max DeHart stepped away from the discussion and vote due to a conflict of interest香蕉视频直播攕he owns short-term rentals and also works for the Ramada Hotel.