The Regional Board gave final reading to a bylaw that would regulate the use of private residences as short-term vacation rentals.
The bylaw requires property owners to apply for a Temporary Usage Permit (TUP) in order to offer their residences as short-term vacation rentals. The property would be required to meet a set number of conditions before the TUP would be granted.
The RDOS annually receives numerous complaints — generally noise-related or involving traffic and parking overflow, adverse impact on the character of the neighborhood or septic failure — from neighbours of private dwellings operated as vacation rentals.
Board Chair Mark Pendergraft, Vice Chair Manfred Bauer and a third representative from the City of Penticton will represent the Regional District on a Joint Council established as part of a Protocol Agreement with area First Nations.
The Regional District’s CAO and Deputy Corporate Officer were appointed to serve on a steering committee. Both bodies were established at a September 9 meeting involving the Regional District and representatives of the various First Nations committed to the Protocol Agreement.
The Board approved a motion forwarded by Area “G” Director Angelique Woods proposing the Regional District send a letter to the Province supporting the licensing of All Terrain Vehicles.
After Area “D’ Director Tom Siddon expressed concern with untidy and unsightly properties in his area and the difficult steps neighbours have to undertake to report infractions, other directors agreed and requested RDOS staff review enforcement procedures for all electoral areas.
Area “H” Director Brad Hope, noting difficulties the Regional District had obtaining information in the aftermath of the Coalmont tailings spill, requested the Board forward a letter to the Provincial Government asking it consider implementing Emergency Response Management System protocols within all of its Provincial Ministries. The Board approved the motion.
Mary Ellen Heidt, executive director of Community Futures — Okanagan-Similkameen, led a delegation before the Board reporting on success of the Economic Gardening program and making a request for continued funding. Her report was received as information and will be reviewed as part of budget deliberations.
Property owners accessing the Apex Water System will each contribute $7,353 over 20 years to repay capital debt arising from upgrades to the system. The property owners will have the option to pay the full amount of $7,353 in one payment or by annual parcel tax of $633. The improvements were requested by property owners in 2012 to deal with an ongoing boil water situation.
The Regional Board awarded Wildstone Construction and Engineering Ltd. a $60,320 project to install a scale and do some required road realignment at the Keremeos Landfill.
A watermain replacement project in Naramata was also tendered by the Board. Engineering work for the project was awarded to Aplin & Martin Consultants Ltd. for $34,775. A $146,000 construction tender for the project was awarded to PW Trenchless Construction Inc.
The Board gave three readings to a service establishment bylaw that would provide funding for the Similkameen Country Visitor Information Centre. The bylaw now goes to the provincial Inspector of Municipalities for consideration before returning for constituent approval.