Editor:
As a longtime resident of Gibsons I am greatly concerned about the lack of regulation for short-term rentals in our residential areas. I have no objection to responsibly run B&Bs in homes where the owner is living on the property, but do not understand why people are allowed to purchase whole houses, live off the Coast, and rent them out as STRs. This process is ruining our quiet, peaceful town and is unfair to local residents (taxpayers).
The Oct. 15 article, “Council adjusts short-term rental priorities,” stated that “an updated bylaw for regulation of STRs ‘will likely’ be subject to another public hearing.” Really? How many public hearings on this topic are necessary? This is an ongoing problem of great concern to the residents of this community – the ruination of local neighbourhoods by allowing these unregulated STRs. Why is this issue not being urgently addressed? How many meetings and hearings does it take to resolve this issue? Why are no “progress reports” published to tell residents what is being done to address this problem? If council continues to stick its head in the sand on this issue, the whole town could become a giant unregulated hotel zone. It could happen to any and all of us. Please do your jobs, and treat this ongoing issue with the urgency it deserves.
Laurel DeVries, Gibsons
