Residents demand town boot, not regulate, Georgina's 'party palaces'

'Get rid of them. Period,' says one of many residents who feel entire neighbourhoods are 'under siege'

Yorkregion.com
July 18, 2018
Heidi Riedner

“Party palaces” are destroying neighbourhoods, bring nothing to the local tourism industry and are the “tail that is wagging the dog” in Georgina, according to residents who packed an open house regarding the town’s proposed regulation of Airbnb-style, short-term rentals held at The ROC July 11.

Numerous residents, living next to what the town estimates to be about 110 short-term rentals clustered around the lake from Keswick to Port Bolster, had one clear message for the town.

“We want action, not more study,” said one, referring to the town’s efforts since September of last year that included bringing consultant Michael Smith on board to help draft a long-term policy and regulations striking a balance between all stakeholders, including residents and proprietors.

While Smith stressed no official position is being advocated yet, he did outline potential licensing and zoning bylaw options “for discussion purposes only.”

'Party palaces' accused of ruining Airbnb business, neighbourhood in Georgina
Key components include a demerit point system and code of conduct for establishments, potential fines for infractions such as fire and building code violations, and ramped-up bylaw and police enforcement for noise, garbage and parking complaints.

But many who voiced their concerns at the meeting stressed their issue is not with Airbnb rentals but the “party palaces” owned by corporate interests operating as hotels in residential areas.

“We’ve got a case of the tail wagging the dog here,” said one. “A couple-dozen (rentals) have found a loophole and we’re looking for the town to close it.”

While bed-and-breakfast establishments and hotels are regulated, there is nothing on the town books for what Smith called the “shared economy,” which includes a longtime practice in Georgina of “cottage rentals” as a way to supplement incomes in addition to the recent explosion in Airbnb platforms.

While former town councillor and Willow Beach resident Dave Szollosy appreciates the sentiment behind the town’s efforts to date, he said the premise is “fundamentally flawed,” adding it is misleading to speak about people renting out space as a way to either make it more affordable to live in their own homes or offset the costs of their vacation properties.

“These are not an example of the sharing economy. The properties of concern are income properties, not someone’s home. They are investment properties acting as hotels,” he said, adding if the corporations want to continue using these properties as hotels, they should go through the process of applying for a zoning amendment.

“We do not have to accommodate an undesirable activity,” he said.

Concerns raised include a rotating roster of “piles of people coming to party” for two to three days, with continuous noise, lewd behaviour and language, limited police and bylaw enforcement for various infractions, and neighbourhoods full of residents who feel “under siege,” especially on weekends when anywhere between 35 to 75 people cram into the rentals.

The town’s $20,000 effort to ramp up enforcement with extra bylaw hours and a hotline dedicated to short-term rental complaints implemented last month isn’t an effective solution, according to many residents, who said many of their calls to police and bylaws elicit no response.

Either people gave up calling or don’t want to get involved with “10 to 15 drunks” on their own, one said.

“Until we have the ability to police these things, we shouldn’t have them,” he said. “It’s not right that there are people here who are afraid in their own neighbourhoods.”

York police Det. Shannon Anderson said police can’t respond, however, if they're not called. And if residents don’t get a response the first time, they should call police again.

"We'll call in extra resources if need be," she said.

Keswick resident Sue Jagminas said the solution is simple, especially if the town is willing to act on, rather than pay lip service to, public input.

"Get rid of them. Period," she said, adding the town is wasting a lot of time, money, effort and useless enforcement when one simple thing would solve the problem.

“Clearly, the town has put forth the effort in considering regulating these establishments, and clearly a lot of people here are not interested in regulating these establishments, so I really hope this isn’t just a check-off-the-box consultation, but that you will truly take these concerns into consideration because, from my perspective, you’re already ready to regulate them," she said.

“You’ve got a bylaw drafted, you've got a demerit point system, and what we are saying is we don't want any of that."

Jagminas added the answer is three simple words -- principal residences only.

"I think we all agree there is no problem if you want to rent out a room or a couple of rooms in your principal residence," she said, adding the problem is empty houses with rooms for rent at $360 a night to 12 "guests."

"There may be 12 guests 'registered' there, but there are way more than 12 partying there."