Prince Edward County Committee of the Whole accepted staff recommendations for an almost finalized new short-term accommodations (STA) regulatory regime on Thursday. The regime amounts to a restriction of new STA licenses to natural persons only (and not business entities), as well as a general prohibition on new STA licenses.

There will be exceptions for those applied for by a primary resident or for creating a fully accessible STA. As well, the recommendation proposes the banning of new STAs in R3 (mixed-use) and R4 (smaller lot, affordable housing) zones regardless of above exceptions.

Committee also heard a comment from Matt Pennock of Licensed Short-Term Accommodators of Prince Edward County. He expressed concerns over the natural persons restriction being too restrictive to those seeking to shield themselves from potential liability by forming a business entity. He also stated that the administrative penalty regime would punish licensed operators as much as unlicensed ones.

Committee acknowledged the feedback and provided further direction to staff to refine the penalties regime to be more onerous on unlicensed STA operators. There will be a public planning committee meeting on June 15 for discussion of the zoning changes before the whole package goes to regular council on June 21.

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