Planning and Business Regulation Compliance for Bed and Breakfasts and Short Term Rentals (STRs) in Kaslo

Definitions

“Bed and Breakfast” means a home occupation carried on in a single-family dwelling owned and occupied by the operator which provides not more than 4 rooms accommodating up to 8 transient paying guests for sleeping purposes only where the room rate includes breakfast which is served on the premises.

“Short Term Rental Accommodations” are self-contained principal or secondary residential dwelling units, temporarily unoccupied and re-purposed by the owner, for the purpose of operating a commercially marketed transient accommodation business.

“Temporary” means a maximum of 180 days in a calendar year

Can I obtain a Business License if I am not an owner/ operator in a residential area that matches this definition?

No – the business operation is in non-compliance with zoning regulation and the Village cannot issue a Business License for you.

Do I have any options to bring my property into compliance?

Yes.  You could consider applying to have your property rezoned to C3-Neighbourhood Commercial.  This would present a public process opportunity for your neighbourhood to comment on an application for a residential dwelling on their street being converted to a potentially full time commercial transient accommodation purpose.

You could also consider long term leasing as an alternate use of a second property that does conform to R-1 zoning.  Holders of long term leases cannot operate an STR themselves or on behalf of the owner in an R1 property.

The 2018 amendments to bylaw 1130 (Land Use) made STRs a permitted use (under certain conditions) in the R-1 zone for the first time.  The goal was to help facilitate STRs operated as home-based businesses by residents from their residence.  Commercial zoning is required for other types of STR where the owner does not live on the premises and is essentially operating a tourist cabin/ transient accommodation business out of a residential dwelling.

In fairness to appropriately zoned and assessed tourist commercial businesses, the Village encourages owner/operators to comply with land use and business regulation bylaws.